Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's Hidden Captain Janeway Tribute Explained

By Jeremy Mathai
Holly Hunter as Nahla Ake standing by a console in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Brooke Palmer/Paramount

Warning: This article contains minor spoilers for the series premiere of "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy."

During a time of crisis, what do Starfleet officers need most? Some reassuring words, a stirring call to action, and maybe a heroic feat or two tend to help save the day in "Star Trek." What "Starfleet Academy" presupposes, however, is that all its newest class of cadets need every now and then is a timely reminder of the past. The latest Paramount+ series has taken the novel approach of turning its main starship, the USS Athena, into a campus setting, providing the best of both worlds. But when the you-know-what hits the fan, one brief moment suggests that it helps to take the lead from a franchise veteran who's seen it all.

"Starfleet Academy" has already made significant headway in its first two episodes redeeming two of the most divisive "Star Trek" shows of yore, "Voyager" and "Discovery," but even hardcore fans might've missed this "Voyager"-themed Easter egg. The premiere is by far the more action-packed hour of the two, introducing us to main protagonist Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta), Chancellor Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter), and the villainous Nus Braka (Paul Giamatti). But in the midst of all the excitement, when Caleb's actions inadvertently bring down the wrath of Braka and his vicious Venari Ral gang upon the Athena, some background set dressing directly homages Kate Mulgrew's Captain Kathryn Janeway.

The detail was pointed out in a social media post by "Star Trek" research assistant and longtime fan Jörg Hillebrand, who explained:

"The daily inspirational quote displayed during the Venari Ral attack on the USS Athena [...] is one by Captain Janeway. She spoke those words in [the 'Voyager' episode] 'Dark Frontier' and in [the 'Prodigy' episode 'The Devourer of All Things Part I']."

Starfleet Academy's deep-cut Voyager reference keeps Captain Janeway's spirit alive

Kate Mulgrew as Kathryn Janeway looking pleased in Star Trek: Voyager Paramount

"Star Trek" past has a way of making its way to the present. The biggest blink-and-miss-it moment in "Starfleet Academy" is for "Voyager" fans, located on the digital computer consoles displaying inspirational quotes for the young cadets to take note of (or, more likely, make fun of) during their daily lessons. For those who paused the episode and took a more in-depth look whenever one of those quotes appeared on-screen, they would've spotted some words of wisdom laid out by Captain Kathryn Janeway:

"There are three things to remember about being a starship captain: Keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."

Trekkies can likely pinpoint both occasions that best sum up Janeway's personality in the canon. In "Voyager," the Captain memorably informs Naomi Wildman (Scarlett Pomers) about the responsibilities that come with putting on the uniform in the Borg-centric episode "Dark Frontier." With Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) in need of rescue, Janeway reassures her young crew member that she would never abandon anyone under her command. Years later, the animated "Star Trek: Prodigy" episode "The Devourer of All Things" revisits this exact line of dialogue in very different circumstances. Set almost a decade later, Janeway once again finds herself in desperate circumstances with the Borg and decides to disobey Starfleet orders in order to search for some missing crew members. When confronted by Admiral Edward Jellico (voiced by Ronny Cox), she angrily explains those rules all over again ... before hanging up on him in classic Janeway fashion. It's oddly reassuring to know Starfleet cadets continue to learn from the best, brightest, and fiercest captains of all.

New episodes of "Starfleet Academy" hit Paramount+ every Thursday.

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