Star Trek: Discovery’snext season has been confirmed to be the last. It has also been confirmed that the season in question has been pushed forward by Paramount Plus.
Initially set a whole decade behind the events of the original series,Star Trek: Discoveryfollows the adventures and failings of Commander Michael Burnham, who inadvertently launches the Federation into awar with the Klingonsand is stripped of rank and reassigned to the eponymous ship, the USS Discovery. Throughout four seasons, fans watch Burnham atone and move on, doing her duty, helping to end the war she started, and eventually rising to command once more
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Now,Star Trek: Discoveryseason 5 has been confirmed by execs to be the last adventure for the crew of the USS Discovery, in a similar vein toPicardseason 3, which promises to be the final curtain call for thecrew ofStar Trek: The Next Generation.“I can hardly believe that this mind-blowing journey with ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ is ending,” Sonequa Martin-Green, who starred and produced the show, said. “I’m astoundingly blessed by God to have played Captain Michael Burnham and to have taken part in a legacy alongside an extraordinary cast, phenomenal crew, and remarkable writing team.”
In addition to the merit of its plot and design,Star Trek: Discoveryhas been on the leading edge of more progressive moves for the franchise, giving the franchise its first black female protagonist andStar Trek’s first non-binary and transgender additionsto a main cast. Furthermore, the show has managed to avoid the pitfall of overt reliance on these characteristics to build fan interest in the characters or stakes in their stories, leading to near-seamless acceptance of the choices. David Stapf, President of CBS Studios, commented that the show “honored ‘Star Trek’s’ legacy of ‘infinite diversity in infinite combinations,’ representing the best of what we could be as humans when we celebrate our differences.”
WhileStar Trek: Discoveryis certainly well-loved and will be missed, the impact it had on the franchise as a whole won’t fully vanish with its curtain call. Throughout the show’s run,Star Trek: Discoveryimplemented many retconsthat will continue to affect other shows and films going forward. Whether or not the show’s final season will leave even more for other showrunners and fans to wrap their heads around or tie everything up nicely remains to be seen.
Star Trek: Discoverywill air its final season in 2024 on Paramount Plus.
