star trek insurrection shuttle

Type 11 Shuttle

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Context clues: everything you need to know, best first aid kits: a comprehensive guide, teaching writing in kindergarten: everything you need to know, haiti names new prime minister to try to lead country out of crisis, israel pushes into rafah as displaced palestinians search for safety, gazan officials say a strike killed 21 in al-mawasi, pope apologizes after reports that he used an anti-gay slur, growing pressure on western nations to expand the range of weaponry provided to ukraine has been escalating as the conflict with russia continues. leaders and military officials are increasingly debating the possibility of allowing ukraine to employ western-supplied weapons to carry out strikes against targets on russian territory. the crux of the argument for allowing ukraine such offensive capabilities is grounded in the desire to create a significant deterrent effect. proponents argue that enabling ukraine to strike back at russia could force moscow to reconsider its strategy and potentially lead to a de-escalation of hostilities. opponents, however, warn of the risks associated with such a move. escalation dominance, wherein one side’s increase in capabilities leads to an arms race, poses a serious concern. there is also fear that enabling ukraine to strike inside russia might provoke a strong retaliation, not just against ukraine but potentially involving western nations more directly in the conflict. the debate involves complex strategic calculations. on one hand, there’s a moral and strategic impetus to support ukraine in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. on the other hand, there’s a need for caution and consideration of long-term regional stability and global security. as discussions continue without definitive conclusions, it is clear that decisions made today will have lasting implications for international norms and future geopolitical conflicts. the international community awaits further developments while contemplating the far-reaching consequences of this critical juncture in east-west relations., why lawmakers are brawling and people are protesting in taiwan, star trek: 8 best shuttlecraft and auxiliary vessels.

The Star Trek universe is vast and varied, with an array of starships that have captured the imagination of fans for generations. Among these are the smaller, often unsung heroes of space exploration – the shuttlecraft and auxiliary vessels. These compact craft play crucial roles in various missions, from short-range travel and reconnaissance to critical support functions. This article spotlights eight of the best shuttlecraft and auxiliary vessels throughout Star Trek’s storied history.

1.Type-6 Shuttlecraft

First seen in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” the Type-6 shuttlecraft is a workhorse of the Federation. Designed for short-range missions, it is equipped with phasers and a micro-torpedo launcher for defense. Its sleek design and reliability made it a mainstay on Federation ships like the USS Enterprise-D.

2.Class F Shuttlecraft (Galileo)

The original shuttle seen in “Star Trek: The Original Series,” the Galileo even had its own moment of fame in “The Galileo Seven” episode. Simple but iconic, it laid down a lasting legacy for in-universe shuttle design.

3.Danube Class Runabout

Unlike typical shuttles, runabouts are larger, more versatile vessels as shown in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” With more firepower, stronger shields, and an ability to undertake longer missions, the runabout was essential for operations around Deep Space Nine.

4.Delta Flyer

Created specifically for “Star Trek: Voyager,” the Delta Flyer was designed by the crew themselves to handle the unique challenges of the Delta Quadrant. Equipped with advanced technology like ablative armor, this shuttle combined speed, strength, and aesthetic appeal.

5.Captain’s Yacht (Calypso)

Attached to the underside of the USS Enterprise-E is Calypso – Jean-Luc Picard’s captain’s yacht featured briefly in “Star Trek: Insurrection.” This ship demonstrated luxury alongside performance and highlighted the prestige of command.

Introduced in “Star Trek: Nemesis,” the Argo features a unique design centered around its deployable off-road vehicle – perfect for planetary exploration. It signifies an adaptable approach to shuttlecraft within the fleet.

This small utility craft is used throughout Federation space stations and starbases for repair and construction tasks (“Star Trek: The Motion Picture” and later series). Their modular nature allows them to be fitted with various cargo or tool pods.

8.Type-11 Shuttlecraft

Featured in “Star Trek: Insurrection,” this heavy-duty tactical shuttle possesses stealth capabilities as well as formidable armaments. It’s designed to get personnel into hot zones without being detected.

Each vessel on this list has its own place within Starfleet history; whether serving as crucial support during away missions or ferrying key personnel across treacherous space territories, shuttlecraft and auxiliary vessels have always been at the heart of Star Trek’s explorable universe. These eight represent some of the most memorable and functional examples that have helped make immersion into Starfleet’s voyages all the more believable — and exciting.

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First up is a ship that also first appeared in  The Motion Picture , Starfleet’s travel pod , which first brought Admiral Kirk over to the refit  USS Enterprise at the beginning of that film. (It also appeared in recycled footage during  Star Trek II , and served to bring Kirk’s crew up to the newly-christened  Enterprise-A during the final moments of  Star Trek IV.

This is one of the more unique shuttle designs in the  Trek  franchise, serving only as a courier between existing structures and ships in Federation space, and not intended for flight outside of a controlled area — since the entire rear section is a door meant to fit into an airlock!

Star Trek: Enterprise created their own predecessor ship to this pod, that series’ inspection pod , seen most notably in “Broken Bow.”

Next up is the tiny Starfleet work bee , the diminutive support craft which is often found operating around Starbases and other orbital stations. This ship made its first appearance in  Star Trek: The Motion Picture , and was later seen in  Star Trek II, Generations , hard at work around  Deep Space 9 , and a silver version later appeared in  Star Trek: Nemesis  during the  Enterprise-E ‘s final moments on screen.

This is an interesting little model, with – despite its measurements – large transparent windows that reveal an operator’s seat inside. Most of Eaglemoss’ other shuttle models have windows simply painted an opaque black, so it’s nice to see some additional detailing for a model of this size.

The bright goldenrod paint job really makes the work bee pop when it’s on display, a nice dash of color for a line of shuttles that usually are a somewhat-bland Starfleet beige.

The third member of this set is the Starfleet Type 11 shuttlecraft , which to date has only appeared once, in 1998’s  Star Trek: Insurrection . Stationed aboard the  Enterprise-E , the unnamed Type 11 shuttle was piloted by Captain Picard and Lt. Commander Worf to capture a malfunctioning Data aboard the Ba’ku homeworld.

I have to admit this model is really quite sleek, and well-represents the first shuttle of the  Sovereign -class era. Since it debuted as a completely-digital model in the third  Next Generation film, designer John Eaves was no longer bound by what could be built in the  Star Trek model shop; the long, streamlined lines of the  Enterprise-E certainly carry over to this ship.

The only really unusual part of this model are the warp nacelles, which for some reason were produced for this collection with a dark grey hull coloring rather than the standard white-beige that makes up the rest of the ship. While the sculpting and translucent red and blue plastic components look quite nice, the dark nacelle coloring kind of throws off the entire look of the ship.

