65

Many characters have appeared in two colors.

Examples:

Red and Gold

  • Worf -- entire seasons in each
  • La Forge -- entire seasons in each
  • Data -- red in several episodes, e.g. "Future Imperfect"
  • Wesley Crusher -- yellow in "Parallels"
  • O'Brien -- red in first season
  • Sito Jaxa -- cadet red and security
  • Thomas Riker -- red in "Defiant"

Red and Blue

  • Picard -- blue in "Tapestry"
  • Dr. Crusher -- red in "All Good Things"

Red and gold are pretty common and blue is harder to collect.

Has any character ever appeared in all three colors?
(or even the unlikely gold/blue combination for that matter)?

Clarification: For characters that appeared in different uniform generations, colors are interpreted as equivalent if the color change was due to changes in uniforms. For example, TOS-era command gold and TNG-era command red count as the same. There were widely varying uniforms and colors in the various TOS-era films.

20
  • 2
    Sisko wore yellow and Dax wore red in DS9's "Trials and Tribble-ations" - just to add to your list. Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 14:57
  • 7
    @JackBNimble But the title says "three division uniform colors", they didn't switch divisions, the division colors changed between the TOS and DS9 eras. Yes, this is some extreme geek nit picking. Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 17:12
  • 5
    @muistooshort - actually, Dax wearing red would be switching Divisions. Sciences was always blue, and Dax's normal color is blue. So by wearing read she switched from DS9 Sciences to TOS Operations.
    – Omegacron
    Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 17:49
  • 4
    The academy uniform really doesn't count, IMHO.
    – Valorum
    Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 18:02
  • 4
    This question has issues, I think. Maybe it should have been "Which character has been part of the most divisions?" or "Which character has appeared with the most uniform colors?" but not both since color meanings have changed over time. It's too late to fix it, as all your answerers are talking about "command red", "security gold", etc. But I saw that answer from @JohnP yesterday which I guess he had to delete; I don't see it now. But he obviously had trouble interpreting the question. (I'm not gonna downvote, just saying this could have been a lot tighter.)
    – user49238
    Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 15:41

7 Answers 7

82

Kyle:

Operations (TOS: "Wolf in the Fold"):

Kyle in red

Sciences (TOS: "Space Seed", "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"):

Kyle in blueKyle in movie sciences gear

Command (TOS: "The Immunity Syndrome"):

Kyle in gold

Sulu:

Sciences (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before"):

Sulu in blue

Command (TOS: "Arena", "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country"):

Sulu in goldSulu in command white

Operations (TOS: "Mirror, Mirror", "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" publicity shot):

Mirror Sulu in red Sulu in operations gold

Chekov:

Command (TOS: "Spectre of the Gun"):

Chekov in gold

Sciences ("Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country"):

Chekov in movie science colors

Operations ("Star Trek: The Motion Picture", "Star Trek Into Darkness") (the grey backing on the Starfleet / Enterprise insignia indicates Operations / Security in the TMP uniform):

TMP Chekov Into Darkness Chekov

10
  • 24
    Epic answer, how did you find/remember Kyle in Space Seed is beyond me.
    – this
    Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 17:26
  • @Politank-Z : Also, great work --- for some reason, Sulu in the blue shirt in TOS didn't come up in my search.
    – Praxis
    Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 17:27
  • @Politank-Z : And I didn't check Chekov's neck / strap colour in STVI. Again, excellent!
    – Praxis
    Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 17:30
  • 1
    @Praxis: There, Kyle was in science-wear in TWOK.
    – Politank-Z
    Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 17:34
  • 1
    Of course, one of those "Operations" Sulus is from the mirror universe... The other one, though, great find. Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 7:04
68

I'm gonna go for the EMH. He appeared in both the Blue and Red uniforms in the main series and his diagnostic subroutine (arguably a part of the EMH package of programs) appeared in a yellow uniform in Voy: The Swarm.

