Star Trek: The Next Generation Made The Smartest Change To Starfleet's Delta Badge

Star Trek: The Next Generation made the smartest change to Starfleet's iconic delta badge. Since TNG takes place about a century after Star Trek: The Original Series, it makes perfect sense that Starfleet upgraded its technology and paraphernalia. In Captain James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) 23rd century era, delta badges were simple patches sewn onto Starfleet's colorful uniforms. Star Trek: The Original Series' movies turned those patches into pins.

Star Trek has always had an uncanny ability to predict technology. Starfleet's communicators inspired flip phones and cell phones, while the varied abilities of Star Trek's tricorders paved the way for modern-day smartphones. Star Trek: The Next Generation had to upgrade the technology of Star Trek in the 1960s, making phasers smaller, while creating a much larger Starship Enterprise for Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) to command. For my money, however, Star Trek: The Next Generation's combadge is a stroke of genius.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Made Delta Badges Communicators

Combadges Also Let Transporters Track Starfleet Officers

Designed by William Ware Theiss, with input from Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek: The Next Generation's combadge is ingenious. Starfleet combadges are worn over the left side of the chest, and they replaced Star Trek: The Original Series' handheld communicators. With a mere tap, combadges allow Starfleet Officers hands-free communication. Combadges also let starship transporters track Starfleet Officers so they can be beamed up or down to a planet.

Starfleet's combadges evolved from Star Trek: The Next Generation to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. The oval base of the Starfleet delta gave way to rectangular wings. Still, the capabilities remain the same, and combadges are an elegant accouterment to Starfleet uniforms. In real life, combadges are a cool accessory for fans to wear to Star Trek conventions and events to let others know they are Trekkies.

Star Trek: Discovery Changed Starfleet Delta Badges Even More

Programmable Matter Made Combadges Even More Miraculous

Star Trek: Discovery season 3's jump to the 32nd century allowed the series headlined by Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) to give Starfleet combadges a next-generation upgrade. In Star Trek: Discovery's distant future, combadges are made of programmable matter, and they're more versatile than ever. 32nd century combadges are not only communicators, but they also house phasers, space suits, and virtual heads-up displays that replace physical tricorders.

Star Trek: Discovery's combadges also added the pips found on the collars of Starfleet uniforms in Star Trek: The Next Generation's era. However, as innovative as Star Trek: Discovery's combadges are, they have the added benefit of making TNG's classic combadges even cooler in a retro sense. Starfleet's delta is one of the most iconic logos in science fiction, and Star Trek: The Next Generation's combadges are its best manifestation.