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Number One (Star Trek)
Encyclopedia
Number One, in "The Cage", the original pilot episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek
, was the un-named intellectual, problem-solving second-in-command serving under Captain Christopher Pike
. She performs the same role for Pike "as Spock later does for Kirk". Although not shown on-screen, it is implied that Number One briefly takes command of the Enterprise when Captain Pike and his landing party first beam down to Talos IV. She later beams down to the planet several times herself.
Number One is a traditional term in the (British) Royal Navy for the "First Lieutenant" or first officer on board ship, second-in-command to the captain; this staff position is sometimes known in other navies as the "exec", "Executive Officer", or "XO".
During "The Cage", Number One proves to her alien captors that humans would rather die than be slaves.
Played by Majel Barrett
, who went on to play Nurse Christine Chapel
in the original Star Trek and Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation
, as well as the computer's voice, the character appears only in the unaired pilot and in the footage used in "The Menagerie".
According to Gene Roddenberry and Stephen Whitfield, the prominence of a woman among the crew of a starship was one of the reasons that the original Star Trek pilot was rejected by NBC, who, in addition to calling the pilot "too cerebral", felt that the alien Spock and a female senior officer would be rejected by audiences, although Roddenberry also related the tale of how women of the era had difficulty accepting her as well. However, in his book Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, producer Herbert Solow suggested that the network was fine with the character but was infuriated that the relatively unknown actress was cast simply because she was having an affair with Roddenberry. Because of NBC's rare order of a second pilot, Roddenberry compromised by eliminating Number One, but aspects of her character — specifically, her cool demeanor and logical nature — were merged with that of Spock
(who does appear in "The Cage") during the regular run of the series.
, mentions her being the top intellect of her generation, hence her name, and that she was from the planet Ilyria.
"Number One" is a common term applied to the Executive Officer of a ship, particularly in the Royal Navy
. (In the United States Navy
the Executive Officer is typically referred to as "X-O".) In Star Trek: The Next Generation
, Captain Jean-Luc Picard
frequently uses the title "Number One" to address his first officer, William Riker
. Although Captain James T. Kirk
never referred on-screen to his executive officer Mr. Spock
as "Number One", this is not really an anomaly; the British usage dates from a time when the "First Lieutenant
" or number one on board ship was so ranked by seniority of his commission, and later by date of appointment by the captain.
Author Peter David
, in his long-running Star Trek: New Frontier
series of novels, has hinted that the mother of Robin Lefler, Morgan Primus (an immortal and a regular character in the series), was Number One and resembles other characters played by Majel Barrett. This is loosely supported by Jerry Oltion's Captain's Table Book 6: Where Sea Meets Sky, where the author refers to Number One as Commander Lefler in the first chapter, although this wouldn't make any sense chronologically based on the history of Morgan Primus.
In the Star Trek: Early Voyages
comic book series she is called Lieutenant Commander Robbins. A character stating her first name is interrupted, in one issue, and we know only that it commences with "Eur-".
In March 2009, IDW Publishing
launched Star Trek: Crew, a comic series written and illustrated by John Byrne that focuses on the early (pre-Pike) career of Number One. In keeping with the ongoing mystery regarding her name, the comic never refers to the character by any name, and often uses tricks of dialogue to avoid identifying her beyond her rank.
fleshed out the characters and story from "The Cage", including Number One.
In the series, she is depicted much as she is in "The Cage", and often finds herself taking command in the captain's absence. As stated above, her name in the series is given as Eunice Robbins.
Close to the end of the series, she was offered a promotion to the rank of captain and a ship of her own. She turned it down, opting to stay aboard the Enterprise.
Soon afterwards, Robert April
, the former captain of the Enterprise, came aboard to supervise for a certain mission. During the mission, April gave reckless orders which led to Number One nearly (and possibly) being killed, and Pike and Kaaj unaccounted for. The story was never resolved.
's original book series, Star Trek: New Frontier, includes a character (mentioned above) who is strongly hinted to be Number One. Her name is Morgan Primus, and she is the mother of Robin Lefler, a regular character in the series. New Frontier greatly fleshes out the character, assuming that she is, in fact, Number One.
Morgan Primus (also known as Morgan Lefler) is an immortal. She frequently changed her name throughout her life, taking new identities each time so that no one would realize her immortality.
She left her husband and daughter, Robin, and faked her death. She then changed her last name to Primus. Years later, the Excalibur finds her in a prison on a planet in sector 221-G (the setting for the series).
