Editing Balance of Terror (section)

{{For|the Cold War policy|Balance of terror}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Star Trek: The Original Series]]
| season = 1
| episode = 14
| production = 009
| airdate = {{Start date|1966|12|15}}
| writer = [[Paul Schneider (writer)|Paul Schneider]]
| photographer = [[Gerald Finnerman|Jerry Finnerman]]
| director = [[Vincent McEveety]]
| music = [[Fred Steiner]]
| guests = 
* [[Mark Lenard]] – Romulan Commander
* [[Paul Comi]] – Lt. Stiles
* [[Lawrence Montaigne]] – Decius
* [[John Warburton (actor)|John Warburton]] – Centurion
* Stephen Mines – Lt. Robert Tomlinson
* [[Barbara Baldavin]] – Lt. Angela Martine
* [[Garry Walberg]] – Hansen
* John Arndt – Fields
* Robert Chadwick – Romulan Scanner Operator
| prev = [[The Conscience of the King]]
| next = [[Shore Leave (Star Trek: The Original Series)|Shore Leave]]
| season_article = Star Trek: The Original Series season 1
| episode_list = List of Star Trek: The Original Series episodes
}}

"'''Balance of Terror'''" is the fourteenth episode of the [[Star Trek: The Original Series season 1|first season]] of the American [[science fiction]] television series ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]''. Written by [[Paul Schneider (writer)|Paul Schneider]] and directed by [[Vincent McEveety]], it first aired on December 15, 1966.

The series, which was [[Retronym|later subtitled]] ''The Original Series'', follows the adventures of the starship {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} and its crew led by [[James T. Kirk|Captain James T. Kirk]] (portrayed by [[William Shatner]]) through the [[Milky Way|galaxy]]. The episode follows a strategy-filled battle between the ''Enterprise'' and a [[Romulan]] ship that has methodically destroyed [[United Federation of Planets|Federation]] outposts bordering the [[List of Star Trek regions of space#Neutral Zone|Neutral Zone]].

"Balance of Terror" notably introduces both the Romulan species and the [[cloaking device]]. [[Mark Lenard]], who plays the unnamed Romulan commander, later portrayed [[Spock]]'s father [[Sarek]] in the majority of his later ''Star Trek'' appearances, as well as a [[Klingon]] captain in ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]''. The episode's events are revisited within an alternate future in the ''[[Star Trek: Strange New Worlds]]'' 2022 episode "A Quality of Mercy".