2. Starfleet Academy reflects these ideals
Let's return to the present, where some fans of The Original Series and those of the late 1980s and 1990s (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager), are shaking their fists and all-caps commenting anywhere they can that Starfleet Academy is "too woke" and doesn't resemble any previous franchise entries that earned the Star Trek title.
Either these fans have forgotten their fandom roots, or they would rather skim the surface than look at what's behind these new characters and how they continue to represent the franchise's core ideals.
Just as Captain Kirk and his crew faced the problems of their present, (the threat of Klingon aggression, the presence of the then-faceless Romulans, and much of space yet uncharted), the cadets of Starfleet Academy face their own: the results of The Burn, Starfleet culture versus familial culture, and facing who they are to themselves instead of being told who they are by their parents and other elders.
Still not convinced? Let's take a closer look at some other parallels:
- James Kirk had to work with the Klingons ("Day of the Dove") for better or worse/
Nahla Ake must work with an enemy (Nus Braka), for better or worse, both in the interest of saving lives through diplomacy.
- Mr. Spock defied tradition and parental pressure by enrolling in Starfleet/Darem Reymi defies his family and pushes back against his duties as a member of the royal family by joining Starfleet.
- Kirk's bridge team included a wide array of diverse individuals with their own talents who experienced character growth onboard the USS Enterprise /the Starfleet Academy cadets feature the same diversity and personal growth, including those like the photonic Series Acclimation Mil (Sam), who is the first of her kind to enroll in the academy.
- Spock was a hybrid Vulcan/human and held dual positions on the bridge of the Enterprise as both first officer and science officer/Lura Thok is a hybrid Klingon/Jem'Hadar and holds dual positions on board the USS Athena as both first officer and Cadet Master (and both are highly respected individuals).
- In The Next Generation, Worf faced bigotry and ignorance as he struggled with culture clash/in Starfleet Academy, Jay-Den Kragg faces the same challenges as he searches for his true self versus traditional Klingon roles.
I could go on, but I have other points to make.