Toughest Star Trek Species

[Use of Time]

Humans - Most resiliant and have gone up against all of the above. Despite not being godlike, technically/genetically enhanced, or physically stronger (like the Hirogen), humans never seem to back down when they think they are in the right or have something to defend. Toughness isn't about bullying people with your superior power, it is about how you react when you are pushed beyond your limits.

 

[CaptPapa]

Whichever one the writers need to be stronger.

Well, that's it in a nutshell. So, I voted for Humans since the writers are all human, the species has the home-field advantage.

 

[bbjeg]

Humans have their moment but they lack in strength when it comes to big battles. At Wolf 359 they were massacred and they wouldn't have taken back DS9 without the Sisko. In most situations it came down to our hero ships and we've seen the destruction of those ships (other than miracle Janeway). In a full scale war, without alliances, I don't think Starfleet would make it.

 

[Use of Time]

Humans have their moment but they lack in strength when it comes to big battles. At Wolf 359 they were massacred and they wouldn't have taken back DS9 without the Sisko. In most situations it came down to our hero ships and we've seen the destruction of those ships (other than miracle Janeway). In a full scale war, without alliances, I don't think Starfleet would make it.

This analogy somewhat confuses power or might with toughness. If I challenge a ten year old kid to a fight and win then I would not be considered tough. I would be considered a bully. If that ten year old kept getting back up and kept coming at me no matter how many times I knocked him down then I would consider him tough. See what I mean?

Starfleet has continuously stuck around in battles against horrible odds and even no win situations. That shows more toughness then a bunch of mindless drones scooping out planets from orbit or some supernatural entity screwing around with "mortals."

 

[bbjeg]

^I guess perseverance counts as toughness though without Janeway, a species like 8472 would ultimately crush that perseverance.

 

[Slyvon]

On paper the Borg should be the toughest race in the galaxy right? Hundreds of species, thousands of planets, all that knowledge via assimilation. They should be unstoppable but they've been used so many times the Borg have ceased to be interesting.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I voted for the Founders. As a species themselves they are a very serious threat, but the fact they have ultimate control over the Dominion makes them probably the toughest race on the list.

That being said, if the Federation had been listed (instead of just Humans) I might have been inclined to have gone for them--after all Starfleet does always manage to defeat the big bad just in the nick of time.

 

[Jono]

Unless you are braising, it has to be the Ferengi.

Oh, wait. You mean in combat...

 

[Edit_XYZ]

The douwd.
One has no problem surviving the nuclear annihilation of his home colony. He has no problem single-handedly eliminating an entire highly aggressive species. He has no weaknesses, as far as we can tell.

The pah-wraiths/prophets are vulnerable to chroniton radiation and to dusty bajoran religious books.

The other aliens in this poll are utterly pathetic by comparison to the above heavy-weights.

 

[T'Girl]

On paper the Borg should be the toughest race in the galaxy right? Hundreds of species, thousands of planets, all that knowledge via assimilation. They should be unstoppable but they've been used so many times the Borg have ceased to be interesting.

Strong yes, but not what I would call "tough."

A Borg drone is like watching someone who is drugged up stumbling into a fight, not an example of toughness.

 

[bbjeg]

The douwd.
One has no problem surviving the nuclear annihilation of his home colony. He has no problem single-handedly eliminating an entire highly aggressive species. He has no weaknesses, as far as we can tell...

And what would happen if 8472 blew apart their planet or used their high-range telepathic ability against them?

 

[BillJ]

And what would happen if 8472 blew apart their planet or used their high-range telepathic ability against them?

What if the Federation time-traveled to the 100th century and brought back super-duper-super technology?

This is why discussions like this make no sense beyond whichever species a writer needs to be the toughest in a given episode.

 

[bbjeg]

^It's more like "Of the strengths shown", who do you think was the strongest.

 

[Pondwater]

Romulans.

 

[Sector 7]

Humans - Most resiliant and have gone up against all of the above. Despite not being godlike, technically/genetically enhanced, or physically stronger (like the Hirogen), humans never seem to back down when they think they are in the right or have something to defend. Toughness isn't about bullying people with your superior power, it is about how you react when you are pushed beyond your limits.

This was my reply, as well. I cannot improve upon your assessment.

^It's more like "Of the strengths shown", who do you think was the strongest.

I still vote for Humans, for the above stated reasons.

 

[MakeshiftPython]

How are the Jem'Hadar not listed? That was the first species that came to mind when I saw the title of the thread. That's how you properly introduce a tough new species (I'm looking at you, Kazon). I'd only count out the Jem'Hadar when they're either out ketracel-white or if they're a mix of Gammas and Alphas.

 

[Edit_XYZ]

The douwd.
One has no problem surviving the nuclear annihilation of his home colony. He has no problem single-handedly eliminating an entire highly aggressive species. He has no weaknesses, as far as we can tell...

And what would happen if 8472 blew apart their planet or used their high-range telepathic ability against them?

1 The douwd are all on one planet? You could mean ~What would happen to one douwd if 8472 blow up the planet he is on? The answer - absolutely nothing.
Energy being with immense power who survived nuclear annihilation without even trying, remember.

2 8472 telepathy against douwd? When 8472's telepathy does not even work against humans? Again, the answer is absolutely nothing.


As said, 8472 - and all the other light-weights listed in the poll - are absolutely pathetic when compared to the douwd or the prophets when it comes to toughness AKA resistance to injury&ability to bitch-slap.
A species looking cool does NOT equal toughness.

Also, humanity - tough? Adaptable, yes. Hard to kill all of humanity - yes; much like cockroaches are hard to kill.
Tough?

 

[Kirk the Jerk]

I voted The Founders (Jem'Hadar/Breen)

Romulans should be on the list to be honest...

 

[Use of Time]

The douwd.
One has no problem surviving the nuclear annihilation of his home colony. He has no problem single-handedly eliminating an entire highly aggressive species. He has no weaknesses, as far as we can tell...

And what would happen if 8472 blew apart their planet or used their high-range telepathic ability against them?

1 The douwd are all on one planet? You could mean ~What would happen to one douwd if 8472 blow up the planet he is on? The answer - absolutely nothing.
Energy being with immense power who survived nuclear annihilation without even trying, remember.

2 8472 telepathy against douwd? When 8472's telepathy does not even work against humans? Again, the answer is absolutely nothing.


As said, 8472 - and all the other light-weights listed in the poll - are absolutely pathetic when compared to the douwd or the prophets when it comes to toughness AKA resistance to injury&ability to bitch-slap.
A species looking cool does NOT equal toughness.

Also, humanity - tough? Adaptable, yes. Hard to kill all of humanity - yes; much like cockroaches are hard to kill.
Tough?

Why wouldn't they be? Again, I think you confuse with power with toughness. Like your cockroach analogy, does stepping on a cockroach make me tough? Not really. Snapping your fingers like Q or simply thinking a species out of existance like the dowd doesn't require toughness, just might.

 

[Edit_XYZ]

Use of Time

The concept of toughness:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Toughness
Meaning, toughness is, grosso modo, resistance to injury&ability to bitch-slap.
Another meaning is being a thug (which was not the meaning intended here).

And YES, being invulnerable to everything and able to snuff out a species by snapping one's fingers IS toughness. At least by comparison to the snuffed out species.
Snuffing out a cockroack so easily makes you a LOT tougher than the cockroack.
Contrary to the perception in this thread, the concept is far larger than the hollywood image of two alpha males looking cool and trading punches.