Star Trek Timeline


With Special Thanks To Lord Garth, The Heater, and Ben M.


Hopefully this Timeline will help correct the glaring problems with the Chronology.

If there are additions or corrections that need to be made to this timeline,
please email me
. Please state your sources and reasoning for
for your submission.


Please note that "Berman Trek" references are avoided unless it's extremely important.


Pre-20th Century

997,733 BC

The Guardian of Forever is built.

This date is reached by observing how Mr. Spock, in the year 2267, states that the machine is 10,000 centuries old.

47,725 BC

Bele begins his hunt for Lokai.

7728 BC

The Yonadan asteroid is launched.

4032+ BC

A number of humans are taken from Earth and are brought to live on a highly advanced alien planet.  In the ensuing generations, the aliens of the world train the humans' descendants to be special agents who will return to Earth to prevent human civilization from destroying itself before it can mature into a peaceful society.  Among these specially produced agents is Supervisor 194 -- codename: Gary Seven.

This date is arrived by the fact that Agent Seven, in the year 1968, reports that the human ancestors were taken from Earth "approximately 6000 years ago."


3834 BC

Birth date of the "immortal" Flint on Earth (Mesopotamia).

Flint later exists on Earth as Leonardo da Vinci, Johannes Brahms, and other artists/intellects before travelling to Holberg 917-G.

3733 BC

On the planet Beta III, a scientist named Landru creates a complex computer to guide his people into a peaceful and civilized society.  After Landru's death, the computer takes control of the planet's collective-will and turns the people into zombies which have no independent thought.

Date is conjecture.  The people of Beta III have no idea when Landru's computer was built, but they speculate that it may have been created as far back as 6000 years.  (This statement was made in the year 2267).

2733 BC


A group of aliens, who can harness great energy, dwell on a mountain in ancient Greece called Olympus and are viewed as gods by the local humans. One of these "gods" is Apollo, the product of an affair that Zeus, the
leader of the gods, had with a mortal woman.  After some time, these gods stop receiving worship from the mortals and decide to return to their home planet.  Soon, the gods grow weak from lack of worship and, one by one, they decide to fade away into oblivion.  Apollo, however, chooses not to fade away as he firmly believes that, one day, the mortals of Earth will venture out into the stars and come to his planet where they will worship him again.

The date give above is most probably that of when the gods departed from Earth.  For, when Apollo encounters the Enterprise in 2267, he states that "it's been 5000 years."

2731 BC


Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy arrive in the ice age of the planet Sarpeidon after being accidentally sent five thousand years into the past.  Before discovering that it's possible to return to the present, Spock has a fling with a sexy woman named Zarabeth.


428-348 BC

The life of the Greek Philosopher, Plato.  During these years, a group of humanoid aliens dwells on Earth and adopts the man's culture and ideals, thus becoming "Plato's Stepchildren."  After Plato's death, these aliens, who now call themselves Platoians, move to another planet where they consume plants which give them telekinetic powers.


1692 AD

Captain Kirk arrives in a superstitious period of Sarpeidon's history and is arrested on charges of practicing witchcraft.  He soon escapes from prison, and, with help from another time-traveller, he finds his way back to the time portal and returns home.

Date is conjecture.  We can only make an educated guess by observing how the clothing and social behaviour of that time period resembled that of 17th century England.  We have therefore chosen the date of the Salem Witch Trials as a reference.  This educated guess is also based on the assumption that Sarpeidon's past history closely parallels that of Earth.

1767

The planet Eminar 7 goes to war with the planet Vendiker.  However, instead using actual weapons of mass-destruction, the two worlds fight their war using computers and by assigning casualties to willingly walk into disintegration booths.

This date is reached by observing how "A Taste of Armageddon," which is set in 2267, reports that the two planets have been at war for 500 years.

1888

An evil entity known as Redjac takes the identity of Jack the Ripper and murders seven women in London, England.


The 20th Century

1930

Kirk and Spock arrive to 1930 Earth (via the Guardian Of Forever) to rescue McCoy. Edith Keeler, a social worker and outspoken pacifist, dies in a traffic accident. Kirk, Spock, and McCoy return to their present time.

1932

Redjac kills seven women in Shanghai, China.

1939

World War II begins.

1941

The United States enters the second World War.

In an alternate Timeline, a pacifist movement, led by Edith Keller, delays America's entry into the war, which, inadvertently, allows Nazi Germany to seize control of the world.

1945


World War II ends.

The United Nations Organization is chartered on Planet Earth in the city of San Francisco.

1957

The Space Age dawns with the launch of Soviet satellite Sputnik I.

1959

Yuri Gagarin, aboard space vehicle Vostok I, becomes the first human to travel in space.

1966

On a parallel planet which has a physical geography exactly identical to that of Earth, scientists attempt to produce a means of slowing down the human aging process, causing it to age only one month for every 100 years. However, the experiment goes horribly wrong and causes all adults to die leaving only the children of pre-puberty age to live prolonged lives.

The episode "Miri" (set in 2266) states that this accident occurred 300 years earlier.

1967

An encounter with a black star sends the Enterprise back in time to this time period. After removing evidence of their appearance, the Enterprise is able to return to its own time.

