Game The Most Disliked Exit Of A Regular, 2025 Edition

[Sakonna]

THE OBJECTIVE: A sudden-death elimination game in which we remove our personal favorite episodes/movies from a themed list, until we arrive at the episode that is, if not the worst, at least the most disliked.

It's a framework to say positive things about episodes from across the franchise.

THE RULES: Below is a list of TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, DIS, PIC, LD, PRO, SNW episodes in which a series regular departs.

Eliminate/save your favorite, or the one you deem the ‘best' of what currently remains.
Post something you enjoy about the episode you are saving, and copy-and-paste the list with your choice removed.

You can use any standard you like to judge which option is "best." You can save episodes for being widely recognized “best Trek” classics, or for idiosyncratic qualities that no one appreciates but you.

As you get down the list, you might have to reach more and more for something to enjoy about an episode, and it's OK to eventually save episodes for being "less bad."

But -- no tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode because you don’t think anyone else will, or because you feel it would threaten your preferred episode's chance to “win.”

You can take multiple turns.

Leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

New players are always welcome. You do not have to already be a "most disliked game" regular to dive in.

Much thanks to @Farscape One for helping me originally vet the list!

Enjoy!

TOS, Season 1: "Balance Of Terror" (Janice Rand)
TNG, Season 1: "Skin Of Evil" (Tasha Yar)
TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DS9, Season 6: "Tears Of The Prophets" (Jadzia Dax)
VOY, Season 4: "The Gift" (Kes)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 3: "Terra Firma, Part 2" (Philippa Georgiou)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
DIS, Season 5: "Jinaal" (Saru)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)
LD, Season 1: "No Small Parts" (Shaxs)
PRO, Season 1: "Supernova, Part 2" (Hologram Janeway)
SNW, Season 1: "All Those Who Wander" (Hemmer)

 

[Sakonna]

Modern Trek has so many regulars who leave and then come right back.

I have always found "Skin Of Evil" a very impactful episode. A lot about it hasn't aged well, but that concept of randomly killing a regular character really was shocking and original for the era.

Armus creeped me out then and still does today.

TOS, Season 1: "Balance Of Terror" (Janice Rand)
TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DS9, Season 6: "Tears Of The Prophets" (Jadzia Dax)
VOY, Season 4: "The Gift" (Kes)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 3: "Terra Firma, Part 2" (Philippa Georgiou)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
DIS, Season 5: "Jinaal" (Saru)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)
LD, Season 1: "No Small Parts" (Shaxs)
PRO, Season 1: "Supernova, Part 2" (Hologram Janeway)
SNW, Season 1: "All Those Who Wander" (Hemmer)

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Saving LD, Season 1: "No Small Parts" (Shaxs). His death was both comic and tragic. It made sense how he would exit, and did it in a wonderfully heroic way. No Small Parts is my favorite season ender in the franchise: fantastic comedy, wonderful graphics.

TOS, Season 1: "Balance Of Terror" (Janice Rand)
TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DS9, Season 6: "Tears Of The Prophets" (Jadzia Dax)
VOY, Season 4: "The Gift" (Kes)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 3: "Terra Firma, Part 2" (Philippa Georgiou)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
DIS, Season 5: "Jinaal" (Saru)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)
PRO, Season 1: "Supernova, Part 2" (Hologram Janeway)
SNW, Season 1: "All Those Who Wander" (Hemmer)

 

[Bad Thoughts]

BTW, shouldn't this list include Beyond for the additional scenes honoring the death of Anton Yelchin?

 

[Seven of Five]

Balance of Terror is my favourite episode of TOS so is first pick.

It's still such a tense episode even though I watched it countless times.

TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DS9, Season 6: "Tears Of The Prophets" (Jadzia Dax)
VOY, Season 4: "The Gift" (Kes)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 3: "Terra Firma, Part 2" (Philippa Georgiou)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
DIS, Season 5: "Jinaal" (Saru)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)
PRO, Season 1: "Supernova, Part 2" (Hologram Janeway)
SNW, Season 1: "All Those Who Wander" (Hemmer)

 

[Nyotarules]

TOS, Season 1: "Balance Of Terror" (Janice Rand)
TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DS9, Season 6: "Tears Of The Prophets" (Jadzia Dax)
VOY, Season 4: "The Gift" (Kes)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 3: "Terra Firma, Part 2" (Philippa Georgiou)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
DIS, Season 5: "Jinaal" (Saru)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)
PRO, Season 1: "Supernova, Part 2" (Hologram Janeway)

I saved Hemmer - great Trek character!

 

[Artoo Atari]

Saving VOY, Season 4: "The Gift" (Kes). Never really cared much for Kes, but I thought her send off was a decent episode and well-handled, if possibly a bit rushed.

TOS, Season 1: "Balance Of Terror" (Janice Rand)
TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DS9, Season 6: "Tears Of The Prophets" (Jadzia Dax)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 3: "Terra Firma, Part 2" (Philippa Georgiou)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
DIS, Season 5: "Jinaal" (Saru)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)
PRO, Season 1: "Supernova, Part 2" (Hologram Janeway)

 

[Sakonna]

BTW, shouldn't this list include Beyond for the additional scenes honoring the death of Anton Yelchin?

