10 Ways The Orville Is More Star Trek Than Discovery
4. The Captain’s Moral Compass
Star Trek: Discovery takes one giant leap away from its own franchise by casting the moral core of the show in dark shades of grey.
Starfleet captains have always been guided by a firm idea that what they are doing is the right thing, even when that isn’t the best outcome for their side. From Archer through to Janeway, and now extending to The Orville’s Captain Mercer, captains are dedicated to doing what is right based on the rules and morals of the government and people they serve.
Conversely, the show killed off the captain with the moral heart by having her stabbed through it. Captain Lorca, though, is a firm believer in the ends justifying the means. This is proven time and time again as he pushes the boundaries of Federation laws and regulations.