Star Trek: Discovery will air its final season in early 2024, and that's a notion that stirs up a lot of feelings. While I'm eager to see the final chapter of the Trek series, I haven't been able to shake the feeling that the series' vibe is about to change. That feeling is even stronger now, thanks to the latest bit of footage from Season 5, which features Michael Burnham (played by Sonequa Martin-Green). Overall, it's easy to get the impression that the upcoming episodes will be much more action-heavy than any that have come before.
The latest look at Season 5, which debuted amid San Diego Comic-Con 2023, features Burnham hot on the heels of some smugglers, who are trying to escape with a valuable item. Just when it seems like the villains have made an escape, the Discovery captain does the unthinkable. Watch Burnham ride the top of the ship in a warp bubble and attempt to disable the baddies' engines with an assist from some Starfleet allies:
That sequence is arguably the most superhero-esque feat a Starfleet captain has ever attempted, and it's absolutely incredible. Michael Burnham is someone who often puts her life on the line to complete a mission, so this isn't exactly a wild departure from her characterization. Still, I'll say that there's more action in this sequence than I've seen in entire previous episodes of Discovery. And interestingly enough as of late, all signs have been pointing to the series putting more emphasis on major actions sequences.
The first image of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 that was released featured Burnham riding away from a sandstorm on a hover bike. After that, a trailer was released at NYCC Comic-Con 2022, which was also very action-heavy. For those that don't remember, check it out below:
It's worth mentioning that the season's plot revolves around the Discovery crew racing against other factions to obtain a mysterious power. And with that exciting premise in mind, I can believe that this season will move at a faster pace and feature a number of action sequences. A part of me is extremely excited for that, but there's another part that worries about the final season being too big of a departure from the previous four.
Upcoming Star Trek TV Shows: What's Ahead For The Sci-Fi Franchise
When CinemaBlend spoke to Doug Jones about Discovery Season 5's adventure, we specifically picked his brain about the amount of action showcased in the trailer. The actor indicated that it might just be a case of the promotional content prioritizing the action-heavy bits. Jones went on to say that while there is action this time around, a lot of the emotional moments between characters and other signature elements of the show are still present.
I completely believe Doug Jones, but I'm still curious to see just how much action is on display when the new season arrives. The series probably won't suffer from having a faster-paced story, but there still could be some concerns from fans, especially when you consider that narrative plans for this send-off season greatly changed over time. The good news is that the show was granted extra time and episodes to film a proper conclusion. So regardless of the action vibes one may or may not get from Season 5, there should be plenty of storytelling real estate that will hopefully set the table for a satisfying conclusion.
Be sure you have a Paramount+ subscription so you'll be able to stream Star Trek: Discovery's final season when it premieres in 2024. Keep your eyes peeled for other Trek-related updates from SDCC 2023 as well.
