For sixty years, Star Trek has told stories based on a few key ideas. Though the original series only ran for three seasons, it grew into a massive franchise and a lasting platform for storytelling. A big part of this success came from rules created by Gene Roddenberry, such as the Prime Directive, which guided Starfleet’s actions. Roddenberry also emphasized that Starfleet was about exploring, negotiating, and learning—not just military power. There was also a lesser-known, but very important, rule often called the “Roddenberry Rule.”
A long-standing principle of Star Trek, known as the “Roddenberry Rule,” dictated that stories should focus on external conflicts – threats from outside the ship – rather than drama between the crew members. This rule became a benchmark for the franchise. However, the new series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, frequently breaks this rule by centering stories around conflicts between its main characters. Interestingly, one of the show’s actors argues that this doesn’t actually violate the original intent of the rule.
Starfleet Academy Actor Refutes Criticsm That Series Breaks Franchise Rules
Fans of Starfleet Academy will notice that conflict is a central part of the show’s storyline. This stems from a strong rivalry between Starfleet Academy and the War College, affecting both the students and their respective leaders. In an interview with TrekCore, Raoul Bhaneja, who plays Commander Kelrec of the War College and is a longtime Star Trek fan, discussed how the series challenges established Star Trek conventions.
Bhaneja explained that conflict is essential to storytelling. When asked about the ‘Roddenberry rule,’ he pointed out that all good stories need tension. He used examples like the disagreements between Kirk and Spock, and Sisko and Picard, noting that these conflicts often happened between characters who respected each other and were ultimately on the same team.
He explained that what’s interesting about this dynamic is how different Kelrec and Ake (Holly Hunter) are. Despite both being responsible for training the next group of Starfleet officers – a very important job – they have completely opposing personalities. Kelrec finds it particularly challenging because this new person is forcing them to rethink their entire approach to training.
Bhaneja is right to point out that this conflict makes sense within the story, considering the different roles these characters play and the overall themes of Starfleet Academy. The series has always focused on a new generation grappling with a world damaged by disaster, and learning from those who came before them—people set in their ways. This storyline is still developing, and the resulting disagreements between characters provide plenty of interesting material. Besides, Star Trek has a sixty-year history of consistently challenging its own established rules, so this fits right in.
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2026-01-30 19:11