8 Badass NuTrek Ladies for International Women’s Day

Happy International Women’s Day! It’s vital we uplift and celebrate women this day and every day, and thankfully, the media we consume is slowly but surely leveling the gender playing field. We’re seeing more women in our favorite TV shows and movies holding positions of power.

Star Trek has always been ahead of its time in that regard. Throughout its six decades, women have ascended the career ladder and taken on leadership roles. As a self-professed Trekkie, it behooves me to highlight my favorite badass ladies in Star Trek for International Women’s Day. Plot twist: These eight women are part of NuTrek, which is generally categorized as Star Trek projects from 2009 to the present day.

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Beckett Mariner (Star Trek: Lower Decks)

Beckett Mariner begins her Star Trek: Lower Decks as an ensign working in the titular lower decks of the U.S.S. Cerritos. She defies authority, shirks her responsibilities, and would rather lay waste to a bottle of Romulan ale than make first (or second) contact with a civilization.

However, Mariner’s journey throughout Lower Decks’ five stellar seasons sees her develop from a blasé ensign to a proud provisional first officer. She saves the universe on more than one occasion and learns to face her trauma head-on, addressing her toxic behaviors. We love a self-aware queen.

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Michael Burnham (Star Trek: Discovery)

Former first officer Michael Burnham makes history in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 by being the first and only Starfleet officer charged with mutiny. Six months into her prison sentence, Burnham finds herself aboard the U.S.S. Discovery, where she earns her place on its bridge.

Burnham lets down her walls and befriends the crew. She even cuts ties with her loved ones to save the universe by launching the Discovery into the 32nd century. Eventually, Burnham climbs through the ranks, becoming a steadfast, formidable, immensely empathetic captain before her final promotion to admiral. She deserves all the flowers and more.

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La’an Noonien-Singh (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds)

Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh serves as the chief of security aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the direct prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series. La’an boasts a hardened exterior, but beneath her shell is a heart of gold.

In seasons 1 and 2, she discovers the path to healing is achievable. La’an works through her traumatic childhood of being held hostage in a Gorn planetary nursery and watching her family die at their hands. She also reckons with her relation to the infamous Khan Noonien Singh.

La’an even opens her heart to love, and despite getting rejected, she doesn’t allow that to hamper her growth. She’s the epitome of true strength.

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Kathryn Janeway (Star Trek: Prodigy)

Listen, I know Kathryn Janeway existed long before the advent of NuTrek — Star Trek: Voyager was her showcase. However, she also appears in Star Trek: Prodigy, albeit as a holographic training advisor. Hologram Janeway solely exists to advise and support the crew of the U.S.S. Protostar and is modeled after the legendary Captain Janeway herself.

At one point, Janeway sacrifices herself to save the Protostar and the Federation from the living construct; thankfully, she later returns and is upgraded to the Emergency Command Hologram of the U.S.S. Prodigy.

Hologram Janeway acts as a mother figure and mentor to her young charges, developing a close bond with them. She’s a crucial part of the crew.

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Raffaela Musiker (Star Trek: Picard)

Commander Raffaela “Raffi” Musiker serves under Admiral Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Picard. Musiker is noted for her sharp intellect — she’s a multitalented analyst, hacker, and tactician. She eventually resigns following the end of the Romulan Rescue.

However, the inevitable pull of Starfleet is just too strong, and Musiker resumes her post. Musiker helps uncover the nefarious plot that leads to the Attack on Mars. Later, Musiker meets Seven of Nine, and the two pursue a romantic relationship. By the end of Picard, Musiker becomes Captain Seven’s first officer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise-G. She’s a bona fide badass in every sense of the word.

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D’Vana Tendi (Star Trek: Lower Decks)

D’Vana Tendi is notable for not only being the first Orion to serve in Starfleet but also originating from an infamous crime family in the Orion Syndicate. Her pirate name? Mistress of the Winter Constellations. Tendi fights tooth and nail to conceal her pirate past, often presenting herself as sunshine personified.

Aboard the Cerritos, Tendi befriends Mariner, Bradward Boimler, and Samanthan Rutherford, becoming quite close with the latter. She begins her Lower Decks journey as an ensign and ends it as a senior science officer. Tendi is a complex, nuanced character who, like Mariner, saves the universe time and again with her big, beautiful brain.

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Carol Freeman (Star Trek: Lower Decks)

Captain Carol Freeman is in charge of the Cerritos during Mariner, Tendi, Boimler, and Rutherford’s time as Lower Deckers. Mariner is her daughter, and they butt heads as often as they’re paired together to save the universe from various apocalyptic threats.

Freeman is a capable and intelligent captain whose job might be the most challenging in the Federation: keeping Starfleet’s horniest and least romantically inclined crew (and most prone to shenanigans) in line.

By the end of Lower Decks, Freeman is promoted to mission commanding officer for Starbase 80, overseeing various missions into multiple quantum realities. She’s at the forefront of exploring new frontiers.

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Una Chin-Riley (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds)

You might recall Una Chin-Riley as Number One in The Original Series, but Strange New Worlds digs deeper into her background and provides more context for her character. We learn that she’s actually an Illyrian, and Illyrians are forbidden from joining Starfleet.

In the season 1 finale, Number One turns herself in to the Federation for being Illyrian and undergoes a public trial to determine her punishment. Thankfully, the Federation grants her asylum and allows her to resume her duties as first officer, although it doesn’t change its stance on officers with genetic engineering in Starfleet.

Number One bravely faces the music during this trial, never wavering from telling the truth and advocating for her people. She’s a pragmatic, level-headed, and dependable first officer whose mere presence makes Starfleet better.

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Which NuTrek women are your favorites? Did your pick make the cut?

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