Today marks the end of an era for the Star Trek franchise as Star Trek: Discovery, the series that brought Star Trek into the streaming age of television, says goodbye with its series finale episode, "Life, Itself." The creative team behind Star Trek: Discovery didn't know that the show's fifth season would be its last while filming it in Toronto. To ensure the ending suited the momentous occasion, they convened one last time to film the coda scenes that close the series finale. Those scenes are designed, in part, to line Star Trek: Discovery up with what's to come in another installment of the Star Trek franchise set even further into Star Trek's future than the 32nd century, and some viewers unfamiliar with that episode may have been confused about the details. We're here to explain. SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 10, "Live, Itself" - the series finale - follow.

After the mystery of the Progenitors that began with the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Chase" is resolved, and Kovich's true identity is revealed, Star Trek: Discovery jumps decades into its future to its future and finds Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), now an admiral, living in the home she shares with Book (David Ajala), surrounded by forest. Their son, now a Starfleet captain and about to take his first command, soon arrives to pick up Michael and bring her to take Discovery out for its final mission. Upon arriving, the Discovery is being retrofitted to appear as it originally did in the 23rd century, before it received an infusion of 32nd-century technology and its new designation as the USS Discovery 1031-A. She reminisces as she explains to Zora that Discovery is embarking on a Red Directive, which involves waiting alone for someone or something called Craft, and then says her goodbyes.

Who is Craft in Star Trek?

Craft never appears in Star Trek: Discovery. Rather, Discovery's downgrade and Zora's new mission are meant to set up the the Star Trek: Short Treks episode "Calypso," which occurs 1,000 years into Star Trek: Discovery's future. In that episode, Zora's 1,000 years of solitude are interrupted by the arrival of Craft (Aldis Hodge). Craft is a soldier who abandoned his family to fight in a war. After a decade of fighting, he stole a craft to try to return home but was sent adrift until he ended up on Discovery. After his respite on Discovery - during which his relationship with Zora began to verge on the romantic - Craft takes one of Discovery's shuttles and sets course for home.

That this meeting between Zora and Craft is a Red Directive means that the events of "Calypso" are not incidental but a matter of great enough importance that Starfleet felt necessary to ensure the event occurs. Why is Craft important? How does Starfleet know about him 1,000 years before "Calypso" when time travel was illegal by the 32nd century? Why did they have to revert Discovery to its original configuration before sending it to wait a millennium for Craft? These are all seemingly answers to be addressed in another place at another time.

All episodes of Star Trek: Discovery are streaming now on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery has completed its five-season mission, debuting its series finale episode, "Life, Itself," today on Paramount+. In addition to wrapping up this season's main mystery, which began in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the episode also shed light on the secret identity of Star Trek: Discovery's most mysterious character, Doctor Kovich. (SPOILERS follow for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 10, "Life, Itself.") Star Trek: Discovery's finale sees Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) leaping into the unknown as she plunges into the strange Progenitor technology to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Afterward, she reports on the "Red Directive" to Doctor Kovich (David Cronenberg) in his office.

Examining the shelves behind Kovichs' desk, Burnham notices a few items from the 24th century that shouldn't have much meaning to her, since she and her crew skipped that century when they jumped 800 years into the future. However, they likely stand out to fans of Star Trek from the 1990s. There's a bottle of Chateau Picard, the VISOR worn by Geordi La Forge, and the baseball that Benjamin Sisko kept on his desk in his office on Deep Space 9. Burnham realizes that "Kovich" is a code name. She asks Kovich about his true identity, and he says it is "something of a Red Directive itself." Finally, he introduces himself as "Agent Daniels, USS Enterprise and other places."

Who is Agent Daniels in Star Trek?

Agent Daniels first appeared in Star Trek: Enterprise, played by Matt Winston. A serialized arc of Enterprise revolved around the Temporal Cold War. That conflict broke out across the timeline beginning in the 28th century, after several galactic factions chose to break the Temporal Accords, meant to govern the use of time travel technology.

By the 31st century, the temporal cold war was in full swing. The Federation was involved, sending agents back in time to counter the timeline-altering activities of agents from other groups. Captain Jonathan Archer of the USS Enterprise NX-01 became vital to the conflict after meeting Agent Daniels, who had traveled back in time from the 31st century and gone undercover as a member of the USS Enterprise NX-01's crew while trying to capture a terrorist who'd also been drug into the Temporal Cold War.

