Tolian Soran

AT: "xx"

Species:	El-Aurian
Occupation:	Scientist
Status:	Deceased
Died:	2371
Played by:	Malcolm McDowell

"Time is the fire in which we burn."

- Tolian Soran, 2371

Doctor Tolian Soran was an El-Aurian scientist who, in the 24th century, attempted to destroy two stars and an inhabited planet in an attempt to gain entrance to the Nexus, an extradimensional realm in which all one's desires are transformed into reality.

23rd century

In the 23rd century, Soran was one of the few survivors of a Borg attack on his homeworld, which resulted in the deaths of his wife and children. In 2293, Soran became a passenger on a transport vessel, the SS Lakul, when it became trapped in an extremely intense gravimetric distortion trailing from an energy ribbon which acted as an entrance to the Nexus. While trapped in the distortion, Soran and the other passengers experienced brief moments in the Nexus, where Soran was able to live a life where the Borg had not killed his family. Soran's experiences in the Nexus were short-lived, however, as he and the others were beamed away to the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-B, which had responded to a distress call. Soran subsequently became obsessed with returning to the Nexus, and dedicated the next 78 years of his life to discovering a means by which to do so.

24th century

Soran and B'Etor

By the year 2371, Soran had developed a plan whereby he would destroy two stars, thereby altering the gravitational forces near the energy ribbon, altering its course and bringing it to planet Veridian III, where Soran would be waiting for it. To accomplish his goal, Soran entered into an alliance with the Duras sisters, who agreed to secure trilithium, a nuclear inhibitor with which Soran would destroy the stars, in exchange for research allowing the sisters to develop a trilithium-based weapon. As Soran prepared to fire a solar probe equipped with trilithium into the Amargosa star from the Amargosa observatory, the outpost came under attack by Romulans, who were attempting to retrieve the trilithium which the Duras sisters had stolen from them. Soran was rescued by the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D, and was later able to return to the observatory and launch the probe, destroying the star. As the Enterprise crew attempted to rescue an away team from the observatory before the resultant shockwave arrived, Soran was retrieved by the Duras sisters, and subsequently traveled to the Veridian system, where he intended to destroy the Veridian star.

The Enterprise crew ultimately uncovered Soran's plot, realizing that Soran intended to destroy the Veridian star despite the fact that it would destroy all planets in the system, including Veridian IV, which supported a humanoid society of 230 million individuals. The Enterprise arrived at Veridian III, where Captain Picard beamed to the surface in an attempt to reason with Soran. Picard was ultimately unsuccessful, however, and was unable to stop Soran from launching the probe into the star. As the star was destroyed, the energy ribbon was diverted to the surface where it transported both Soran and Picard into the Nexus, immediately before the destruction of all of the planets in the system, and the Enterprise.

Soran is killed in the launcher's explosion

Inside the Nexus, however, Picard was able to make contact with James T. Kirk, who had been pulled in during the Enterprise-B's encounter with the ribbon. Picard was able to convince Kirk to leave the Nexus with him, traveling back in time to a point before Soran had launched the probe. As Picard attempted to sabotage Soran's launcher, Kirk fought Soran, a confrontation which ultimately led to Kirk's death. Kirk's sacrifice, however, allowed Picard to successfully disable Soran's launcher. As Soran returned to the probe, he found that Picard had engaged the locking clamps, destroying the launcher and killing Soran in a massive explosion. (Star Trek Generations)

Apocrypha

At least two different versions of Soran's death were written for the script of Star Trek Generations. The early edition of the novelization featured one of these alternate endings. In this version, Picard succeeds in disarming Soran's probe, preventing its launch and the destruction of the star, and allowing the ribbon to pass the planet by. Soran charges at Picard in a fury, who snatches up Soran's disruptor and shoots him dead in the chest.

The novelization gives the name of his deceased wife as Leandra.

Soran was played by actor Malcolm McDowell.

External links

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