As @sidney has pointed out, the Diagnostic Program was ultimately grafted onto the EMH prior to the other two photos below, meaning that all three are essentially the same character.

enter image description here

8
  • 18
    Very nice. +1 "I'm a doctor, not a fashion model."
    – Praxis
    Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 17:57
  • 13
    The diagnostic subroutine is a bit of a stretch. It was more meant to represent Dr. Zimmerman himself, than an actual extension of the EMH, even though technically it may have been a part of the whole EMH program bundle.
    – Iszi
    Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 18:18
  • 9
    I don't know, I mean, he's got that messy hair to represent basically a different character. The EMH would remember everything the ECH did as actions by himself with new aptitudes. Would he remember what the diagnostic subroutine did as 'himself' ? Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 19:08
  • 7
    The diagnostic program was of a completely separate matrix, which was a crucial plot point in that episode. I don't think we can count Zimmerman's hologram as the EMH here. Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 23:40
  • 5
    Considering the diagnostic program was eventually "grafted" on to The Doctor, it could be argued that it was not the doctor but actually the diagnostic program that has at some time been part of all three divisions, although it's a bit of a stretch.
    – Sidney
    Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 16:01
29

Spock

One character who sports multiple colours is Spock. He usually appears in science blue:

enter image description here

But here he is with command gold in the first episode of TOS, "Where No Man Has Gone Before":

enter image description here

Out-of-universe, they hadn't settled on his uniform yet. But in-universe, it's completely compatible with the fact that he is both First Officer and Chief Science Officer, and so he is in two divisions at once.

And now here he is in red in The Wrath of Khan:

enter image description here

Of course, all Starfleet officers of that era wear red jackets, but Spock's uniform here is adorned with command-level brass, as he is the Captain of the Enterprise in this particular screenshot.

In a sense, command-level is white in the film era, designated by the white turtleneck beneath the jacket and the white shoulder strap.

In contrast, medical officers like McCoy have a dull green turtleneck and strap. Saavik is a lieutenant junior grade, and her red turtleneck and strap coincide with this. Engineers have gold turtlenecks and straps.

enter image description here

So one can say that Spock is seen with three colours: gold, blue, and white.

Now, that's three colours but only two divisions, since gold from TOS and white from the film era have the same meaning.

However, since the original question question cites Sito Jaxa's red Academy jumpsuit as a divisional colour (indeed, Starfleet Academy is considered to be the fourth division), here is Spock with his charcoal instructor's uniform from the 2009 film:

enter image description here

So that makes for blue (science), gold / white (command), and charcoal (Academy instructor).

Wesley Crusher

Counting the Academy as a Starfleet division makes Wesley Crusher another candidate, as @ThePopMachine points out. Wesley wears command red, operations gold, and his red-topped Academy jumpsuit, all in TNG:

enter image description here enter image description here enter image description here enter image description here

We also see Wesley in his grey acting ensign uniform, although it is unclear which "division" it designates (if any).

7
  • What about the grey with the ribbed collar that he wore as an acting ensign? Technically acting ensign is a rank. There were a lot of wartime promotions that were "acting" or "Brevet" until confirmed by central command, but they had full rights and privileges of said rank.
    – JohnP
    Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 19:50
  • 1
    @JohnP : That's a good point. I'm not certain which "division" acting ensign falls into, but I'll definitely add an image. Thanks.
    – Praxis
    Commented Aug 18, 2015 at 19:59
  • @JohnP: I was never sure whether that was supposed to be a uniform at all. We never saw anyone else with that grey jumpsuit, and Wesley did wear other uniform-like clothes with colored shoulder pieces. For all we know, differently-colored shoulder pieces might have been just the fashion at that time (maybe even either inspired by Starfleet uniforms or vice-versa). So, maybe those were simply his civilian clothes? Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 12:38
  • 1
    @JohnP: Well, statistically, shouldn't we have seen one at some point during all the years? Or at least someone who, in some way, has a similar status as Wesley? Yet, no-one was ever seen wearing any uniform remotely similar to Wesley's outfit. Rather than assume that Starfleet has a uniform type that is unlike everything else we have ever seen in that timeframe (and that has never been proven to be "uniform" across any group of people), the suspicion that it is simply a modest civilian outfit manifests itself. Commented Aug 19, 2015 at 14:50
  • 1
    @Xantec : He comes aboard with Vulcan robes, but then switches to a baby blue jumpsuit.
    – Praxis
    Commented Aug 25, 2015 at 22:54
17

Lt. Leslie

Lt. Who What Now?

