Star Trek: Discovery and Starfleet Academy star Oded Fehr knows all about the franchise’s long tradition of shady Starfleet brass, but he doesn’t see Admiral Charles Vance as the latest entry in TNG’s infamous “Badmiral” club just yet. Speaking as both a lifelong fan and the actor who’s been playing Vance since Discovery’s 32nd‑century pivot, Fehr thinks his hard‑edged leader is still firmly on the right side of Trek’s moral ledger. The actor said in an interview via TrekMovie.com:
"It hasn’t happened yet. I’ve heard about it. I was a huge fan of the original Star Trek and The Next Generation. And it hasn’t happened yet. I love the character of Admiral Vance. I love the fact that sometimes he needs to be very harsh. He needs to be very tough. He needs to do things that many times will make him not the most light character. But he does that within the decision-making for the positive, always trying to find the most positive solution."
Fehr continued by saying:
"I love the character for that. As long as it works, bring it on. But if they need to, at some point, turn them into a villain, I don’t know. I agree with you. 'Badmiral' is definitely something I’ve heard many times, but so far, we haven’t done it. But whatever happens, I trust, [showrunners] Alex [Kurtzman] and Noga [Landau] and the producers, and the writing team to make really great decisions. This show is something I’m very proud of."
The “Badmiral” label Fehr references in his interview comes straight out of TNG, which leaned heavily on combative or outright corrupt Starfleet flag officers as built‑in antagonists.
From Admiral Mark Jameson in “Too Short a Season” to Vice Admiral Kennelly in “Ensign Ro,” TNG made a habit of using the admiralty to question how far the Federation would bend its ideals in the name of security or politics.
That tradition has continued into later projects with figures like Admiral Marcus in Star Trek Into Darkness and Les Buenamigo in Lower Decks, cementing “Badmiral” as a fandom shorthand for any Starfleet boss who’s forgotten what the uniform is supposed to stand for.