TNG’s Counselor Troi Didn’t Design Star Trek: Discovery’s Betazoid Test - But She Could Have

The psychological test undergone by Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths", is so akin to therapy that Star Trek: The Next Generation's Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) could have designed it. Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths", written by Lauren Wilkinson & Eric J. Robbins, and directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, sends Burnham into a mindscape where she confronts her fears to secure the final clue to the location of the Progenitors' treasure. As Burnham undergoes the test left behind by Betazoid scientist Marina Derex, the USS Discovery attempts to hold back a Breen attack.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8 is all about the importance of taking an introspective journey. It's only through navigating her own psychological complexity that Burnham can be honest with herself, and prove worthy to proect the Progenitors' treasure. The labyrinths of the episode's title refers not to the rows and rows of bookshelves in the Eternal Gallery and Archive, but to the complexity of the human mind. Star Trek: The Next Generation's Counselor Troi would surely approve of such a test, even if she had no hand in designing it.

TNG’s Counselor Troi Could Have Designed Star Trek: Discovery’s Betazoid Test

Star Trek: Discovery's Betazoid scientist is named Dr. Marina Derex, which is an overt tribute to Marina Sirtis and Counselor Troi. This tribute becomes more pronounced when the nature of Dr. Derex's test is revealed in Discovery season 5, episode 8. It's essentially a form of therapy, with the program interface - which takes the form of Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) - using perfectly timed nudges and questions to help Burnham understand how she's been driven by a fear of failure. It's talking therapy, not unlike the methods used by Counselor Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Counselor Troi helped many crew members on the USS Enterprise-D face their own fears and failings during Star Trek: The Next Generation's seven seasons. For example, in Star Trek Generations, Troi helped Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) come to terms with the death of his brother and nephew by letting Jean-Luc do most of the talking. It's easy to see, therefore, that if the Federation President had chosen Counselor Troi, instead of Dr. Derex for the Progenitors' mission, she would have come up with the exact same test for Captain Burnham.

Star Trek: Discovery’s Scientist And TNG’s Counselor Troi Aren’t Like Other Betazoids

The more thoughtful and introspective Counselor Troi and, presumably, Dr. Marina Derex are slightly at odds with the more hedonistic, grandiose Betazoids from elsewhere in the Star Trek universe. For example, Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett) was vibrant, outrageous, but could also be incredibly attuned to the feelings of others, like Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) or Alexander Rozhenko (Brian Bonsall). Similarly, the Betazoid delegation from Star Trek: Lower Decks were hedonistic party girls, but were also shrewd intelligence operatives. If Lower Decks' Betazoids had tested Captain Burnham, then Michael would have ended up fighting the Breen with a cataclysmic hangover.

However, as much as Counselor Troi may be embarrassed by her hedonistic and flirty mother in Star Trek: The Next Generation, it's just a different way of putting people at ease. Drinking cocktails with Lwaxana Troi or the Betazoid delegation can be just as restorative as a deep conversation with Counselor Troi on the Enterprise. However, given the tone of Star Trek: Discovery as a whole, it makes sense that they opted for a more traditional form of therapy for Captain Burnham's final test.