Thoughts on Burnham's relationship to Sarek

[Mudd]

People are drawing all these Vulcan inferences based entirely upon her apparent childhood interactions with Sarek, and what's funny about that is that the only line of dialogue associated with that explicitly says that she's "too human" to master the Vulcan language.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

"Amanda, you got some 'splaining to do."

 

[Mudd]

Human.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Why would it be necessary to establish that they are not the same character ?

It's necessary, to make the claim that they aren't the same character, which was the context of the post I was quoting. Otherwise, it's unknown.

They're obviously teasing us with the idea that Burnham is at least in some way inspired by the character in "The Cage." Not only is the name "Number One," the sex of the character, and position on her ship all the same, and presumably rank as well, but also Michael Burnham's initials are the same as Majel Barrett's. It could just be homage, of course.

And, yeah, @Mr. Laser Beam is right about the years. If the years mentioned in the trailer turn out to be right, namely when DSC is set and how long Burnham has been serving with her captain according to how the trailer is cut, it seems super-unlikely now.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

People are drawing all these Vulcan inferences based entirely upon her apparent childhood interactions with Sarek, and what's funny about that is that the only line of dialogue associated with that explicitly says that she's "too human" to master the Vulcan language.

Taken literally, "too human" implies not all human. I don't give that much weight, though.

 

[mdtauk]

She could be the daughter of a Terran ambassador living on Vulcan. She could be an angry child fascinated by logic and Vulcan beliefs, seeking to control her emotions, and live as a Vulcan. Facing prejudice and some of the issues transgendered people do while transitioning (as diversity and these issues are important to Brian Fuller I believe)

 

[Captain Indecisive]

I don't think she's genetically Vulcan. I think that maybe Amanda had another child before she married Sarek. SMG is 32, and if the character is the same age, then considering when Discovery takes place she's older than Spock.

Then why is the character named Burnham and not Grayson?

And Amanda Grayson is white. Burnham is not.

This is another reason why the theory that Burnham is The Cage's Number One confuses me.

 

[Captain Indecisive]

It's necessary, to make the claim that they aren't the same character, which was the context of the post I was quoting. Otherwise, it's unknown.

They're obviously teasing us with the idea that Burnham is at least in some way inspired by the character in "The Cage." Not only is the name "Number One," the sex of the character, and position on her ship all the same, and presumably rank as well, but also Michael Burnham's initials are the same as Majel Barrett's. It could just be homage, of course.

And, yeah, @Mr. Laser Beam is right about the years. If the years mentioned in the trailer turn about to be right, namely when DSC is set and how long Burnham as been serving with her captain according to how the trailer is cut, it seems super-unlikely now.

So it doesn't seem super "unlikely" because one woman is white and the other is black?

 

[Captain Indecisive]

She could be the daughter of a Terran ambassador living on Vulcan. She could be an angry child fascinated by logic and Vulcan beliefs, seeking to control her emotions, and live as a Vulcan. Facing prejudice and some of the issues transgendered people do while transitioning (as diversity and these issues are important to Brian Fuller I believe)

Are you suggesting the character is transgendered?

Or do you mean the prejudice Burnham faces on Vucan in her youth is meant to represent the type of prejudice people face in real life?

 

[cultcross]

And Amanda Grayson is white. Burnham is not.

This is another reason why the theory that Burnham is The Cage's Number One confuses me.

The actresses who played those characters previously were white, there's nothing to suggest that they couldn't be played by women of colour.
Exhibit A - Hermione Granger in The Deathly Hallows and in The Cursed Child

 

[Captain Indecisive]

I think many people are making making epic jumps to far flung conclusions here based solely on the fact that Sarek is a "legacy" character.

The actresses who played those characters previously were white, there's nothing to suggest that they couldn't be played by women of colour.
Exhibit A - Hermione Granger in The Deathly Hallows and in The Cursed Child

Sure they can but not if the intention here is that Discovery is in the original timeline and I'm no Potter expert but I believe the play and the movies are not meant to be connected in anything but name.

Besides, people are making simply making mighty leaps to their conclusions. Having a past with a "legacy" character does not mean a familial link and Number One was most likely just a codename until they settled on a proper name. Changing ethnicity makes no sense plus the producers are not going to make the central character anything but human.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

So it doesn't seem super "unlikely" because one woman is white and the other is black?

No, not really.

For one thing, see what @cultcross said. For others, we kinda covered this back when the character was first announced. Short version, lots of things could reasonably be reimagined.

 

[cultcross]

the play and the movies are not meant to be connected in anything but name.

Well other than one is a direct sequel of the other, the same setup we have with Discovery.

Besides, people are making simply making mighty leaps to their conclusions. Having a past with a "legacy" character does not mean a familial link and Number One was most likely just a codename until they settled on a proper name.

Agreed entirely on this part - we don't even hear her called Number One in the trailer, it's possible they dropped the idea, or its a Lorca trait.

 

[mdtauk]

Are you suggesting the character is transgendered?

Or do you mean the prejudice Burnham faces on Vucan in her youth is meant to represent the type of prejudice people face in real life?

The latter. The choice of name may have been chosen to help the character seem more relateable to those watching, but it could be a coincidence. I do think, Burnham's experience will be a form of allegory, growing up among people who do not accept how you feel you really are, despite your species/gender.

 

[DigificWriter]

Bryan Fuller's original intention was to refrain from revealing the show's lead character's real name and only initially refer to her as "Number One" as a homage to Majel Barrett Roddenberry's original character from The Cage, while also making it crystal clear that they were completely separate characters, but all of that clearly vanished with his departure.

It is also fairly obvious that she's a full-blooded human, regardless of her personal relationship with Sarek.

 

[BillJ]

She could be partially Vulcan. Just because her human traits are on the surface, it alone doesn't rule it out.

 

[JRoss]

Then why is the character named Burnham and not Grayson?

And Amanda Grayson is white. Burnham is not.

This is another reason why the theory that Burnham is The Cage's Number One confuses me.

Regarding what I wrote about Burnham possibly being Amanda's daughter from a previous marriage? Assume Amanda Grayson marries a black guy with the last name Burnham, has a kid, then either gets divorced or is widowed.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Maybe she grew up on Vulcan or her family is Sarek's neighbor. She showed an interest in Vulcan culture and Sarek became something of a mentor.

Or she's Spock half sister we never heard about because he had no reason to tell anyone. He did have a brother he never talked about.

 

[Captain Indecisive]

No, not really.

For one thing, see what @cultcross said. For others, we kinda covered this back when the character was first announced. Short version, lots of things could reasonably be reimagined.

What if it was the other way around?

What if Uhura, Sulu or LaForge were re-imagined as white people?

 

[Captain Indecisive]

Well other than one is a direct sequel of the other, the same setup we have with Discovery.

The play isn't a sequel to the movies.

Agreed entirely on this part - we don't even hear her called Number One in the trailer, it's possible they dropped the idea, or its a Lorca trait.

People are reacting to it all in much the same manner (though with less of the hysteria) as Star Wars and the media are with Rey's parentage in Star Wars.

Just because Burnham/Rey have a connection to "legacy" character's, doesn't mean they are related.