Forget everything you think you know about Starfleet captains! Holly Hunter in 'Starfleet Academy' is breaking all the rules, and some fans are going to hate it... but others, like me, will absolutely adore it.
The first episodes of 'Starfleet Academy' practically scream that this isn't your grandfather's Star Trek. It's a bold departure, thumbing its nose, almost defiantly, at the expectations built over sixty years of Star Trek history. The young heroes are a volatile mix of teenage hormones and a deep-seated distrust of authority figures. On one hand, it feels like a spot-on portrayal of kids growing up in a galaxy that's been through the wringer. On the other hand, it's almost like the show is deliberately trying to provoke long-time Star Trek fans by showing youths behaving in ways that are quite un-Star Trek.
But here's where it gets controversial... The most charming rule-breaker isn't one of the young cadets. It's Holly Hunter, arguably the most seasoned member of the cast, and her portrayal of Nahla Ake, the dual chancellor of the academy and captain of the USS Athena, is pure gold.
Ake, a half-Lanthanite, has lived for centuries. In the show's 32nd-century setting (during the latter half of 'Star Trek: Discovery'), she's witnessed the Federation at its best and its worst. She's even been complicit in some of the latter. Example: the series opens with flashbacks to Ake following judicial orders that lead to her disillusionment with Starfleet and her eventual resignation.
Fast forward fifteen years, and Ake is given a chance to rejoin Starfleet and lead the re-establishment of the academy. By this point, she's significantly mellowed out. She's chilling on Bajor, caring for young children, and just because she's back in a Starfleet uniform doesn't mean that her relaxed vibe disappears. Hunter infuses Ake with a playful mischievousness that makes her feel less like a traditional Star Trek captain and more like that cool aunt you always wanted. She evokes shades of Captain Janeway from 'Voyager,' especially in the early seasons, when Janeway was struggling with the fact that the strict captain-subordinate dynamic Starfleet expects simply couldn't survive on a ship stranded 70,000 light-years from Starfleet HQ.
And this is the part most people miss... It's not just her attitude; it's her physicality. The moment the Athena docks in San Francisco, she kicks off her Starfleet boots and walks around barefoot, practically daring someone to call her out. She's just as likely to be wearing a flowing dress and chunky glasses as she is her command tunic. And then there's the way she interacts with furniture. She approaches every chair as if it were a jungle gym, clambering over it and curling up like a house cat.
Hunter plays Ake as the Tiniest Woman in the Alpha Quadrant (the actress is 5'2", and often humorously dwarfed by her students). Her office on the Athena is crammed with chairs, sofas, and chaises, and throughout the first few episodes, we see her draped across them in countless ways. One memorable scene shows her senior crew subtly acknowledging as Ake repeatedly lowers the captain's chair on the Athena's bridge to its lowest setting, only to then casually prop herself up on one of the armrests. Later, we see her practically lying down in it, bundled up and reading a book.
It gives Ake this disarmingly chaotic energy. On one hand, it feels like a natural evolution of the trend Jonathan Frakes started in TNG, where he was known for leaning over the backs of chairs to take his seat. On the other hand, it feels like a playful jab at the rigid decorum we've come to expect from Starfleet. It's a visual shorthand for where Ake is in her life. She was that stiff, rule-abiding Starfleet officer once, and it led to her propping up a broken status quo. Now, she doesn't care about nitpicking rules or what others think of her. She's here to be comfortable, to show this new generation of students that they can be comfortable with her, and to meet them on a more approachable level.
Every Star Trek captain has a quirk. Picard had his Earl Grey tea, Sisko had his baseball. It's refreshing to have one whose personality revolves around finding new and inventive ways to lounge on furniture.
So, what do you think? Is Holly Hunter's unconventional portrayal of Captain Ake a breath of fresh air, or is it disrespectful to the traditions of Star Trek? Is it a sign of the times, or a step too far? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
