Summary
- Star Trek: Discovery's ending reveals Leto Burnham-Booker as a young Starfleet Captain, comparable to Captain James T. Kirk's early career success.
- Leto follows in the footsteps of his mother, Captain and, later, Admiral Michael Burnham.
- Leto made Captain younger than Michael Burnham did, but Chris Pine's Kirk in Star Trek (2009) did it faster.
One detail from Star Trek: Discovery's ending makes Captain Leto Burnham-Booker (Sawandi Wilson), the son of Admiral Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), like Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) in Star Trek: The Original Series. Written by Kyle Jarrow and Michelle Paradise, and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, Star Trek: Discovery's emotional coda warped the saga to the 33rd century, showing how Michael Burnham and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) lived a happy life together. One big surprise is they have a fully grown son, Leto, who just became a Starfleet Captain.
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 reinforced that Captain Michael Burnham is the most important Starfleet Captain of the 32nd century. Within three years of her arrival in 3188, Burnham not only was promoted to Captain of the USS Discovery, but she and her time-tossed starship solved the mystery of the Burn and restored the United Federation of Planets, saved the Federation from the Dark Matter Anomaly, and Burnham found the ancient technology of the Progenitors, and protected the galaxy from it. Michael's son, Leto, has a tough act to follow as a starship Captain, but it seems he already bested his mother in one respect.
Star Trek: Discovery’s Epilogue Makes Burnham’s Son One Of The Youngest Captains, Like Kirk
Leto has to be one of Starfleet's youngest Captains
Star Trek: Discovery's finale coda flashing forward 30 years makes Leto Burnham-Booker one of the youngest Starfleet Captains in the style of Captain James T. Kirk. Leto wasn't born yet, nor was Michael Burnham even pregnant, when Star Trek: Discovery season 5's original ending saw Michael and Book romantically reunite on the beach at the wedding of Admiral Saru (Doug Jones) and President T'Rina (Tara Rosling). The oldest Leto could be is in his early 30s when he arrives to escort Admiral Burnham to the USS Discovery for its final mission in the 33rd century, so Leto is a remarkably young starship Captain - and he achieved that promotion before his mother.
It wouldn't be surprising if Michael achieved Admiral at a relatively young age - like James T. Kirk did.
Commander Michael Burnham was 34 years old when she became Captain of the USS Discovery. (Or 964 given Star Trek: Discovery's time jump 930 years in the future). Michael Burnham was born in 2226, and Burnham was 30 when she was First Officer of the USS Shenzhou and was subsequently imprisoned as Starfleet's first mutineer for her role in sparking the Klingon War. Reinstated as a Starfleet Commander, Michael was 32 when she time traveled to the 32nd century as the Red Angel, and Burnham was 33 when the USS Discovery joined her in 3190. Although it's unknown how old Burnham was when Starfleet promoted her to flag officer, it wouldn't be surprising if Michael became Admiral at a relatively young age - like James T. Kirk did.
How Old Kirk Was When He Became Captain Of The Enterprise
Kirk Was A Young Starfleet Captain In Two Star Trek Timelines
James T. Kirk was one of the youngest Starfleet Officers to become a starship Captain. Kirk was 32 years old when he became Captain of the USS Enterprise, succeeding Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter/Anson Mount). Kirk's Starfleet career was already meteoric; Lieutenant James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) became the youngest First Officer in Starfleet when he became the Number One of the USS Farragut, as seen in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2. Of course, Kirk's five-year mission leading the Starship Enterprise was historic. Kirk was promoted to Admiral and Chief of Starfleet Operations soon after, before James turned 40.
James T. Kirk broke his father, Lt. George Kirk's record as the youngest First Officer in Starfleet.
However, William Shatner's Captain Kirk was far outpaced by his alternate Kelvin timeline counterpart in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009). Chris Pine's Captain Kirk warped up the ranks from Starfleet Academy Cadet to Captain of the Enterprise all in the course of Star Trek (2009). Pine's Kirk was only 25 when he became Captain, which happened in 2258, 7 years before Shatner's Kirk became Captain in 2265 in Star Trek's Prime timeline. In Star Trek: Discovery, Admiral Burnham's son, Leto, may indeed have risen to Captain faster than William Shatner's Captain Kirk did, but making Captain at 25 still seems to be something only Chris Pine's James T. Kirk managed.
