Star Trek: Discovery has a new captain on the bridge – and it marks a historic first for the franchise.
Major spoilers for Star Trek: Discovery season 3, episode 13 follow.
Following on from former captain Saru’s return to the Kelpian homeworld of Kaminar to help Su’Kal readjust to the outside world after a lifetime of being trapped inside a holographic environment, USS Discovery was in dire need of a new leader.
Step forward Michael Burnham. With Saru’s blessing and Admiral Vance’s say so, Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) has now ascended to the position of captain on Discovery. In fact, it’s the first time a Black woman has ever held the role in a permanent capacity in any mainline Star Trek series.
In season 3 alone, Star Trek: Discovery has shone the spotlight on non-binary and transgender actors, while the series has even dropped the franchise’s first-ever f-bomb back in the first season. Discovery, it seems, prides itself on boldly going where no other Star Trek series has gone before – but let’s not forget her forebears.
Voyager’s Janeway was the first prominent woman to ever become captain in a Star Trek show, while Benjamin Sisko rose to captain during the third season of Deep Space Nine.
Now, it’s Michael Burnham – and Sonequa Martin Green’s – turn to take the baton and run with it. The character has undergone mutinies, trips to the mirror universe, and losing her mother (twice) – now it’s time to write the next chapter in her captain’s log.
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