The conflict continued until Archer and Daniels brought it to an end. When Kovich mentions the Enterprise to Burnham, he may be referring to the Enterprise NX-01 (though who knows what other Enterprises he may have served on during his time-hopping career).

A previous episode of Star Trek: Discovery established that all-time travel technology had been outlawed following the Temporal Cold War's conclusion in the 31st century. That is why, arriving in the 32nd century, the Discovery had to be refitted as the Discovery 1031-A, to appear like a new ship built in Discovery's honor instead of an actual vessel from the past. Kovich being Daniels, a veteran of the Temporal Cold War, helps explain his wealth of knowledge, interest in Discovery, and fondness for anachronistic items like memo pads.

All episodes of Star Trek: Discovery are streaming now on Paramount+.

Award-winning actress Holly Hunter will lead Paramount+'s upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series. Paramount+ announced on Tuesday that Hunter is to play a Starfleet captain serving as Starfleet Academy's chancellor in the new series. The series follows a fresh class of Starfleet cadets who have enrolled at the academy, charting their coming of age at the institution. CBS Studios is producing Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, which is set to begin production this summer. Specifics about the show have been kept under wraps, but previous teases have hinted that the show will take place in the 32nd century of the Star Trek universe, the same era seen in Star Trek: Discovery's final three seasons.

"It feels like we've spent our entire lives watching Holly Hunter be a stone-cold genius," co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau said in a statement. "To have her extraordinary authenticity, fearlessness, sense of humor, and across the board brilliance leading the charge on Starfleet Academy is a gift to all of us, and to the enduring legacy of Star Trek."

What is Star Trek: Starfleet Academy about?

According to a synopsis from Paramount+, "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself."

Kurtzman and Landau are Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's co-showrunners. They also serve as executive producers alongside Gaia Violo, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa, and John Weberby. Violo wrote Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's premiere episode. CBS Studios, in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, is producing the series

What's next for the Star Trek franchise?

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is nearing production as Star Trek: Discovery, which launched the Star Trek franchise into the streaming television era, is nearing its final episode. Ahead of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's premiere, ComicBook asked Kurtzman about Star Trek's future.

"I spent a lot of time that first season [of Discovery] really kind of meditating on, you know, this incredible universe that has been around for so long and how much more can be done with it, how many amazing stories there are to tell. There's really an infinite number of stories to tell. I only want to make another Star Trek show if there's something to say. I don't wanna do it just to do more. I think that would be a huge disservice to Star Trek; it would be a huge disservice to the fans, and I think the fans would feel it instantaneously. They would know this is not authentic. Because if there's one thing that Trek fans know, it's authenticity.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy joins Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, and the upcoming Star Trek: Section 31 movie among Paramount+'s Star Trek offerings (Star Trek: Prodigy has since moved to Netflix). Star Trek: Discovery concludes its run with its current season, and Lower Decks will end with Season 5.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is currently filming its third season.

Star Trek is getting a brand-new movie and Simon Kinberg is in talks to produce the project for Paramount Pictures. Puck reports that the X-Men movies producer would be set to join Toby Haynes upcoming film. Early descriptions for the Star Trek reboot refer to a story predating 2009's Star Trek effort from J.J. Abrams. In this movie, it is unclear who would be the protagonist and what other surprises the script would contain. Also, all the other previously announced projects would be unchanged. Details are scarece, but there's real movement on this "reboot"-tinged effort.

Previously, fans discovered that Star Wars: Andor's Toby Haynes would be directing the new Star Trek movie. On script duties for the upcoming project was Just Beyond's Seth Grahame-Smith. For fans of the Kelvin Timeline, it is unclear what this means for Star Trek 4. Paramount has not announced anything massive on that front as there are so many different projects within that universe cooking at the moment. Luckily, for Star Trek fans, it just means more things to look forward to in the near future. Just the prospect of someone involved with Andor joining the party has to be exciting.

What Else Is Going On With Star Trek?

While that's all going on, Star Trek: Section 31 moves steadily ahead! Robert Kazinsky shared news that the movie finished up filming on Instagram. The actor showered love on the cast and crew with a thoughtful note thanking them for working diligently on the long-awaited film. Paramount+ debuts Section 31 exclusively with a lot of familiar faces returning. These original Star Trek movies represent a massive step for the streamer. Director Olatunde Osunsanmi and Oscars darling Michelle Yeoh are beyond excited for people to see the final product.