1968

The USS Enterprise travels back in time to study how the Earth avoided an atomic war during the 1960s.

1969

Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to land on the moon.

1971

An expedition from the Kelvan Empire in Andromeda embarks on a mission to the Milky Way galaxy to determine if it is suitable for conquest by their Empire.

Date is conjecture. The Kelvans were later prevented from returning to Andromeda by the USS Enterprise in 2268.

1972

Pioneer 10 is launched from Earth on March 3rd.

The probe was later destroyed in Klingon territory by the Klingon Bird of Prey Okrona in 2285. How the probe managed to reach Klingon space is a mystery, as it would have taken 80,000 years just to reach Alpha Centauri (4.3 light years away).

1974

Redjac kills five women in Kiev, U.S.S.R.

1976

Viking 2 lands on the Mars plain Utopia Planitia on September 6th.

Utopia Planitia is the future site of Starfleet's Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards.

1977

Voyager 2 probe is launched from Earth.

1978

The Voyager 6 probe is launched from Earth.

Date is conjecture. The probe later disappeared into a "black hole" and was presumably found by an alien intelligence that modified the probe and sent it back to look for its creator on Earth. This leads up to the events in Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 2274. In that film, Willard Decker declares that the probe was launched "more than three hundred years ago." However, the "more than" could merely have been hyperbole.

1986

In San Francisco, Kirk and crew arrive in a stolen Bird Of Prey via time travel, and leave with humpback whales George and Gracie, as well as Marine Biologist Gillian Taylor.

1992

The book "Chicago Mobs of the Twenties" is published.

Khan Noonian Singh rises to power, assuming dictatorial control over one quarter of the planet Earth, from South Asia to the Middle East.

1993

A group of eugenically bred "supermen" seize power simultaneously in some forty of Earth's nations. This begins the Eugenics Wars.

For reference purposes: The Eugenics Wars is not World War III. World War III comes later.

1996

The Eugenics Wars end. The genetic supermen were defeated in part by their own selfish ambition and lack of unity.

The DY-100 class SS Botany Bay, carrying Khan Singh and 83 of his followers in cryogenic freeze, is launched from Earth. Fleeing from persecution on Earth, Khan was hoping to colonize and conquer another world. No one is aware that Khan and his people have escaped (they are listed as unaccounted for) and there are no official records of the Botany Bay's launch.

____________________________________________________________________________

The 21st Century

2001+

During the 21st Century, humpback whales are hunted to extinction. They are not brought back until 2284.

2002

Space Probe NOMAD launched from Earth, the first interstellar probe intended to seek out new life forms.

The probe would eventually meet and combine with an alien probe named Tan-Ru. This malign combination would be discovered and destroyed by the USS Enterprise in 2267.

2009

Captain Shaun Geoffrey Christopher commands the first successful Earth-Saturn space probe mission.

2018

Advances in technology make cryogenic "sleeper ships" obsolete. They were widely used by most major Earth governments up until this time.

It would not be for approximately another 30 years until cryogenic ships were completely phased out of use by some of the smaller nations on Earth.

2026

Joe DiMaggio's hitting record broken by a shortstop from the London Kings

2030

Zefram Cochrane, inventor warp drive, is born.

2036

Earth's nations try to unite although the whole idea falls apart in a few years.

2040

Television no longer survives as a significant form of entertainment. (TNG reference)

2043

The Mind Control Revolts begin on Earth.
(Star Trek: The Motion Picture novelization, written by Gene Roddenberry)

2047

The Mind Control Revolts end. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture novelization, written by Gene Roddenberry)

World War III begins.

2053

Word War III ends. Most of Earth's governments are wiped out.

2061

Zefram Cochrane develops a prototype CDP (continuum distortion principle) engine capable of light speed travel. This is the first successful demonstration of light speed propulsion and is the basis for early warp drive technology.

2063

First sucessful flight of a warp drive vehicle (The Phoenix) by Zefram Cochrane.

First contact between Earthlings and aliens.

There is a lot of controversy as to whether Cochrane is from Alpha Centauri, or is from Earth and later went to Alpha Centauri. It depends on whether one accepts the events from First Contact as canonical. Regardless, Cochrane sure looks old in this film to be 33, doesn't he? Maybe the post-atomic radiation prematurely aged him?

2065

S.S. Valiant embarks on deep space exploration mission. Expedition is lost and eventually swept out of the galaxy.

"Where No Man Has Gone Before" states that the Valiant mission was 200 years prior to that episode.

2067

British astronomer John Burke maps an area of space that includes Sherman's Planet.
This is later the subject of dispute between the Federation and the Klingon Empire.

2071

The Great Awakening on Argelius.

2077

The New United Nations Organization is done away with, isolationism fills foreign policies around the Earth.

2079

Negotiations break down with terrorist factions in the Middle East. A nuclear missile is launched, resulting in a nuclear exchange. Though only lasting a week, there are 37 million casualties.

For reference purposes: This nuclear exchange is not considered a "World War."

The Post Atomic Horror. Earth tries to recover from the nuclear war. Nations have collapsed. Chaos abounds. While Australia survives, apparently the United States of America does not.