It’s an odd choice on an otherwise faultless release.

The final ship that rounds out this set is the copper-toned  Argo cargo shuttle which debuted in the final  Next Generation movie,  Star Trek: Nemesis.  Mostly remembered for the ‘dune buggy’ vehicle it carries within, used for the less-than-successful ground chase sequence on Kolarus III, the  Argo is the final shuttlecraft introduced (chronologically speaking, that is) in the prime  Star Trek timeline in 2379.

The ship as seen in  Nemesis featured movable wings for transitioning between spaceflight and atmospheric navigation, but like all of Eaglemoss’ ship models, this is a fixed-wing production that can’t be adjusted — which is something that I don’t mind, as when the wings are closed the  Argo resembles the NX-01-era shuttlepod design stretched out for use in the 24th Century. The wings-down configuration presented here gives the ship a more unique profile among the 12 shuttles released so far.

The outer hull features a metallic copper-grey paint job which definitely adds to the singular look of this shuttle; with the majority of the  Argo ‘s screen time in  Nemesis relegated to the harsh, overexposed scenes on Kolarus III, we never really got a good look at the shuttle’s coloring in the movie aside from its brief launch from the  Enterprise-E .

The  Argo also has some interesting color points around the front and rear of the integrated warp nacelles; there’s just a hint of red near the front of each side of the ship, but the rear features two bright blue drive assemblies that emulate the look of the ship from  Nemesis  fairly appropriately.

Aside from the nacelle coloring on the Type 11 shuttle, this set of ships is pretty much without any glaring issue or anything that is worth complaining about from a production standpoint.

The size of the work bee and travel pod, however, do deserve a bit of additional discussion. These both are really small models, barely 1.5″ in length — and while each are nicely detailed, the tiny sizes of each really seem like they should be paired together as a single release.

Just due to their small size, these two certainly don’t seem like they should be taking up half of the $99 price tag on this model collection. Maybe if the work bee had a cargo train behind it (as illustrated in the screencaps from the above gallery) it would feel more like a model worth the cost, since it would have a bit more heft to it. As it stands, this set does feel somewhat undeserved for the price point.

That being said, if you want to add this set to your personal collection, you can order it over at Eaglemoss’ site now ( for $99 in the US , or for £75.00 in the UK ). This isn’t the final shuttlecraft set that the company will be producing, but their all-Kelvin Timeline shuttle set, announced as the next release in the series, doesn’t have any scheduled date for release as of this writing.

Keep coming back to TrekCore for our coverage of the  Official Starships Collection model series, as we next check out the unique concept model for the  Star Trek: Phase II refit  USS Enterprise !

In Eaglemoss’ US store, TrekCore readers can use promo code TREKCORE at checkout for 10% off any ‘Star Trek’ collectible purchase $60 or greater ( some exclusions apply).

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TrekCore.com is not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with Paramount, CBS Studios, or the Star Trek franchise. All Star Trek images, trademarks and logos are owned by CBS Studios Inc. and/or Paramount. All original TrekCore.com content and the WeeklyTrek podcast (c) 2024 Trapezoid Media, LLC. · Terms & Conditions

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This Star Trek Movie Almost Made Patrick Stewart & Brent Spiner Quit

Perhaps one of the most divisive "Star Trek" films ever made, "Star Trek: Insurrection" has been a point of contention among the fandom since its theatrical release in 1998. There are plenty of Trek fans who feel the film, which performed well enough at the box office, is underrated and fits better into the Trek canon than some other "Star Trek: The Next Generation" offerings. At the same time, "Insurrection" was met with lukewarm reviews from many Trekkies who thought it felt more like a two-part episode than a full-length feature movie. And it turns out fans weren't alone in their mixed reception of the film, which left Brent Spiner (Data) and Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard) on the verge of handing in their com badges for good.

Recounting their frustrations with the film in "The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J.J. Abrams" by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman, the veteran "Next Generation" actors cited a rushed production as a source of the film's shortcomings. As Spiner, who saw Data killed in the original "Insurrection" script, lamented, "There was a germ of an interesting idea that didn't get realized. It just wasn't ready to make. There may have been a very good film potentially there, but it was rushed into production." Agreeing that the cast felt disappointed after production wrapped, Stewart added that he considered leaving Picard behind for good , noting, "But I would have done it with a certain amount of disappointment. A feeling that we had gone out with a bit of a whimper, and perhaps wished that 'First Contact' had been the end." 

Insurrection felt like a long Star Trek episode

According to "Insurrection" producer and co-writer Rick Berman, the problems began with the production studio. Concerned that the "TNG" crew was getting older while also focusing on producing the latest Trek series "Star Trek: Enterprise," Berman said the studio was pushing to bring in new blood. But Berman stood staunchly against the move, in part because he felt that two new Trek crews at once would be too much for the fandom, and in part because he believed fans were dying to see the original "TNG" crew together again. To help pen the story, the studio brought in Michael Piller, who wanted to bring the franchise back to its "Star Trek" roots. "Michael Piller's idea was, let's go with a more thoughtful, more Gene Roddenberry–like story," Berman recalled.

Unfortunately, it ended up feeling lacking to a number of fans — Brent Spiner among them. "I didn't care for 'Insurrection,'" Spiner confessed. "I just didn't think it was a very interesting story and it didn't show us at our best." Left underwhelmed by the experience, neither Spiner or Stewart was keen on rushing into another film. It was only after a few years of breathing room that Spiner moved into a development role, presenting the genesis of the Tom Hardy-starring "Star Trek: Nemesis," penned by lifelong Trekkie John Logan. And as it turns out, Logan's passion for "Star Trek" was enough to bring the "TNG" crew back to the table after their "Insurrection" experience. As Spiner put it, "We were just very lucky that an A-list writer also happened to be a Star Trek fan and really wanted to write a Star Trek movie."

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The voyages of the Starship Enterprise came to a sudden and premature end on June 3, 1969, with the airing of the final episode of the Star Trek original television series. Ironically, the show’s cancellation came just six weeks before humanity embarked on its first voyage to land on another celestial body. Although the show ran for only three seasons, it generated a devoted fan base disappointed by the cancellation despite their write-in campaign to keep it on the air. But as things turned out, over the decades Star Trek evolved into a global phenomenon, first with the original episodes replayed in syndication, followed by a series of full-length motion pictures, and eventually a multitude of spin-off series. With its primary focus on space exploration, along with themes of diversity, inclusion, and innovation, the Star Trek fictional universe formed a natural association with NASA’s real life activities.

