Star Trek: Starfleet Academy actor George Hawkins, who plays cadet Darem Reymi, recently addressed his unique character and why he often masks his Khionian skin, which is changeable between the species semi-aquatic form and that of a human. When asked if Khionians only assume their true form when in their own environment, Hawkins replied (via TrekMovie.com):
"I’m not too sure. I think the way that I play is Darem, when he feels comfortable, and comfortable to express himself through his skin like that. So you see in episode 1 with Genesis, where Darem asks her to turn around. He doesn’t want her to see him transforming. It’s like it was awkward, like he was naked. It’s not necessarily like a free currency of transforming when he wants to."
Hawkins continued by saying:
"It’s actually sort of like an embarrassing thing for him. Especially in front of someone who’s never met a Khionian and has no idea what this is. And I sort of love that unique take on a transforming character. Actually, they’re sort of embarrassed by this skin, of this thing that they own, of that’s a part of them. And I think that weaves so nicely into Darem’s story."
Viewers who struggle with the show's youthful tone and viewpoint (and who seem to be missing the point of the POV entirely) fail to understand that Darem's ability to mask and transform, not just physically but emotionally as well, is a touchstone metaphor central to any Star Trek series that has aired over the past 60 years.
When Star Trek first appeared on TV in 1966, it was strange and compelling: officers were African-American, Asian-American, Russian, and the first officer of the USS Enterprise was a half-human, half-Vulcan hybrid named Spock.
As a man who lived by the Vulcan creed of logic, Spock often masked his human half and his emotions along with it. He would only let his guard down and give his shipmates a glimpse of his repressed emotions under extreme circumstances, or if forced to by alien influences.
Both Darem Reymi and Spock have one major arc in common: they mask their true selves out of embarrassment and shame. Just as Spock has difficulty with his human half as a young science officer aboard Enterprise, the Khionian cadet isn't at all comfortable with dropping his mask and revealing his true alien form in front of others. He has yet to learn, as Spock did during his own journey of self-discovery, that trust and time are the best ways to learn more about who he truly is.
Hmm. That sure sounds like Star Trek to me!
You can catch Darem Reymi and the rest of the cadets on Starfleet Academy, with new episodes dropping every Thursday on Paramount+ through March 12. And for more Star Trek content, visit the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.