Scotty’s Greatest Star Trek Quote That Fans Love Didn’t Happen In The Original Series

Published Nov 9, 2026, 8:43 PM EST

John Orquiola is a TV Editor, Senior Writer, and Interviewer with a special focus on Star Trek. John has over 5,000 published articles at SR, and he has interviewed the biggest names in Star Trek on the red carpet and VIP events, among other beloved shows, movies, and franchises.

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Star Trek fans love what's possibly Scotty's (James Doohan) most memorable quote, but he said it in Star Trek: The Next Generation, not Star Trek: The Original Series. Captain Scott's reappearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 4, "Relics," gave us one of Scotty's most fun quotes that many fans also agree with.

The beloved Scottish Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701 and 1701-A appeared in the original Star Trek, Star Trek: The Animated Series, and seven Star Trek movies. The younger Lieutenant Montgomery Scott's (Martin Quinn) exploits are chronicled in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Through it all, Scotty is a wellspring of quotes that are fun to mimic in the engineer's Scottish accent.

Scotty complaining, "I canna' change the laws of physics!" or "I'm giving her all she's got!" when Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) demands the impossible from the "miracle worker" are iconic. Scotty saying, "Hello, computer" to a 1986 Apple computer's mouse in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home never ceases to be funny. Also unforgettable: "Captain, there be whales here!"

However, Scotty discovering the USS Enterprise-D's holodeck in "Relics" delivered an all-timer quote.

Fans Love Scotty's Most Famous Quote From Star Trek: The Next Generation

Perhaps Scotty's greatest quote that Star Trek fans love to repeat is in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Relics." Drunk on green Aldebaran whiskey, Scotty found the holodeck and requested to see the bridge of "the Enterprise." When the computer asked to specify between the five existing USS Enterprises on record, the irritated Scotty spelled out what he wanted:

“NCC-1701. No bloody A, B, C, or D.”

It's worth wagering that for the 34 years since "Relics" premiered, Star Trek fans at home have said, "No bloody A, B, C, or D," along with Scotty when rewatching that moment. Everyone sympathizes with Scotty, who is loyal to the original Starship Enterprise he served aboard. Fans may love other versions of the Enterprise, especially the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise-D, but we all know why Scotty loves his Enterprise.

At the time that Star Trek: The Next Generation was in production, there were only five starships named USS Enterprise, and Scotty named them all. Scotty was Chief Engineer of the original Constitution-class Enterprise and its replacement, the Enterprise-A. He also stepped aboard the Excelsior-class USS Enterprise-B and the USS Enterprise-D. Scotty only missed the doomed Enterprise-C.

"Relics" was also a remarkable achievement in production and set design, perfectly recreating the 1960s USS Enterprise bridge on its 1990s TV budget. The older Captain Scott visiting his original bridge was a lightning bolt of nostalgia, and perhaps the most powerful evocation of the original Star Trek by The Next Generation. It was a simpler time and a simpler ship that Scotty yearned for.

Star Trek Only Added More Enterprises Before & After Scotty

Newly arrived in the 24th century in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Relics," it's understandable that Scotty was taken aback by five USS Enterprises having existed. Captain Scott may have been even more dismayed by how many more Enterprises joined the fleet, including a retcon of Star Trek's past.

Enterprise, the first Star Trek prequel series, retconned the NX-01 as the first Starship Enterprise. Commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), NX-01 was Starfleet's first Warp 5 starship, and it was the Enterprise that pioneered space exploration, forging the alliances that led to the United Federation of Planets. After a refit, NX-01 was renamed USS Enterprise and is now at the Fleet Museum on Athan Prime.

A couple of years after Scotty left the USS Enterprise-D, the Galaxy-class Federation flagship was destroyed in Star Trek Generations. It was replaced by the Sovereign-class USS Enterprise-E, commanded by Captain Picard and then, Captain Worf (Michael Dorn). The E was mysteriously "lost" and succeeded by the Odyssey-class USS Enterprise-F.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 ended with the USS Titan-A renamed the USS Enterprise-G, commanded by Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). Enterprise's Temporal Cold War showed the Universe-class USS Enterprise-J, and Star Trek: Discovery established that the 32nd century Starfleet has an unseen USS Enterprise.

That's six more Starship Enterprises created after Star Trek: The Next Generation for Scotty to frown on.

Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming on Paramount+