2087

Earth launches a colony ship equipped with the new "space/warp-drive" destined for Alpha Centauri. Maximum speed: Warp 1.7 (current system)

Warp 2 is achieved, humans begin slowly begin making more and more contact with aliens over the next several years.

Due to an increasingly hazardous political climate on Earth, Zefram Cochrane leaves with a colony group bound for Alpha Centauri, to continue his research.

All of the above is conjecture. And again, this depends on whether one accepts the events of Star Trek: First Contact as canonical.

2091

Space travel becomes commercially available.

Conjecture.

2098

Laser guns replace traditional guns.

Conjecture.

____________________________________________________________________________

The 22nd Century

2117

Zefram Cochrane, 87 years old, disappears from Alpha Centauri.

2120

Space travel beyond the solar system becomes commercially available by this time.

This is based on the assumption that by now people such as Zefram Cochrane were residing on Alpha Centauri in 2117 at the time of his "death." This implies that normal, everyday people are no longer Earth-bound.

2126

Warp 3 is achieved.

Conjecture.

2134

Earth gets involved in a war against the newly discovered Romulans, though they are not seen visually.

Due to primitive space-faring technology and communications, the war goes on to last for a long time.

2149

A Neutral Zone is set up and there is no further contact with the Romulans until 2266.

The war with the Romulans finally ends.

It should be noted that due to the primitive technology of the time, and the sheer amount of time it would take to travel space (especially on the Romulan side of things), it's unlikely this war would've lasted just a few years like the Chronology says since, in theory, it could've taken years just for the Romulans to send reinforcements from their end without warp drive.

2105

Redjac kills eight women in the Martian colony.

2156

Redjac kills ten women in Heliopolis on Alpha Eridani.

2158

The first transporters are invented.

2161

Earth, Vulcan, and three other worlds form the United Federation of Planets.

The military branch for the Federation is known as Starfleet.

Starfleet Academy is founded at San Francisco, Earth.

2166

Birth date of Sarek on Vulcan.

2168

Subspace communication is developed.

2170

The USS Archon visits Beta III in Star System C-111, and is perceived as a threat by the Landru computer and destroyed.

The USS Horizon visits Iotia and leaves behind the book "Chicago Mobs of the Twenties," after which the Iotians modeled their culture.

2172

Warp 4 is achieved but unfortunately ability to travel much beyond warp 4 proves impossible since there no substance that has been discovered that can give a ship enough power to travel any faster for many years.

This is a fan-made theory.

____________________________________________________________________________

The 23rd Century

2213

Birth date of Amanda Grayson.

2215

Starfleet begins development of its first photon torpedo design.

2218

First contact is made between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. This doesn't go over too well and all-out war breaks out shortly thereafter.

This depends on whether one accepts the series Enterprise as canonical. Given how the show rewrites history, I advise against this!

2220

The first Federation contact with Eminar 7.

2222

The birthdate of Montgomery Scott (better known as "Scotty").

2226

Dilithium is discovered. It becomes an incredible energy sorce that allows speeds and power previously impossible to become a reality. Years later, the Klingons learn how to harness dilithium first, giving them the edge against the Federation for a while.

Fan-made theory.

2227

Birth date of Leonard H. McCoy on Earth (Georgia).

2230

Spock (son of Ambassador Sarek and Amanda Grayson) is born on Vulcan.

2233

James Tiberius Kirk is born in Riverside, Iowa.


2237

Birthdate of Hikaru Sulu.

2238

Thanks to dilithium new starships are designed that can now travel at warp 5 and beyond. There are now many more new worlds that can be explored.

Fan-made theory. This theory was derived to explain what Jose Tyler said in The Cage when he told the illusionary inhabitants of Talos IV that "the time barrier's been broken". This would also explain why after this, so much of the galaxy was un-explored in The Original Series and why there is so much exploration going on then as opposed to earlier. Dialogue in 'Whom Gods Destroy' supports this.

2239

Birth date of Nyota Uhura.

The SS Columbia crashes on Talos IV.


2240

Scotty graduates from Starfleet Academy.

2243

Dr. Richard Daystrom invents deutronic technology.

2245

Birth date of Pavel Andrevich Chekov.

In the episode "Who Mourns for Adonis" (set in 2267) Chekov reports that he is 22 years of age. 

The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is commissioned and assigned to the command of Captain Robert April. This ship will eventually become the most distinguished vessel of all time.

2246

James Kirk, at age 13, is one of nine surviving eyewitnesses to the massacre of some 4,000 colonists at planet Tarsus IV by Kodos the Executioner.

2249

James Kirk enters Starfleet Academy.


Birth date of Charlie Evans.

2250

Spock enters Starfleet Academy, despite his father's disapproval.

This date is reached by observing how "Journey to Babel," which is set in 2268, reports that Spock's decision to enter Starfleet had kept him and Sarek "from speaking as father and son for 18 years."

Captain Christopher Pike assumes command of the Enterprise.

The USS Valiant is lost after contact with Eminar 7.

2252


While attending Starfleet Academy, James Kirk is tormented by an upperclassman named Finnegan, who frequently chooses him as a target for practical jokes.