"And so ends one of the greatest experiences of my life. They say never meet your heroes, but I'm glad I did," Kazinsky told social media. "I have few bigger heroes in my heart than Star Trek and for the first time in my life a hero exceeded my wildest hope. From day one this was special, not just to me but to everyone here. Olatunde Osunsanmi is the finest Captain I've sailed under leading a cast the likes of which I've never experienced before. @michelleyeoh_official @omarihardwickofficial @thesamrichardson @svenruygrok @kaceykadoodles @humberly @joe.pingue @augustobitter @miku.martineau James Liao and many others."

"These guys will blow the world of @startrek off its hinges with the kind of chemistry and camaraderie you only dream of. The endless laughter support and love every single second of every day is something I'll carry with me forever," the actor would continue. "As someone who has been watching a Star Trek show my entire life, who restarts as soon as I finish like so many others I know, to be a small part of that giant constellation is the fulfilment of a hope that I felt the first time I ever heard the words 'Space, the Final Frontier' I hope you guys like what we made for you. As a die hard Trekker I think you'll love it."

Are you in on a Star Trek reboot? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

The ComicBook Nation crew breaks down the X-Men '97 Season 1 Finale and discusses all the reveals about the Season 2 storyline. We also review the new movie IF (2024).

PLUS: Geek News includes some big renewal news for some of streaming's hottest shows; a breakdown of Amazon's The Rings of Power Season 2 Trailer, and the Spider-Verse expands with Nic Cage's Spider-Man Noir TV show - even as Amazon's Silk: Spider Society series dies in development.

IF (2024) Review

ComicBook critic Jamie Jirak's IF movie review gives the film 3.5 out of 5 stars:

The film does a good job of reminding its audience that there's a kid in all of us, and that time can never truly take away your imagination. It's been a while since I looked around in a theater and saw multiple grown men shedding a tear. Krasinski knows how to appeal to parents, especially dads. While IF may not be a perfectly pieced-together movie, there's enough heart embedded in its core to make it a worthy trip to the cinema for families. The cast is delightful, the IFs are magical, and the warmth is undeniable.

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 7, "Erigah" debuted on Paramount+ on Thursday and it proved to be a momentous episode for new characters Moll and L'ak. [SPOILERS for the episode follow.] A previous Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 episode revealed that the mysterious L'ak is Breen, the first of his kind shown without their helmeted refrigeration suit in Star Trek's history. (The Breen first appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine nearly 30 years ago. The apocryphal Star Trek novels universe revealed the Breen as a society of multiple alien species rather than a race unto itself.) Not only that, but L'ak is a member of the Breen royal family and a potential heir to the mantle of the deceased Breen emperor.

That lineage catches up with Moll and L'ak in "Erigah." With L'ak badly wounded, the couriers are forced to allow themselves to be taken into Federation custody. That's when the L'ak's uncle, the Breen Primarch Ruhn, comes calling, hoping to resolve his blood debt on L'ak. L'ak takes desperate measures to find a means of escape for himself and Moll. He perishes as a result.

ComicBook spoke to Elias Toufexis, who plays L'ak, about his time on Star Trek: Discovery. Here's what he had to say:

Can you tell me what kind of conversations you had about L'ak and the Breen with Star Trek: Discovery's creative team? Did you get into it with writers and producers about how Breen culture informs the character?

Elias Toufexis: Only in the sense that I already knew everything about it because I'm a giant DS9 fan. I don't know if I talked to you about this before, but when I got the concept art was the day, I went to get the plaster mold put on my face, that try not to panic thing, and right before I get poured into a plastic cast, I asked for some concept art to see if they had anything about L'ak. And they showed me a picture and I said, "What race is he?" And they said, "He's the Breen." And my first instinct was to say, "The Breen don't take their helmets off." And they said, "Oh, you know about that?" And I said, "Yeah, I know everything about Deep Space Nine."

