Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s Darem Reymi: Sulu’s 32nd Century Replacement?

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1’s finale had a callback to J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek (2009) that also revealed the next generation of starship helmsman, like Mr. Sulu (George Takei). Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi from a teleplay by Alex Kurtzman and Kirsten Beyer and a story by Noga Landau and Gaia Violo, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy wrapped its freshman year in a rousing, inspiring, and heroic fashion.

When Captain Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) and Anisha Mir (Tatiana Maslany) were abducted by Nus Braka (Paul Giamatti), Commander Jett Reno (Tig Notaro) stepped up to lead the USS Athena’s saucer section. With The Doctor’s (Robert Picardo) holographic matrix malfunctioning, it was up to Reno to oversee Starfleet Academy’s cadets, bring down Braka’s wall of Omega-47 mines, and rescue the Chancellor.

Damaged, outnumbered, and outgunned by the Venari Ral, the USS Athena’s saucer defied the odds. Series Acclimation Mil (Kerrice Brooks) decoded the EMH’s message on how to stabilize Omega-47, while Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta) urged Tarima Sadal (Zoë Steiner) to use her Betazoid psychic power to find Captain Ake. Once they did, it was Darem Reymi’s (George Hawkins) time to shine.

Starfleet Academy’s Called Back To Chris Pine’s Star Trek 2009 Movie

Darem Reymi’s brilliant piloting of the USS Athena’s saucer in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1’s finale led to a pitch-perfect homage to J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek (2009). Darem flew the Athena into a gas cloud that would block the Venari Ral’s sensors. It was an echo of when Mr. Sulu (John Cho) took the USS Enterprise into Saturn’s rings to prevent being detected by Nero (Eric Bana).

The USS Athena’s saucer even soared above the nebula’s cosmic gas just like how the Starship Enterprise broke through Saturn’s rings, ready to take on Nero’s massive 24th-century Romulan mining ship, the Narada. It was the latest stirring nod to the first Chris Pine-led Star Trek movie by Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 6 described Genesis Lythe’s (Bella Shepard) eyes as having the “precision of a hengra,” which was a deep-cut nod to the spider-like creature that chased James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) on the frozen planet Delta Vega.

Of course, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy‘s executive producer, Alex Kurtzman, co-wrote Star Trek (2009) with Roberto Orci, so homages in the latest Star Trek on Paramount+ series are natural.

Darem Reymi Could Be Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s Replacement For Sulu

In her inimitable way, Commander Jett Reno may have pinpointed Darem Reymi’s first, best destiny in Starfleet when she told Caleb, “He’ll make a good pilot one day.” To Cadet Reymi’s credit, he never lost his cool during the crisis to rescue Captain Ake, which couldn’t have happened with Darem’s fancy flying of the USS Athena’s saucer.

Darem Reymi came to Starfleet Academy with lofty goals, in hopes of impressing his distant and uncaring parents. Styling himself as a swaggering alpha male, Darem was humbled in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 3 when his leadership skills were found lacking during his team’s Calica game against the War College.

Darem acknowleged that Genesis Lythe (Bella Shepard) had the chops for command that he lacked. Reymi’s character growth continued in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 7 when he chose Starfleet Academy over his destiny to rule Khionia. Darem’s evolution as a person has been fascinating and made him endearing in ways that didn’t seem possible when audiences first met him.

By revealing impressive skills behind the USS Athena’s conn, Darem may have just found his ideal Starfleet future as the 32nd century’s answer to Mr. Sulu. Darem becoming a starship helmsman would put him in elite company with Sulu, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), and Star Trek: Voyager‘s Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill).

Darem’s Captain dreams could still come true even if he becomes a helmsman. Sulu proved this by becoming Captain of the USS Excelsior after his distinguished career piloting the Starship Enterprise under Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatnwer).

Plenty could change for Darem Reymi as his Star Trek: Starfleet Academy career continues. Even if Starfleet’s first Khionian cadet doesn’t become a starship helmsman when he graduates, his talent for fancy flying and remaining cool under pressure will serve him well regardless of what starship assignment Darem is ultimately given as a Starfleet Officer.

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