15 years later, Kirk finds a measure of satisfaction when he has a chance to beat up a replica of Finnegan created on the amusement park planet in the Omicron Delta region.

James Kirk visits the planet Neural.

An unidentified ship crashes on Thasus, the only survivor is Charlie Evans. Charlie is given special abilities by the Thasians in order to ensure his survival.


2253


Kirk graduates Starfleet Academy.

2254

Lt. James Kirk is stationed on the Constitution class USS Farragut, NCC-1702.

The Cage


This is the very first episode of Star Trek. It shows the Enterprise under the command of Captain Pike. This episode, with the exception of Mr. Spock, features a very different crew from the one we're familiar with.

2255

Sulu enters Starfleet Academy.

2256


Laser guns are replaced with Phasers.

2257


Uhura enters Starfleet Academy.

A mysterious and deadly Cloud Creature kills half the crew of the U.S.S. Farragut (including its commander, Captain Garrovick).  Lieutenant James T. Kirk, who is on his first deep-space assignment, blames himself for their deaths because he froze up when he should have fired at the monstrosity.

The episode "Obsession," set in 2268, reports that this event occurred 11 years prior.

2259


Sulu graduates from Starfleet Academy.

Roger Korby's expedition disappears.


2261

Uhura graduates from Starfleet Academy.

2263

The Enterprise undergoes a major refit to the point where it's considered almost a brand new starship.

Conjecture. This would help explain Admiral Morrow's "The Enterprise is 20 years old" line in Star Trek III, which took place in 2283. However, there is also a good theory that Admiral Morrow was merely smoking crack that day.

Chekov enters Starfleet Academy.

Captain James T. Kirk assumes command of the Enterprise.

Spock is one of the only crew members from Captain Pike's crew to stay aboard the Enterprise.

Kirk's first officer is his close friend Lt. Commander Gary Mitchell.

Sulu and Scotty could have both been assigned to the Enterprise in 2264, but that isn't known for certain. In The Deadly Years, which takes place in 2267, Sulu says that he served under Kirk for three years, which would mean he'd served under him since Kirk had taken command, that doesn't necessarily mean that Sulu was assigned to the Enterprise around the same time. He could have served under Captain Pike for a while. The same goes for Scotty.

2265

Where No Man Has Gone Before

The first appearances of Kirk, Scotty, and Sulu.

Kirk's first officer, Gary Mitchell, is killed.

Spock replaces Gary Mitchell as first officer.

Conjecture. Since there's no "Space... the final frontier" opening at the beginning of this episode, everything looks so different, and given the fact that the series would have continued for two more years if it hadn't been cancelled, many like to think that the first episode takes place before the beginning of the five-year mission.

2265

The UFP, Klingon Empire and Romulan Star Empire jointly colonize Nimbus III.

This attempt at peaceful co-existence soon failed, resulting in a barren world inhabited by the dregs of each society.

2266

The uniforms change from "The Cage"-style to TOS-style.

The Enterprise gets a minor refit at some point before the beginning of the series.

Captain Pike is severly crippled by Theta Radiation after saving a ship of cadets from impending doom.

Pike is now confined to a wheelchair and his body is now useless. With one flashing light he can say "yes" or "no" but that's about it. Pike is assigned to care on Starbase 11.

The Enterprise, under the command of Captain Kirk, embarks on its famous first five-year mission. It's during the following five years that Kirk and the Enterprise rise to the status of legends.

Dr. McCoy, Lieutenant Uhura, and Yeoman Rand are all assigned to the Enterprise.

-----

The original Star Trek begins.

Ship: USS Enterprise, NCC-1701

Regulars:

Captain James T. Kirk, commanding officer

Lt. Commander Spock, first officer and science officer

Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, chief medical officer

Yeoman Janice Rand, the captain's right hand man... err, woman

Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, chief engineer

Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, communications officer Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, helmsman

Nurse Christine Chapel, Dr. McCoy's top nurse

-----

The Corbomite Manuever

First appearances of McCoy, Rand, and Uhura.

Mudd's Women

First of two appearances by Harry Mudd.

The Enemy Within

We first see the Vulcan neck pinch in this episode.

The Man Trap

First episode aired on NBC during its initial run.

The Naked Time

First appearance of Nurse Chapel.

Time travel is discovered for the first time.

Charlie X

The USS Antares rescues 17-year-old Charlie Evans, who has been stranded on the planet Thasus since age 3.  The crew of the Antares soon transfers the boy to the USS Enterprise where Kirk and Company quickly discover that the boy has surprising and dangerous powers which he received from the Thasians to ensure his survival.  Eventually, the Thasians show up and take the boy back to their home world after undoing all the damage that he caused.

Balance of Terror

First appearance of the Romulans.

Contact with the Romulans is made for the first time since 2160.

What Are Little Girls Made Of?

2267

Dagger of the Mind

We first see the Vulcan mind-meld in this episode.

Miri

The Enterprise crew discovers a planet with a physical geography that's exactly identical to that of Earth.  However, the crew also discovers that, 300 years earlier, an experiment gone wrong caused the entire adult population to perish but allowed the pre-puberty children to continue living elongated lives.

Last appearance of Yeoman Rand in the original series.