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry first had the idea for a science fiction television series in 1964. He presented his idea, a show set in the 23 rd century aboard a starship with a crew dedicated to exploring the galaxy, to Desilu Productions, an independent television production company headed by Lucille Ball. They produced a pilot titled “The Cage,” selling it to the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) network that then bought a second pilot titled “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” NBC introduced the show to its fall 1966 lineup, with the first episode “The Man Trap” airing on Sep. 8. To put that date in perspective, NASA launched Gemini XI four days later, one of the missions that helped the agency achieve the Moon landing nearly three years later. Meanwhile, Star Trek’s Starship Enterprise continued its fictional five-year mission through the galaxy to “seek out new life and new civilizations.” The makeup of the Enterprise’s crew made the show particularly attractive to late 1960s television audiences. The major characters included an African American woman communications officer, an Asian American helmsman, and a half-human half-Vulcan science officer, later joined by a Russian-born ensign. While the show enjoyed good ratings during its first two seasons, cuts to its production budget resulted in lower quality episodes during its third season leading to lower ratings and, despite a concerted letter-writing campaign from its dedicated fans, eventual cancellation.

Despite the show’s cancellation, Star Trek lived on and prospered in syndication and attracted an ever-growing fan base, turning into a worldwide sensation. Often dubbed “trekkies,” these fans held the first of many Star Trek conventions in 1972. When in 1976 NASA announced that it would name its first space shuttle orbiter Constitution, in honor of its unveiling on the anniversary of the U. S. Constitution’s ratification, trekkies engaged in a dedicated letter writing campaign to have the orbiter named Enterprise, after the starship in the television series. This time the fans’ letter writing campaign succeeded. President Gerald R. Ford agreed with the trekkies and directed NASA to rechristen the first space shuttle. When on Sept. 17, 1976 , it rolled out of its manufacturing plant in Palmdale, California, appropriately accompanied by a band playing the show’s theme song, it bore the name Enterprise. Many of the original cast members of the show as well as its creator Rodenberry participated in the rollout ceremony, hosted by NASA Administrator James C. Fletcher . Thus began a lengthy relationship between the space agency and the Star Trek brand.

During the development of the space shuttle in the 1970s, the need arose to recruit a new group of astronauts to fly the vehicle, deploy the satellites, and perform the science experiments. When NASA released the call for the new astronaut selection on July 8, 1976, it specifically encouraged women and minorities to apply. To encourage those applicants, NASA chose Nichelle Nichols, who played communications officer Lt. Uhura on the Starship Enterprise, to record a recruiting video and speak to audiences nationwide. She came to NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston in March 1977, and accompanied by Apollo 12 and Skylab 3 astronaut Alan L. Bean , toured the center and filmed scenes for the video in Mission Control and other facilities. NASA hoped that her stature and popularity would encourage women and minorities to apply, and indeed they did. In January 1978, when NASA announced the selection of 35 new astronauts from more than 8,000 applicants, for the first time the astronaut class included women and minorities. All distinguished themselves as NASA astronauts and paved the way for others in subsequent astronaut selections. Nichols returned to JSC in September 2010 with the Traveling Space Museum, an organization that partners with schools to promote space studies. She toured Mission Control and the International Space Station trainer accompanied by NASA astronaut B. Alvin Drew . She also flew aboard NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) airborne telescope aircraft managed by NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, in September 2015.

Meanwhile, the Star Trek brand renewed itself in 1979 as a full-length motion picture with the original TV series cast members reprising their roles. Over the years, several sequels followed this first film. And on the small screen, a reboot of sorts occurred in 1987 with the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation, a new series set in the 24 th century aboard the Enterprise-D, a next generation starship with a new crew. That series lasted seven seasons, followed by a near-bewildering array of spin-off series, all built on the Star Trek brand, that continue to this day.

James Doohan, the actor who played Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, the Starship Enterprise’s chief engineer, had early associations with NASA. In April 1967, Doohan visited NASA’s Dryden (now Armstrong) Flight Research Center in California, spending time with NASA test pilot Bruce A. Peterson. A month later, Peterson barely survived a horrific crash of the experimental M2-F2 lifting body aircraft. He inspired the 1970s TV series The Six-Million Dollar Man, and the show’s opening credits include film of the crash. Doohan narrated a documentary film about the space shuttle released shortly before Columbia made its first flight in April 1981. In January 1991, Doohan visited JSC and with NASA astronaut Mario Runco (who sometimes went by the nickname “Spock”) toured the shuttle trainers, Mission Control, and tried his hand at operating the shuttle’s robotic arm in the Manipulator Development Facility. In a unique tribute, astronaut Neil A. Armstrong , the first person to step on the lunar surface , spoke at Doohan’s retirement in 2004, addressing him as “one old engineer to another.”

George Takei, who played Enterprise helmsman Lt. Hikaru Sulu, and his husband Brad, visited JSC in May 2012. Invited by both Asian American and LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Groups, Takei spoke of leadership and inclusiveness, including overcoming challenges while in Japanese American internment camps during World War II and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. He noted that Star Trek remained ahead of its time in creating a future when all members of society could equally participate in great undertakings, at a time when the country struggled through the Civil Rights movement and the conflict in Southeast Asia. The inclusiveness that is part of NASA’s culture greatly inspired him. JSC Director Michael L. Coats presented Takei with a plaque including a U.S. flag flown aboard space shuttle Atlantis’ STS-135 mission. He also visited Mission Control and spent some time with Robonaut.

Leonard Nimoy played the science officer aboard the Starship Enterprise, the half-human, half-Vulcan Mr. Spock. The actor watched in September 2012 when space shuttle Enterprise arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, on the last leg of its journey to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, where it currently resides. “This is a reunion for me,” observed Nimoy. “Thirty-five years ago, I met the Enterprise for the first time.” As noted earlier, the Star Trek cast attended the first space shuttle’s rollout in 1976. Following his death in 2015, European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti paid tribute to Nimoy aboard the International Space Station by wearing a Star Trek science officer uniform, giving the Vulcan greeting, and proclaiming, “Of all the souls I have encountered … his was the most human.”