Upon hearing of the impending arrival of a Starfleet ship, she expresses hope that it isn't the Enterprise, which she still mistakenly believed her daughter was serving on. The Excalibur picks her up and she begins living with her daughter again aboard the ship.
Later, she became a bridge officer on the Excalibur. However, during a battle, she was (seemingly) killed, despite her immortality. However, she survived as her consciousness was transferred into the ship's computer. She chose not to return to a human body, instead replacing the computer.
References are made to the fact that she sounds just like the normal computer voice, even before entering the computer. This is because the voice of the ship's computer, in all live-action Star Trek shows, were provided by Majel Barrett, the same actress who portrayed Number One. (David's earlier novel The Rift claims that the computer voice was derived from Number One's voice).
Similarly, in the New Frontier novel Double or Nothing, William Riker
is somewhat taken aback by her, saying she reminds him of a woman he knows (presumably Lwaxana Troi, also played by Barrett). Likewise, when the aged Montgomery Scott
meets her in Excalibur Book 2: Renaissance, he thinks she is "Christine" (Chapel).
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
, was the un-named intellectual, problem-solving second-in-command serving under Captain Christopher Pike
Christopher Pike (Star Trek)
Christopher Pike is a character in the Star Trek franchise. He was portrayed by Jeffrey Hunter in the original Star Trek pilot episode, "The Cage", as captain of the USS Enterprise. The pilot was rejected, and the character was dropped during development of the second pilot when Hunter decided that...
. She performs the same role for Pike "as Spock later does for Kirk". Although not shown on-screen, it is implied that Number One briefly takes command of the Enterprise when Captain Pike and his landing party first beam down to Talos IV. She later beams down to the planet several times herself.
Number One is a traditional term in the (British) Royal Navy for the "First Lieutenant" or first officer on board ship, second-in-command to the captain; this staff position is sometimes known in other navies as the "exec", "Executive Officer", or "XO".
During "The Cage", Number One proves to her alien captors that humans would rather die than be slaves.
Played by Majel Barrett
Majel Barrett
Majel Barrett-Roddenberry was an American actress and producer. She is perhaps best known for her role as Nurse Christine Chapel in the original Star Trek series, Lwaxana Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and for being the voice of most onboard computer interfaces throughout the series...
, who went on to play Nurse Christine Chapel
Christine Chapel
Christine Chapel is a fictional character in the original Star Trek series, and in some of the films based on it. She was played by the late Majel Barrett....
in the original Star Trek and Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, as well as the computer's voice, the character appears only in the unaired pilot and in the footage used in "The Menagerie".
According to Gene Roddenberry and Stephen Whitfield, the prominence of a woman among the crew of a starship was one of the reasons that the original Star Trek pilot was rejected by NBC, who, in addition to calling the pilot "too cerebral", felt that the alien Spock and a female senior officer would be rejected by audiences, although Roddenberry also related the tale of how women of the era had difficulty accepting her as well. However, in his book Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, producer Herbert Solow suggested that the network was fine with the character but was infuriated that the relatively unknown actress was cast simply because she was having an affair with Roddenberry. Because of NBC's rare order of a second pilot, Roddenberry compromised by eliminating Number One, but aspects of her character — specifically, her cool demeanor and logical nature — were merged with that of Spock
Spock
Spock is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Spock also appears in the animated Star Trek series, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, seven of the Star Trek feature films, and numerous Star Trek...
(who does appear in "The Cage") during the regular run of the series.
Her name
Number One's real name was never revealed in either "The Cage" or "The Menagerie" - to date, her only official on-screen appearances, and debate has raged in fandom for years as to whether she is even human. Since the very first Star Trek episode, some have interpreted her title as being a proper name. One Star Trek novel, Vulcan's GloryVulcan's Glory
Vulcan's Glory is a Star Trek: The Original Series novel written by D.C. Fontana.-Plot:The novel focuses on a young Spock, a conflicted ensign, serving on the Starship Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike...
, mentions her being the top intellect of her generation, hence her name, and that she was from the planet Ilyria.
"Number One" is a common term applied to the Executive Officer of a ship, particularly in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. (In the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
the Executive Officer is typically referred to as "X-O".) In Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
frequently uses the title "Number One" to address his first officer, William Riker
William Riker
William Thomas Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe primarily appearing as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
. Although Captain James T. Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
never referred on-screen to his executive officer Mr. Spock
Spock
Spock is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Spock also appears in the animated Star Trek series, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, seven of the Star Trek feature films, and numerous Star Trek...
as "Number One", this is not really an anomaly; the British usage dates from a time when the "First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
" or number one on board ship was so ranked by seniority of his commission, and later by date of appointment by the captain.
