After 60 years, Star Trek has become such a familiar part of our lives that we often don’t notice its quirks. One example is the dramatic way the characters, particularly the captains, speak – it’s surprisingly similar to Shakespearean dialogue, and intentionally so. As Patrick Stewart noted in the book The Fifty-Year Mission, comparisons between Star Trek and Shakespeare have been made for years, and with good reason.
The show Star Trek has often playfully made fun of its own dramatic dialogue. For example, an episode of The Next Generation featured Picard being kidnapped by a species that only speaks in metaphors, and in The Undiscovered Country, a Klingon jokingly suggests a poem sounds better in its original language. However, we didn’t anticipate getting an official explanation for why Star Trek is often so theatrical – and it’s revealed in a surprisingly bizarre way.
It Turns Out Starfleet Academy Trains Captains… With Theater
The eighth episode of Starfleet Academy is definitely one of the most unusual so far. It beautifully revisits a particularly memorable and emotional Voyager storyline – the impact of losing his holographic family on the Doctor – and Robert Picardo delivers a fantastic performance that truly captures the heartbreak. However, this episode takes a surprising approach by weaving in scenes of Mary Wiseman’s Tilly (known from Discovery) teaching acting to Starfleet cadets.
Interestingly, all cadets at Starfleet Academy are required to study theater. Considering Tilly is a time traveler from before any of the other Star Trek series except Enterprise, it seems this requirement has been in place for a long time. Tilly strongly believes theater studies are crucial for becoming a captain. She points out that both theater and command involve performance – a captain needs to inspire their crew, project confidence even when feeling uncertain, and adapt to various roles as situations demand. Essentially, being a captain is a performance.
Starfleet Academy’s Approach Actually Mirrors the Real World
It might seem strange that Starfleet Academy trains future captains with acting, but it’s actually based on real military practices. Many armed forces, including the U.K. military, now use “drama-based training” to help recruits work better as a team and understand different perspectives. This interactive method helps cadets develop empathy by stepping into the shoes of others.
It’s interesting that some military academies have had recruits put on full theatrical productions. They’re responsible for every aspect, from writing the script to directing the scenes, and this surprisingly helps them develop self-awareness – a vital quality for any leader, as it allows them to understand their own limitations. This isn’t limited to the military either; diplomatic training often uses role-playing and theater to improve understanding of international relations. Given that organizations like Starfleet require both military strength and diplomatic skill, this type of training makes a lot of sense.
We Finally Have An Answer to the Last Question We Expected to Deal With
It was surprising to get a real explanation for why performances and dramatic presentation are so common in Star Trek, but that’s exactly what happened as part of the show’s 60th anniversary. While the focus on theater within the specific episode seems unusual, it actually fits the larger story. This explanation also clarifies why Enterprise felt less theatrical than other Star Trek series – because it’s set at the very beginning of Starfleet and the Federation, before the Starfleet Academy even existed to teach acting and performance.
One question still needs an answer: the crew of the Discovery traveled from the past, and they may have brought a love for drama with them. We know theater was still studied during the time of The Next Generation – Jean-Luc Picard is a clear example – but we don’t know if that continued into the 32nd century. It’s possible the arrival of the USS Discovery somehow changed things in the Federation, and this is just another example of that.
What are your thoughts on Starfleet Academy? Share your opinions in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-02-28 18:41