Captain James T. Kirk, played by actor William Shatner, a life-long advocate of science and space exploration, served at the helm of the Starship Enterprise. His relationship with NASA began during the original series, with references to the space agency incorporated into several story lines. In 2011, Shatner hosted and narrated a NASA documentary celebrating the 30 th anniversary of the Space Shuttle program , and gave his time and voice to other NASA documentaries. NASA recognized Shatner’s contributions in 2014 with a Distinguished Public Service Medal , the highest award NASA bestows on non-government individuals. NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications Robert “Bob” N. Jacobs presented the medal to Shatner. The award’s citation read, “For outstanding generosity and dedication to inspiring new generations of explorers around the world, and for unwavering support for NASA and its missions of discovery.” In 2019, Shatner narrated the NASA video We Are Going , about NASA’s plans to return astronauts to the Moon. He has spoken at numerous NASA-themed events and moderated panels about NASA’s future plans. On Oct. 13, 2021, at the age of 90, Shatner reached the edge of space during the NS-18 suborbital flight of Blue Origin’s New Shepard vehicle, experiencing three minutes of weightlessness.

Elements of the Star Trek universe have made their way not only into popular culture but also into NASA culture. As noted above, Star Trek fans had a hand in naming the first space shuttle Enterprise. NASA’s Earth observation facility aboard the space station that makes use of its optical quality window bears the name the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF). The connection between that acronym and the name of a Klingon officer aboard the Enterprise in the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series seemed like an opportunity not to be missed – the facility’s official patch bears its name in English and in Klingon. Several astronaut crews have embraced Star Trek themes for their unofficial photographs. The STS-54 crew dressed in the uniforms of Starship Enterprise officers from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, the second full-length feature motion picture of the series. Space shuttle and space station crews created Space Flight Awareness (SFA) posters for their missions, and more than one embraced Star Trek themes. The Expedition 21 crew dressed in uniforms from the original series, while the STS-134 crew chose as their motif the 2009 reboot motion picture Star Trek.

As much as Star Trek has influenced NASA, in turn the agency has left its mark on the franchise, from episodes referencing actual and future spaceflight events to NASA astronauts making cameo appearances on the show. The first-season episode “Court Martial” that aired in February 1967 featured a photograph of the December 1965 Gemini VI launch adorning a wall aboard a star base. In the second-season episode “Return to Tomorrow,” airing in February 1968, Captain Kirk in a dialogue about risk-taking remarks, “Do you wish that the first Apollo mission hadn’t reached the Moon?” a prescient reference to the first Apollo mission to reach the Moon more than 10 months after the episode aired. Astronaut Mae C. Jemison , who credits Nichelle Nichols as her inspiration to become an astronaut, appeared in the 1993 episode “Second Chances” of Star Trek: The Next Generation , eight months after her actual spaceflight aboard space shuttle Endeavour. In May 2005, two other NASA astronauts, Terry W. Virts and E. Michael Fincke , appeared in “These are the Voyages…,” the final episode of the series Star Trek: Enterprise.

In the 2016 documentary “ NASA on the Edge of Forever: Science in Space ,” host NASA astronaut Victor J. Glover states, “Science and Star Trek go hand-in-hand.” The film explores how for 50 years, Star Trek influenced scientists, engineers, and even astronauts to reach beyond their potential. While the space station doesn’t speed through the galaxy like the Starship Enterprise, much of the research conducted aboard the orbiting facility can make the fiction of Star Trek come a little closer to reality. Several of the cast members from the original TV series share their viewpoints in the documentary, along with those of NASA managers and scientists. Over the years, NASA has created several videos highlighting the relationship between the agency and the Star Trek franchise. In 2016, NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden led a video tribute to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the first Star Trek episode.

In 2021, on the 100 th anniversary of Gene Roddenberry’s birth, his son Rod hosted a virtual panel discussion , introduced by NASA Administrator C. William “Bill” Nelson , about diversity and inspiration, two ideals the Star Trek creator infused into the series. Panelists included Star Trek actor Takei, Tracy D. Drain, flight systems engineer for the Europa Clipper spacecraft at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim , Swati Mohan, guidance and operations lead for the Mars 2020 rover at JPL, and Hortense B. Diggs, Director of the Office of Communication and Public Engagement at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The mutual attraction between NASA and Star Trek stems from, to paraphrase the opening voiceover from the TV series, that both seek to explore and discover new worlds, and to boldly go where no one has gone before. The diversity, inclusion, and inspiration involved in these endeavors ensure that they will live long and prosper.

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‘Star Trek: Discovery’ is over. Now Alex Kurtzman readies for ‘Starfleet Academy’ and ‘Section 31’

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In “Star Trek” terms, and in the real world of “Star Trek” television, Alex Kurtzman, who oversees the 21st century franchise, might be described as the Federation president, from whose offices various series depart on their individual missions. Indeed, to hear him speak of it, the whole enterprise — honestly, no pun intended — seems to run very much on the series’ ethos of individual initiative and group consensus.

The first series to be launched, “ Star Trek: Discovery, ” has come to an end as of Thursday after five seasons on Paramount+. Others in the fleet include the concluded “ Picard, ” which brought “The Next Generation” into a new generation; the ongoing “ Strange New Worlds, ” which precedes the action of what’s now called “The Original Series,” from which it takes its spirit and several characters; “Lower Decks,” a comedy set among Starfleet service workers; and “Prodigy,” in which a collection of teenage aliens go joyriding in a starship. On the horizon are “Starfleet Academy,” with Holly Hunter set to star, and a TV feature, “ Section 31, ” with Michelle Yeoh back as Philippa Georgiou.

I spoke with Kurtzman, whose “Trek” trek began as a writer on the quantum-canonical reboot movies “ Star Trek ” (2009) and “ Star Trek: Into Darkness ” (2013), at Secret Hideout, his appropriately unmarked Santa Monica headquarters. Metro trains glide by his front door unaware. We began the conversation, edited for length and clarity here, with a discussion of his “Trek” universe.

Alex Kurtzman: I liken them to different colors in the rainbow. It makes no sense to me to make one show that’s for everybody; it makes a lot of sense to make a lot of shows individually tailored to a sect of the “Star Trek” audience. It’s a misnomer that there’s a one-size-fits-all Trekkie. And rather than make one show that’s going to please everybody — and will almost certainly please nobody — let’s make an adult drama, an animated comedy, a kids’ comedy, an adventure show and on and on. There’s something quite beautiful about that; it allows each of the stories to bloom in its own unique way.

Do you get pushback from the fans?

Absolutely. In some ways that’s the point. One of the things I learned early on is that to be in love with “Star Trek” is to engage in healthy debate. There is no more vocal fan base. Some people tell you that their favorite is “The Original Series,” some say their favorite is “Voyager” and some say their favorite is “Discovery.” Yet they all come together and talk about what makes something singularly “Trek” — [creator] Gene Roddenberry‘s extraordinarily optimistic vision of the future when all that divides us [gets placed] in the rearview mirror and we get to move on and discover things. Like all great science fiction, you get to pick your allegory to the real world and come up with the science fiction equivalent. And everybody who watches understands what we’re talking about — racism or the Middle East or whatever.

