Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has drawn plenty of attention from fans and critics since its debut on Paramount+. While opinions vary, the fresh faces of this new series are undeniably talented. Most of them are untried but ambitious, including Karim Diane, who plays the Klingon cadet Jay-Den Kraag. From the start of the franchise, Klingons as a whole have seen plenty of changes to the species, and Diane revealed to Collider that his character will reflect that.
"He's not a warrior in the traditional sense. He doesn't like weapons, but he is stronger than any Klingon you have ever seen, and certainly braver. You know what I mean? So, I'm just so excited for people to receive him and receive that message."
Diane said in the same interview:
"You mentioned Black masculinity, so now I feel like I want to talk about that because my whole life, like, I'm not this huge macho man, honestly. I’ve never played sports. I don't have any interest in it. Growing up, everybody told me something was wrong with me because I'm not like everybody else, but truly, coming to Star Trek and being cast in this show specifically because I am the way that I am, it’s so reaffirming that I am perfect the way that I am right now, and so is Jay-Den."
Diane makes an excellent point about breaking away from cultural expectations and re-examining certain traditions that begin to feel oppressive to the next generation (no pun intended).
Kraag's story will probably feel familiar to fans of Star Trek: The Original Series who found both safety and comfort in Spock, who broke Vulcan traditions and the expectations of his parents to serve in Starfleet. With each series, we'd get that character, the one viewers knew would experience an amazing story arc of change and, in some cases, complete rebirth!
Starfleet Academy is a glimpse into the future and viewed through the eyes of the young. While Holly Hunter, Oded Fehr, and Tig Notaro help anchor the cast, it's stories like Kraag's that will help build its audience because viewers have always found comfort in characters they have always related to, the ones who are different from all the others: Spock, Data, Odo, Neelix, Saru, and many more!
If Star Trek has taught its fans anything, it's that change is inevitable and often beneficial, especially when it comes to living the best version of oneself. I'm looking forward to seeing how Kraag moves forward, especially as one from a warrior race pursuing a future in the medical field. It's unexpected and compelling, like a Vulcan initiating a finger kiss in public.
Does Jay-Den Kraag hold any mystique for you? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.