I was very excited because the first thing I thought was, "Oh, I'm going to make history, I'm going to make history. The first face you see as a Breen is going to be me" and that was very exciting. And then we talked about the Breen and their culture and stuff, and they get into it more in Discovery than, they were more mysterious in Deep Space Nine. We talked about that and the hierarchy and where L'ak fits in directly. But in terms of historically, I kind of already knew everything because I'm a big Star Trek nerd.

Was there any worry on your part -- and maybe this is a question better suited for the writers -- but when you're dealing with someone as mysterious as the Breen, there's always the possibility that if you dig deeper, you could demystify them an inadvertently making them less cool afterward. Was there any worry for you on that end?

Nah, it was really cool for me. I think Leonard Nimoy said it once unless that meme is lying, but Leonard Nimoy said -- I don't remember what he said about canon, but basically, he said, "Canon is important, but don't let it limit you." And canon is important, but you have the Breen from Deep Space Nine. This is, what is it, 800 years later or even more, a lot of centuries later. And why not? If you're going to tackle something and make it interesting, just being a fan, I was excited about it. I don't care about stuff like that, just whatever tells the best story. I never really even thought about it.

Maybe it's also today's culture of the way TV and movies are now, they do demystify a lot of things that we grew up loving, but it's part of what they're doing now. These things have to last 30, 40, 50 years, these Star Trek shows, so I suppose you could always invent more stuff, but you also can demystify or explain stuff that has happened before, and, as a fan, I think it's great.

What can you tell me about what sets L'ak apart from the other Breen? It's clear he fell for Moll and it's clear he was unhappy with his uncle, the Primarch. Was he, in your mind, already dissatisfied with his place among the Breen or was it Moll that set him on this path?

I think Moll set him on the path of freedom, but he was never happy with his place in the family. I played him like, I didn't invent what happened to his father or anything like that, but there was a little bit of Hamlet in him. Like, "My uncle" and "I don't want to be this prince. I just want to do what I want to do," and "I want to contemplate my own life and these guys are forcing this thing on me." And everyone's saying, "You should do this, and you should do this." I mean, it's your classic character. It's your prince, princess, whomever, who does not want to be in the royalty, wants to be normal, whatever normal is for Breen. But that's what he wanted.

And then when he met Moll, not only did he fall in love with her, but it ended up being a way out for him also. I don't think, initially, that was his plan. He just found Moll, fell in love, and thought, "Well, if we can keep this up, it gives me at least some freedom inside of my life that I don't like." And then when Moll invites him to leave or escape with her, he doesn't have a lot of time to debate. But that decision, I think, is one that he would've made even if he had the time because she represents love and freedom, which is what they're chasing throughout the whole season.

Hearing you say, "whatever normal is for a Breen" makes me now want to know what the most mundane Breen life might look like

Yeah, is it all military? I didn't discuss if there are average Breen. Are there Breen that work 9-to-5 and are there Breen grocery stores where the Breen work? I have no idea.

What's a Breen restaurant like?

Yea, what do they eat? And I remember thinking, because as an actor I often find when I do a scene, I think I do this unconsciously, but I'll find a breathing pattern for whatever I think the energy of the scene needs. But I was doing it once and I was going, "Do the Breen even have lungs? Am I breathing, really breathing, here? What do I do?" So those are the type of things, you set it and forget it when you're working in a fantasy or sci-fi like Star Trek.

Your decision to breathe has now made it canon that the Breen breathe.

There you go. We breathe. I don't know how they form their lungs or if they have one big lung, or whatever, I don't know.

Is there a singular moment, a souvenir, or something from your tie on Star Trek: Discovery that stands out to you as codifying it? Was it that moment when you realized you were playing Breen?

It depends on who you're asking. If you're asking Elias, the fan of Star Trek, then there were plenty. It was when I figured out I was playing Breen. It's when I showed up on -- I had heard through rumor that we were going to be on the Enterprise, the ISS, when I was shooting the first episode, because they keep a lot of stuff from actors until the very last minute, and I got so excited, and then just showing up on that. I know it was technically the Strange New Worlds set. I could have gotten to visit it anytime I wanted to because while I was shooting in Toronto, I'm sure I could have organized that, but the fact that I was working on it and being on the ship and all that kind of stuff, that freaked me out as a fan.

