Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery’s Series Finale, “Life, Itself”
Summary
Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) got a well-deserved happy ending inStar Trek: Discovery’s series finale, and the sight of them growing old together is something I’ve wanted fromStar Trekforever. Written by Kyle Jarrow and Michelle Paradise, and directed by Olatunde Osunsanme,Star Trek: Discoveryended with a poignant coda showing that Michael and Book made a life together after their romantic reunion on the beach at Admiral Saru (Doug Jones) and President T’Rina’s (Tara Rosling) wedding.Burnham and Book bucked the odds by having a family together, and it’s about time.
Star Trektraditionally celebrates friendship and the makeshift family a starship Captain finds with his crew above all else. To wit, aStar TrekCaptain actually achieving love and family after saving the galaxy - and wanting to keep it or not be robbed of it - is a rare sight.Audiences have been conditioned to accept this bittersweet scenario asde rigueurforStar Trek. After all,Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) diesalone inStar Trek Generations,Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) gives up his new wife and son to become a god inStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, and afterStar Trek: Voyagerended, Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) didn’t find love or start a family.
Even the marriage of Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) nearly broke before they reconciled inStar Trek: Picardseason 3.
Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Finale Ending & Shocking Epilogue Explained
Star Trek: Discovery comes to an end with season 5’s finale wrapping up the Progenitors treasure hunt and an epilogue concluding the entire series.
Burnham & Book’s Happy Ending Perfectly Brings Their Star Trek: Discovery Love Story Full Circle
Discovery’s ending calls back to how Michael and Book began
Star Trek: Discovery’s series finale endingis unapologetically sentimental and romantic. Even better, Captain Burnham and Cleveland Booker’s reunion brilliantly harkens back to their unusual first meeting. Book tells Michael that he planted his Kwejian world root on Sanctuary Four, the planet they brought Molly the trance worm to after they met at the start ofStar Trek: Discoveryseason 3. When Michael confesses that she"never stopped"loving Book, she also added he was"annoying as hell back then".But Book and Michael both knew the truth -“You still love me”.Star Trek: Discoveryknows this truth as well, andBurnham and Book got to live in this sweet moment of understanding that they loved each other since the moment they met, and they are meant to be together.
Burnham and Book never compromised each other’s agency.
Thanks toStar Trek: Discovery, a Black man and woman were the central relationship in aStar Trekseries, and they did not have to tragically part. Rather, Michael Burnham and Cleveland Booker endured a heartbreaking separation and the uncertainty of reconciliation, but they knew who their hearts truly belonged to, and they maturely acted on their feelings. ToStar Trek: Discovery’s credit,Burnham and Book were always equals, despite Michael’s Starfleet rank. Burnham and Book never compromised each other’s agency, and their actions always showed respect and understanding for each other, even when they were in disagreement. Michael and Book’s beach scene inStar Trek: Discovery’s ending lets them move forward together as partners. It was already a perfect ending, butDiscovery’s coda did it one better.
Admiral Burnham & Book’s Ending Breaks Star Trek Tradition For The Better
Discovery allowed Book and Michael to grow old and happy together
Star Trek: Discovery’s finale epilogue flashes forward 30+ years to show Admiral Michael Burnham and Cleveland Booker have lived a happy life and grown old together, and it’s remarkable. They also have a son,Leto Burnham (Sawandi Wilson), who follows in Michael’s footsteps as a Starfleet Captain.In a rare sight forStar Trekthat I’ve always wanted to see, Burnham and Book made their relationship work.They were (presumably) never torn apart by plot contrivances, or resentful toward each other because of a tragedy. Rather, Michael and Booker were rewarded with happiness and a family life thatStar Trek, unfortunately, traditionally denies too many of its beloved main characters.
The list ofStar Trekcharacters who have achieved a happy life with a loving family is far shorter than the ones who have ended up alone after suffering tragedy.
The lesson Michael learned -the answer to her biggestStar Trek: Discoveryquestion- was that the meaning of it all isn’t in the mission, but in the loved ones she chooses to spend her time with. For Michael, that went from theUSS Discovery’s crewto her husband and son. For Captain Leto Burnham, it will be the opposite. He grew up in a loving and supportive family, and now he must forge a found family with his new starship crew. Burnham and Booker took what Captain Sisko began onStar Trek: Deep Space Nineand achieved the happy ending Ben was denied with his family. I’ve always wanted to seeStar Trekshow a love story in full and give one of its greatest Captains a reward after their starship voyages. I loved howStar Trek: Discovery’s ending truly did right by Michael Burnham and Cleveland Booker.