The Conscience of the King

Kodos the Executioner, who massacred some 4,000 colonists at planet Tarsus IV, is identified by Kirk and is killed.

The Galileo Seven

Court Martial

It should be noted that between the events of "Court Martial" and "The Menagerie", Spock is promoted to the rank of full Commander.

The Menagerie, Part I

Sequel to "The Cage" (see 2254).

The Menagerie, Part II

Shore Leave

We learn about Kirk's old nemesis, Finnegan, in this episode.

The Squire of Gothos

Arena

The Alternative Factor

Tomorrow is Yesterday

The "slingshot" effect through time is first discovered in this episode.

Ensign Chekov is assigned to the USS Enterprise, although he is not a member of the bridge crew yet.

The Return of the Archons

The Enterprise comes to planet Beta III to search for the Federation starship Archon which disappeared there 100 years earlier.  After discovering that the Landru computer is responsible for turning the planet's inhabitants into zombies, Kirk and Spock convince the machine that what it's been doing is wrong, and it self-destructs.

A Taste of Armageddon

The 500-year-old war between planet Eminar 7 and planet Vendiker is brought to end when Kirk and Spock destroy the computers which they use to fight.

Space Seed

The Enterprise discovers the Botany Bay, an old ship carrying genetically engineered supermen, lead by Khan, who were cryogenically frozen and sent into space at the end of the Eugenics Wars (see 1996). When Khan is revived, he and his followers try to commandeer the Enterprise. Kirk eventually defeats Khan and exiles the crew of the Botany Bay, as well as Enterprise crewman Marla MacGuyvers, on Ceti Alpha V.

Six months after Khan's exile on Ceti Alpha V, Ceti Alpha VI explodes. The gravimetric shock shifts the orbit of Ceti Alpha V, laying the planet to waste. Khan and some of his followers manage to survive over the years. At some point, Khan's wife, Marla MacGuyvers, dies as a result of a Ceti Alpha eel.

This Side of Paradise

The Devil in the Dark

Errand of Mercy

First appearance of the Klingons in the series.

The Organians forcibly stop the fighting between the Klingons and the Federation.

The newly imposed Organian Peace Treaty stops hot war with the Klingons but cold war continues.

City on the Edge of Forever

The Guardian of Forever is discovered by the Enterprise crew.

Operation - Annihilate!

----- The second season begins. -----

Ensign Chekov is assigned bridge duty as the navigator.

Catspaw

First appearance of Chekov.

Metamorphosis

First Trek appearance of Zefram Cochrane. This episode strongly implies that Cochrane is a native of Alpha Centauri and not an Earthling. The events of the TNG film Star Trek: First Contact do a bit of rewriting, and state that Cochrane was indeed from Earth originally. Various approved manuals state Cochrane later journeyed to Alpha Centauri. One has to jump through a few hoops to make the lines in this episode coincide with First Contact, but it's somewhat workable.

This version of Cochrane looks younger than the haggard 33-year-old Cochrane of
First Contact, which was set in 2063. Some feel the post-atomic radiation prematurely aged Cochrane, and that's why he looks so old in First Contact. If this is the case, perhaps the Companion creature shown in this episode reversed this radiation damage, which would explain why he looks so much younger in this episode. It's a stretch, but it's the only way to merge Metamorphosis and First Contact logically. Some Star Trek fans, like me, merely ignore First Contact.

Friday's Child

Who Mourns for Adonias?

Apollo, the last of the Greek gods, fades away into oblivion when the Enterprise crew refuses to worship him.

Amok Time

Spock goes through the Pon'farr.

The Doomsday Machine

Wolf in the Fold

On the planet Argellius II, Redjac tries to blame his latest murders on Scotty, but ends up being exposed by Kirk and destroyed.

The Changeling

The Enterprise encounters the long-lost probe NOMAD, only to discover that it has since merged with another alien probe named Tan-Ru and is now seeking to eradicate all imperfect life in the galaxy.  Fortunately, before it can reach and eradicate Earth, Kirk convinces the probe of its own imperfection and the machine self-destructs.

The Apple

Mirror, Mirror

First encounter with the Mirror Universe. An ion storm is occurring when Kirk, Scotty, McCoy, and Uhura are beaming aboard the Enterprise. Because of the interference from the storm, Kirk and company end up in alternate dimension where the Federation (known as the "Empire") is evil. Scotty eventually finds a way for them to get back to their own universe. But before they leave, Kirk convinces the evil Spock that his empire is illogical and that he should fight for change.

2268

The Deadly Years

I, Mudd

The second of two Harry Mudd appearances (see 2266).

The Trouble with Tribbles

Bread and Circuses

Journey to Babel

Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, appear in this episode.

A Private Little War

The Gamesters of Triskelion

Obsession

Kirk gets a second chance to destroy the Cloud Creature which killed half the crew of the U.S.S. Farragut eleven years earlier.  He succeeds.

The Immunity Syndrome

A Piece of the Action

By Any Other Name

Return to Tomorrow

Patterns of Force

The Ultimate Computer

Dr. Richard Daystrom appears in this episode.