If I look at it as an actor, all I really wanted was to make sure audiences empathize with L'ak and Moll. That was my goal from the beginning. It was our goal, I should say, Eve and me. We wanted to make sure that, not that murder is ever justified or violence or anything, but what they were doing was justified, and if Starfleet would just get off their backs, and if Breen would get off their back, everything would be fine. But in order to escape it, they had to do some pretty rough things.

But what I really, really wanted, the thing I was really focused on I guess is the best way to say it, is trying to make sure that the audience empathized with both Moll and L'ak. And I say that because Eve and I really worked together. I can't think of this as singular. I can never really think of L'ak on his own, I always think of Moll and L'ak. What is our story? I know they both have their separate pasts that come together, but for me, it was always, what is their story together? As long as that comes through, that their love comes through, that was important, and that you empathize with them.

L'ak makes a sacrifice in this episode. In that moment, do you feel like he knew that he was making that sacrifice, or do you think he thought he was also getting out and miscalculated?

I played it as a bit of both, to be honest with you. I played it as, "This could go very wrong, but I'm willing to make that sacrifice. But maybe I'll be okay." That was how I played it. Maybe that's too middle-of-the-road. Maybe I should have made a stronger decision either way., but I definitely played it like, "I'm going to do this. It's very risky. I could die, but at least she'll get away. But maybe it won't. Maybe I'll be fine, and then she'll beam me aboard." It wasn't the greatest plan. His idea to distract them is a great plan, but it's like, "Go steal a shuttle and then beam him aboard." That's why I like that she goes, "That's it?" And he says, "Well, I mean, what else? You got a better idea?"

But yeah, I played it like he knew it could happen and he was willing to make that sacrifice. But it wasn't an outright sacrifice, or at least you hoped it wouldn't be.

Last question I have for you: If you got to pull the whole Jeffrey Combs routine, and came back as a different character, is there a particular species you would like to get to inhabit on a return trip to the Star Trek Universe?

It's true, I would have to be a different species, right? I've already been a man and I've been a Breen. I mean, there's so many. I would love to be a Klingon, of course, everyone wants to be a Klingon. I guess I can't be any sort of thing that you see my face, so Vulcans and Romulans are out.

A Gorn. Except the Gorns are all CG now. No, I'm going to performance-capture a Gorn. That's what I'll do, I'll performance-capture the first Gorn that has a long conversation with somebody in Star Trek outside of that "Arena" episode. That's what I want. I want to play the first Gorn.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 7 is streaming now streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek legend William Shatner isn't opposed to returning as Captain Kirk -- and he's even open to using digital de-aging to portray a younger version of the character. Speaking with The Globe and Mail, Shatner said that the idea of reprising Captain Kirk is "intriguing" so long as there's a good idea for it.

"It's an intriguing idea," he said. "It's almost impossible but it was a great role and so well-written and if there were a reason to be there and not just to make a cameo appearance, but if there were a genuine reason for the character appearing, I might consider it."

Shatner also had some ideas for how Captain Kirk could make an appearance, considering that the character's last appearance was in 1994's Star Trek Generations where the character was killed off. Shatner said that he could potentially portray a younger version of the character, citing digital de-aging technology that "takes years off of your face, so that in a film you can look 10, 20, 30, 50 years younger than you are." He also suggested that the character could be resurrected.

"A company that wants to freeze my body and my brain for the future might be a way of going about it," he said. "We've got Captain Kirk's brain frozen here. There's a scenario. Let's see if we can bring back a little bit of this, a little salt, a little pepper. Oh, look at that. Here comes Captain Kirk!"

William Shatner Has Said He'd Be Open to Captain Kirk Returning Via AI

The idea of Shatner reprising Captain Kirk by way of digital de-aging isn't the only way the actor would consider returning to the role. Shatner has said that he's open to the character returning through AI, though he would only want it to happen under specific circumstances.

"It's an interesting question," Shatner told Comic Book previously. "The strike was all about getting permission to do that. And so, if I'm alive, I don't want AI to do that, but if I'm dead and they ask my family and they're going to pay m y family very well to sound like me, I would advise them to say yes."

Shatner Says Star Trek V Is the Biggest Regret of His Career

Recently, Shatner revealed that Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, is the biggest regret of his career. Released in 1989, the film -- which he starred in and directed -- was poorly received by both fans and critics.

