By
John Orquiola
Published
1 minute ago
John Orquiola is a New & Classic TV Editor, Senior Writer, and Interviewer with a special focus on Star Trek. John has over 4,000 published articles at SR, and he has interviewed the biggest names in Star Trek on the red carpet and VIP events, among other beloved shows, movies, and franchises.
Sign in to your ScreenRant account
Add Us On
follow
Follow
followed
Followed
Like
Like
Thread
Log in
Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
Try something different:
Show me the facts
Explain it like I’m 5
Give me a lighthearted recap
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes includes 10 shocking reveals regarding what happened to many iconic Star Trek characters. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is set in 3195, and the legacy wall in the USS Athena's Sato Atrium honors a thousand years of Starfleet history, going back to the 22nd century.
Hi-res photos of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes released online have sent Star Trek fans on an Easter egg hunt for the ultimate ranks of their favorite characters. One surprise is that Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes contains a mix of characters and real-life creatives behind Star Trek, such as Admiral Alex Kurtzman, Admiral Gaia Violo, Admiral Noga Landau, and Fleet Admiral Rod Roddenberry.
Some other surprising names that made Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes are lower deckers like Midshipman Peter Preston (Ike Eisenmann) from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Ensign Robin Lefler (Ashley Judd), and Ensign Sito Jaxa (Shannon Fill) from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Joshua Albert, who died a Starfleet Academy cadet in TNG, is also on the Wall of Heroes.
While Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes isn't complete, and there are some significant names missing, the ranks of some of the iconic figures who are honored on the Wall raise eyebrows. Here are the biggest surprises found in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes:
10 Riker Never Becomes Admiral But Jonathan Frakes Does
Captain William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) is, of course, on Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes, but it's shocking that Riker never made Admiral. Jonathan Frakes hoped that Admiral Riker would be giving Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and the USS Enterprise-G their orders of Star Trek: Legacy got made.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Frakes himself is given an Admiral's rank in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Canonically, Will Riker was an Admiral in the alternate future seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation's series finale, "All Good Things...", but the Prime Universe's Riker tops off as Captain.
9 Ambassador Garak?
Custom image by Ana Nieves
Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) is listed on Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes as an Ambassador. This is a surprising turn for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Cardassian spy who became a "simple tailor."
Star Trek: Lower Decks revealed an alternate universe version of Garak became a doctor alongside his husband, Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig).
Garak returned to Cardassia to help rebuild his homeworld after the Dominion War in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's finale. The most likely explanation for Garak being recognized by Starfleet Academy is that Elim may have become Federation Ambassador to Cardassia.
8 Tawny Newsome Is Ranked Higher Than Her Star Trek: Lower Decks Character
Tawny Newsome appears on Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes as herself and as her character, Beckett Mariner from Star Trek: Lower Decks. Unsurprisingly, the promotion-averse Mariner topped off her career as a Starfleet Commander. Newsome, however, was given the rank of Admiral.
As a co-producer and writer on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Tawny Newsome evolved into a creative force in Star Trek after her run voicing Mariner on Star Trek: Lower Decks ended. Newsome co-wrote Star Trek: Lower Decks episode 5, which is a tribute to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
7 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' La'an & Ortegas Stay Lieutenants
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has wrapped filming its fifth and final season, but Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes appears to contain spoilers for what becomes of some of the USS Enterprise's crew members. Shockingly, La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) and Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) never rise above the rank of Lieutenant.
Ortegas and La'an staying Lieutenants are foreboding in terms of their fates after Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, since neither remains aboard the Starship Enterprise under Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley). Meanwhile, Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) seems to be missing from Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes, which is also ominous.
6 Dr. Julian Bashir Stays A Lieutenant While Only One Dax Appears On Starfleet Academy's Wall
Many of Starfleet's famous doctors appear on Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes with high ranks, such as Admiral Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley, Thomas Jane), Admiral Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Commander Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, Jess Bush), and Lt. Commander Joseph M'Benga (Booker Bradshaw, Babs Olusanmokun).
However, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Dr. Julian Bashir is only ranked a Lieutenant, the same as when he was DS9's Chief Medical Officer. This is a curious career stall for Bashir, but perhaps being outed as genetically engineered halted his rise in Starfleet.
Meanwhile, Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) made Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes, but her successor, Lieutenant Ezri Dax (Nicole DeBoer), apparently does not. Ezri and Bashir became a couple when Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ended, but what happened to them and their Starfleet careers?
