"Cadet" Tilly, Kobayashi Maru, and the 25th Century

[USS Triumphant]

We know the actress for Tilly is the same age as the actress for (former) Commander and First Officer Michael Burnham. So, my theory here is that Discovery IS the post-Nemesis show some of you were clamoring for, and that everything we're seeing is actually a very elaborate Kobayashi Maru-like scenario that (Lt. Commander?) Tilly is being put through to test her readiness for command.

When we finally see the CMO aboard Discovery, it's gonna be Admiral Riker, observing how she's doing.

:ducks:

 

[Guy Gardener]

Do we know how old she is?

(Google, google.)

Shit.

5 weeks ago, Mary's age was an internet mystery.

But it seems that Mary is 32.

A 32 year old cadet.

Wow.

I still think that Tilly is 16.

 

[BillJ]

Except she isn't in command...

 

[Guy Gardener]

Remember Hard Time? The DS9 where O'Brien went to jail for two decades during the course on afternoon?

That tech could be used educationally now.

 

[F. King Daniel]

A 32 year old cadet.

Wow.

I still think that Tilly is 16.

So what if she's 32? Starfleet shouldn't have an upper age on new recruits (short of the mandatory retirement age of 75)

 

[XCV330]

Most military academies have age limits. US Coast Guard Academy wont take you after 22, though you can go to Officer Candidate School until you're 31, for instance.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

So what if she's 32? Starfleet shouldn't have an upper age on new recruits (short of the mandatory retirement age of 75)

Actually, I think there's evidence that they don't even have that, as Picard was 74 in Nemesis and even ignoring TrekLit dialogue from the movie itself certainly implied that he was sticking around for at least a while longer. Leonard McCoy still held the rank of Commander in 2293 at age 66, while it's not impossible that he was promoted at least two ranks in nine years, given that he held the rank of commander for something like twenty, it seems unlikely.

IMO, mandatory retirement (as opposed to voluntary) would be tied to annual physicals and psych/skill assessements, if the evaluators judge that you are unable to perform your current duties, you would be offered the chance to a) be resigned within your skill area but to a less demanding post, b) retraining for assignment to a less demanding post, c) voluntary retirement. Does that make sense?

As far as Tilly's age goes, I'd be inclined to put that down to either (out of universe) Dawson casting, or Tilly's psych issues delaying her entry into the Academy. Given that IMO she doesn't play as early 30s, I'm inclined to favour the former (with a side order of 'she was (otherwise) the best audicition (sp?))

 

[F. King Daniel]

Actually, I think there's evidence that they don't even have that, as Picard was 74 in Nemesis and even ignoring TrekLit dialogue from the movie itself certainly implied that he was sticking around for at least a while longer. Leonard McCoy still held the rank of Commander in 2293 at age 66, while it's not impossible that he was promoted at least two ranks in nine years, given that he held the rank of commander for something like twenty, it seems unlikely.

IMO, mandatory retirement (as opposed to voluntary) would be tied to annual physicals and psych/skill assessements, if the evaluators judge that you are unable to perform your current duties, you would be offered the chance to a) be resigned within your skill area but to a less demanding post, b) retraining for assignment to a less demanding post, c) voluntary retirement. Does that make sense?

As far as Tilly's age goes, I'd be inclined to put that down to either (out of universe) Dawson casting, or Tilly's psych issues delaying her entry into the Academy. Given that IMO she doesn't play as early 30s, I'm inclined to favour the former (with a side order of 'she was (otherwise) the best audicition (sp?))

The mandatory retirement age of 75 was from one of the animated episodes ("The Counter Clock Incident") and the episode ends with it being abolished.

I don't think it makes much sense in the Trekverse anyway, with ancient Vulcans still going strong in their hundreds and loads of other long-lived races too.

 

[USS Triumphant]

Leonard McCoy still held the rank of Commander in 2293 at age 66, while it's not impossible that he was promoted at least two ranks in nine years, given that he held the rank of commander for something like twenty, it seems unlikely

This may have been changed in the meantime, but I seem to recall that when Encounter at Farpoint came out, the literature at the time (including the novelization, I think) stated that McCoy was an Admiral Emeritus in his retirement. That doesn't necessarily mean he was actually serving as an admiral before retirement - it could just be a recognition of his service to Starfleet and the Federation.

IMO, mandatory retirement (as opposed to voluntary) would be tied to annual physicals and psych/skill assessements, if the evaluators judge that you are unable to perform your current duties, you would be offered the chance to a) be resigned within your skill area but to a less demanding post, b) retraining for assignment to a less demanding post, c) voluntary retirement. Does that make sense?

