Rob Reviews: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, episode 7 – “Ko’Zeine”

In this week’s episode, the cadets head out for “All Worlds Break”—which is essentially Starfleet’s version of Spring Break. Ironically, as I’m watching this, my own school is currently on midwinter break, so the timing felt spot on.

The “Tricorder” Take (Initial Impressions)

The critics who dismiss this show as “Deep Space 90210” are missing the point. Star Trek has always been about discovery, but sometimes the ultimate discovery is figuring out who you are supposed to be. After 60 years, the franchise has to try something different, and Starfleet Academy is taking that bold step. It’s more than just a “wagon train to the stars”—it’s a character study.

Key Themes & Narrative Beats

• The Holdovers: While most cadets leave, Genesis and Caleb opt to stay behind. With Commander Reno (the legendary Tig Notaro) supervising, it felt less like The Breakfast Club and more like a sci-fi nod to the movie The Holdovers.

• The Royal Wedding: Jad-Den follows D’Arem to his homeworld, Khionia, fearing he’s been abducted. It turns out to be a pre-marital ritual for D’Arem’s arranged marriage to Kyra, a childhood friend and royalty.

• The Twist: D’Arem was prepared to follow his “preordained destiny” until Jad-Den—finally coming out of his shell—gives a sincere speech as D’Arem’s ko’zeine (best man/witness). The revelation that D’Arem wants to live his own authentic life, rather than the one chosen for him, leads to a beautiful moment of grace where Kyra annuls the marriage so he can return to the Academy and live his truth.

The “Psychology of the Rebuild” (Character Growth)

The highlight for me was Jad-Den. I’m realizing that his previously “stilted” dialogue wasn’t bad acting—it was a character discovering himself. The actor looks more relaxed because the character is finally breathing.

Back at the Academy, Genesis admits to Caleb that she altered her Academy recommendation letters. They originally described her as being “driven out of fear.” She’s terrified of standing in her father’s shadow. As she puts it: “The thing about following in someone else’s footsteps is they’re someone else’s footsteps.”

The Technical Deck

It was a bold move to have Chancellor Ake and Reno take a backseat this week. By allowing the cadets to take center stage, we got to see real friendships forming in smaller pairings. Seeing the bond between Sam and Genesis continue to grow is a highlight of the series so far.

Final Grade: 9/10

Highly recommended. If critics want the same old “crisis of the week” formula, they can watch TOS reruns until the end of time. This is the growth the franchise needs.

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AI art created with Google Gemini

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