What specific objections did you find to “Discovery”?

I think people felt it was too dark. We really listen to our fans in the writers’ room — everybody will have read a different article or review over the weekend, and we talk about what feels relevant and what feels less relevant. And then we engage in a healthy democratic debate about why and begin to apply that; it seeps into the decisions we make. Season 1 of “Discovery” was always intended to be a journey from darkness into light, and ultimately reinforce Roddenberry’s vision. I think people were just stunned by something that felt darker than any “Trek” had before. But doing a dark “Star Trek” really wasn’t our goal. The show is a mirror that holds itself up to the times, and we were in 2017 — we saw the nation fracture hugely right after the election, and it’s only gotten worse since then. We were interpreting that through science fiction. There were people who appreciated that and others for whom it was just not “Star Trek.” And the result, in Season 2, Capt. [Christopher] Pike showed up, Number One showed up, Spock showed up, and we began to bring in what felt to people more like the “Star Trek” they understood.

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You’re ending the series after five seasons. Was that always a plan?

You know, we were surprised we didn’t continue, and yet it feels now that it was right. One of the things that happened very quickly as streaming took off was that it radically changed watch patterns for viewers. Shows that used to go 10, 12 seasons, people would tap out after two — like, “I got what I want” — so for any show to go five seasons, it’s a miracle. In ways I don’t think we could have predicted, the season from the beginning feels like it’s the last; it just has a sense of finality. The studio was wonderful in that they recognized we needed to put a button on it, we needed a period on the end of the sentence, and so they allowed us to go back, which we did right before the strike, and [film] the coda that wraps up the series.

“Discovery” is a riot of love stories, among both heroes and villains.

There’s certainly a history of that in “Star Trek.” Whether or not characters were engaged in direct relationships, there was always a subtext of the love between them. I believe that’s why we love the bridge crew, because it’s really a love story, everyone’s in a love story, and they all care for each other and fight like family members. But ultimately they’re there to help each other and explore the universe together. If there’s some weird problem, and the answer’s not immediately apparent, each of them brings a different skill set and therefore a different perspective; they clash in their debate on how to proceed and then find some miraculous solution that none of them would have thought of at the outset.

One of the beautiful things about the shows is that you get to spend a long time with them, as opposed to a two-hour movie where you have to get in and out quickly and then wait a couple of years before the next one comes along. To be able to be on their weekly adventures, it affords the storytelling level of depth and complexity a two-hour movie just can’t achieve in that way.

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It’s astonishing how much matter you got into these things. Some storylines that only lasted an episode I remembered as seasonal arcs.

The sheer tonnage of story and character we were able to pack into “Discovery” every episode was kind of incredible. The thing to keep in mind is that “Discovery” was made as streaming was exploding, so what I think you’re also seeing there is a lot of writers who were trained in the network world with an A, B and C story applying it suddenly to a very different kind of storytelling in a much more cinematic medium. And when you have that kind of scope it starts to become really, really big. Sometimes that works really, really well and sometimes it was too much. And we were figuring it out; it was a bunch of people with flashlights in the dark, looking for how to interpret “Star Trek” now, since it had been 12 years since it had been on a television screen.

Are you able to course-correct within a season?

Sure. You get people you really trust in the room. Aaron Baiers, who runs Secret Hideout, is one of my most important early-warning systems; he isn’t necessarily in the room when we’re breaking stories, but he’s the first person who’ll read an outline and he’s the first person who’ll read a script. What I value so much about his perspective is that he’s coming in cold, he’s just like, “I’m the viewer, and I understand this or I don’t understand it, I feel this or I don’t feel it.” The studio executives are very similar. They love “Star Trek,” they’re all die-hard fans and have very strong feelings about what is appropriate. It then goes through a series of artists in every facet, from props to visual effects to production design, and they’re bringing their interpretations and opinions to the story.

Did “Strange New Worlds” come out of the fact that everybody loved seeing Christopher Pike in “Discovery?”

I really have to credit Akiva Goldsman with this. He knew that I was going to bring Pike into the premiere of the second season of “Discovery,” and said, “You know, there’s an incredible show about Capt. Pike and the Enterprise before Kirk takes over; there’s seven years of great storytelling there” — or five years, depending on when you come into the storyline. I said, “We have to cast a successful Pike first, so let’s see if that works. Let’s figure out who’s Number One, and who Spock is,” which are wildly tall orders. I hadn’t seen Anson Mount in other things before [he was cast as Pike], and when he sent in his taped audition it was that wonderful moment where you go, “That’s exactly the person we’re looking for.” Everybody loves Pike because he’s the kind of leader you want, definitive and clear but open to everyone’s perspective and humanistic in his response. And then we had the incredibly tall order of having Ethan [Peck] step into Leonard [Nimoy’s] and [Zachary Quinto’s] shoes.

He’s great.

He’s amazing, just a delight of a human being. And Rebecca Romijn‘s energy, what she brings to Number One is such a contemporary take on a character that was kind of a cipher in “The Original Series.” But she brings a kind of joy, a comedy, a bearing, a gravitas to the character that feels very modern. Thank God the fans responded the way they did and sent that petition [calling for a “Legacy” series], because everybody at CBS got the message very quickly. Jenny Lumet and Akiva and I wrote a pilot, and we were off to the races. Typically it takes fans a minute to adjust to what you’re doing, especially with beloved legacy characters, but the response to “Strange New World” from a critical perspective and fan perspective and just a viewership perspective was so immediate, it really did help us understand what was satisfying fans.

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What can you tell me about “Starfleet Academy?” Is it going to be Earth-based or space-based?

I’m going to say, without giving anything away, both. Right now we’re in the middle of answering the question what does San Francisco, where the academy is, look like in the 32nd century. Our primary set is the biggest we’ve ever built.

So you’re setting this —

In the “Discovery” era. There’s a specific reason for that. As the father of a 17-year-old boy, I see what my son is feeling as he looks at the world and to his future. I see the uncertainty; I see all the things we took for granted as given are not certainties for him. I see him recognizing he’s inheriting an enormous mess to clean up and it’s going to be on his generation to figure out how to do that, and that’s a lot to ask of a kid. My thinking was, if we set “Starfleet Academy” in the halcyon days of the Federation where everything was fine, it’s not going to speak to what kids are going through right now.