"I wish that I'd had the backing and the courage to do the things I felt I needed to do," Shatner explained to The Hollywood Reporter. "My concept was, 'Star Trek goes in search of God,' and management said, 'Well, who's God? We'll alienate the nonbeliever, so, no, we can't do God.' And then somebody said, 'What about an alien who thinks they're God?' Then it was a series of my inabilities to deal with the management and the budget. I failed. In my mind, I failed horribly. When I'm asked, 'What do you regret the most?' I regret not being equipped emotionally to deal with a large motion picture. So, in the absence of my power, the power vacuum filled with people that didn't make the decisions I would've made."

Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the U.S.S. Discovery have finally caught up to Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis) in an exclusive new clip from Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 7, "Erigah." Unfortunately for Moll and L'ak, the Federation isn't the only faction that has found them. The episode's title refers to the Breen erigah, or blood debt, on L'ak's head. While the Federation has Mol and L'ak custody, the Breen are on their way, and as Moll and L'ak explain to Burnham in the clip above, if they could pay to lift the erigah, they would already have done so. However, with L'ak in bad shape, there may be nowhere to run for the duo. Here's the official synopsis for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 7, "Erigah:"

"With Moll and L'ak finally in custody, the Federation is pulled into a diplomatic and ethical firestorm when the Breen arrive and demand they be handed over. Meanwhile, a frustrated Book looks for ways to help as Tilly, Adira, and Reno work to decipher the latest clue."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 on Paramount+

According to Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's official synopsis, the season "finds Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's cast includes Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's recurring guest stars include Elias Toufexis (L'ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

CBS Studios produces Star Trek: Discovery in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth are executive producers. Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise are co-showrunners.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 debut weekly on Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery star Doug Jones has spoken up to answer fans about why his character, Saru, has been missing from recent Season 5 episodes.

In a tweet that was posted when Star Trek: Discovery's Final Season started, Doug Jones revealed some behind-the-scenes tea about Discovery's production: "I was off promoting Hocus Pocus 2 at the time," the actor wrote in response to a fan question, before adding that "I will be back for more before the season ends!"

The fan's initial question implied that Doug Jones hadn't appeared onscreen as Saru for a very different reason: "Correct me if I'm misremembering but didn't you say that you're stepping back from Heavy Makeup work so this is why you're absent from a couple episodes?"

Jones is typically open with his fans, and probably wanted to quell any speculation that he was having any conflict with donning the extensive makeup and prosthetic work needed to become Saru. The actor's bread and butter has been using his unique physique as a canvas to create any number of creatures he has brought to life onscreen - including his role as "The Amphibian Man" in the Oscar-winning film The Shape of Water.

Saru has been offscreen since Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Episode 3, "Jinaal". While Jones was promoting Hocus Pocus 2 offscreen, onscreen, Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 sectioned off Saru's story arc, giving him a romantic connection to the Vulcan leader of Ni'Var, T'Rina, and a new diplomatic job as a Federation ambassador. Those two worlds collided as Saru struggled with announcing his engagement to T'Rina, due to the personal and political ramifications it will have, after seeing his diplomatic views called into question over his relationship. That problem is not likely to fade away easily.

Saru is one character that a lot of Star Trek fans are keeping an eye on, as Discovery comes to its end. The upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will be a spinoff of Discovery, with the new version of Starfleet being re-established in the 32nd Century training a new class of recruits, most of whom are probably unfamiliar with the Federation's legacy. Saru is someone who could easily have recurring appearances in that new series, as diplomatic issues arise.

So don't count on Doug Jones staying away from Star Trek for very long.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 is now streaming on Paramount+.

What's going on with the Star Trek franchise? Star Trek Universe head Alex Kurtzman is one again addressing that question, and has a pretty decisive and clear answer for fans!

Kurtzman appeared on Star Trek's official talk show The Ready Room, and host Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) asked Kurtzman how he's looking at the next steps in the Star Trek Universe now that's bigger than its ever been. Star Trek: Picard might have ended, and Star Trek: Discovery is currently streaming its final season on Paramount+; however, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a breakout hit for the franchise; Star Trek: Lower Decks has successfully opened up an adult animation lane for the franchise; Star Trek: Prodigy has made kid-friendly Star Trek a thing; Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will continue where Discovery leaves off (a rebooted Starfleet operating in the 32nd Century), and the Star Trek TV Universe will be getting its first feature-film event with Section 31, which will follow Disovery's breakout anti-hero character Empress Georgiou (Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh).

