Summary
Star Trek: Discoveryleft several lingering questions thatStar Trek: Starfleet Academyneeds to answer. Ending after five seasons,Discoverydid not have time to wrap up every plot thread from the series.Discoveryprimarily focused on Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), and the show offered a glimpse of her future with Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) in an emotional epilogue. However,the future remains unknown for many crew members of the USS Discovery.WhileStarfleet Academymay not be able to answer every lingering question fromDiscovery,there are some things the show should address.
The USS Discovery’s adventures in the 32nd century revealed a lot about the United Federation of Planets in the 32nd century, butStar Trek: Starfleet Academyhas the opportunity to dive deeper into the Federation and Starfleet as an organization.Taking place partly at the recently reopened Academy in San Francisco,Starfleet Academywill follow a new group of young cadets as they prepare for their future after the Burn. With Holly Hunter taking on the role of Chancellor of the Academy and Paul Giamatti as an unnamed villain,expectations are already high forStarfleet Academy, andDiscoveryset up plenty of storylines thatStar Trek’snext show can continue.
Every Star Trek: Discovery Main Character’s Ending Explained
What happened to Captain Michael Burnham & the USS Discovery crew in the Star Trek: Discovery series finale, and where did they end up afterwards?
7What Is Star Trek: Discovery’s Pathway Drive & How Does It Work?
Class Title — Moving Beyond Warp Drive: Starship Propulsion 101
In the year 3069, a cataclysmic event known as the Burn rendered all dilithium inert, destroying many Federation starships and costing millions of lives. The Federation had been looking into alternative sources of propulsion prior to the Burn, but the loss of dilithium made it even more urgent.By the late 32nd century, the Federation had developed an experimental pathway drivethat allowed starships to travelfaster than warp speed. AlthoughStar Trek:Discoverymentioned this pathway drive several times, the show never actually explained how it worked.
Starfleet outfitted a shuttlecraft with the pathway drive technology for testing and installed it on the USS Voyager-J. Testing appeared to go well, asthe Federation decided to pursue the pathway drive as the future of starship propulsion,rather than theUSS Discovery’s spore displacement hub drive, much to the disappointment of its inventor, Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp). As cadets at the Academy will need to learn about various starship systems as part of their curriculum,Starfleet Academyhas the perfect way to explain the pathway drive to audiences, as well.
6How Do The 32nd Century’s Detached Nacelles & Programmable Matter Work?
Class Title — Programmable Matter & Its Many Uses In Starfleet
While the Federation may have been crumbling when the USS Discovery arrived in the 32nd century, their technology had certainly improved over the last 900 years.One of the most interesting and revolutionary 32nd-century tech is programmable matter.From starship consoles to spacesuits, programmable matter can transform into almost anything. This substance is also used to attach the normallydetached nacelles of 32nd-century Federation starships.
Star Trek: Discoveryseason 3 introduced starships with detached parts, like nacelles that were not connected to the main body of the ship. WhileDiscoverydid not have time to slow down and explain how this technology worked (or why it was necessary),Starfleet Academyhas a built-in way to explain 32nd-century technology to the viewer.As Academy instructors break down this science and technology for their students, the viewer will get a lesson in 32nd-century tech, too.
5Who Are Starfleet Academy’s Mentors?
Class Title — Academy Mentorship Program (Required For All Cadets)
At thewedding of Ni’Var President T’Rina(Tara Rosling) and Admiral Saru (Doug Jones), Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) revealed her plan to start a mentorship program at Starfleet Academy.Tilly has been heavily involved with the Academy since its reopening after the Burn,and she has been searching for ways to better connect with cadets. Tilly discussed this mentorship program with Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie), raising the question of whether the former Captain could act as a mentor.
7 Star Trek Discovery Characters Who Could Be Mentors On Starfleet Academy
Star Trek: Discovery’s Lt. Sylvia Tilly plans to start a mentorship program at Starfleet Academy, but who should she choose to serve as mentors?
This mentorship program opens the door for many ofStar Trek:Discovery’scharacters to pop up onStarfleet Academy,but it remains to be seen who will join the new show.Characters like Stamets, Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz), and even Captain Burnham herself would make great mentors,but many of the USS Discovery’s crew members will likely remain with the ship. Still, it doesn’t make sense forStarfleet Academyto abandonDiscovery’scharacters entirely, and many of the cadets have undoubtedly heard stories about Discovery and her crew, meaning they would likely jump at the chance to work with them.