The Omega Glory

Assignment: Earth

Using the Lightspeed Breakaway Factor, the Enterprise travels back through time to the year 1968 for the purpose of historical research.  Upon their arrival in the 20th century, they encounter Agent Gary Seven.

----- The third season begins. -----

The Klingons and the Romulans form an alliance against the Federation. Through this alliance, the Klingons gain cloaking technology and the Romulans gain conventional warp drive.

The Federation unsuccessfully tries to keep Klingons from gaining several worlds. The Klingons are gaining a lot of momentum and their Empire. Since the Klingons can't actually go to war with the Federation under the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty, they want to develop and expand their arsenal as much as possible and then give these weapons to their allies, the Romulans, who they're hoping will take care of the Federation for them.

Spectre of the Gun

Elaan of Troyius

The Klingon D7 Battle Cruiser makes its debut in this episode.

The Paradise Syndrome

This episode spans two months from late July to late September.

The Enterprise Incident

And the Children Shall Lead

Spock's Brain

Is There in Truth No Beauty?

The Empath

The Tholian Web

For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky

The Enterprise discovers the Yonadan asteroid.

Day of the Dove

Plato's Stepchildren

Wink of an Eye

That Which Survives

2269

Let That Be Your Last Battlefield

Bele's pursuit of Lokai leads him to the Enterprise which he hijacks in order to bring Lokai back to their home planet of Cheron.  Once there, Lokai and Bele discover that both their races have entirely destroyed each other through a war of racial hatred.

The auto-destruct sequence is first revealed in this episode. This same sequence is duplicated almost exactly in the movie Star Trek III: The Search For Spock.

Whom Gods Destroy

We learn in this episode that by now Kirk and Spock consider themselves "brothers."

The Mark of Gideon

The Lights of Zetar

The Cloudminders

The Way to Eden

Requiem for Methuselah

Flint, who has been Leonardo da Vinci, Johannes Brahms, and other artists and intellects throughout history, discovers he is now mortal due to his departure from Earth's atmosphere.

The Savage Curtain

We learn about Surak and Kahless in this episode. We also learn that Abraham Lincoln is one of Kirk's idols.

All Our Yesterdays

The planet Sarpeidon blows up, but not before its inhabitants safely retreat into the distant past.

Turnabout Intruder

----- The original Star Trek ends. -----

Even though the original series is over, the five-year mission still continues on for two more years, which are unaccounted for in canon. Non-canonically, one could say the animated series made up the last years of the Enterprise's five-year mission.

2270

The Federation udergoes a six-year fleet-wide upgrade plan.

Conjecture. This explains the huge differences in technology between the original series and the movies.
Demora Sulu (daughter of Hikaru Sulu) is born.

2271

The Enterprise ends its five-year mission during the summer of 2271.

The crew of the Enterprise splits up and everyone goes their own seperate ways.

Kirk is promoted to Admiral and put in command of Starfleet Operations.

Spock leaves Starfleet and returns to Vulcan in order to undergo the Kholinar.

McCoy leaves Starfleet and decides to leave a civilian life.

Note: There's some debate as to whether or not the five-year mission actually ended right after the third season, or continued for two more years. It most likely continued for two more years. Had the original series not been cancelled, there would definitely have been a fourth and fifth season (as stated earlier). Not only that, but in the pilot episode Where No Man Has Gone Before the opening stating the five-year mission is not there. This implies that the episode takes place before the beginning of the five-year mission. How different everything looks in this episode, compared to the rest of the series, would support this. Also consider that at the end of For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky, Kirk tells McCoy that he can arrange to have the Enterprise meet Yonada when it reaches its destination 390 days after that episode. Bear in mind that this is a third season episode so the Enterprise would've rendevouzed with the Yonada during the fourth season, which would have been the sixth year of the five-year mission if it had indeed begun two years before the first season. This is why it's more likely that the five-year mission went from 2266 to 2271 and not 2264 to 2269. In The Motion Picture, Kirk says he spent "five years out there dealing with unknowns like this", but he was most likely referring to the five-year mission, NOT how long he'd been in command of the Enterprise. This is supported by the novel adaptation of the movie, written by Gene Roddenberry, which states that Kirk had taken command of the Enterprise nine years before The Motion Picture. If it's been two-and-a-half years after the mission ended then the five-year mission began seven-and-a-half years ago, meaning that Kirk was still in command another year-and-a-half before the five-year mission began. Where No Man Has Gone Before could've taken place during that year-and-half.

2272

The Starfleet uniforms and emblems change from TOS-style to TMP-syle. Due to Kirk's achievements aboard the USS Enterprise during its five-year mission, the Enterprise emblem is now used as the emblem for the entire Starfleet.

The Enterprise begins to undergo an 18-month refit.

2274

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

The Enterprise has been completely refitted and redesigned.

Admiral Kirk takes command of the USS Enterprise as Captain.

Spock and McCoy return to Starfleet.

Conjecture: Assuming that the Enterprise completed its five-year mission in the middle of the year, which would have coincided with the end of a television season, the earliest this movie could take place would be December 2273 or January 2274, since it's supposed to be two-and-a-half years after the five-year mission. In the novel adaptation of The Motion Picture, Gene Roddenberry says that Spock had been undergoing practice for the Kholinar for 2.8 years, so it's most likely 2274.