All of that aforementioned content falls under Alex Kurtzman's purview - so how much more expansion could he have in mind at the moment? Kurtzman gave an extensive answer to that question, letting fans know that there's plenty of Star Trek content right now, and any new installments of the franchise will have to pass an important bar of consideration before getting made.

"I spent a lot of time that first season [of Discovery] really kind of meditating on, you know, this incredible universe that has been around for so long and how much more can be done with it, how many amazing stories there are to tell. There's really an infinite number of stories to tell. I only want to make another Star Trek show if there's something to say. I don't wanna do it just to do more. I think that would be a huge disservice to Star Trek; it would be a huge disservice to the fans, and I think the fans would feel it instantaneously. They would know this is not authentic. Because if there's one thing that Trek fans know, it's authenticity.

So for me, it's really just about figuring out a way to make sure that we take our time, we're deliberate, we're thoughtful, and we deliver on the promise of something different every time."

Kurtzman's answer does leave some questions hanging in the air. Paramount's new Star Trek Origins theatrical movie is a whole separate topic, while Star Trek: Picard (like Discovery)

Sylvia Tilly, played by Mary Wiseman, has been on a long character journey during Star Trek: Discovery's five seasons on Paramount+. She started in Star Trek: Discovery Season 1 as a nervous Starfleet cadet finding her place on the USS Discovery, a version of Tilly that Wiseman revisited in Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 4. Now, Tilly is a teacher at Starfleet Academy (and whether that has anything to do with the upcoming Starfleet Academy series remains uncertain), though she's split her time between the academy and Discovery's unexpected final season mission throughout Star Trek: Discovery's Season 5.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 6, "Whistlespeak," sees Tilly embarking on an away mission with Captain Burnham. Since they're visiting a pre-warp society, the mission means donning alien makeup and unfamiliar clothing to blend in with the planet's population. The episode featured some scenes that could be considered callbacks to past Tilly moments and highlighted how far Tilly has come over the years. ComicBook.com had the opportunity to speak to Wiseman about the episode and what it says about Tilly's character arc as Star Trek: Discovery nears its end.

The environment and setting in "Whistlespeak" is beautiful. Can you tell me about filming? Was this on location?

Mary Wiseman: It was actually amazing. This one, we did film on location in this beautiful national park a couple hours outside of Toronto, so all that stuff in the woods is real and we got to shoot at night. It was just absolutely gorgeous to get to be in the woods and shoot that and it feels so appropriate for the episode also, because they live in such a natural world without the hyper technology that we see on the ship. It was just gorgeous, really nice change of pace.

This episode is an away mission with the Prime Directive being a factor, which is a common enough Star Trek trope but not one that Star Trek: Discovery has relied on much. Was it also a fun change of pace to get out of the Starfleet uniforms and have a bit of alien makeup on and do that who thing?

Oh my gosh, yeah. It was super fun to just... I don't know, I think there was something about having completely different visuals that felt really beautiful and saturated and refreshing and I haven't gotten to do a lot of stuff like that, go in disguise that much. I found it really fun to finally get to do the classic Star Trek thing of doing the alien makeup, so we blend in. So that was really fun, and it just has a completely different visual feel than the rest of the season and I think that's really special.

Are there things left kind of unchecked on your Star Trek bucket list or bingo card or whatever metaphor you want to use that you would still either wish you had gotten to do or would jump at a chance to do if they were to invite you to guest star on another series or something like that?

I got to do this a little bit, but I think anytime characters are possessed by another entity or something like that I think would be something that I would find really fun. Although, I kind of got to do that a little bit in the second season, I think, with the jahSepp and May character, but I think that would probably be the most fun thing to get to be. Also, getting to play the mirror characters was very fun, but anytime your character looks like themselves but is not themselves I would love to do more of that. I think that's very exciting. You just get to make a choice and run with it and see what happens.

Watching the episode, the sequence of Tilly and Michale Burnham running the race reminded me of the first season and the scenes of Tilly and Michael running laps around the ship. Given that the episode feels like coming full circle on Tilly's story, was that a thing that you guys discussed or were aware of, or was it almost incidental Did it occur to you at all?

