Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 1, "Kobayashi Maru."
Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) received a perfect tribute in Star Trek: Discovery's season 4 premiere. Now led by Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), the USS Discovery faced a new threat in the form of a gravimetric anomaly that destroyed the planet Kwejian, the homeworld of Cleveland "Book" Booker (David Ajala). Burnham also had her leadership abilities challenged by the new Federation President, Lara Rillack (Chelah Horsdal). But it was President Rillack who ushered in a new era of the United Federation of Planets by honoring Star Trek: Enterprise's Jonathan Archer.
By Star Trek: Discovery's 32nd century, Captain Jonathan Archer is recognized as one of history's greatest explorers. A thousand years before Star Trek: Discovery seasons 3 and 4, Archer was the first man to command the USS Enterprise NX-01 into deep space, as chronicled in the four seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise. Archer is even renowned in two different timelines because the alternate Kelvin reality of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies also took place decades after the voyages of the NX-01 Enterprise. Admiral Archer is referenced in Star Trek 2009 and Enterprise is the basis of the villains in Star Trek Beyond. Although Star Trek: Enterprise's series finale only hinted at it, Star Trek history records that Jonathan Archer not only helped found the United Federation of Planets but he served as the first Federation President.
In Star Trek: Discovery's season 4 premiere, President Rillack surprised all in attendance during the inauguration of the new Starfleet Academy to unveil the Archer Space Dock. Star Trek: Discovery also played Star Trek: Enterprise's theme during the reveal. Named for Jonathan Archer, the Space Dock is a spectacular new facility where the next generation of Starfleet's ships will be built and the current starships will be upgraded with the latest 32nd-century technology. The opening of the Archer Space Dock is part of President Rillack's promise that Starfleet would once again embrace its core mission of scientific exploration, now that dilithium has been restored to the galaxy after Michael Burnham and the USS Discovery's crew unlocked the secret of The Burn.
As the home base where Starfleet will launch its next stages of exploration, the Archer Space Dock is also a perfect way to honor Jonathan Archer himself. Star Trek history established Captain Archer and the NX-01 Enterprise as the originators of Starfleet's mission of exploration, so it's fitting that a thousand years later, the rejuvenated Starfleet will launch from a Space Dock named for Archer himself. It's also an ideal symmetry that the newest Federation President inaugurated the Space Dock named for the first Federation President, bookending a thousand years of Star Trek canon. Although it's not clear yet whether there is a USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Discovery's far future, the Archer Space Dock nods to the legacy left by the Captain of the original Starship Enterprise.
Star Trek: Discovery season 4's tribute to Captain Archer is the latest way the franchise has legitimized Star Trek: Enterprise's importance. The Scott Bakula-led series was canceled after only four seasons and it used to be seen as the show that ended the era of Star Trek that began with Star Trek: The Next Generation. But J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies and now, Star Trek: Discovery seasons 3 and 4, have recontextualized Star Trek: Enterprise's legacy as the canonical wellspring from which the rest of Star Trek emerged, including Star Trek: The Original Series, which is set a century after Captain Archer's Enterprise. The Archer Space Dock will likely play a significant role in Star Trek: Discovery season 4 and the voyages of Star Trek: Enterprise became the symbolic inspiration for the next phase of Starfleet's mission of exploring strange new worlds.
Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount+.
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