It does, and even more so considering Starfleet is a service with many species that have a wide variety of lifespans and developmental patterns.

 

[BillJ]

IMO, mandatory retirement (as opposed to voluntary) would be tied to annual physicals and psych/skill assessements, if the evaluators judge that you are unable to perform your current duties, you would be offered the chance to a) be resigned within your skill area but to a less demanding post, b) retraining for assignment to a less demanding post, c) voluntary retirement. Does that make sense?

But then you open things up to bribery and politics.

 

[dahj]

Most military academies have age limits.

Yeah, but Starfleet isn't military.

 

[Timo]

The mandatory retirement age of 75 was from one of the animated episodes ("The Counter Clock Incident") and the episode ends with it being abolished.

Or at least Commodore April wants it abolished as pertains to himself. I doubt he got what he wanted - any new evidence against old-timers being too old to perform their duties comes from him being artificially rejuvenated, after all, and I don't think Starfleet would wish to reproduce that. But they seem willing to bribe April out of his silly ideas with a post-Starfleet career.

I don't think it makes much sense in the Trekverse anyway, with ancient Vulcans still going strong in their hundreds and loads of other long-lived races too.

The age limit could well be species-specific as far as that episode dialogue is concerned; April is human AFAWK.

The other limiting age, that of greater interest here, seems to go at least up to 26, which is when Kirk got accepted in that other timeline. Have we heard of older? We have of course seen old Ensigns, but this need not indicate late Academy enrolment: Picard graduated on schedule but again in another timeline didn't rise through the ranks for decades.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[cooleddie74]

Kirk was 17 when he was accepted into Starfleet Academy in the Prime timeline and 22 when he enters it in the Kelvin.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

Do we know how old she is?

(Google, google.)

Shit.

5 weeks ago, Mary's age was an internet mystery.

But it seems that Mary is 32.

A 32 year old cadet.

Wow.

I still think that Tilly is 16.

Yeah, by the time they're 32, most Starfleet personnel are Admirals! Oops. Wait. Not the Kelvin timeline.

Anyway, I just assumed Tilly is supposed to be in her 20s. It's possible she's a bit older because of emotional difficulties or a learning disability, as they hinted at. Or, it's possible Tilly isn't really a Cadet, and is spying on Burnham.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Do we know how old she is?

(Google, google.)

Shit.

5 weeks ago, Mary's age was an internet mystery.

But it seems that Mary is 32.

A 32 year old cadet.

Wow.

I still think that Tilly is 16.

The actress is 32. The character could be 21-22.
Zoe Saldana was 31 when she played cadet Uhura
Walter Koenig was 31 when he played the 21 year old Chekov.

Not seeing the problem.

 

[Refuge]

Might explain why she's so annoying in that she has to try really hard to 'act' young and is overcompensating.

 

[Refuge]

Wow.

I still think that Tilly is 16.

Just think of her as being 2 X 16.

 

[Guy Gardener]

The actress is 32. The character could be 21-22.
Zoe Saldana was 31 when she played cadet Uhura
Walter Koenig was 31 when he played the 21 year old Chekov.

Not seeing the problem.

There's no problem.

Uhura was 22 after 4 years at the academy.

Cadet Tilly then could be at least 4 years younger than that line officer, if she entered the academy at the same age as Nyota.

My actual conspiracy that Tilly is evil, possibly Section 31, that all this sugar and spice is complete bullshit, is better now, if Sylvia is a 32 year old woman pretending to be a 16 year old girl, which is why her youthful personality is ridiculous.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

Maybe there is a weird time travel thing going on. One of her first lines when meeting Burnham was "Here’s something not a lot of people know about me: I’m going to be a Captain someday." Seems like a rather odd thing to say, considering a bunch of cadets in Starfleet probably have the same goal.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Uhura was 22 after 4 years at the academy.

Cadet Tilly then could be at least 4 years younger than that line officer, if she entered the academy at the same age as Nyota.

Point remains. Zoe was 32 playing a 19-22 year old. Remember, we first meet Uhura at the bar it's three years before she graduates.

My actual conspiracy that Tilly is evil, possibly Section 31, that all this sugar and spice is complete bullshit, is better now, if Sylvia is a 32 year old woman pretending to be a 16 year old girl, which is why her youthful personality is ridiculous.

Unless she's a super-genius she didn't enter the academy at 16. The Academy is basically a four year college, not a prep school. I'm guessing the four bars on her pin means she's fourth year.