The Star Trek franchise largely leans on progressive ideals and the concept of evolution, though not every Trekkie likes change. As such, when a recent poster dropped for the upcoming series set for the 2026 TV schedule, Starfleet Academy, there was some grumbling about a Klingon character smiling, of all things. Karim Diane plays the role, and he recently explained why his particular Klingon isn't all that out of the ordinary.
Klingons have historically been portrayed as brash, grumpy and somewhat violent in Star Trek. As such, some fans saw Karim Diane's grinning Klingon, Jay-Den Kraag, as sacrilege. They may get louder after learning via an interview from the latest SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend that Kraag's goal is to become a doctor. The publication asked Diane if he felt the character was would carve out new territory for the species as a whole in Starfleet Academy, and I was fascinated by his response:
Absolutely not. I feel like this may be the first time that we’re seeing on screen a Klingon who is this different. But from what I understand, the Klingons – like any community – don’t just have warriors. Healers have always been there.
He's right, and fans have even seen chill Klingons before with the reformed General Dak'Rah (ultimately killed by M'Benga) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Also, outside of that, it tracks that a culture so battle-obsessed would put value into having healers to keep them healthy and mended as much as possible for the next fight. Otherwise, I wouldn't imagine they'd make it to the 32nd century.
While healers have always been a part of Klingon culture, that doesn't mean those who stream Star Trek: Starfleet Academy with their Paramount+ subscription shouldn't expect change. The series is set after "The Burn," a cataclysmic event that destroyed many ships and rendered warp travel impossible for nearly a century.
As a result, many species were landlocked for a considerable period, leading to significant diversity among traditionally homogeneous species. Federation President Laira Rillak, for example, had mixed human, Bajoran, and Cardassian heritage. Starfleet Academy will also introduce the character of Lura Thok, who is a hybrid Jem'Hadar and Klingon.
For all the changes that'll be present, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will also bring back plenty of familiar characters, both from Discovery and even Voyager.
I'm especially excited to see Robert Picardo return as the EMH, as he'll be an instructor for the new generation of Starfleet cadets. Picardo has already hinted that his character has gone through some changes in the past 1000 or so years since he was last seen. Still, given he's usually a big part of some of Voyager's best episodes, I'd like to think he's OK with whatever was done. Change is the only constant in life, so I'm fine with seeing how Star Trek plans to evolve, Klingons and all.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy debuts on Paramount+ on Thursday, January 15th amid the 2026 TV schedule. I'm so excited to see Karim Diane's Jay-Den and all the various other alien characters of the 32nd century.
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