Some reactions to the new Star Trek show suggest people forget the franchise has always been flexible with its history. Even before Starfleet Academy made some surprising changes set nearly 1000 years in the future, Star Trek had seen many retcons – changes to established storylines. While not all were huge shifts (starship designs were often tweaked for practical reasons), fans definitely pay attention. You can’t alter something fundamental, like the color of Klingon blood, without facing scrutiny.
As a lifelong Trek fan, I always find it a little frustrating how much flak the newer shows – what some call “Nu-Trek” – get for making changes, especially when those changes could actually enrich the overall story. I mean, why not have Odo’s return to the Dominion eventually lead to something cool like a Klingon/Jem’Hadar hybrid? It’s a neat idea! And it’s good they’ve confirmed things like Harry Kim becoming an admiral – a little payoff for long-time viewers. But honestly, not every change feels necessary. The one in the first episodes of Starfleet Academy felt a bit…much. A random extra revealed the Cheron – those striking black and white aliens from the original TOS episode “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” – are still around centuries later. I get why some fans might find that hard to swallow.
How Starfleet Academy Retcons The Cheron (Or Does It?)
The Cheron were famously used as a metaphor for racial conflict, reflecting real-world tensions through a species that destroyed itself over superficial differences. Bele (played by Frank Gorshin) and Lokai (Lou Antonio), the last two Cheron, were bitter enemies and never resolved their conflict during the episode. It seemed likely they would ultimately destroy each other, leading to the complete extinction of their race, or that one would remain alone due to their long lifespan. The fact that only two survived made their story particularly heartbreaking.
The recent introduction of a young female Cheron at Starfleet Academy suggests the tragic destruction of their species wasn’t as complete as previously believed. While it’s still possible they reproduce asexually, this implies Bele and Lokai weren’t the only survivors – perhaps an entire family escaped. This diminishes the emotional impact of their story, turning it from a tale of two lone, angry enemies into something less unique. Unlike the revival of the Jem’Hadar/Klingon conflict, bringing back the Cheron feels more like a nod to fan requests than a meaningful story addition, and it ultimately creates more unanswered questions than resolutions.
This isn’t the first time this species has shown up since the original Star Trek series – one briefly appeared in the Section 31 movie. That character, Virgil, was a Section 31 operative with little background, but it was clear more than just Bele and Lokai escaped the planet Cheron before it was destroyed. Interestingly, Bele, Virgil, and the new Starfleet Academy cadet all have markings on the right side of their faces, hinting that Lokai’s side might have been defeated. It’s uncertain if Star Trek will explore this further, but it doesn’t seem likely.
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2026-01-22 01:11