4What’s Up With Dr. Kovich/Agent Daniels?
Class Title — The Temporal Wars & The Dangers of Time Travel
One of the biggest reveals inStar Trek: Discovery’sseries finale was thatthemysterious Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg)is actually the time-traveling Agent Daniels, originally played by Matt Winston onStar Trek: Enterprise.This reveal not only further connectsDiscoveryto the greaterTrekuniverse, but also opens up the possibility for Kovich to appear in anyStar Trekshow, regardless of its place in the timeline. Whether or not Starfleet Academy addresses the Temporal Wars, Kovich should definitely have a presence on the show.
The cadets of Starfleet Academy will reportedly face an enemy that threatens the entire Federation. That seems like a situation that Kovich would want to involve himself in.Kovich could potentially recruit cadets from the Academy for future missions or just stop by to deliver a lecture on the Temporal Wars.Kovich as Daniels also raises questions about how and why he ended up in the 32nd century to begin with, and Starfleet Academy could continue to provide more information about this enigmatic character.
3What Happens To Moll?
Class Title — [Redacted] (Please See Dr. Kovich For More Information)
Moll (Eve Harlow) may have been a villain inStar Trek:Discoveryseason 5, but she was never presented as evil or unworthy of redemption. DuringStar Trek: Discoveryseason 5’s finale, Dr. Kovich revealed he has plans for Moll when she gets out of prison, but he gave no hints as to what those plans are.ThroughoutDiscoveryseason 5, Moll was seen to be highly intelligent and capable,meaning Kovich could want to recruit her for any number of secret missions.
Eve Harlow was a lot of fun as Moll and made her into an incredibly compelling character with an interesting backstory. It would be a shame to lose her after only one season ofStar Trek: Discovery.
After the events ofStar Trek: Discoveryseason 5, Moll has lost everything, including the love of her life, L’ak (Elias Toufexis).She has the opportunity to begin a new life and Kovich and Starfleet could provide her with that.Moll also has plenty of knowledge and skills that she could teach to Starfleet cadets, particularly those who wish to go into Starfleet Intelligence. Whether or not Moll is directly involved with the Academy cadets or just has a mission on the periphery,Starfleet Academyshould reveal something about the former courier’s future.
2Will The Breen Return?
Class Title — The Breen Imperium & Us: How Breen Politics Affects The Federation
The Breen loomed on the horizon throughout much ofStar Trek: Discoveryseason 5, until they showed up on the Federation’s doorstep in amassive Breen Dreadnought.Since the death of their emperor, the Breen Imperium had become embroiled in a civil war among six different factions.Once Moll told the Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo) and his Breen faction about the Progenitors' technology, they wanted it for themselves.
Thankfully, Commander Rayner was able to thwart the Breen in a final battle while Ambassador Saru kept other factions from learning of the Progenitors' tech. Rayner sent the Breen dreadnought to the Galactic Barrier, where it will take them decades to return home.But the other Breen factions are still out there.While Starfleet Academy will likely feature a new villain or villains, cadets should learn about the Breen at the Academy, as they definitely remain a threat.
1What Happened To Species 10-C?
Class Title — Species 10-C & Other Non-Humanoid Aliens
A mystery left over fromStar Trek: Discoveryseason 4,Star Trekhas yet to reveal what happened to the aliens referred to as Species 10-C. While investigating the Dark Matter Anomaly,Captain Burnham and her crew traveled beyond the Galactic Barrier and encountered the creators of the DMA, Species 10-C.These aliens were very different from mostTrekaliens, with an interconnected civilization and a unique way of communicating using hydrocarbons and emotions.
Discovery’s Weirdest Aliens Are Perfect For Star Trek’s Next Show
In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Captain Burnham and her crew met some interesting aliens that would be perfect for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Captain Burnham and her crew managed to communicate with Species 10-C and convince them to stop using planet-destroying mining technology,but then the fascinating aliens were never mentioned again. With their advanced technology and truly alien nature, it seems likely the Federation would want to continue studying Species 10-C.Star Trek: Starfleet Academyprovides a perfect opportunity to reveal more about these aliens, perhaps as cadets take a course focused on studying them. At the very least, the show could give the species a real name and properly add them to the roster of coolStar Trekaliens.
Star Trek: Discovery
Cast
Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy follows a group of cadets as they embark on their journey to become Starfleet officers. Facing the challenges of friendship, rivalry, and romance, they confront a new enemy endangering the Academy and the Federation under the guidance of their rigorous instructors.
