Every Star Trek Easter Egg & Reference in Starfleet Academy’s First 2 Episodes

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The first two episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy are filled with hidden references and nods to the franchise’s history. The show takes us to the 32nd century, back at Starfleet Academy on Earth, as a new generation of cadets begins training. These students are growing up in a post-disaster world – after a cataclysmic event called “the Burn” – and are helping to rebuild the Federation.

The new show, Starfleet Academy, feels like the ideal celebration of the franchise’s 60th anniversary. The Academy setting is a natural fit for hidden references and nods to the past—it even includes a memorial wall honoring beloved characters from throughout the series’ history. Here’s a rundown of all the Easter eggs and references found in the first two episodes.

Starfleet Academy’s Dedication Mural Is Packed With Easter Eggs & References

The dedication mural is filled with recognizable names from Star Trek: The Original Series, including all the main crew members and even supporting characters like Commander Janice Rand. A fun surprise is seeing Nyota Uhura listed as Captain Uhura, indicating she achieved a higher rank. The mural also includes references to later series, mentioning Midshipman Peter Preston – Scotty’s nephew from Star Trek: The Motion Picture – and Hikaru Sulu’s daughter, Demora, who also appears to have become a captain.

The crew of The Next Generation is also featured prominently, though there’s a slight error identifying Wesley Crusher with a rank he never achieved. References to Deep Space Nine are sometimes unclear, simply mentioning “Dax” without specifying which iteration. Garak is listed as an ambassador, hinting at events that happened after DS9. Many characters from Voyager appear, and it looks like Harry Kim eventually rose to the rank of Admiral.

The memorial wall includes names from several Star Trek series. We see characters from Enterprise and Discovery, and the inclusion of Dr. Hugh Culber suggests this section hasn’t been updated since Discovery was thought to be lost in the 23rd century. Only Christopher Pike’s name appears from Strange New Worlds, likely to keep future plot points and character fates hidden. A few names from Lower Decks are present, including Commander Beckett Mariner and Captain Carl Freedman, and one entry, Zero the Third, may refer to the character Zero from Prodigy.

The show includes some names of people not directly involved with the story, and the most moving one is that of Peter David, a famous Star Trek writer who passed away last year. We’ll likely notice more hidden references as the memorial wall is revealed throughout the season.

Key Alien Races in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

Starfleet Academy has a remarkably diverse student body, with representatives from many different alien races, indicating widespread Federation alliances. We saw students who were Saurians, Orions, Vulcans, and Ferengi, plus a friendly Brikar from the show Prodigy. Interestingly, there was also a Cheronian female present, which is surprising. Cheronians were thought to be extinct since Star Trek: The Original Series, though one nameless Cheronian did appear in Section 31, already casting doubt on that belief.

Several interesting details emerge from the cast of Starfleet Academy. Gina Yashere plays Commander Lura Thok, who has a unique heritage – she’s half-Klingon and half-Jem’Hadar. Karim Diane portrays Jay-Den Kraag, a Klingon character, and Holly Hunter plays Chancellor Nahla Ake, a Lanthian (a species previously seen in Strange New Worlds). Paul Giamatti plays the villain Nus Braka, who is half-Tellarite and half-Klingon. The second episode also reintroduces the Betazoids as a key part of the story.

The U.S.S. Athena is an Important Ship

Starfleet Academy is built around the U.S.S. Athena, a recently renamed Federation starship. The ship’s name is significant, suggesting the Academy’s dual purpose: like the Greek goddess Athena, who represented both intelligence and combat, cadets will receive training in both Starfleet principles and the strategies of the War College.

Humpback Whales Give James T. Kirk a New Legacy

Tarima is excited about seeing humpback whales, but there’s a surprising history behind this. As seen in the movie The Voyage Home, whales were extinct in the time of Captain Kirk, and the Enterprise crew had to travel back in time to save them. Now, it appears whales have continued to thrive into the 32nd century. It’s possible Tarima isn’t actually interested in the whales themselves, but rather in the other intelligent species on Earth, hoping to gain a new understanding of the planet.

Every Other Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Easter Egg

In addition, Starfleet Academy‘s first two episodes feature some tremendous Easter eggs:

  • The V’Rilik penal colony is on the planet Toloth, first referenced in Strange New World – although a member of the Federation at that time. Now, it appears to be part of an unknown empire.
  • Chancellor Ake references the classic Latin phrase “Ad Astra Per Aspera” (Through adversity to the stars”), lifted from a plague at Cape Canaveral honoring the Apollo I crew and used frequently throughout the franchise’s history.
  • There’s an atrium named after Enterprise‘s Hoshi Sato, a memorial to The Next Generation‘s legendary character Boothy, and a James T. Kirk Pavillion.
  • There’s also a surprise Red Dwarf Easter egg, with a line about Gazpacho soup being cold.

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2026-01-16 20:43