Recap: Starfleet Academy Season 1 Episode 4 Delivers One of Star Trek’s Best Klingon Episodes
- Barbara
- 12 hours ago
- 5 min read
Star Date: 868943.8
Captain Ake records her personal thoughts about their first official space flight, the academy and the students currently attending. Three days into their first official space flight, circling the Val Nebula. She is astonished by all that had to converge to make this space anomaly.
Public Speaking and Debate Anxiety
There is a transition to a new scene of The Doctor giving his class a lot to think about. He addresses the importance of speech and debate. Kraag is visibly uncomfortable and afraid of public speaking. Caleb calls him the only shy Klingon in history and asks if he can try. Kraag goes on to describe to Caleb the kind of culture Klingons have. Darem was about to add his thoughts to their conversation when The Doctor suddenly drops in, shocking them all. He is strongly enthusiastic about debating, and shares how he owes his very existence to it. He had to demonstrate that on Voyager. He points out that a real debate brought Betazed back into the Federation.
He tells Darem he could debate his very existence with him. Darem’s unpreparedness prompts a debate drill for the whole class. Kraag is about to pass out. It’s interesting to watch the students compete. Caleb Mir defeats all his opponents. Kraag came to the podium and he seemed about ready to pass out. What examples of debate save The Doctor and a civilization?Later, Caleb asks Kraag what happened. Kraag tells him. Caleb shows Kraag how he handles stressful situations. He eats his feelings, and shares his replicated snacks in his dorm room. He even has a Klingon entrails strew specially made. Kraag refuses to partake, because it is only for Klingon warriors. Caleb shares what he learned about Klingons during his experiences and travels. Kraag is comfortable talking with him about his family. He gets a message to see Chancellor Ake. Why does Caleb hoard human food?
Family Ties
In Ake’s Office, the Chancellor and Number One tell Cadet Kraag that eight houses of Klingon families being transported to a refugee camp on Taurus VII crashed and several lives were lost. Kraag’s family may have been one of the families lost. Kraag asks if they were dead. It’s difficult to get information from the Klingon refugee camp. Jay-Den Kraag is the only Starfleet Academy cadet. Chancellor Ake gives him permission to take some time off. He won’t take time off, and states he said good-bye to his family long ago. He leaves, but is clearly affected by the news.
Kraag has a flashback of the time he spent with his family. He is on a hunt with his brother. He tells his father what he wants to do with his life. His brother Thar knew who and what he wanted to be. He encouraged him and guided him toward a life with Starfleet.
Back to the present, Kraag returns to his public speaking and debate course. They were viewing what happened to the Klingon Houses, and quickly turned it off when Kraag entered the room. The Doctor asks the cadets for a topic to debate. A cadet suggested they debate the current Klingon tragedy. They will debate the Klingon diaspora.
Admiral Charles Vance messages Chancellor Ake for her help. The Federation found a planet, Faa Alpha, that is a match to Qo’noS, but the old Klingon warlord leaders won’t take their people there. They refuse to take Starfleet charity. He needs her to talk to her old Klingon colleague, their oldest warlord, Obel Wochak. He’s open to the idea as long as it benefits their people. Vance says it could help Kraag with finding out what happened to his family. Ake and Vance agree to keep this conversation quiet, or it would bring dishonor to Jay-Den Kraag and his family.
Help from One’s Friends
Caleb and Genesis approach Jay-Den with a plan to team-up with him to win the debate. Jay-Den refuses and tells them he’s perfectly capable of arguing the debate topic. He will argue the negative, that the Klingons should decide their own destiny. They don’t need the Federation to help or protect them. Caleb and Genesis can’t believe it. Jay-Den has another flashback of when his brother, Thar died. He told him he could be everything, a warrior, healer, and to trust himself and the stars.
Chancellor Ake meets with Obel Wochak. She shows the planet Faa Alpha that could be a new planet for Klingons. She tries to negotiate an agreement to give asylum to Klingons on the planet, and encourage other Klingons to move there. Obel Wochak says the Klingons won’t take Federation charity. She asked him to help his people and the only Starfleet Academy Klingon cadet, Obel Wochak and Nahla Ake, were closer than diplomatic colleagues. Did Nahla and Obel have a past relationship?
Different Interpretation Saves Lives and Debate Anxiety Conquered
Kraag practices his debate strategy. Caleb gives him some pointers, but Kraag rejects his offering. Darem gets through to him and teaches him some warrior tactics, but Kraag suddenly stops.
Kraag and Caleb face each other in the debate. Kraag first exhibits his usual aversion to public speaking. He makes a good position and states why Klingons should make their own decisions on where they want to live. Caleb states the Federation is trying to help their race survive. The two cadets let personal feelings interfere in their debate exchange and tempers boil over. The Doctor had to stop their angry discussion, immediately dismiss them, and end the debate.
Later, Lieutenant Thok visits Kraag in his dorm room. Kraag apologizes to the Cadet Master for his behavior at the debate. She tells him her Klingon lineage. She tells him she’s seen fights between brothers. She regrets not telling Kraag about his true Klingon self, and helping him to see it. Kraag tells her of his last experience with his Father and him performing their Klingon right of passage to become a warrior. He told her of how his family all left him. Thok tells him her interpretation of what really happened. He saw his son as who he truly was. She tells Kraag to see himself as his Father and brother saw him. Kraag says it all means nothing if there’s no hope for their people. Kraag asks her to get him back on the debate stage. He reshapes his argument and makes a speech that honors his people. He suggests a Klingon solution to a Klingon problem. What is it?
Starfleet Defeat and Klingons Get a New Planet
Captain Ake, Admiral Vance and Kraag meet with Obel Wochak. They declare war on Faa Alpha. The Klingon ships come to defend it. The Federation puts on a good show of fighting. This was a brilliant move. Starfleet starships stand down, and Obel Wochak and the Klingons seize the planet Faa Alpha as spoils of war. Admiral Vance admits defeat. Obel Wochak gives Jay-Den Kraag a warrior’s weapon, and tells him of his family’s location. They are alive.
Caleb and Kraag become more like brothers after this experience. They come to an understanding. This episode was an inspiration and a truly good look at Klingons. This Kraag-centric episode was powerful. It also shows what a real Klingon warrior is. I really enjoyed it. Karim Diané made Jay-Den Kraag a very appealing character. I like him LOTS, and he does honor Worf! I enjoyed watching this episode and the acting and writing was great. I give this episode 5 Stars out of 5.
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