10 Reasons To Stop Hating Star Trek: Discovery

There might be a certain character in TrekCulture videos who would prefer to distance himself from the Federation's (ambassador then) future president, but Laira Rillak — "No relation" — played by the incomparable Chelah Horsdal, is an integral part of season four, putting politics squarely at the heart of Star Trek. Rillak is no nonsense and no fool, but she clearly cares about the cause.

Indeed, the symbolism of having a woman of human-Bajoran-Cardassian heritage placed in charge of healing a fractured Federation that was without founder members Earth and Vulcan/Ni'Var is not lost on anyone with so much as a copy of Galactic History for Dummies on their shelf/PADD. Whether you agree with her decisions or not, watching Rillak deal with the political turmoil of the 32nd century through one catastrophe after another is easily one of the best things about Discovery.

Shortly after her inauguration as President, Rillak unveiled the brand new Archer Spacedock to a group of fresh Starfleet Academy cadets (the Academy having reopened for the first time since the Burn about 120 years prior). As Rillak speaks of a return to scientific exploration for Starfleet, Archer's Theme from Star Trek: Enterprise begins to play and the camera moves to view the eponymous spacedock. Unless your heart is colder than a lab on Psi 2000, you can't hate such a hopeful moment. You simply can't!