Summary
CertainStar Trekactors are well-known even to non-Star Trekfans: the scenery-chewing William Shatner, the trailblazing Nichelle Nichols, orthe Shakespearean Patrick Stewart as Picard.(to name just a few). These big names tend to be the stars of their respective series, but Gene Roddenberry’s sci-fi franchise contains a whole universe of characters.
Even the best-written supporting characters require talented actors to bring them to life. The ubiquitous Jeffrey Combs, who has appeared across a total of threeStar Trekseries and in several tie-in video games, is one of the franchise’s most prolific recurring actors. Even when buried beneath layers of alien prosthetics, Combs always turns in a standout performance, and his characters are remembered as some ofStar Trek’s most iconic figures.
8Krem
Star Trek: Enterprise
The much-malignedStar Trek: Enterprisewas not averse to attracting fans any way it could. Titillation, returning cast members, and canon-bending appearances of well-known foes were all deployed to boost viewing figures, and Season 1’s “Acquisition” arguably incorporates all three elements.
More importantly, however, it features the character of Krem,an unlucky Ferengiplayed by Jeffrey Combs. Krem is frequently exploited by his criminal cousin, Ulis (played byVoyagerstar Ethan Phillips), and eventually joins forces with Archer after the Ferengi commandeer theEnterpriseNX-01. Combs' lesser-known Ferengi role may not be his most iconic, but it helps to linkEnterpriseto the widerStar Trekuniverse.
7Penk
Star Trek: Voyage
Although Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is now considered to beone of Hollywood’s biggest action stars, one of his earliest acting roles was in theStar Trek: Voyagerepisode “Tsunkatse”. The episode is also notable for featuring Jeffrey Combs in his soleVoyagerrole; he plays a sadistic fight arranger, Penk. Penk is responsible for orchestrating the fight between Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine and Dwayne Johnson’s Pendari Champion.
Combs imbues Penk with the same professional sliminess that he employed throughout his time onStar Trek: Deep Space Nine. Indeed, while “Tsunkatse” is primarily remembered today for its celebrity cameo and silly premise, it also offers viewers a chance to see one of Combs' finest one-off performances.
6Kevin Mulkahey
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
As Jeffrey Combs spent the vast majority of his time onStar Trekconcealed beneath alien masks, his brief appearance of Kevin Mulkahey in theDeep Space Nineepisode “Far Beyond The Stars” marks a welcome change to the status quo. Combs appears alongside most ofDeep Space Nine’s regular cast as a figure in a vision beingexperienced by Captain Sisko. Sisko dreams that he is a science fiction author encountering racism in 1950s America, and Combs' crooked cop is one of the challenges he must face.
Mulkahey first accosts and then severely beats Sisko’s counterpart, Benny Russell, in a harrowing display of racialized police violence. Indeed, while he is only in the episode for a short time, Combs demonstrates that he can deliver a chilling performance even without his usual alien features.
5AGIMUS
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Star Trek: Lower Deckstakes the bold path with itsStarfleet cadets, combiningStar Trekreferences and fan service with cartoon gags. This surprisingly successful blend loves to cherry-pick elements ofTreklore worthy of reexamination, so it comes as no surprise that Jeffrey Combs makes several appearances in the series as the evil computer AGIMUS.
AGIMUS' box-like appearance belies the threat posed by this villainous supercomputer. AGIMUS even manages to conquer a planet in oneLower Decksepisode, demonstrating the classicStar Trektrope that it’s important not to judge by appearances.
4Weyoun 6
The powerful Dominion is made up of the ruling Founders, the administrative Vorta, and the militant Jem’Hadar. Weyoun 6 falls into the middle category, although he is a Vorta with a difference. Due to a flaw in his cloning process, Weyoun 6 rejects the way of the Dominion andseeks out Odo, Deep Space Nine’s constable, to try and make sense of the universe.
Weyoun 6’s unusual loyalties allow Combs to show a different side of the villainous Vorta. He still worships Odo as a Founder, but the two are able to establish a real friendship. The fact that Weyoun 6 appears in only a single episode (the excellent “Treachery, Faith and the Great River”) is unfortunate, as he is one of the Dominion’s most interesting characters.
3Brunt
WhileDeep Space Nine’s Ferengi-focused episodescontinue to prove divisive, there are few fans who fail to appreciate the recurring character of Brunt. Combs plays Brunt in seven episodes ofDeep Space Nine, and the hardline Ferengi is an iconic foil to station resident Quark. As a liquidator for the Ferengi Commerce Authority, Brunt is determined to expose Quark’s dodgy dealings.
Despite his hounding of Quark, Brunt is primarily interested in furthering his own career and improving his position in the pecking order. Although he violently dislikes Quark, Brunt attempts to flatter him when it appears that Quark is next in line to take over the Ferengi Alliance. There is a straightforward villainy to Brunt that is rare in Combs' recurring characters, but this one-dimensional writing fails to detract from a strong performance.
2Shran
While few fans claim thatStar Trek: Enterpriserepresents the high point of the franchise, the early Noughties prequel series did introduce or develop several interesting plot points. Itsfocus on the Andorian speciesis of particular note, as these founding members of the Federation had been neglected in the shows prior toEnterprise.
Combs plays Shran, a soldier in the Imperial Guard who overcomes his dislike for other species to become a frequent ally of theEnterprise’s mission. Although he and Captain Archer do not always see eye to eye, Combs' strong performance means that the character’s shifting allegiances represent one ofStar Trek: Enterprise’s best character arcs.
1Weyoun 8
Like all Vorta, Combs' Weyoun is a clone. Weyoun 8 is the eighth iteration of the ruthless Dominion administrator, created following the deaths of his preceding clones. While previous versions of Weyoun played key roles inthe Dominion War, Weyoun 8 holds the distinction of being responsible for managing the conflict’s final phase—as well as being the final on-screen Weyoun clone.
As such, Weyoun 8 is the culmination of Combs' Weyoun performances. He plays the ruthless alien bureaucrat with such charm that it’s difficult to hate the character even as he plots the total destruction of the Federation. Weyoun 8 may not be in charge of the Dominion (in fact, he worships the ruling Founders), but Combs makes the Vorta one ofStar Trek’s most memorable villains.