I don't know that we discussed it. I think I took it as just this ongoing thing of Tilly running and her having a lot of stubborn endurance to get through something and not being a quitter, but particularly getting to do it with Michael when that's kind of where we started, I think is very sweet, especially as we're kind of winding up the series. I think there's a lovely symmetry to that. Yeah.

As I said, this episode feels a bit like coming full circle with Tilly. By the end, she's giving Rava the kind of support and comfort that she herself may have needed as a nervous cadet sharing a room with Michael Burnham. Having played here through that journey, how do you feel about where she is and what that arc looks like as it's nearing the end of the show?

I think Tilly has really found where she fits in terms of being a leader and really found her own voice as a teacher, and I think that's because she has these great wells of empathy and an ability to pull people up when they're down, but also alienated. I think she has a lot of empathy for people who feel isolated from the rest of a given community as she was with Tyler and even with Burnham right at the very beginning. To get to see how that's evolved and she's learned how to take almost that maternal quality to take care of others and help guide others through difficult moments, I love that. I love that as the conclusion to her arc.

Are you at all surprised about where Tilly's arc ended up in terms of her going from cadet to teacher? Is this at all where you expected her story to go when you first came on board in Star Trek: Discovery Season 1?

No. I think if I had to guess at Season 1, I thought the series would end with her being the captain of another ship just because that's everything that she says she wants. But in a very elegant way, what you think you want when you're younger is not always what you want when you're older and you have a little more self-knowledge and have gone through more experiences and find new things that feel good. I love that it's not what I expected, that it didn't just go by automatically to the things she said she always wanted, that it took a bit of a left turn and she found something that really suits her and really speaks to her talents.

Do you think that ambition she had carries over onto to this new path? Is she going to be running the academy at some point, you think, down the line?

Who knows? I think the cool thing about Tilly's story is that she came up with a very achievement-based paradigm of how you have value as a person, what gives you value is achievement, and started to question when things got hard and her life changed in so many different ways. What about what makes me happy? Or, what makes me feel fulfilled? Or, what do I think I can actually really add value as? So, I don't know, maybe someday she'll be a principal, but I don't think that's the goal. I think the goal right now for her is each and every student and being that person that changes people's lives when they're at really critical points in their life.

I'm sure you feel this way, I definitely feel this way, I will never forget the teachers who changed my life or made me feel special or heard or told me I really had something. Those people are people who I will think about for all my days. So even though it's not like you don't get a special epaulet or a special star on your badge, she's still doing incredibly important work and I think that will lead her, how much of a difference she can make.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery debut weekly on Thursdays on Paramount+.

Pinewood Toronto Studios has rechristened one of its filming spaces in Star Trek's honor. The Pinewood Group announced on Wednesday that the sound stage has been renamed "The Star Trek Stage" to celebrate it being one of Star Trek's long-running filming locations. Pinewood rechristened the 18,000 square foot stage at Pinewood Toronto Studios to be called "The Star Trek Stage" as the cast of Star Trek: Discovery filmed the last scenes of the Paramount+ series' fifth and final season. Star Trek: Discovery has filmed at Pinewood Toronto Studios since January 2017, with the studio now known as "The Star Trek Stage" used for housing the Ready Room and the International Federation HQ. Star Trek: Discovery also used the 45,900 sq foot Mega Stage and Stage 7, 9, and 12 at the studio, as well as its production facilities and workshops.

"Pinewood Toronto Studios has become a second home for our Star Trek family, and we're grateful that they've named a stage in honor of the franchise," says Alex Kurtzman, Executive Producer of the Star Trek franchise in a press release. "In addition to the amazing stage space, we've benefitted from working with the talented artists in front of the camera and behind the scenes and look forward to our partnership in Toronto on future series."

Sarah Farrell, General Manager of Pinewood Toronto Studios, added, "We are so delighted to have hosted Star Trek: Discovery over 5 seasons and the recently wrapped Star Trek: Section 31 movie event and to celebrate our longstanding relationship with the franchise with our own Star Trek Stage. We look forward to welcoming many more productions to come."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 on Paramount+

According to Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's official synopsis, the season "finds Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's cast includes Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira) and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's recurring guest stars include Elias Toufexis (L'ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll).

CBS Studios produces Star Trek: Discovery, in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth are executive producers. Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise are co-showrunners.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 debut weekly on Thursdays on Paramount+.