Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Has Subtle Callback To Discovery’s Klingons

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Be warned, this article contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 4 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (“Vox in Excelso”). While Star Trek: Discovery moved past its often-debated portrayal of Klingons, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy continues their story. Episode 4, directed by Doug Aarniokoski and written by Gaia Violo and Eric Anthony Glover, provides a new look at the Klingons in the 32nd century.

The fourth episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy explains that a catastrophic event called The Burn caused dilithium reactors on the Klingon homeworld, Qo’noS, to explode, effectively destroying the planet. This left the Klingons on the brink of extinction, forcing them to become refugees scattered across the galaxy. Despite their desperate situation, the Klingons were too proud to accept assistance from the United Federation of Planets.

Captain Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) managed to convince the Klingons to settle on Faal Alpha by appealing to their desire for conquest, a strategy suggested by Starfleet Academy cadet Jay-Den Kraag (Karim Diané). This approach addressed what the Klingons originally sought, echoing their motivations from the start of Star Trek: Discovery.

Starfleet Academy Recontextualizes What Star Trek: Discovery’s Klingons Wanted

In Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 4, Jay-Den Kraag pointed out that the Klingons weren’t seeking pity from the Federation. They simply wanted to preserve their culture and identity, even if it meant facing extinction. This desire to “remain Klingon” was the core reason behind their hostile actions in the first season of Star Trek: Discovery.

At the start of Star Trek: Discovery, the Klingons were worried that the growing Federation would destroy their way of life. They came together under a leader named T’Kuvma (played by Chris Obi), who promised to preserve their culture with the motto “Remain Klingon.” Even after T’Kuvma died, the Klingons continued to fight a war that almost defeated the Federation, all driven by their desire to maintain their identity and “Remain Klingon.”

In Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the phrase “Remain Klingon” highlights the Klingons’ unwavering pride and dedication to their fundamental values. The Federation, while attempting to aid the Klingons by offering them a new home planet, didn’t fully grasp how crucial it was for them to preserve their identity, especially given that their civilization was facing extinction.

For Klingons, a people shaped by the legend of Kahless the Unforgettable, honor and maintaining their traditions are everything. This was clear in Star Trek: Discovery when they were a warring people, and it’s still central to their culture 900 years later in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. The series emphasizes the importance of staying true to their heritage – the “Remain Klingon” ideal – especially for those who survived the destruction of their home world, Qo’noS.

Will Discovery’s Klingons Ever Return To Star Trek?

As a long-time Trek fan, I’ve noticed something interesting: even though the idea of staying true to Klingon values still exists in the 32nd century, the redesigned Klingons from Star Trek: Discovery aren’t showing up in Starfleet Academy. Honestly, after the strong negative reaction to their new look, I don’t think we’ll ever see those Klingons again. Discovery moved past them after season two, and it seems like that design is still a sensitive topic for a lot of fans – and maybe the creators too!

While Klingons have shown up in other Star Trek shows on Paramount+, Star Trek: Discovery didn’t include them after jumping forward 930 years in its third season. The show never explained what happened to the Klingons in the 32nd century after the Burn, but that question is now answered in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy with information from Jay-Den Kraag.

The unique Klingon design from Star Trek: Discovery – known for their bald heads and heavy armor – made a quick appearance in the finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks. This might be the last time this particular look for Klingons appears in the Star Trek universe.

As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I really appreciated a small detail in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. It cleverly brought back the idea of staying true to one’s Klingon heritage – something we saw explored in Star Trek: Discovery. While Star Trek might not ever fully explain the different look and feel of the Klingons in Discovery, it’s great to see that the core values of that proud warrior race are still being honored, and in a really thoughtful way, within Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

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2026-01-30 13:58