No, I don't have any "end of series" items on here.

Even if they make a 4th film in the series, I think I'd be unlikely to add it. None of these other exits were caused by a real life death. I also don't think the series regular concept applies to films in the same way it does to TV series.

But maybe. It's not till I'm actually doing the next revision that I know.

Also, what scenes are those? It was dedicated to him of course, but I don't remember anything in that film added to write him out. At the end of it Chekhov is flirting with alien babes and looking forward to the next journey.

 

[Sakonna]

"Jinaal" is a pretty fantastic episode. I really missed Saru for most of season 5, but his arc about moving on to a new life was excellently done. The Trill-set A story is satisfying as well.

Except for breaking up Grey and Adira. That was a mistake that pissed me off. They never should have sent him to Trill in the first place. He should have remained on Discovery and appeared with that Keiko or Kasidy rhythm.

TOS, Season 1: "Balance Of Terror" (Janice Rand)
TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DS9, Season 6: "Tears Of The Prophets" (Jadzia Dax)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 3: "Terra Firma, Part 2" (Philippa Georgiou)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)
PRO, Season 1: "Supernova, Part 2" (Hologram Janeway)

 

[Victoria]

Jadzia's death in "Tears of the Prophets" came as a shock because she'd been such a major character and it was so late in the series. The real life reasons for her departure rather stank too

TOS, Season 1: "Balance Of Terror" (Janice Rand)
TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 3: "Terra Firma, Part 2" (Philippa Georgiou)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)
PRO, Season 1: "Supernova, Part 2" (Hologram Janeway)

 

[Oddish]

Supernova Part 2, all the way. Hologram Janeway sacrifices herself to save her crew, and the Federation. Not since Spock in TWOK snd Janeway herself in "Year of Hell" has a self-sacrifice been so epic.

TOS, Season 1: "Balance Of Terror" (Janice Rand)
TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 3: "Terra Firma, Part 2" (Philippa Georgiou)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)

 

[JLA]

DIS, Season 3: "Terra Firma, Part 2" (Philippa Georgiou) These two episodes were the best part of DSC season 3, in my opinion.


TOS, Season 1: "Balance Of Terror" (Janice Rand)
TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)

 

[Artoo Atari]

I'll take TNG, Season 1: "The Neutral Zone" (Beverly Crusher) off of the list. I didn't like seeing Bev go but I thought this was a good episode. A lot of firsts, including: first indirect mention of Borg activity, reintroduction of the Romulans, first appearance of the D'deridex warbird, first mention of a corresponding calendar date, and the first time I heard of "low-mileage pit woofies."

TOS, Season 1: "Balance Of Terror" (Janice Rand)
TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)

 

[Tiran O'Saurus]

I suppose I'll save "Balance Of Terror". It's a good episode, although it barely counts as an exit for Rand.

TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
TNG, Season 4: "Final Mission" (Wesley Crusher)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "Final Mission".

It was a good exit for Wesley as a regular, and Wheaton really acted well in his scenes with Picard. Particularly when he tells him he just wanted to make him proud. I especially how Picard tells, "Didn't you know? I've always been proud of you."



TNG, Season 2: "Shades Of Grey" (Katherine Pulaski)
DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)

 

[Oddish]

Shades of Gray, an episode I have a soft spot for, will be my next save. It's about as good as it could have been, given the incredible restrictions on it, and it allowed Pulaski to go out on a high note before she fell down that turbolift.

Classic Trek is off the table...

DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "The Star Gazer" (Soji)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)

 

[Sakonna]

"The Star Gazer" was a great setup for season 2, and a nice happy ending for Soji. Though honestly it would have been better to send her back in time also. There was more to do with that character, and having to swap the actress in as Kore was weird.

Nice to see Deltan's for the first time since TMP! (I think?)

DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)

 

[Artoo Atari]

... and it allowed Pulaski to go out on a high note before she fell down that turbolift.

 

[Tiran O'Saurus]

Wow, that's a lot of stinkers. "Die Trying" wasn't too bad, I suppose. Introduced the 32nd century Federation and their beautiful ships.

DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 2: "Farewell" (Rios, Jurati, Adam Soong, Elnor, Kore Soong, Tallinn, Q, Guinan)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)

 

[Victoria]

I think I am going to be damning "Farewell" with faint praise. I am glad that Rios found love, a mission and a hero's death. Kore got a happy ending joining the Travellers. I don't like Q usually but did in P2. Guinan, well, nice seeing "our" Guinan. Mad about losing Elnor and Jurati, though


DIS, Season 1: "What's Past Is Prologue" (Gabriel Lorca)
DIS, Season 2: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2" (Christopher Pike, Ash Tyler/Voq)
DIS, Season 3: "Die Trying" (D. Nhan)
DIS, Season 4: "All Is Possible" (Sylvia Tilly)
PIC, Season 1: "Et In Arcadia Ego, Part 2" (Narek)
PIC, Season 3: "The Next Generation" (Laris)