Star Trek Surely Can’t Avoid A Famous Ship Returning Now

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has featured plenty of familiar characters thus far, from those announced in advance like Jett Reno and the Doctor to pleasant surprises such as Jake Sisko and the latest incarnation of Dax. Despite reuniting with old friends, however, Starfleet Academy has been less generous in the ship stakes, with the only vessels featured prominently being the USS Athena and the decimated USS Miyazaki.

With so much of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy set within the academy itself, being isolated from the wider fleet makes sense, but as the series has progressed, the absence of other ships has become increasingly noticeable. Indeed, Starfleet Academy episode 9 ends in such a way that the upcoming tenth and final episode of season 1 surely has no choice but to bring back a specific vessel from the franchise’s past.

How Starfleet Academy Has Avoided Showing The Discovery So Far

We saw in Star Trek Discovery‘s series finale that Burnham remains in command of her ship long after the show’s ending, and only decades later is the Discovery effectively decommissioned when sent into deep space for one last crew-less mission.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is set before that final moment, so Burnham’s Discovery is still very much active when Caleb and his friends are busy breaking every rule in the cadet handbook.

With the Athena needing backup at several points during Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1, the Discovery has been conspicuous by its absence. The spore drive on Burnham’s ship allows it to essentially teleport, so Discovery is typically the first responder to any major distress calls.

When the Athena’s maiden voyage was interrupted by Nus Braka, the Discovery had been sidelined for maintenance. After the USS Miyazaki incident, the Discovery was part of the post-attack rescue operation. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy keeps distracting Burnham’s crew with jobs that keep them away from the storyline currently in progress.

And, in fairness, that makes perfect sense. Showing the Discovery itself flying through space wouldn’t be an issue, but arranging cameos with the Star Trek: Discovery cast seems unrealistic, given how small their roles would be. In addition, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is developing its own ensemble, and any appearance by the biggest Disco legends since the Bee Gees would inevitably detract from that.

Starfleet Academy’s Season 1 Finale Setup Makes A Discovery Cameo Very Difficult To Avoid

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 9 concludes with Nus Braka’s villainous crew building a ring of Omega 47 mines around Federation space. Starfleet’s entire complement of ships is behind those lines, and can’t break through without setting off a devastating explosion that would trigger the Burn Part II.

The only ship on the other side of Braka’s explosive line is the Athena, which set out to rescue Caleb and his fellow runaways. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy hasn’t yet revealed the full extent of Nus Braka’s plan, but the board is undoubtedly set the way he wants it. This entire scenario has been orchestrated to leave Captain Ake and the USS Athena isolated from the rest of Starfleet and vulnerable to attack.

This is where the Discovery surely comes into play. Because the spore drive operates via the mycelial network, logic suggests it could travel without setting off the Omega 47 mines, thereby linking up with the Athena and providing backup. The rest of the fleet will be fine as long as it stays put (strength in numbers and all that), but the Athena is currently the most vulnerable ship in the galaxy. That’s concerning, even if we don’t know exactly what Nus Braka intends to do next.

If Captain Ake is about to face the full force of the Venari Ral alone, Admiral Vance’s only available strategy is ordering Burnham to jump the Discovery across the barricade to assist the Athena. Two ships stand a better chance against Nus Braka than one, but even if fighting isn’t an option, Burnham could beam Athena’s crew aboard the Discovery and jump back to regroup with the rest of the fleet.

Discovery saving the day may not be a very satisfying conclusion for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, but episode 9 creates a situation where the only ship capable of helping the main protagonists is the Discovery, while not helping would constitute a tactical error. Also worth noting is that ex-Disco officer Jett Reno is one of those currently stuck on the Athena, so should Ake’s ship come under assault, Burnham would be very reluctant to leave her friend in peril. The Discovery captain might even ignore orders to make the jump, save the Athena, and get home in time for tea.