Some of Star Trek's greatest villains have made Earth their ultimate target, as the human homeworld stands as the crowning jewel of the idyllic United Federation Of Planets. After enduring a cataclysmic World War III in the mid-21st century, Earth began to pull itself out the muck when Dr. Zefram Cochrane (James Cromwell) developed humanity's first warp capable vessel and made first contact with the Vulcans. Within a matter of decades after first contact, humanity had eradicated poverty, hunger, and disease on Earth, transforming the planet into something close to a paradise.
By the 24th century, Earth was the centerpiece of the Federation. Not only did Earth produce historically important Starfleet officers like Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Earth stood as a symbol for everything the Federation was capable of at its best. It made a certain amount of sense that enemies of the Federation would routinely target the planet, and it's staved off almost certain doom on more than one occasion.