The Enterprise embarks on a second five-year mission under the command of Captain Kirk.

Conjecture: This is taken from the chronology (the fact that there was a second five-year mission after the movie, NOT the date), but also consider this: originally The Motion Picture was supposed to be the first episode of Phase 2 which would've chronicled the adventures of Kirk's second five-year mission. Since that is what Starfleet probably would assigned to Kirk to another five-year mission after the movie anyway, it's logical to go with the Chronology. Note that you can find adventures during this second five-year mission in an older comic book series by Marvel Comics.

2276

The upgrade of Starfleet is complete.

2277

By seizing more planets, the more resources the Klingons and Romulans will have to build their fleets of ships. Since Federation starships are now several times more powerful than what either side has, the Klingons and the Romulans want to expand the number of ships they have.

Conjecture: This logically links the political climate of the original series with the political climate of the movies, since there are a number of things that change in between those years.

Starfleet uniforms change from TMP-style to TWOK-style.

Conjecture: In a TNG episode Cause and Effect a ship from the year 2278 is seen, and they were wearing the style uniform that was introduced in Star Trek II. The general consensus is that the uniforms in The Motion Picture were not that popular and were changed to the new style.

2278

Saavik Enters Starfleet Academy.

Conjecture. This date assumes SFA is a four-year school. The Kobayashi Maru test is just before graduation, and Saavik is taking this test in Star Trek II.

2279

The Enterprise returns from it's second five-year mission.

The Klingon Bird of Prey is introduced.

Conjecture

The Federation unsuccessfully tries to keep Klingons from gaining several worlds for several years. The Klingons are gaining a lot of momentum and their Empire. Since the Klingons can't actually go to war with the Federation under the terms of the Organian Peace Treaty, they want to develop and expand their arsenal as much as possible and then give these weapons to their new allies, the Romulans, who they're hoping will take care of the Federation for them.

When push comes to shove, the Romulans don't invade the Federation. This creates a three-way conflict between the three Klingons, Federation, and Romulans, during which time it's made clear that the Organians aren't looking over things anymore. Upon this realization, the Organian Peace Treaty is completely thrown out.

The only reason war doesn't break out is because all three are about equal in strength and capability of wiping each other out. This balance of power forces the three to reluctantly draw up a new treaty where a new Klingon Neutral Zone is set up and an interstellar law is established representatives from the Federation, Klingons, Romulans, and neutral observers.

Conjecture: This links original series politics with movie politics.

2281

The Enterprise is assigned to Starfleet Academy.

Spock is promoted to Captain and put in command of the Enterprise which is now a training vessel.

Kirk is Earth-bound, and stuck behind an Admiral's desk again.

Chekov is promoted to Commander and transfers over to the USS Reliant as first officer.

2282

Kirk starts a relationship with a girl he meets while on shore leave, named Antonia (see 2284).

The Genesis Project, developed by Carol Marcus, goes underway. A "genesis device" will be used to create life from lifelessness. The ultimate test for Genesis is to an experiment where a dead planet will be located so the genesis device can turn this dead planet into a planet full of life.

2283

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

McCoy's bottle of Romulan Ale is bottled early in the year.

Khan (see 2267) escapes from Ceti Alpha V, commandeers the Reliant, and seeks revenge on Admiral Kirk. Admiral Kirk takes command of the Enterprise to investigate an emergency on Regula I (the first place Khan attacks). The Enterprise and the Reliant end up in a huge battle resulting in the creation of the Genesis Planet. The Enterprise barely wins (and Khan is killed) but at the cost of Spock's life. Spock's body is launched onto the Genesis Planet.

This is definitely not the year 2285, as incorrectly stated in the Chronology. It's clearly stated in the film (multiple times) that it was 15 years from the events of "Space Seed". Besides, McCoy's comment of the Romulan Ale "Taking a while to ferment" wouldn't work if the ale was only 2 years old. So the only plausible explanation for McCoy's "ferment" line is that McCoy was making a joke, like you or I would make if we unscrewed a cheap bottle of wine: "Mmmm... 2002, what a good year!" Therefore, by changing the year of TWOK from 2285 to 2283, the "15 Years" comment works, and the ale is less than a year old, and McCoy's comment now makes more sense. There's also the obvious fact that this movie was written with Kirk's 50
th birthday in mind. They don't explicity say it's his 50th birthday, but why else would Kirk be feeling old if it was merely his 48th birthday? It dramatically makes more sense that they had Kirk's 50th birthday in mind when writing this movie. And since Kirk was born in 2233, that would mean this movie would have to take place in 2283. There's simply too much evidence that the Chronology's date of 2285 is wrong, and this date of 2283 is correct.


Commander Chekov is reassigned to the Enterprise while of the trainee crew is assigned off the Enterprise.

After Genesis becomes a galactic controversy, the planet and the entire sector it's are quarantined.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Given the recent battle damage to the Enterprise and it's age, Starfleet decides that the Enterprise is to be decommissioned.