It’ll be a nice fantasy, but it’s not really going to be authentic. What’ll be authentic is to set it in the timeline where this is the first class back after over 100 years, and they are coming into a world that is only beginning to recover from a cataclysm — which was the Burn, as established on “Star Trek: Discovery,” where the Federation was greatly diminished. So they’re the first who’ll inherit, who’ll re-inherit, the task of exploration as a primary goal, because there just wasn’t room for that during the Burn — everybody was playing defense. It’s an incredibly optimistic show, an incredibly fun show; it’s a very funny show, and it’s a very emotional show. I think these kids, in different ways, are going to represent what a lot of kids are feeling now.

And I’m very, very , very excited that Holly Hunter is the lead of the show. Honestly, when we were working on the scripts, we wrote it for Holly thinking she’d never do it. And we sent them to her, and to our absolute delight and shock she loved them and signed on right away.

And then you’ve got the “Section 31” movie.

“Section 31” is Michelle Yeoh’s return as Georgiou. A very, very different feeling for “Star Trek.” I will always be so grateful to her, because on the heels of her nomination and then her Oscar win , she just doubled down on coming back to “Star Trek.” She could have easily walked away from it; she had a lot of other opportunities. But she remained steadfast and totally committed. We just wrapped that up and are starting to edit now.

Are you looking past “Starfleet” and “Section 31” to future projects?

There’s always notions and there are a couple of surprises coming up, but I really try to live in the shows that are in front of me in the moment because they’re so all-consuming. I’m directing the first two episodes of “Starfleet Academy,” so right now my brain is just wholly inside that world. But you can tell “Star Trek” stories forever; there’s always more. There’s something in the DNA of its construction that allows you to keep opening different doors. Some of that is science fiction, some of it has to do with the combination of science fiction and the organic embracing of all these other genres that lets you explore new territories. I don’t think it’s ever going to end. I think it’s going to go on for a long, long time. The real question for “Star Trek” is how do you keep innovating, how do you deliver both what people expect and something totally fresh at the same time. Because I think that is actually what people want from “Star Trek.” They want what’s familiar delivered in a way that doesn’t feel familiar.

With all our showrunners — Terry Matalas on “Picard,” the Hagemans on “Prodigy,” Mike McMahan on “Lower Decks,” Michelle Paradise, who has been singlehandedly running “Discovery” for the last two years, and then Akiva and Henry Alonso Myers on “Strange New Worlds” — my feeling is that the best way to protect and preserve “Star Trek” is not to impose my own vision on it but [find people] who meet the criteria of loving “Star Trek,” wanting to do new things with it, understanding how incredibly hard it is to do. And then I’m going to let you do your job. I’ll come in and tell you what I think every once in a while, and I’ll help get the boat off the dock, but once I hand the show over to a creative it has to be their show. And that means you’re going to get a different take every time, and as long as those takes all feel like they can marry into the same rainbow, to get back to the metaphor, that’s the way to keep “Star Trek” fresh.

I take great comfort because “Star Trek” really only belongs to Gene Roddenberry and the fans. We don’t own it. We carry it, we try to evolve it and then we hand it off to the next people. And hopefully they will love it as much as we do.

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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Delivers Profound Cinematic Moments

In honor of the film's 35th anniversary, let's reflect on this underrated gem and relive these highlights!

StarTrek.com

Situated between Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in the pantheon of films centered around James T. Kirk's U.S.S. Enterprise , Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is often overlooked when debates erupt regarding Star Trek 's most profound cinematic scenes.

Existing in the shadow of other popular Star Trek releases is not easy, yet The Final Frontier delivers an abundance of meaningful moments and profound dialogue, particularly related to the triumvirate of Kirk, Spock, and Leonard McCoy.

In honor of The Final Frontier 's 35th anniversary, let's reflect on this underrated gem and relive these highlights in the order in which they appeared in the film.

1. "I knew I wouldn’t die because the two of you were with me." — Captain Kirk

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Following Kirk's plunge from the El Capitan summit, he was chastised by Dr. McCoy for his reckless behavior.

The captain's assertion that he always knew he would die alone was key on two fronts, as it exemplified his unwavering trust in Spock and McCoy while also offering insight into his views on death as he entered the later stages of his life. Kirk's maturity, both in terms of his friendships and his outlook on mortality, was met in perfect fashion by his friends. As Spock gazed, McCoy sought to break the seriousness by stating, "Well, I’ll call Valhalla and have them reserve a room for you."

2. "What do we do when shore leave comes along? We spend it together." — Dr. McCoy

The doctor chased Kirk's commentary on death with his own observation that, despite their squabbles aboard ship, they were still drawn to one another in their downtime. McCoy references their lack of family ties, building upon the idea of aging officers reevaluating the courses they had chosen for themselves.

As is often the case in The Final Frontier , the weighty dialogue is flavored with light humor. Marsh melons, campfire songs, and Spock's "Were we having a good time?" inquiry — exquisitely punctuated by McCoy's "God, I liked him better before he died" response — underscore their friendly banter and illustrate the many frontiers their bond has endured.

3. "You mean he's your 'brother' brother? You made that up." — Captain Kirk

Furious at Spock for disobeying his order to shoot Sybok, Kirk vented his anger by confronting the Vulcan about the perceived betrayal. Though he declined McCoy's enthusiastic offer to hold Spock so Kirk could enact corporal punishment, the captain was confused by his friend's decision willingness to place the ship at risk. Spock's admission that Sybok was, in fact, his brother perplexed the captain even further, as it riffed on their previous conversation about lacking family and offered a quintessential Spock declaration, "Technically you are correct. I do not have a brother. I have a half-brother."

McCoy's disposition instantly shifted into Spock's favor, once again providing a look into the trio's complex and ever-evolving relationship.

4. "All my knowledge, and I can't save him." — Dr. McCoy

In a bid to rally McCoy to his cause, Sybok presented the doctor a harrowing vision that harkened back to his father's last days. For all of the incredible cures he devised throughout his time in Starfleet, McCoy helplessly stood by as his father's condition deteriorated. At his father's request, McCoy released him from his agony by administering a swift and painless death. The tragedy became amplified when a cure for the elder McCoy's condition was discovered not long after the doctor's merciful act.

Dealing with loved ones who have terminal illnesses is a universal struggle that all humans can relate to, and McCoy's gut-wrenching memory furnished us with what was perhaps the doctor's most powerful character moment in all of Star Trek .  

5. "I don't want my pain taken away. I need my pain!" — Captain Kirk

Having already witnessed Sybok put McCoy and Spock through their own trials, Kirk refused to indulge in what he perceived as a con man's mind games. The captain asserted that pain and guilt could not be taken away with the wave of a magic wand, doubling down by proclaiming they're things we carry with us and make us who we are.

