Tholian web A Tholian web , also known as a tractor field , was an energy net that was " spun " by Tholian and around an immobilized enemy vessel . The more vessels that were used to generate the web , the faster it was deployed . A web can be disrupted by destroying the ships creating the web before they finish . ( ; ) The web was composed of a series of energy filaments which were generated in a web pattern around a target vessel . Once these filaments were sealed , the web became self - generating and the web - spinning crafts no longer needed to maintain the web . If any craft within the web attempted to leave , they would be shredded by the energy filaments . Outgoing weapon s fire , such as photonic torpedo es , were also destroyed by the web and the resulting detonation energy was dispersed across the energy filaments . However , ships outside the web could fire into it without hindrance . ( ) The filaments were generated by specialized craft that emitted them from the aft section . At least two ships were needed to spin the web - if one broke away prior to web completion , the filaments would presumably dissipate . ( ) Webs can be generated in less time if more ships are available to complete them . ( ) The Tholian web could also be used as a high power immobilization field / tractor beam to pull captured starship s back to Tholian territory . ( ) In 2155 , the was destroyed while caught in a Tholian web . Several escape pod s from the " Enterprise " were also destroyed as they attempted to traverse the web , although some were able to leave through the gaps . " ( ) " The Tholians proceeded to form another web over their docking portal to prevent surviving " Enterprise " personnel from escaping aboard the ; however the " Defiant " destroyed the Tholian ships and escaped . ( ) In 2268 , the was nearly trapped inside of such a web while on a mission to rescue Captain Kirk from spatial interphase . The Federation starship narrowly escaped being dragged back to a Tholian port as they were able to leave the web just after it was complete . ( ) Appendices . Background information . The effects for the Tholian web in " The Original Series " , as originally aired , were created by Mike Minor . He commented on his work : Apocrypha . The Tholian web is a staple part of the tactical combat wargames of the Star Fleet Universe , such as Federation Commander ( where full rules for web will be formally published in the upcoming " Tholian Attack " module ) and " Star Fleet Battles " . In the SFU , there are two prominent types of devices that can produce webs - the Web Generators ( attached to ' Archaeo ' Tholian ships - such as the Patrol Corvette , the SFU reference for the ships seen in the " Original Series " ) which allow a ship to ' spin ' web , and the more powerful Web Caster ( usually seen on larger ' Neo ' Tholian ships - designs unique to the SFU ) which can project web at long range , or produce a concentrated web ' fist ' capable of acting as a direct - fire weapon . In the SFU setting , the Tholians arose in , where they eventually established a galaxy - wide empire - in which the use of web was key to their ability to suppress opposition . Indeed , the race ( a species of insectoids granted ' most - trusted - race ' status within the Tholian Will ) only managed to overthrow their masters once they discovered the Web Breaker - a weapon uniquely capable of disrupting the web . When the Tholian remnants who fled to the Milky Way established their Holdfast , web was once again the key to their survival in the face of hostile neighbors ( such as the Klingons ) .