Discovery Finally Solved Star Trek's Admiral Problem
Star Trek: Discovery's Admiral Charles Vance (Oded Fehr) is the best example of how Star Trek has finally solved its recurring problem with evil Admirals. Introduced in Star Trek: Discovery season 3, episode 5, "Die Trying", Vance is the Commander-in-Chief of the 32nd century Starfleet. His responsibilities include the protection of what remains of the United Federation of Planets a hundred years after The Burn wiped out the galaxy's dilithium, which almost entirely eliminated warp travel, silenced long-range communications, and reduced the once-mighty Federation to a mere 38 far-flung member worlds.
Star Trek has long had an issue with Starfleet's Admirals, being that was an easy and all-too-common creative crutch for flag officers to turn into evil villains. Sometimes, these sinister Admirals believed that they, alone, were acting in the best interests of the Federation while in other cases, they were simply malevolent and grasping for personal power. Rogue Admirals weren't a major issue in Star Trek: The Original Series until Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country when Admiral Cartright (Brock Peters) conspired to assassinate Klingon High Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner). Diabolical Admirals began popping up with more frequency in Star Trek: The Next Generation, such as Admiral Pressman (Terry O'Quinn), who illegally tried to develop a cloaking device. The TNG movies introduced a crooked Admiral in Star Trek Insurrection's Admiral Doherty (Anthony Zerbe), who conspired with the Son'a to illegally take over the Briar Patch from the Ba'ku.
Perhaps the most criminal Starfleet Admiral was Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Admiral Layton (Robert Foxworth), who attempted a military takeover of Earth, but the Kelvin timeline's Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) was equally malevolent for his plots of mass murder, militarizing Starfleet, and trying to start a war with the Klingons in Star Trek Into Darkness. To be fair, there have also been noble Admirals throughout the franchise, such as Star Trek: Enterprise's Admiral Forrest (Vaughn Armstrong), TNG's Admiral Nechayev (Natalia Nogulich), and DS9's Admiral Ross (Barry Jenner). Of course, Captains Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), and Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) all became Admirals. But the many bad apples among Starfleet's flag officers tend to stand out from the Admirals who actually try to uphold the Federation's laws and principles. In effect, it's a running joke among Trekkers that Starfleet Admirals aren't to be trusted until they prove otherwise, and it speaks ill of Starfleet that so many of its leaders turn evil.
While fans were understandably wary of Admiral Vance when he was initially suspicious of Captain Saru (Doug Jones) and Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), he quickly proved that he was a legitimate, tough, but fair leader. Vance's grim demeanor was a result of the heavy burdens on his shoulders as he attempted to oversee an overworked Starfleet bereft of resources desperately trying to serve what was left of the Federation. But Vance is intelligent, shrewd, and capable, which he proved when he personally negotiated a potential armistice with the Emerald Chain's Osyraa (Janet Kidder). Despite being tempted by her offer, Vance wisely realized it was an offer too good to be true, and Osyraa showed her true, villainous hand when the Admiral challenged her sincerity.
While it took time for the U.S.S. Discovery's crew to prove themselves to him, once Admiral Vance accepted the time-travelers, he placed his trust in Saru and Burnham and grew impressed with their values, effectiveness, and resolve, despite some hiccups. By the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 3, Vance placing his trust in Burnham, especially, paid off as she and Discovery's crew saved the Federation from the Emerald Chain. Discovery also solved the origin of The Burn and located a new source of dilithium, which gave the Federation a bright new future. To Star Trek: Discovery's credit, Vance remained a true believer in the Federation and he emerged as the best Admiral Star Trek has seen in many years.
Star Trek: Discovery actually bucked the evil Admiral trend from the beginning with Admiral Katrina Cornwell (Jayne Brook), the heroic flag officer who died at the end of season 2. Discovery's Admiral record is already better than Star Trek: Picard, whose severe Admiral Clancy (Ann Magnuson) was antagonistic towards the retired Admiral Picard. Meanwhile, Star Trek: Lower Decks' Admirals are a source of ridicule. In contrast, Admiral Charles Vance is a shining example of what a Starfleet Admiral should be. Fans can only hope that Admiral Vance returns in Star Trek: Discovery season 4 and, most important, that he remains a good guy if he does.
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