Author Peter David
Peter David
Peter Allen David , often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, movies and video games...
, in his long-running Star Trek: New Frontier
Star Trek: New Frontier
Star Trek: New Frontier is a Star Trek novel series created by John J. Ordover and Peter David and published by Pocket Books. The idea behind it was to create a Star Trek book series with its own continuity and not one that is purely a reaction to the television shows. Nearly every story of the...
series of novels, has hinted that the mother of Robin Lefler, Morgan Primus (an immortal and a regular character in the series), was Number One and resembles other characters played by Majel Barrett. This is loosely supported by Jerry Oltion's Captain's Table Book 6: Where Sea Meets Sky, where the author refers to Number One as Commander Lefler in the first chapter, although this wouldn't make any sense chronologically based on the history of Morgan Primus.
In the Star Trek: Early Voyages
Star Trek: Early Voyages
Star Trek: Early Voyages was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics in the United States, running for 17 issues from February 1997 until June 1998...
comic book series she is called Lieutenant Commander Robbins. A character stating her first name is interrupted, in one issue, and we know only that it commences with "Eur-".
In March 2009, IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
launched Star Trek: Crew, a comic series written and illustrated by John Byrne that focuses on the early (pre-Pike) career of Number One. In keeping with the ongoing mystery regarding her name, the comic never refers to the character by any name, and often uses tricks of dialogue to avoid identifying her beyond her rank.
In Star Trek: Early Voyages
Although no Star Trek comic books are considered canon, the series Early VoyagesStar Trek: Early Voyages
Star Trek: Early Voyages was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics in the United States, running for 17 issues from February 1997 until June 1998...
fleshed out the characters and story from "The Cage", including Number One.
In the series, she is depicted much as she is in "The Cage", and often finds herself taking command in the captain's absence. As stated above, her name in the series is given as Eunice Robbins.
Close to the end of the series, she was offered a promotion to the rank of captain and a ship of her own. She turned it down, opting to stay aboard the Enterprise.
Soon afterwards, Robert April
Robert April
Robert T. April is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe. April is listed in the Star Trek Chronology, The Star Trek Encyclopedia and at startrek.com as the Enterprises first commanding officer, preceding Captain Christopher Pike....
, the former captain of the Enterprise, came aboard to supervise for a certain mission. During the mission, April gave reckless orders which led to Number One nearly (and possibly) being killed, and Pike and Kaaj unaccounted for. The story was never resolved.
Morgan Primus (Star Trek: New Frontier)
Much like the comic books, all original novels based on Star Trek are not considered canon. Peter DavidPeter David
Peter Allen David , often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, movies and video games...
's original book series, Star Trek: New Frontier, includes a character (mentioned above) who is strongly hinted to be Number One. Her name is Morgan Primus, and she is the mother of Robin Lefler, a regular character in the series. New Frontier greatly fleshes out the character, assuming that she is, in fact, Number One.
Morgan Primus (also known as Morgan Lefler) is an immortal. She frequently changed her name throughout her life, taking new identities each time so that no one would realize her immortality.
She left her husband and daughter, Robin, and faked her death. She then changed her last name to Primus. Years later, the Excalibur finds her in a prison on a planet in sector 221-G (the setting for the series).
Upon hearing of the impending arrival of a Starfleet ship, she expresses hope that it isn't the Enterprise, which she still mistakenly believed her daughter was serving on. The Excalibur picks her up and she begins living with her daughter again aboard the ship.
Later, she became a bridge officer on the Excalibur. However, during a battle, she was (seemingly) killed, despite her immortality. However, she survived as her consciousness was transferred into the ship's computer. She chose not to return to a human body, instead replacing the computer.
References are made to the fact that she sounds just like the normal computer voice, even before entering the computer. This is because the voice of the ship's computer, in all live-action Star Trek shows, were provided by Majel Barrett, the same actress who portrayed Number One. (David's earlier novel The Rift claims that the computer voice was derived from Number One's voice).
Similarly, in the New Frontier novel Double or Nothing, William Riker
William Riker
William Thomas Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe primarily appearing as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
is somewhat taken aback by her, saying she reminds him of a woman he knows (presumably Lwaxana Troi, also played by Barrett). Likewise, when the aged Montgomery Scott
Montgomery Scott
Montgomery "Scotty" Scott is a Scottish engineer in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by James Doohan in the original Star Trek series, Scotty also appears in the animated Star Trek series, seven Star Trek movies, the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Relics", and in numerous...
meets her in Excalibur Book 2: Renaissance, he thinks she is "Christine" (Chapel).