While some may argue with the validity of that reasoning, one can't help but find Kirk's analysis to at the very least be thought-provoking and another indication of where he was at on his personal journey. With McCoy convinced of Sybok's authenticity, Kirk's plea of "If we lose them, we lose ourselves" can be seen as a way to sway the doctor's point of view or an effort to persuade the captain of his own argument.

6. "I am not the outcast boy you left behind those many years ago." — Spock

Further underlining the critical nature of this moving scene, Spock denied Sybok's entreaty to join him on his journey through the Great Barrier with an air of reserved self-assurance that only he could deliver. While McCoy found sadness in Sybok's vision and Kirk was provoked to anger by the conversation, Spock reacted with the conviction of a person who was completely secure with who they were as an individual.

Long gone were his days of feeling out of place, as his time on the Enterprise helped guide him on his path and set him apart from the boy Sybok knew. Spock had found himself, and he had also found his place. The Vulcan's certainty in choosing his friends over his own half-brother granted McCoy with his own sense of clarity, as the doctor resisted his drive to follow Sybok and opted to remain by Kirk and Spock.  

7. "Is it possible?" — Captain Kirk

Once through the Great Barrier and in range of what Sybok referred to as Sha Ka Ree, Kirk joined Spock and McCoy in marveling at what they saw before their eyes. The captain turned to the plaque emblazoned with the motto, "To boldly go where no man has gone before," reevaluating his views on Sybok's quest and electing to command the endeavor himself.

The notion of apparent foes coming to a peaceful compromise is about as " Star Trek " as something can be, as is the aspiration to seek out and understand the unknown. In the wake of their recent emotional ordeals related to pain and family, Kirk and his two colleagues nevertheless managed to shift gears and demonstrate that they each had the heart of an explorer.

8. "What does god need with a starship?" — Captain Kirk

As Sybok conversed with what he believed to be the God of Sha Ka Ree, Captain Kirk began to sense that all was not as it seemed. Recognizing the alleged deity's interest in the Enterprise , Kirk boldly asked what an all-powerful god would need with such a means of transportation. The question drew the entity's ire, resulting in an energy beam being directed at the captain. Spock immediately took up Kirk's inquiry and received the same punishment, leading McCoy to conclude, "I doubt any god who inflicts pain for his own pleasure."

The exchange expertly returned to the ongoing theme of pain while also underlining Starfleet's need for scientific analysis and evidence to back up any remarkable revelations.

9. "You were never alone." — Spock

Captain Kirk ensured that his friends were safe and faced the false "God of Sha Ka Ree" on his own, but Spock swiftly returned aboard a Klingon Bird-of-Prey to rescue him. Once reunited with Spock, Kirk admitted that he thought was going to die. Spock shook off the claim, reminding that such a fate had not been possible at the time, as the captain was never alone.

The touching declaration underlined the unrelenting bond the two officers had forged, and Kirk was moved to the point of embracing Spock. Whether spoken to infuse the moment with his signature brand of deadpan levity or as a way to steer clear of a very un-Vulcan hug, Spock stated, "Please, Captain. Not in front of the Klingons." Given Spock's predilection for choosing his words wisely, the most likely explanation for his reluctance toward an emotional display was that it had simply been rooted in a wish to keep their friendship private.

10. "I lost a brother once. I was lucky, I got him back." — Captain Kirk

As McCoy and Spock speculated about whether or not god was really "out there," Kirk proposed that perhaps such a deity existed within their hearts. Spock contemplated his brother's death, leading Kirk to reference Spock's own demise and the joy he felt over getting him back. McCoy recalled the captain's earlier comment that people like them don't have families, to which Kirk replied, "I was wrong."

Enlightened, moving, and heartfelt, this moment tied together the film's themes about family, friendship, loss, growth, and wisdom. Kirk willingly showcases his fallibility, and the scene segues full-circle into The Final Frontier 's closing scene that depicted Kirk, Spock, and McCoy revisiting their campfire and embracing their familial relationship with song.

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Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Learn more about Jay by visiting JayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

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Federation mission scoutship

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The Federation mission scoutship was a type of Federation scout ship in operation by Starfleet during the late 24th century .

• 1 Technical information
• 2 Ships commissioned
• 3.1 Background information
• 3.2 Apocrypha
• 3.3 External link

Technical information [ ]

The scout was a single- pilot starship with a forward mounted cockpit separated from the rest of the vessel . It was slightly larger in size than the Type 11 shuttlecraft and carried dual-mounted phaser banks and photon torpedoes . The vessel was accessible through its docking hatch on the ventral hull . ( Star Trek: Insurrection )

Ships commissioned [ ]

Appendices [ ], background information [ ].

Because Michael Piller wanted the scene involving the scoutship to be similar to a World War I and II dogfight – in which both pilots were in open cockpits and could see each other – John Eaves created a vast windshield at the front of the scoutship.

The cockpit of this scout ship, listed as "Starfleet scout ship", was a redress of the Class 2 shuttle Cochrane built for Star Trek: Voyager . ( Star Trek Encyclopedia , 3rd ed., p. 658)

For further information on the studio model, see Federation mission scoutship model .

According to Issue #80 of the Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection , this class was approximately 24 meters in length, had a maximum speed of warp factor 5, and a crew complement of one pilot and could carry 5 to 10 passengers. Starfleet used this class for research missions where they could be used for gathering scientific data and give assistance to survey teams in planetary and cultural surveys.

Apocrypha [ ]

Star Trek: Armada and Star Trek: Armada II give this vessel the classification of Venture -class, a starship with a sensors that can be modified to detect cloaked enemies. This vessel is listed in role playing games , such as those from Last Unicorn Games and Decipher , as a Talon -class ship. The 24- meter -long intermediate step between shuttle and runabout , carrying a crew of up to four, was armed with four type 5 phasers and three micro-torpedo launchers. It is this ship, with substantial changes, that was the baseline model for the Valkyrie -class fighters in the Activision PlayStation game Star Trek: Invasion .

External link [ ]

• Venture -class at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Calypso (episode)

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Interview: Doug Jones On ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Finale, Saru’s Happy Ending, And If He Was Ready For More

| June 6, 2024 | By: Anthony Pascale 7 comments so far

The finale of Star Trek: Discovery (“ Life, Itself “) was a big moment for Doug Jones and Saru. TrekMovie had a chance to speak to the actor about wrapping up the season and series (with the “epilogue”), if he was ready to return full-time to the role if there was another season, and more. 

Picking up on our last conversation about how you always wanted romance for Saru, was the wedding with T’Rina everything you hoped it to be? Or were you hoping for a bigger affair?

