Summary
- Mark Twain has made multiple appearances and references in Star Trek, starting with his cameo in Star Trek: The Next Generation in the episodes "Time's Arrow, Part 1" and "Time's Arrow, Part 2."
- Captain Picard of The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard has a love for Mark Twain, as seen in his paraphrasing of Twain's famous quote and his display of a photo with Twain in his study.
- Captain Janeway of Star Trek: Voyager also appreciates Twain's works, as shown when she gifts a copy of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court to her romantic interest in the episode "Spirit Folk." The love of literature brings them closer together.
Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4, Episode 4 - "Something Borrowed, Something Green"
The Star Trek franchise has never been afraid to put its love of classic literature on full display, but Mark Twain (Jerry Hardin) is the only author to actually visit the USS Enterprise. Throughout its long history, Star Trek has made several references to classic American writer Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel L. Clemens. Star Trek's love affair with Mark Twain began in Star Trek: The Next Generation when Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) found himself in 1890s San Francisco, California in TNG season 5, episode 26, "Time's Arrow, Part 1."
While Mark Twain only appeared on TNG, references to the author and his work have found their way into several different Star Trek projects. Many other famous authors have been referenced in Star Trek over the years, with many episode titles referencing William Shakespeare in particular. However, with the hilarious cosplaying of Mark Twain in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 4, "Something Borrowed, Something Green," Twain seems to be the author Star Trek just keeps coming back to. Here is every reference to Mark Twain in Star Trek.
4 Mark Twain in Star Trek: TNG's "Time's Arrow"
Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 26, "Time's Arrow, Part 1" and TNG season 6, episode 1, "Time's Arrow, Part 2," sends the USS Enterprise-D's crew on a time-traveling adventure to San Francisco in the late 19th century. After the disembodied head of Lt. Commander Data is found in a cavern near Starfleet Academy, the Enterprise goes to investigate. As they search the cavern, Data stumbles through a time portal and finds himself in 1893. Data soon encounters Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg), the El-Aurian bartender from the Enterprise, and he explains the situation to her. Samuel Clemens eavesdrops on Data and Guinan and is intrigued by their strange conversation.
Back on the Enterprise, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and an away team have discovered a way to enter the time portal, and they follow Data into the past. As the Enterprise crew tries to root out aliens who have been secretly ingesting human life forces, Clemens unexpectedly follows the away team back to the 24th century. When Clemens travels back to his own time period, Picard laments that he didn't get to know him better. Clemens replies: "You'll just have to read my books. What I am is pretty much there."
3 Captain Picard's Love of Mark Twain in Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Picard
After Captain Picard had successful heart surgery in TNG season 2, episode 17, "Samaritan Snare," he paraphrased a famous quote attributed to Mark Twain. Picard said: "Any rumors of my brush with death are greatly exaggerated." He later referenced the quote again in Star Trek: First , saying: "Reports of my assimilation have been greatly exaggerated." While neither of these is an exact quotation of Twain's famous saying, they both originate from his words.
After newspapers had reported that Mark Twain had ed away in 1897, he made a statement in the New York Journal that ended with the phrase: "The report of my death was an exaggeration." Over time, a paraphrased version of this quote has become one of the most famous sayings attributed to Twain. Picard also displayed a photo of himself with Mark Twain from TNG's "Time's Arrow" on a sideboard in his study in Star Trek: Picard.
2 Captain Janeway Also Read Mark Twain in Star Trek: Voyager
Captain Picard was not the only starship captain to read the works of Mark Twain; the USS Voyager's Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) also enjoyed Clemens' novels. In Star Trek: Voyager season 6, episode 17, "Spirit Folk," Janeway and the Voyager crew are enjoying a holodeck program set in a small Irish village called Fair Haven. Janeway had previously begun a romantic relationship with the Fair Haven barkeeper, Michael Sullivan (Fintan McKeown), and they often spoke of their shared love of literature. While Sullivan says he has read some Mark Twain books, Janeway gifts him a copy of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, which he hasn't read. Janeway describes the book to Michael as being "about two people from different times who fall in love, among other things."
1 Lt. Boimler, Lt. Rutherford, & Captain Freeman Cosplay As Mark Twain In Star Trek: Lower Decks
In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 4, "Something Borrowed, Something Green," new roommates Lieutenants Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) get into a ridiculous argument. When they both show up to a holodeck program dressed as Mark Twain, they end up working through their differences by imitating Mark Twain with questionable Southern accents. After their discussion as Mark Twains helps Boimler and Rutherford work through their problems, Boimler suggests that Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) try it with Captain Coqqor (Eric Bauza), a Chalnoth captain who wants to be the first to scan a nearby nebula.
Unsurprisingly, dres as Mark Twain to work through one's problems only works for Boimler and Rutherford, leaving Captain Freeman annoyed with the two lieutenants. In the end, Coqqor is appeased after he gets to chomp down on Boimler and Rutherford's bonsai tree, much to their disappointment. Between the costumes and the ridiculous Southern drawls, Lower Decks adds a particularly hilarious new chapter to the story of Star Trek and Mark Twain.
Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.