Star Trek: Discovery’s First Officer Repeats The Show’s Captain Problem

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 2 – “Anomaly.”

With Saru (Doug Jones) becoming the USS Discovery’s new First Officer, Star Trek: Discovery is repeating the show’s Captain problem with the starship’s Number One role. In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, the United Federation of Planets faces its gravest threat yet in a massive gravimetric anomaly that destroyed Book’s (David Ajala) home planet of Kwejian. Captain Saru was on leave but left his homeworld of Kaminar to rejoin the USS Discovery, replacing Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) as Captain Michael Burnham’s (Sonequa Martin-Green) new Number One.

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Since Star Trek: Discovery season 1, the flagship Star Trek series on Paramount+ has had a strange case of musical Captain’s chair. The USS Discovery’s original Captain was Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs), who was revealed to be an evil Mirror Universe doppelganger. When Star Trek: Discovery season 2 began, Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) of the USS Enterprise transferred to Discovery and took over the Captain’s chair. After Star Trek: Discovery season 3’s time jump to the 32nd century, Saru officially took over as Captain of the Discovery only to voluntarily give up the big chair and recommend Commander Michael Burnham as Discovery’s new Captain in season 3’s finale. Star Trek: Discovery season 4 kicked off with Captain Michael Burnham officially in charge and, since this was the planned trajectory of the show’s lead character since season 1, it’s safe to say Burnham will remain Captain going forward.

Now, Star Trek: Discovery has shifted its game of musical chairs to the First Officer position, which Captain Saru now inhabits as of Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 2, “Anomaly.” Saru told Michael he turned down command of his own starship in order to return to the Discovery and asked to serve as Burnham’s Number One despite being a Captain himself. Saru was First Officer for Captains Lorca and Pike, so his qualifications can’t be questioned; rather, Captain Saru is actually overqualified to be Burnham’s Number One, although the young Captain certainly welcomes and will benefit from his experience. However, the way Burnham and Saru handled the transition was awkward because they didn’t consult or inform Michael’s current First Officer Tilly beforehand.

Tilly replaced Burnham as First Officer in Star Trek: Discovery season 3. Tilly began as a Cadet with dreams of commanding her own starship one day. Her close relationship with both Saru and Burnham made Tilly their choice to succeed Michael as Number One despite her lack of command experience. While Tilly served as First Officer well, her confidence was rattled when Osyraa (Janet Kidder) of the Emerald Chain temporarily took possession of the USS Discovery at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 3. Tilly also went through another ordeal when she nearly died aboard a space station that was attacked by the gravimetric anomaly in Star Trek: Discovery‘s season 4 premiere.

Despite this, it’s undoubtedly odd for Saru to revert back to First Officer after gaining the Captaincy. Even stranger is how poorly Michael and Saru handled the transition; their decision not to tell her beforehand disrespects the work she put into the role. Additionally, Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 2 doesn’t even show Tilly reacting to her sudden demotion.

Of course, Tilly is Michael’s best friend, and she also loves Saru and is happy he’s back aboard Discovery. Tilly also seems to be going through a personal crisis echoing Burnham’s shaken confidence in Star Trek: Discovery season 3 that made her nearly quit Starfleet. Yet, as oddly handled as Saru becoming First Officer was, he is still a Captain, so he can’t be Burnham’s Number One permanently. This means Star Trek: Discovery‘s game of First Officer musical chair is bound to continue in season 4, creating a potential issue for the series.

Star Trek: Discovery season 4 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

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