When Sarek visits Admiral Kirk on Earth, the two discover that before Spock had died he transferred his katra (his living spirit) into Doctor McCoy's mind. Spock's katra has made McCoy act very strangely since Spock death. Kirk learns that he must retrieve Spock's body and bring it and McCoy to Vulcan, so Spock's katra can be removed from McCoy's mind and placed in the Vulcan tomb of ancient thought and Spock's body can be laid to rest.

Kirk and crew steal the Enterprise and head off to the Genesis Planet in order to retrieve Spock's body. Upon their arrival, they discover that the Genesis Planet has resurrected Spock's body from the dead.

The Enterprise is destroyed during a battle with Klingons in orbit of the Genesis Planet. Kirk's son, David Marcus, is killed.

The Enterprise crew commandeer the Klingon's vessel, rescue Spock, and bring him back to Vulcan. With the help of an ancient Vulcan refusion ritual known as Fal-Tor-Pan, Spock's katra and body are reunited.


2284

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Six months after the events of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, the former-Enterprise crew heads home to Earth onboard their captured Bird of Prey after spending three months on Vulcan in order to face the consequences of their actions (see 2283).

The Federation refuses to extradite Kirk to the Klingons, and the Klingons declare that there shall be no peace as long as Kirk lives.

While Kirk and crew are heading home an alien probe heads for Earth, vaporizing its oceans. The alien probe is looking to contact humpback whales and will unknowingly destroy Earth unless it can communicate with them. The problem is that humpack whales are now extinct. Kirk decides to travel back to the 20th Century (the year 1986, specifically) to bring two humpback whales forward in time so they can communicate with the probe and save the Earth. He succeeds.

After saving the planet, the Federation Council decides to drop all charges against Kirk and his crew, except for one (disobeying orders in the last movie) which is directly solely at Admiral Kirk. As "punishment", Kirk is demoted to Captain and is given command of the new USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-A.

This Enterprise was originally the newly-commissioned USS Yorktown, but was redesignated as the Enterprise.

Kirk tells his lover, Antonia, that he's going back to Starfleet.


This is the only way one can logically fit in the events of the TNG film
Star Trek: Generations and still be faithful to TOS Film continuity. Also, this logically assumes that ST II and III take place at the end of 2283 and ST IV takes place at the beginning of 2284. This keeps Kirk's statement in Generations that these events took place "nine years ago" intact, and while leaving ST II and III right where they are.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

The movie takes place three weeks after the events of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

2287

Sulu is promoted to Captain and given command of the Excelsior. The Excelsior begins its mission charting gaseous planetary anomalies in Beta Quadrant.

2289

Kirk completes his third five-year mission.

2290

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Stardate 9521.6)

Klingon moon Praxis explodes.

Kirk and crew save the President's life and assist in the Khitomer peace process.

The date for this in the Chronology is given as 2293, using McCoy's line about being Chief Medical Officer for 27 years, so he joined in 2266. But more likely McCoy joined the Enterprise in 2263, the same year Kirk did, and Dr. Piper was there only temporarily while McCoy was away on personal business... maybe getting his divorce? The reason for this error is that the writers forgot about Dr. Piper and used Kirk's service dates as McCoy's.

Kirk probably retires 3 months after the events of Star Trek VI, given his comments early in the film.

2292

Alliance between the Klingons and Romulans collapse and the once-friendly empires become blood enemies.

This was probably in response to the Klingon/Federation peace accords. It's certainly not for reasons given in other manuals.

2293

Kirk is pulled into the Nexus ribbon after saving the USS Enterprise NCC-1701B and is mistakenly believed to be dead. Dr. Tolian Soran is ripped from the Nexus and is obsessed with returning to the ribbon.

2294

Scotty leaves for the Norpin Colony aboard the S.S. Jenolen. Hecrashes and enters a transporter pattern to save his life.

The TNG episode "Relics" states that Scotty crashed 75 years ago. This episode was in 2369.

____________________________________________________________________________

The 24th Century

2364

Admiral Leonard McCoy, at age 137, takes a tour of the new Enterprise-D. 
(TNG episode "Encounter at Farpoint" Part I)

2366

Ambassador Sarek (father of Spock) completes his final delegation assignment, then retires to Vulcan due to illness.
(TNG episode "Sarek")

2368

Ambassador Spock secretly departs from Vulcan and heads for Romulus where he attempts a reunification between the Vulcan and Romulan people.  Shortly afterwards, Spock's father passes into death.
(TNG episode "Unification")

2369

Scotty is released from his transporter pattern. (TNG episode "Relics")

2371

After 78 years of research, Dr. Tolian Soran attempts to return to the Nexus Ribbon by destroying a star in the Veridian system, which would cause the deaths of millions. Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D attempts to stop Soran, but is instead pulled into the Nexus ribbon. Picard finds Kirk inside the Nexus. Kirk and Picard exit the ribbon together to stop Soran. Kirk saves the millions of inhabitants in the Veridian system, but is mortally wounded in the process. Picard buries Kirk's body on Veridian III.

Note, however, that Scotty's line in "Relics" about Kirk contradicts what Scotty saw in 2293, which could imply that Kirk somehow returns to the 23rd Century. This, plus the unknown powers of the Nexus ribbon, leave Kirk's finality of death ambiguous at best!


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