The Star Trek universe has seen several remarkable starships bearing the name Defiant. While the USS Enterprise stands out as the most iconic ship in this franchise, various Star Trek television series have drawn inspiration from their titular vessels, such as Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Discovery. Although Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is named after its prominent space station, it introduced the USS Defiant in its third season, adding another layer to the lore surrounding starships in the franchise.
The tradition of ships named Defiant began in Star Trek: The Original Series, but it was Deep Space Nine that truly set the bar, elevating the name “Defiant” to a legacy on par with the USS Enterprise. The lineage primarily stems from the Defiant Class starships established by DS9, yet a notable Defiant also made its mark in the Mirror Universe fighting alongside the Terrans. Presently, the latest Defiant Class vessel is tasked with the exploration and protection of the expansive multiverse represented in the Star Trek franchise.
6 USS Defiant NCC-1764
Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Enterprise
The inaugural USS Defiant debuted in Star Trek: The Original Series and possesses a rich history that intertwines different timelines across Star Trek’s continuum. Originally classified as a Constitution Class starship, she shared similarities with the famous USS Enterprise commanded by Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner). During the iconic third season episode “The Tholian Web,”the crew of the USS Defiant succumbed to madness following their harrowing encounter with the Tholians, ultimately leading to the ship’s mysterious disappearance.
A pivotal moment arose in Star Trek: Enterprise during its fourth season and the two-part episode “In a Mirror, Darkly,”where the USS Defiant crossed into the Mirror Universe and, through time travel, appeared in the 22nd century. After being captured by the Tholians, it was commandeered by Commander Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), who aspired to use its advanced technology to seize control of the Terran Empire. The knowledge stored within the Defiant’s systems became the blueprint for those in the Mirror Universe to learn about the United Federation of Planets from the Prime Universe.
5 USS Defiant NX-74205
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Initially, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine featured only the space station, setting it apart from Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, the introduction of the Dominion threat in the later seasons necessitated a starship. Thus, in season three, the producers were permitted to introduce the USS Defiant (NX-74205), a prototype for the Defiant Class ships designed partially by Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks).
Notably, the USS Defiant’s most significant confrontation with the Borg occurred when Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) commanded it. This encounter left the ship “adrift but salvageable”after an intense battle with a Borg Cube in the film Star Trek: First Contact.
Unlike most ships in Starfleet, the USS Defiant was smaller yet heavily armed, designed explicitly to combat the Borg threat. It was outfitted with a cloaking device through an agreement with the Romulans. Known colloquially as Sisko’s “tough little ship,”the USS Defiant served as a critical asset in the war against the Dominion. Tragically, the Defiant was ultimately destroyed by the Breen during the second Battle of Chin’toka in the seventh season episode “The Changing Face of Evil.”
4 USS Defiant (Formerly USS Sao Paulo)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Captain Benjamin Sisko did not remain without a Defiant for long. Just four episodes after the destruction of the original USS Defiant, Starfleet introduced a new Defiant Class starship, the USS Sao Paulo, in season seven’s “The Dogs of War.”This ship was granted special permission to be renamed the USS Defiant by the Chief of Starfleet Operations.
The second USS Defiant played a crucial role in Starfleet’s ambitions during the Dominion War, notably participating in the Battle of Cardassia. Following the conclusion of Deep Space Nine, the vessel was among many that fell under the control of the Living Construct in the finale of Star Trek: Prodigy. Moreover, Star Trek: Picard season three disclosed that by the year 2401, the USS Defiant was retired from active duty and housed at the Fleet Museum on Athan Prime.
3 USS Valiant
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Season six, episode 22 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, titled “Valiant,”introduced another Defiant Class vessel, the USS Valiant. This ship was crewed by elite cadets from Starfleet Academy, known as Red Squad, and launched under Captain Ramirez. Their mission was to journey around the galaxy; however, they soon found themselves trapped behind enemy lines at the onset of the Dominion War.
The name USS Valiant was originally considered by writer Ronald D. Moore for the ship that would eventually be named the USS Defiant, but it was considered too close to the USS Voyager title. Cadets Nog (Aron Eisenberg) and Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton) joined the Valiant’s crew, which fell under Captain Tim Watters (Paul Popowich) after Captain Ramirez’s death at the hands of the Jem’Hadar. Unfortunately, the Valiant faced destruction at the hands of the Jem’Hadar, with only three survivors, including Nog and Jake.
2 ISS Defiant
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Set over 200 years after Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine unveiled a second starship named Defiant in its Mirror Universe storyline. The ISS Defiant was crafted by the Terran resistance using schematics from the USS Defiant stolen from the Prime Universe. The series illustrated that in the 24th century of the Mirror Universe, the Terrans had turned into rebels after their empire was overthrown by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance.
When Captain Sisko was transported to the Mirror Universe, he made considerable modifications to the ISS Defiant’s inertial dampeners, enabling it to deal significant damage to Regent Worf’s (Michael Dorn) flagship. In the season seven Mirror Universe conclusion, the ISS Defiant succeeded in forcing the surrender of the Regent, marking a prominent victory for the Terran rebels.
1 Anaximander
Star Trek: Lower Decks
In Star Trek: Lower Decks, the spotlight shifts to a contemporary Defiant Class starship, the Anaximander, which is under the command of Section 31. Lt. William Boimler (Jack Quaid) joins this crew after pretending to die aboard the USS Titan. In season 5, episode 9, titled “Fissure Quest,”the newly appointed Captain Boimler leads his crew, comprising alternate universe Star Trek legacy characters, on missions focused on investigating rifts between alternate realities.
At the conclusion of Star Trek: Lower Decks, Captain Boimler and his crew aboard the Anaximander are assigned to Starbase 80 to monitor the stable portal leading into alternate universes, a mission reminiscent of the USS Defiant’s endeavors to secure the wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant. The legacy of the Defiant Class starships continues to resonate strongly throughout the broad tapestry of Star Trek‘s multiverse.
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