With ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ set to premiere this Sunday, CBS has released a new promo that delves into one of the major new characters of the show, Captain Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) of the U.S.S. Shenzhou, who is also the mentor to her Number One, Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green). Georgiou is kind of a big deal in Starfleet it would seem, with phrases thrown out in the promo indicating she is more or less known as the best captain in the fleet at the time of the series, and it is not hard to see why. She is a veteran of war and has experienced much loss in her life, but instead of letting any of those dark times consume her, she remains staunchly optimistic in her life views and has faith in everyone around her, including both humans and aliens.
According to Executive Producer Akiva Goldsman:
“She is the kind and compassionate leader who has seen a life of loss but has chosen optimism instead.”
And in the words of Michelle Yeoh, the woman bringing Georgiou to life in the series:
“She is strict but fun. She has a dry sense of humor. She is able to retain humanity in who she is, even though she’s seen so much bloodshed. And I think that is one of the reasons why Sarek, the Vulcan ambassador, has chosen Captain Georgiou and has given her the guardianship of Michael Burnham.”
The promo goes on to talk about her ability to instinctively connect with her crew, which allows them to bond with their captain, and her experience allows her to remain calm even in the face of battle, which helps her crew to perform their duties without panicking. Of course, we will most likely see all of this traits in action and her talents pushed to their limits once the show premieres, but for now, it is good to know the new captain we will be watching sounds like a worthy successor to the ones we have had on the past franchise shows.
What are your thoughts on Yeoh’s Georgiou? Do you think she will hold up to the likes of Kirk, Janeway and Picard? Share your opinions in the comments below!
