Every Star Trek: Discovery Main Character’s Ending Explained

The series finale of Star Trek: Discovery, "Life, Itself", explains what happens to Star Trek: Discovery's main characters after the series ends. Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 10, "Life, Itself" was quickly reconfigured from just Discovery season 5's finale into Discovery's series finale after Paramount+ ended the show's run. Principal photography for Star Trek: Discovery season 5 had been completed, so additional scenes were created for "Life, Itself" as an epilogue to Star Trek: Discovery that helps clarify what happens to Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), and Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman).

Star Trek: Discovery's epilogue serves as a proper send-off for Burnham, Book, and Tilly, but doesn't mention what has happened to the rest of Star Trek: Discovery's main characters in the decades since the events of Star Trek: Discovery season 5. While the rest of Discovery's characters aren't name checked in the epilogue, Star Trek: Discovery's series finale still offers insight as to what happens to the crew of the USS Discovery and Star Trek: Discovery season 5 antagonist, Moll (Eve Harlow), after the search for the Progenitors' technology is over.

10 Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green)

Admiral Michael Burnham Leaves A Lasting Starfleet Legacy

Star Trek: Discovery is, first and foremost, the story of Michael Burnham's redemption, so it's fitting that Burnham is also the focus of Star Trek: Discovery's epilogue. About 30 years after Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Admiral Michael Burnham lives a contented, comfortable life with her husband, Cleveland Booker, on Sanctuary Four. Burnham and Book have a son, Captain Leto Burnham (Sawandi Wilson), who arrives at the Burnham-Booker home to escort Admiral Burnham to the USS Discovery. There, Admiral Burnham commands Zora's (Annabelle Wallis) final mission: a Red Directive that sets up the Star Trek: Short Treks episode "Calypso".

Following Star Trek: Discovery season 5's search for the Progenitors' technology, Captain Michael Burnham continues her Starfleet career as Captain of the USS Discovery. Michael and Book reconcile their strained relationship, committing to one another in a quiet moment away from the reception for Saru and T'Rina's wedding. Burnham is entrusted with the infinity key that links to Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg), so Kovich can call on Burnham to command sensitive Red Directive missions, one of which is teased in a scene that would have closed Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

9 Ambassador Saru (Doug Jones)

"Action" Saru Marries Ni'Var President T'Rina

Captain Saru grows over the course of Star Trek: Discovery's 5 seasons from a profoundly fearful character into a commanding presence, and in the end, displays the talents of "Action" Saru, both in physical prowess and tense diplomatic negotiations. In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Saru becomes a Federation Ambassador, where Saru's empathy and origin as a pre-warp Kelpien are instrumental in how Saru approaches his duty to the Federation. As an Ambassador, Saru represents the voices of newer, smaller planets seeking entry to the Federation.

After two seasons of courtship, Saru's Star Trek: Discovery character arc comes to a close with Saru's wedding to Ni'Var President T'Rina (Tara Rosling). Saru and T'Rina both respect each other's lives of duty and service to their people, so Saru and T'Rina continue their services as Ambassador and President of Ni'Var, respectively, and presumably spend their lives together.

8 Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie)

Rayner Remains Discovery's First Officer

In the original plans for Star Trek: Discovery season 6, Commander Rayner was intended to continue as the USS Discovery's First Officer, following up with the success of his teamwork between Captain Burnham. As it stands, Rayner's character arc in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 showed immense capacity for growth, especially when Rayner rightfully took the captain's chair in Burnham's absence within the Progenitors' portal. Having earned the respect of Starfleet under Burnham's command, Rayner is likely to follow Burnham's example and work his way back up to being a Starfleet captain after being dismissed at the rank of Commander.

Commander Rayner's redemption doesn't come at the cost of Rayner's personality; instead, by opening himself up to possibilities and other people's opinions, Rayner comes up with creative solutions where all of Discovery's crew can work together. To that end, Commander Rayner is a likely candidate to help usher in Starfleet Academy's mentorship program, spearheaded by Lt. Sylvia Tilly.

7 Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp)

Stamets Learns To Enjoy The Process

Commander Paul Stamets is already held in high regard as a "Scientific Luminary" who invented the USS Discovery's spore drive, which was on the table as an alternative to warp drive in the 32nd century. To Stamets' dismay, Starfleet discontinues research into outfitting its future vessels with spore drives, instead putting resources into the pathway drive as a warp alternative. Believing his work no longer matters to the future, Stamets spends Star Trek: Discovery season 5 devoted to the search for the Progenitors' technology, but reconsiders what it actually means to be remembered when the Progenitors' technology is classified like the spore drive was in the 23rd century.

Commander Stamets leaves Star Trek: Discovery with more patience and kindness, largely thanks to Paul's fierce bonds with his husband, Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz), and their child, Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio). Stamets' new scientific approach favors genuine curiosity and exploration instead of hyper-focusing on practical applications.

6 Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz)

Culber's Spiritual Journey Continues

Dr. Hugh Culber truly came into his own over the course of Star Trek: Discovery, going from a minor character in Discovery season 1 to an integral part of the USS Discovery crew in Star Trek: Discovery season 3, when Culber took on the responsibility of maintaining the crew's mental health as the ship's counselor.

