There are probably more races in the heavens than the human race could imagine, but Gene Roddenberry made an impressive try. His legacy lives on in contemporaryStar Trek, and in one of the more enigmatic and interesting races was introduced duringThe Next Generationyears.The Trillfirst made an appearance in theTNGepisode “The Host,” and since then, a few have played important roles throughout theStar Trekuniverse
Like many other races on the show, the Trill have changed somewhat since they were first introduced. There’s a lot that even hardcore fans or dedicated viewers don’t know a lot about this fascinating alien species.
6They’re A “Joined” Species, But Not Everyone Has A Symbiont
The Trill are a humanoid species, and the ones that aren’t “joined” with symbiotic hosts look almost exactly like humans. The race is known for its cultural practice of sharing bodies with a sentient being known as a symbiont. However, this is only taken on by a few Trills who have been deemed exceptional individuals. Those from outside of Trill society might think it’s common, but this isn’t the case.
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The incarnations of Trill havechanged over the years. The early visual markers inTNGinclude distinctive ridges, while those fromDS9andDiscoveryfeature a variety of markings and skin colors. TheTNGepisode that introduced the race got high marks from both fans and critics, and the Trill became a permanent fixture in the show when Jazida Dex was introduced as part of the regularDS9cast even though she didn’t look exactly like her predecessor.
5They Carry An Epi-Pen
One of the lesser-known but more serious disadvantages of joining with a symbiont is a high intolerance the host develops to any kind of insect bite. This is an obscure fact that often flies under the radar, because there aren’t a lot of mosquitos in space where most of theStar TrekTrill live and work. But for those that live on planets with wildlife that have any kind of venom, it can be a death sentence.
The biochemical changes that take place in a Trill’s nervous system cause this extreme sensitivity.TheDS9episodes"The Siege" and “A Man Alone” talked about some of these conditions unique to Trill that were joined with a symbiont.
4Symbionts And Non-Trill Species
It was because of an emergency thatCommander Riker of the Enterprisewas chosen as a temporary host for a symbiont in “The Host.” Until that event took place, it had been more than a thousand years since such a union had been made successfully, and it would be longer until a permanent one was attempted with a non-human host.
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The Trill returned inDiscoverywith the character of Adira, a non-Trill who joined with a symbiont. This was the first time in more than 2000 years, and it was significant that this happened after the Burn, a galaxy-wide event that was devastating to the Trill and their symbionts alike.
3The Symbiosis Commission
The joining of a humanoid Trill with a symbiont isn’t something that happens by accident, or even just mutual agreement. It’s a long and meticulous process that only admits a few, and it’s a lifetime commitment that can’t be reversed. Viewers who are familiar with theirDS9lore would know more about the Symbiosis Commission, their role in choosing which Trills can join with a symbiont, and the steps involved.
The group appears in a few episodes. They not only oversee the Trill Initiate program that trains worthy candidates, but watch over the young symbionts until they are mature enough to join with a host. The episodes in which they appear focus on their depth of knowledge, both scientific and spiritual, but also hint at the authoritarian nature of the organization.
2Zhian’tara
An obscure and secretive process that’s also known as the Rite of Closure, this is a ritual in which a Trill who has joined with a symbiont can communicate with the previous hosts via a form of telepathy and a few helpful friends. This helps a new host understand the memories and consciousness of the former hosts, which they now carry with them along with the symbiont. Viewers got to see this in detail thanks to theDS9episode “Facets,” which featured the character of Jadzia Dax.
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Zhian’tara has been comparedto the Vulcan ritualFal-tor-pan because both use a kind of telepathy to reunite a soul, or “katra,” with a living body. The crucial difference between the two is that Fal-tor-pan is permanent, but the consciousness transfer of Zhian’tara only lasts for the duration of the ritual.
1The Trill Science Ministry
Star Trekspends a lot of time in space, and only recently with shows likeDiscoveryhave viewers seen the Trill homeworld. This is a highly advanced culture technologically, and the Trill Science Ministry was often compared to the Vulcan Science Academy in terms of prestige.
The headquarters were located on Trill, the name of the race and their homeworld, and theirspecialty was spatial anomalies. In theDS9episode “Rejoined,” several famous scientists from the ministry visited the space station to study artificially-made wormholes. All of them were joined with symbionts, an advantage that means years of research don’t have to be lost just because someone dies.
