As Star Trek: Starfleet Academy fans reel from the news of the show’s surprise cancellation, season 2 is still coming. And while peaking to Virtual Trek Con’s The Main Viewer, Raoul Bhaneja confirmed that he will return in season 2 as Zeeren Kelrec, the Chancellor of the War College. Bhaneja said via ScreenRant:
“I can say that Kelrec definitely appears in season 2. For me, anyway, it was an interesting development of the character and the kind of situations he’s in, or he finds himself in. Had the show been able to go for four seasons, I think it would have been pretty satisfying on a few fronts."
Bhaneja continued by saying:
"Primarily, it was going to be about the growth of our cadets, and to see them go from frosh week kids to ‘could these be the future Janeways and Kirks?’ By the end of season 4, hopefully, you’d be like, ‘Yeah, maybe some of these kids could do it.’ To me, at least, that’s what I thought the trajectory of a four season show would be…"
Like everyone in the Starfleet Academy cast, Bhaneja was clearly surprised at the show being canceled. His words indicate that Kelrec would have seen further character growth and development if the show had continued. Who knows, he may have eventually become more of a regular as the War College likely would have gotten more attention over the course of the series.
The character was introduced as a rival to Chancellor Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) during a “prank war” between the two schools. A good character touch was that Kelrec had been Ake’s friend, but felt she had abandoned Starfleet 15 years earlier. They did come together in the end for a more professional relationship.
Kelrec was hit hard when an attack by the Furies criminal cartel killed Lt. Commander Tomov and the Vulcan cadet B'Avi. It’s clear that while he wants to prepare these students to be soldiers, but he’s still affected by losing them so young. It’s likely that a long-range plotline would have been Kelrec realizing that Ake’s unorthodox teaching methods at the Academy could better guide the War College cadets as well.
The show had only scratched the surface of the War College and the potential in the continuing rivalry with Starfleet Academy. Kelrec had already been showing he was more than just a ramrod, by-the-book teacher, and his friendship with Ake was nicely handled.
It’s still sad we won’t see the full arc for Kelrec that Bhaneja wanted, but at least the character is back to spark up Starfleet Academy season 2. Are you excited for Kelrec's return? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.
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