Lt. Leslie has served as *deep breath*... Duty Officer, Engineer, Helm Officer, Medical Assistant, Navigator, Science Officer and Security Officer. He appeared in 57 TOS episodes and has the remarkable ability to return from the dead several times (or Dr. McCoy was drunk when he pronounced him dead) and quickly change uniforms and duties within a few minutes.

Blue / Sciences (TOS: Where No Man Has Gone Before)
enter image description here

Red / Operations (TOS: The Squire Of Gothos)
enter image description here

Gold / Command (TOS: The Changeling)
enter image description here

Out of universe, Lt. Leslie is obviously the result of TOS reusing the same stable of actors and not paying close attention to continuity. In universe, Lt. Leslie appears to have some very remarkable qualities leading to some theories that he's actually several people or a remarkable alien or a quick change artist or an incredible savant.

And yes, he does have lines and is named on screen.

6
  • Good answer, but gold/green is command, red is operations, and blue is science/medical.
    – JohnP
    Commented Aug 20, 2015 at 21:06
  • @JohnP Thanks, I was thinking TNG.
    – Schwern
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 1:50
  • Is he named in each episode?
    – Valorum
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 7:23
  • @Richard A quick check says no. For example, Where No Man Has Gone Before and The Changeling.
    – Schwern
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 10:25
  • 1
    @Schwern - Hmm. If they've simply recycled the actor (but not the character), I think I'd raise the same objection I raised with JMFB, that they're not necessarily the same person in-universe.
    – Valorum
    Commented Aug 21, 2015 at 10:34
11

Q.

Appears in red in numerous episodes of TNG and Voyager, in yellow in "Hide and Q" and in blue in the Paramount-licensed video game Star Trek: Borg.

enter image description here

3
  • What's the canonicity of Star Trek: Borg? Commented Aug 23, 2015 at 5:21
  • 2
    @ThePopMachine - Unusually high. It was written by Hilary Bader (who wrote numerous episodes of trek), directed by James Conway (who directed several episodes of Voyager) and used the original voyager sets. Also, the entire cast are Trek actors and the game received an audio book conversion directed by Jonathan Frakes.
    – Valorum
    Commented Aug 23, 2015 at 6:18
7

Most likely not, but technically - Wesley Crusher.

Wesley Crusher

Picard in tapestry was an alternate time line, so I would not count that.

4
  • 3
    I love it. You are technically correct, the best kind of correct.
    – Valorum
    Commented Apr 7, 2017 at 12:36
  • By the same same token, you might also want to consider Trip and Tom Paris
    – Valorum
    Commented Apr 7, 2017 at 12:38
  • No to @Valorum. I mean, I like the tricky answer, but you can't call it technically correct in light of the clear clarification at the end of the question. Nice try, though. (If we allow answers based on a technical reading of only the question and not the body, then it opens up all kinds of tricky answers. I know. I'm no fun. But you try to be technical, you get technical back.) Commented Apr 7, 2017 at 17:30
  • Did we really wear such outfits in the 80's? I have vague memories that I think I may have intentionally suppressed. Commented Aug 14, 2021 at 10:23
4

Tom Paris

Usually wears the red Command uniform:

Tom Paris wearing red uniform

In the episode "Worst Case Scenario (s3e25)" he wears the Gold operations uniform:

Tom Paris wearing gold uniform

And in the episode "Author, Author (s7e20) he wears the Blue science uniform (technically in a holonovel):

Tom Paris wearing blue uniform

2
  • 1
    That's not Tom Paris in the final example, it's Lt Marseilles
    – Valorum
    Commented May 29, 2023 at 21:29
  • 1
    And in the second example, he's a hologram
    – Valorum
    Commented May 29, 2023 at 21:30

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.