Star Trek: Discovery's Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) was once infamous as Starfleet's first mutineer, and she also got no recognition for another Starfleet first. Star Trek: Discovery's series premiere introduced Michael Burnham as a Commander and the First Officer of the USS Shenzhou under Captain Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh). Burnham sparked the war between the resurgent Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets in 2256-2257, which reinstalled the Klingons as Starfleet's deadliest enemies.
The Klingon Empire was established in Star Trek: Discovery's series premiere to have been "in disarray for generations." However, T'Kuvma (Chris Obi) sought to unite the 24 Great Houses by lighting the Beacon of Kahless. T'Kuvma believed himself to be the Klingon Messiah, and he planned to reestablish galactic Klingon dominance by leading the unified Klingon Empire into a war with Starfleet and the Federation. Commander Michael Burnham and the USS Shenzhou discovered the Klingons' intentions. Before Burnham's desperation to prevent war led her to mutiny against Captain Georgiou, Michael came face-to-face with a Klingon.
Star Trek: Discovery’s Burnham Was The First Human To Kill A Klingon
Burnham killed more than one Klingon
In Star Trek: Discovery's series premiere, "The Vulcan Hello," Commander Michael Burnham donned an EV suit to investigate a mysterious structure in a binary star system. What Burnham found was the Beacon of Kahless, and Michael was confronted by the Klingons' Torchbearer, Rejac (Justin Howell). The Torchbearer attacked the Starfleet Officer, but Commander Burnham's forward momentum led to the Klingon impaled on his own bat'leth, killing the armored alien warrior.
Star Trek: Enterprise's series premiere, "Broken Bow," established First Contact between Klingons and humans happened in 2151. Enterprise takes place about 100 years before Star Trek: Discovery in Star Trek's Prime Timeline. Although Klingons made several appearances on Star Trek: Enterprise, the Klingon Empire became fractured and warred among itself, according to Star Trek: Discovery. Before Commander Burnham faced her first Klingon, Starfleet's encounters with Klingons were rare, and Michael was the first human in the 23rd century known to have killed a Klingon.
Why Burnham Gets No Credit For Killing A Klingon
Too much blood was on Burnham's hands
The Klingons are the galaxy's most feared and brutal warriors, but Commander Michael Burnham got no credit for killing a Klingon. Michael's foster father, Ambassador Sarek (James Frain), gave her no praise when Burnham told him what she had done. Michael killing a Klingon was no cause for celebration because Starfleet does not celebrate killing. Further, the death of Rejac was an accident, and Burnham wanted to open diplomatic talks before the Klingon attacked her.
Commander Burnham committed mutiny by defying Captain Georgiou's orders, attacking Philippa with a Vulcan nerve pinch, and ordering the USS Shenzhou to fire on the Klingons.
In Star Trek: Discovery's second episode, "Battle at the Binary Stars," Commander Burnham and Captain Georgiou beamed onto T'Kuvma's ship and more Klingons died at their hands. But tragically, Georgiou was killed by T'Kuvma before Burnham got revenge by slaying the Klingon Messiah. Considering the millions that died from the Klingon War, it was no great achievement to kill a Klingon. Michael Burnham's role in starting the Klingon War by killing Rejac, which dominoes into Burnham's mutiny, leading to the death of Captain Georgiou, led to Michael's imprisonment.
Burnham & Discovery Moved Past Their Initial Klingon Mistakes
Captain Michael Burnham redeemed herself and then some
Star Trek: Discovery moved far past Michael Burnham's mistakes with the Klingons in season 1. Burnham ultimately redeemed herself as a member of the USS Discovery by helping end the Klingon War. Starfleet reinstated Burnham's rank as Commander and the lessons Michael learned helped Starfleet reestablish their own values after the brutal and bloody Klingon War. Star Trek: Discovery's later seasons, set in the 32nd century, saw Burnham become Captain of the USS Discovery. Michael and her crew's 23rd-century optimism reunited the Federation, which was torn apart by the Burn.
Burnham's mistakes with the Klingons in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 no longer matter.
The Klingons weren't seen again after Star Trek: Discovery season 2, due in part to negative response from fans to how Discovery reinvented the Klingons. Star Trek: Discovery found new enemies in seasons 3, 4, and 5, including the Emerald Chain, the Dark Matter Anomaly, and the Breen. By the end of Star Trek: Discovery, Captain Burnham is recognized as a compassionate, intelligent, and daring leader who inspires her crew aboard the USS Discovery. In the 32nd century, Burnham's mistakes with the Klingons in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 no longer matter.