5 Nog Never Becomes Captain
Nog in Starfleet uniform, with a Starfleet HQ logo behind him
Nog (Aron Eisenberg) only being listed as a Lieutenant is shocking and heartbreaking. Aaron Eisenberhg tragically passed away in 2019, but Nog continued in Star Trek canon. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine expected the high-achieving first Ferengi in Starfleet would have become a Captain, but he stalled as a Lieutenant.
After all, the apocryphal Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 8 posited in the What We Left Behind documentary made Nog Captain (but also killed the heroic Ferengi off). So, what canonically happens to Nog and his Starfleet career after Star Trek: Deep Space Nine?
Meanwhile, Star Trek: Discovery named a starship, the Eisenberg Class USS Nog, after the first Ferengi in Starfleet and the actor who played him. This is a significant honor for Nog, even if he never rose above Lieutenant.
4 Star Trek: Enterprise's Helmsman Becomes Captain
Enterprise season 4 cast
A pleasant surprise is seeing Star Trek: Enterprise's Captain Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery) in Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes. Mayweather was the helmsman of the NX-01 Enterprise, and it's great that he rose all the way up to Captain.
Travis joins Admiral Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), Commander Charles Tucker III (Connor Trinneer), and Lt. Commander Hoshi Sato (Linda Park) on Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes.
Jonathan Archer also became President of the United Federation of Planets, which Scott Bakula's proposed comeback series, Star Trek: United, hopes to explore.
Curiously, Lt. Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating) and Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley) are seemingly absent from Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes. As is Subcommander T'Pol (Jolene Blalock), who joined Starfleet in the later seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise.
3 Star Trek: Lower Decks' Tendi Becomes A Captain But Boimler Is Missing
Star Trek: Lower Decks' Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) and Admiral Alonzo Freeman (Phil LaMarr) made Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes, and joining them is a happy surprise: Captain D'Vana Tendi (Noel Wells). The Starfleet-loving Orion fitting rose far past her start as a lower decker on the USS Cerritos.
Screen Rant Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters
Dive into the world of movies and TV shows with Screen Rant, your source for news, reviews, and exclusive content. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.Curiously, Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid), and his multiverse-exploring transporter clone, Captain William Boimler, are seemingly missing from the Wall of Heroes. Brad Boimler's greatest dream was to become a Captain, or higher. What happened to Bradward after Star Trek: Lower Decks?
2 What Happens To Star Trek: Prodigy Characters
Star Trek: Prodigy characters appear on Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes. Ambassador Gwyndala (Ella Purnell) must mean the Vau N'Akat became a Federation Ambassador for her people, which Star Trek: Prodigy co-executive producer Aaron J. Waltke hinted at on Threads.
Joining Ambassador Gwyndala are her former USS Prodigy crewmates, Commander Zero the Third (Angus Imrie), and Lt. Commander Rok'Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui). These canonical updates to Star Trek: Prodigy's young heroes diffuse fears that tragedy struck the USS Prodigy despite The Doctor's (Robert Picardo) reaction to Gwyn's name in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's series premiere.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has a Brikar cadet who follows in Rok-Tahk's footsteps.
What became of Dal R'El (Brett Gray), Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas), Murf (Dee Bradley Baker), and Maj'el (Michaela Dietz) will hopefully be revealed by Star Trek: Starfleet Academy one day.
1 Star Trek: Voyager's Eternal Ensign Gets Starfleet's Highest Rank
For Star Trek: Voyager fans, seeing Admiral Harry S.L. Kim (Garrett Wang) on Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes is a cause for celebration. Yes, the USS Voyager's eternal Ensign indeed became an Admiral in Star Trek canon. Harry joins Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran), and Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) on the Wall of Heroes.
Surprisingly, it turns out that Harry's best friend, Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), stayed a Lieutenant after Star Trek: Voyager. Meanwhile, Paris' wife, B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson), appears on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's Wall of Heroes as a Lieutenant Commander. Perhaps Torres and Riker prioritized their life together over climbing Starfleet's ranks after the USS Voyager returned home to Earth.
25
8.7/10
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed Drama Science Fiction Fantasy Release Date January 15, 2026 Network Paramount+ Showrunner Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau Directors Alex Kurtzman Writers Gaia Violo, Gene RoddenberryCast
See All-
Holly Hunter
Nahla Ake
-
Sandro Rosta
Caleb Mir
Expand
Collapse
-
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
-
Star Trek
Star Trek's New Star-Studded Series Is Massively Dividing Critics & Audiences On Rotten Tomatoes
Tawny Newsome Honors Mike McMahan's Star Trek Comedy Lessons In New Series
Marvel Officially Rebrands MCU Avenger With New Name and Look. See It Here