Dr. Culber's character arc in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 focuses on Culber's spiritual journey, which is still unresolved at the end of Star Trek: Discovery's series finale. If Hugh is part of a Star Trek: Discovery continuation, Culber's research into the intersection of faith and science remains a potential thread to tug on, but it's also fitting that Hugh Culber's attempt to reconcile science and spirituality remains a mystery. With a newfound spiritual path, Hugh Culber is primed to continue guiding Starfleet officers in both clinical and spiritual health.

5 Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman)

Tilly Makes Starfleet Academy History

In Star Trek: Discovery series finale's epilogue, Sylvia Tilly is the longest-tenured instructor at Starfleet Academy, and is still teaching new students. Professor Tilly doesn't physically appear, but dialogue reveals that Admiral Michael Burnham is still in contact with Tilly in the decades since the main events of Star Trek: Discovery season 5. Tilly's status as an influential Starfleet Academy teacher is a strong hint that Tilly should be in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the upcoming Star Trek show that continues the story of rebuilding Starfleet in the 32nd century with a whole crop of new cadets.

Lieutenant Sylvia Tilly begins her tenure as a Starfleet Academy instructor after Star Trek: Discovery season 4, and returns to the USS Discovery to assist in the search for the Progenitors' technology in Star Trek: Discovery season 5. With renewed confidence, Tilly goes back to Starfleet Academy ready to begin a mentorship program that's inspired by the beneficial one-on-one relationships between Captain Burnham and Commander Rayner, and Lt. Tilly's own mentorship of Ensign Adira Tal.

4 Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio)

Adira Inspires Starfleet Academy Changes

Throuhgout Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Ensign Adira Tal spends more time on the bridge of the USS Discovery, and finds newfound confidence on their own after breaking up with boyfriend Gray Tal (Ian Alexander) in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal". The influence of Trill symbiont Tal is less apparent as Adira figures out an independent identity, but still sometimes shines when Adira dispenses nuggets of wisdom.

Lt. Sylvia Tilly cites working with Ensign Tal as a primary inspiration for spearheading Starfleet Academy's new mentorship program, so there's a wide open space for Adira Tal to visit Star Trek: Starfleet Academy as an example of Tilly's successful mentoring. With Star Trek: Starfleet Academy aimed at a younger demographic, it wouldn't be surprising to see the teenaged Adira follow Tilly to the Star Trek: Discovery spinoff.

3 Cleveland Booker (David Ajala)

Book Ensures Kwejian's Memory Lives On

At Saru and T'Rina's wedding, Cleveland Booker reveals to Michael Burnham that Book's sentence was commuted, freeing Book to offer his services as an independent contractor or courier to whomever he pleases. Electing to remain with Michael, Book and Grudge accompany the USS Discovery's future missions for the foreseeable future.

In Star Trek: Discovery's epilogue, Book is comfortably married to Admiral Michael Burnham. Book and Michael's son, Captain Leto Burnham, is named for Book's nephew who perished when Kwejian was destroyed by the DMA in Star Trek: Discovery season 4. Leto is a Starfleet captain like his mother, but is "his father's son" in temperament. Book acts as steward for the wild creatures of Sanctuary Four, where Book planted the Kwejian World Root obtained from the Eternal Gallery & Archive in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths".

2 Moll (Eve Harlow)

Moll Receives A Special Federation Assignment

At the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Moll is in a difficult place, having lost her Breen paramour L'ak (Elias Toufexis) and any potential power Moll might have gained within the structure of the Breen Imperium after L'ak's death. Because Moll killed Breen Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo), Moll may actually have a price on her head that forces Moll to seek political asylum with the Federation, despite the bad taste Moll has clearly expressed for the Federation.

Seeing potential in Moll, the Federation's Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg) has a special assignment in mind for Moll. No further details were given about Moll's special assignment, but because Kovich is the 32nd century identity for Star Trek: Enterprise's Agent Daniels, it's likely that Moll will be recruited as a time agent under Kovich's orders. That may set up the possibility of Moll appearing in the upcoming Star Trek: Section 31 movie or Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.

1 The USS Discovery Bridge Crew

Where Do Star Trek: Discovery's Bridge Officers Go?

While not often considered Star Trek: Discovery's main characters, several members of the USS Discovery bridge crew have nonetheless become close to our hearts over Discovery's 5 seasons. Star Trek: Discovery season 5 introduced several new 32nd century bridge officers who would likely remain on the USS Discovery if Star Trek: Discovery had been renewed for season 6. Here's where the original Discovery bridge crew members are at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5:

None of Star Trek: Discovery's main characters are in the same emotional place at the end of Discovery's series finale as they were when Star Trek: Discovery started. Important events on a galactic scale and the USS Discovery's leap into the 32nd century weren't just brushed off, but remain a part of Star Trek: Discovery's characters, who were fundamentally altered by their incredibly transformative experiences. The generally positive endings of these characters' journeys over the course of 5 seasons are emblematic of Star Trek: Discovery's own journey towards optimism and hope, resulting in a lasting legacy for Star Trek: Discovery overall.