This week’s Star Trek: Starfleet Academy proves that even a thousand years in the future we haven’t outgrown competitive sports and school rivalries in this smaller-stakes entry that delves deeper into the characters.
In “Vitus Reflux,” nobody faces life-and-death jeopardy, nor are critical diplomatic negotiations with long-lasting implications for the newly reconstituted Federation discussed. Rather, this episode is all about campus life for our cadets, and that includes extracurricular sports in the form of a mock warfare game akin to paintball or laser tag.
This allows us a window to especially explore both Darem Reymi (George Hawkins) and, to a lesser extent, Genesis Lythe (Bella Shepard). Here, we come to learn Darem’s toxic masculine behavior is a front masking a kid desperate to gain the approval of parents who wrote him off a long time ago.
This week finally also spotlights Starfleet Academy’s next door neighbor and rival school, The War College when they begin a prank war. This is the second episode in a row of this “Star” Trek show that’s remained entirely Earth-bound. It may also seem odd that writers Alex Taub and Kiley Rossetter chose to center seemingly frivolous activities so early on in episode three, but while this is not likely to be remembered as a stand-out hour of streaming television or of Starfleet Academy specifically, it’s laying important groundwork.
The War College has been mentioned in both previous episodes, but “Vitus Reflux” is our first true introduction to that side of the campus. And it’s clear this isn’t a one-off; The War College is going to be a major element going forward. Here, we meet several of its cadets as well as Captain Ake’s counterpart there, Commander Kelric, who adds another source of conflict of which I anticipate further development to come.
But we also explore more of the differing teaching approaches of Ake and Lura Thok. We saw hints of Ake’s freewheeling style already, but Holly Hunter really firmly cements it here. A secretly legendary academy prankster in her own right, Ake practically aids and abets Starfleet Academy’s retaliation against The War College. Thok, on the other hand, is more aligned with The War College’s approach but admits she chose this assignment instead because she believes in Starfleet’s mission of peace and in Ake.
Jay-Den Kraag’s pacifism precludes him from participating in the mock-violence of this competitive sport. Notably, nobody gives him a hard time about this, and Genesis even says she respects it. It’s a small moment, but I really appreciated it because, even within an episode revolving around competitive sports, it demonstrates the more enlightened attitudes within Federation culture. The Burn has reset elements of that utopian future this franchise has always tried to depict, but it’s nice to see Kraag’s conscientious objection to sports not become a source of mockery by his peers.
With a less dramatic story, the writers are provided a greater opportunity for comedy as well. It’s becoming clear the show’s established its first reoccurring joke via school announcements delivered by Stephen Colbert’s disembodied voice as we hear random updates on the continuing chaos in the lab caused by Ensign Krebb’s Talaxian Furfly.
Speaking of furry creatures though, we perhaps get the most creative use of a fan servicey reference from past Trek this week with Caleb sneaking into The War College campus dressed as their team mascot, a mugato from The Original Series episode “A Private Little War.” Because it’s only a mascot costume we get a mugato that matches the original goofy “Halloween costume” aesthetic, sparing us from a new version of this iconic Trek alien reinterpreted by modern, updated special effects. It’s just the classic mugato look in all its unapologetically cheesy glory. Wonderful.
“The War College teaches its cadets to fight battles; I’m teaching you how to end wars, to learn the patience to formulate a true strategy and empathy to understand your opponent so you can disarm them,” Ake says. According to her, the advantage Starfleet Academy has over The War College is the latter’s mistake is leading through fear alone when not all opponents are true enemies. Caleb worries that Tarima too is letting fear control her, to which Ake responds with another great piece of life advise. We can only control ourselves, and it’s not up to us to try to change another person.
Jett Reno’s advice to Darem that “any message you have to chase down does not deserve to be read” is perhaps harsher than he was ready to hear but might be just what he needed.
Photo: John Medland/Paramount+.
I also think making Reno and Lura Thok a couple is an inspired idea. I hope to see more of their relationship going forward. And after the seeming massive swing back towards strictly heterosexual relationships in Strange New Worlds‘ third season, it’s nice to see a potential second same-sex romance between Jay-Den and Kyle from The War College. I am a bit worried though that we may get some kind of cliche love rectangle involving Caleb, Tarima, Darem, and Genesis since Genesis has now flirted with both boys at various points.
Ultimately, the sports and prank war hijinks is in service of world-building and character-building. I doubt “Vitus Reflux” will become anyone’s favorite episode, but despite concerns about Starfleet Academy being just a dopey teen drama hiding under a Star Trek mascot costume — as well as being the second episode to not take place in outer space — lessons provided to the cadets speak to the very heart of what this franchise is all about.
Jett Reno’s advise to Darem helps him see his quest to dominate was misguided as well as to see the value of being part of a community where, “excellence is prized and rewarded but not at the detriment of its individual members. One can lead and be led with empathy, patience, and not just for others but for oneself as well.” This nicely encapsulates many of the humanist ideals at the Star Trek’s heart.
New episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy release Thursdays on Paramount+.
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