Throughout all of the Star Trek shows, one of the constants is the appearance of new life and new civilizations. However, it is pretty rare for that new life to appear after their first appearance. The only example that was encountered again that I can think of off the top of my head is the Borg. What other first contact species have reappeared in any of the Star Trek shows?
asked Nov 16, 2017 at 2:45
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1The Ferengi. The TNG episode The Last Outpost was the Federation's first contact with them, and they of course appeared many times afterward. They are probably the most notable example of what you are asking. There is undoubtedly a litany of other examples, especially from Voyager. Tons of first contacts, lots of recurring species, almost all of which were first contacted in that series.– J DoeNov 16, 2017 at 2:57
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What makes an encountered species "new"? Is it their first appearance in Star Trek in real world chronology, or Starfleet's first contact with them?– Politank-ZNov 16, 2017 at 3:28
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Starfleet's first contact is what I mean.– Donatello SwansinoNov 16, 2017 at 3:46
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Just about any alien species would count, especially if you include first contacts with Zephram Cochrane and United Earth Starfleet. Even if you limit it to the Federation Starfleet, nearly every major species apart from the founding Federation members and the Klingons would qualify. Romulans, Cardassians, Betazoids, planets where a crew member has visited before their only on-screen appearance, the list is, dare I say, too broad.– Politank-ZNov 16, 2017 at 4:28
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@Politank-Z It was clear to me he meant species that had an official "first contact with Starfleet" appear on-screen, and then they appeared again in another episode. Hence the Borg being an example. What episode featured the Betazoids first contact?– Z. CochraneNov 16, 2017 at 13:46
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1 Answer
This happened several times. Off the top of my head I thought of the following examples:
Borg
Your own nomination. First contact would've have been their meeting with the Enterprise in Q Who, although you might also count the Borg found on Earth in 2153.
The Founders and The Dominion
Of course Odo and other shapeshifters had lived within the Federation for years before the events of DS9, but it wasn't until 2371 (DS9: The Search) that official first contact occurred when Odo discovered his home planet. After that The Founders made frequent appearances. Later episodes of DS9 also described the actual "first contact" with Odo by Bajorans. Official first contact with The Dominion would be either in 2370 when the Ferengi traveled to the gamma quadrant to trade with them, or when the Jem'Hadar traveled through the wormhole and began attacking Federation colonies shortly thereafter.
Species 8472
Voyager discovered this fluidic-space species in 2373 during the events of Scorpion when they tried to invade normal space. Two years later they encountered Voyager again and ended hostilities.
The Traveler
We don't know what species he is, but Starfleet had made contact with him by at least 2360, and he was first shown in "Where No One Has Gone Before". He went on to meet the Enterprise crew two more times after that.
Q
The first contact with Q, or The Q, made contact with The Federation in the first episode of TNG - "Encounter at Farpoint." It's possible that Trelane, encountered in 2267 was of the same species. Q appeared numerous times again in TNG, DS9 and Voyager.
Ferengi
The Federation knew of the Ferengi, but made first official contact with them in the TNG episode "The Last Outpost". (hat tip to J Doe for the reminder) They "unofficially" made first contact with Humans in 1947, but those records were lost.
The Crystalline Entity
Spaceborne creature of unknown intelligence first discovered in the episode "Datalore", where it communicated with Lore. It appeared again in "Silicon Avatar".
Vulcans
Probably not what you had in mind, but first contact with the Vulcans was shown in First Contact, and they appeared continuously throughout the series. (both chronologically and in subsequent productions)
Klingons
Again, this was already an established species, but first contact was shown in the first episode of Enterprise, Broken Bow.
I'm sure there are some more examples. It was pointed out in the comments that Voyager encountered quite a few species in the Delta quadrant that re-appeared in multiple episodes. Considering Voyager to be Starfleet's unofficial emissary to the Delta quadrant, these would count as "first contact" too.
answered Nov 16, 2017 at 3:42
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1Also the Romulans and the Ferengi, depending on how liberally you define "first contact". Nov 16, 2017 at 3:45
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The thing about the Ferengi of course was that Archer and crew encountered the Ferengi, then the Federation completely forgot about them and Picard was explicitly sent on a first contact mission to meet them. Nov 16, 2017 at 3:57
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The horta may count too. Discovered in tos, appear as unreasonable blockheads in TNG. Nov 16, 2017 at 4:42
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