I don’t know how much bigger it could have gotten. Of course, as you saw, we kind of pick up reception after the actual vow. And that’s okay. It’s implied we had a great ceremony and now we are celebrating and that celebration starts with a kiss I think all the fans have been anticipating. In fact, Jonathan Frakes, who directed episode 9 of this season, and Olatunde [Osunsanmi] directed episode 10, and the two of them were arguing over which one got to direct me and T’Rina for our first kiss scene. Well, Tunde won, but I think the anticipation of the two of us kissing has been as a fun element to the season for sure.

Where did the wedding take place? That wasn’t Vulcan, was it Kaminar?

It was on a beach and reminiscent of Kaminar. Kaminar is a very beautiful planet with water, but I don’t think it was ever said… It’s not Vulcan, and weddings are usually a home game for the bride, right? [laughs]

L-R Sonequa Martin Green as Burnham, Tara Rosling as President T’Rina and Doug Jones as Saru in “Life, Itself” (Michael Gibson/Paramount+)

Looking back at shooting the season 5 finale, what was the mood on set compared to the previous finales? Was there a sense it could be your last?

When we were filming season 5 we did not know that that was going to be the last season. So it felt very similar to seasons 1, 2, 3, and 4 ending. Because all four of the previous seasons came to a conclusion that made you wonder, “Is that is that the end of it?” They wrapped up an awful lot. Season 5 had wrap-ups that felt satisfying, forever. Especially for my storyline, for Saru, I’ve gotten my promotion, I’m an ambassador with the Federation, now. I’ve got the romance and that’s come to a happily ever after type of place. I don’t know where you go from there, that feels pretty good to me. But we knew that there were more seasons planned for the show, originally. So it was kind of a bittersweet thing when we heard that would be our final one. I felt, “Okay, then I’m satisfied with where it ends for Saru, for sure.” And then getting to go back and shoot that epilogue to wrap up the entire series and see where Captain Burnham ends up in the future and she had her happily ever after as well. That was, that was a very nice gift from Paramount Plus to give us that extra time to do that.

Had you talked to the producers about plans for Saru in season 6?

No, from one season to the next the writers often didn’t know it was coming because they wanted to get through the one season they were in because there’s so they’re so complicated. The storylines are so layered and complicated. So, no, I did not have any clue what was going to happen in season 6 for Saru, especially.

When I talked to you at the Saturn Awards you seemed to be ready to say goodbye to the character, and all that time doing makeup. And I know you had limited time for this season. If it had come back for season 6, would you have returned, and done all 10 episodes?

Um, I feel that yes, had we come back, I would have been ready to do all 10 episodes again. Remember we started season 1 with 15 episodes. So the 10-episode model was much more palatable, living away from home in Toronto.

For this season you did have limited time. Was there an alternate plan originally for Saru or did they know ahead of time?

I had a lovely sit-down conversation with Michelle Paradise at the end of season 4, during the last week of filming for season 4. We had a conversation about where Saru goes from here. I had been first officer for season 4 with captain status. Do you keep a captain as first officer forever and ever, after I had already been a captain in season 3? I had come back as first officer as more of a favor to Burnham, who was like a sister to me, and she was happy to have me for the big mission of season 4. But after that, where does he go? Maybe captaining my own ship? Or this perfect answer of an ambassador. I think it was a very dignified, diplomatic place for him to live with all of his gentlemanly wisdom and his and his negotiation skills. I think that was a good fit for him. So we came to that, in that conversation.

But also, I’m now 64, so wearing rubber bits all the time—it was nice to have a little bit of a break in the middle of the season, to be honest with you. Also it gave me a chance to come home back to the US and visit doctors, the things that older people need to do here and there. Whereas when we were filming for many months at a time, all that had to wait before. And the older I get, the more I wanted to be more available to my US amenities. And it really worked out well too, because during that time I was able to promote and do all the press and premiere for Hocus Pocus 2 , which worked out, time-wise, really well.

So due to your limited availability, does that mean that Rayner and Callum Keith Rennie was introduced because of you? And did you ever like talk to him about stepping in your shoes?

Yeah, he and I chatted quite a bit. I was never told this directly, but it seems logical if Saru is leaving the ship, someone has to take that position. Could it have been an advancement for someone who’s already on the crew? Maybe? Sure. But I think that it was perfect that Callum playing Rayner would come in as a character who was a captain in his own right already, that had kind of a falling down, like Burnham has. She understands what it’s like to be demoted, and fight your way back. So the two of them—I love the relationship that they’ve had throughout the season. And it was really a great addition. Would that have been there if I was still in all those episodes? I don’t know. But I’m glad it worked out as it did. I think it came out perfect.

You mentioned returning to shoot the epilogue. That scene with all of you on the bridge is presented as a sort of memory of Burnham, or maybe even a dream? How did they describe it to you? What’s happening in this moment?

I saw it in script form and without a conversation about it, so I could kind of interpret for myself what this was. Some in the press have equated it with the end of Titanic , where everyone’s happy to be back together again. Is it a memory that we’re all sharing together somehow? Or is it Burnham in her in her nostalgia remembering all this? It wasn’t important why, it’s just important that we did it, to me. That’s how I felt about it. Getting a chance to see her gray-haired with a very, very happy, long, successful life and then to go back to what all of our fans know of our five seasons. Back to that era, back on the bridge with all of her crew that she had grown with so much to hug it out. Oh, that was so satisfying for all of us. Trust me.

Doug Jones as Saru and Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham “Life, Itself” (Michael Gibson/Paramount+)

The fifth and final season of Discovery is available exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and Austria. The season is also available to stream on SkyShowtime in select European countries and via the CTV app in Canada.

Note: The interview has  been edited for brevity and clarity.  

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I don’t feel the need to see any more of Michael Burnham, but I’d love to see more of Saru!

I’m 66, myself, so I understand what Mr. Jones means about being 64 and needing to go to his doctor more often. That was very honest of him; most stars wouldn’t share a detail like that.

I’d love to see more Saru, Stamets and Jett Reno. The rest of them I gladly bid goodbye.

I will miss all the characters, but it didn’t really feel like Stamets got much this season.

Great interview! I’d LOVE to see all the DISCOVERY characters together again. Really looking forward to the season 5 release on disc.

In the finale’s future Admiral Burnham scenes at her house we see Geogio’s telescope. I had thought that she had given it to Saru. Makes you wonder if Saru has passed on?

Tony and I noticed that too!

Maybe it wasn’t the last adventure with the Discovery crew after all. Streaming movies could provide an opportunity for individual adventures.

I would love to see a streaming film with some of the DSC characters (like Saru, Stamets, Reno) mixed in with some new faces.