Michael Burnham appears in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home?

[jaime]

Besides not looking much alike, Madge Sinclair had a fairly prominent Jamaican accent while Sonequa Martin-Green's is from Alabama with a lot of theater vocal lessons suppressing it to play someone from anywhere in the US.

Not that either are insurmountable issues, mind you, but I agree with the others that it creates an uncomfortable situation when we reduce the already low number of characters played by people of color down even more by combining two of them into one for the sake of a minor continuity giggle for fans.

Plus, we don't know Burnham's fate as of yet. Discovery doesn't really strike me as a "And they lived happily ever after (until 30 years later when their ship was disabled by a giant whale-loving space robot Tootsie Roll)" type show.

I think the ridicule it’s being responded to with here is a sure sign that none of us want it to be a thing. Though in this day and age of badly thought out decisions, who knows. Given some errors of judgement in the entertainment world of late, we can only hope she’s not Uhuras cousin as well as Spocks adopted sister.

 

[Jedman67]

Burnham is Worf's mother.

Heard it here first!

 

[jaime]

Burnham is Worf's mother.

Heard it here first!

That will depends if she ends up with Kol under her eyes...

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I think it would be quite problematic if, of Star Trek's pathetic handful of black female characters, two actually turn out to be the same person so we have one fewer than we even thought we had. The only connection made between the two characters in this 'theory' seems to be that they are black women who at some point were command track.

Thank you.

This theory is as pointless and racially insensitive as one once created by ***** who tried to argue that Mace Windu was Lando Calrissian's father, because you know....they're both black, so they MUST be related in a freaking galaxy of humans.

 

[Ragnarok]

This is a weird fan theory.

 

[OpenMaw]

Turns out there are only about five distinct individuals in the entire Federation: Burnham, Kirk, Spock, Sulu and Doug Jones with different make-up.

Is Doug Jones Jefferey Combs in make up?

 

[Jinn]

Is Doug Jones Jefferey Combs in make up?

Doug Jones is both Jeffrey Combs and Jeffrey Combs in make up

Spoiler: proof

Doug Jones:

Doug Jones as Jeffrey Combs:

Doug Jones as Jeffrey Combs with make-up:

I rest my case.

 

[eschaton]

This whole "theory" reminds me of the idiotic fanwank to explain why humanity is so white in the Trekverse. Essentially, the Eugenics wars wiped out most of the "brown peoples" in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, leaving North America and Europe to repopulate the Earth.

 

[mos6507]

I think the ridicule it’s being responded to with here is a sure sign that none of us want it to be a thing. Though in this day and age of badly thought out decisions, who knows. Given some errors of judgement in the entertainment world of late, we can only hope she’s not Uhuras cousin as well as Spocks adopted sister.

Accents? You mean like Bibi Besch vs. Alice Eve?

Nothing's really irreconcilable. If CBS wants to insist on a connection they just make it so and we either accept it or roll our eyes and facepalm.

 

[jaime]

Accents? You mean like Bibi Besch vs. Alice Eve?

Nothing's really irreconcilable. If CBS wants to insist on a connection they just make it so and we either accept it or roll our eyes and facepalm.

Accents? What accents?

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I think he meant to quote me instead of you (nested quotes don't carry over into the next post in Xenforo). Though he clearly missed the part where I said things like accents are not insurmountable issues, thus negating the entire point of his incredulous disagreement with my post.

 

[Ithekro]

I think it is more for the groups that think Burnham might make captain at some point and want a character to point to as "proof" she is still around and in command someplace in Star Trek. The unnamed (and uncredited) captain of USS Saratoga gives enough breathing room for this to be possible, because the character was unnamed and approximately the right age to be Michael Burnham (who would be around 60 years old). Also to give a point of showing that Burnham existed in Star Trek "all along" and just no one noticed, and because it wasn't important, Spock and Sarek never mention her...even as her ship is one of those effected by the Whale Probe that is heading for Earth, where Sarek is presently, and where the newly alive Spock is going shortly. of course Sarek and Burnham could hace conversed over katra about it and basically said, well there is nothing either of us can do about it....lets hope Spock's friends can do something. Kirk's been fairly reliable to Sarek of late.

 

[Tribble puncher]

Thank you.

This theory is as pointless and racially insensitive as one once created by ***** who tried to argue that Mace Windu was Lando Calrissian's father, because you know....they're both black, so they MUST be related in a freaking galaxy of humans.

I don't really think this Theory stems from "all black people look alike", I don't think the original posters intent was racism. What I do think this theory stems from is the annoying trend that has been going on since Star Wars, where every little side character or ship or whatever, MUST in some way be connected to the main characters somehow, so fans make up these crazy, over the top backstories to make it true in their heads.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

That will depends if she ends up with Kol under her eyes...

If she's on the Naughty List, she'll end up with Kol in her stocking.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Michael Burnham?

Burnham.

Heard it here first.

 

[XCV330]

meanwhile on board Discovery:

HAL 9000: Dr. Floyd?
Dr. Floyd: What is it, HAL?
HAL 9000: There is a message for you.
Dr. Floyd: Who's calling?
HAL 9000: There is no identification.
Dr. Floyd: What's the message?
HAL 9000: Message as follows: "It is dangerous to remain here. You must leave within two days."
Dr. Floyd: What?
HAL 9000: Do you want me to repeat the message, Dr. Floyd?
Dr. Floyd: Who recorded it?
HAL 9000: This is not a recording.
Dr. Floyd: Who's sending it?
HAL 9000: There is no identification.
Dr. Floyd: I don't understand.
HAL 9000: Neither do I.
Dr. Floyd: Is this message by voice or keyboard?
HAL 9000: I don't know.
Dr. Floyd: My response is, we don't have enough fuel for an earlier departure.
HAL 9000: The answer is, "I am aware of these facts. Nevertheless you must leave within two days."
Dr. Floyd: HAL, who the hell is sending this?
HAL 9000: I'm sorry, Dr. Floyd, I don't know.
Dr. Floyd: Well, tell whoever it is that I can't take any of this seriously unless I know who I'm talking to.
HAL 9000: Dr. Floyd?
Dr. Floyd: Yes?
HAL 9000: The response is, "I was Michael Burnham" Do you want me to repeat the last response?
Dr. Floyd: No, no. Tell Curnow that this is no time for jokes.
HAL 9000: Dr. Curnow is not sending the message. He is in accessway two.
Dr. Floyd: Well, tell whoever it is that I can't accept that cross-franchise appearances without proof.
HAL 9000: The response is, "I understand. It is important that you believe me. Look behind you."

Michael Burnham: You see, something's going to happen. You must leave.
Dr. Floyd: Hey, aren't you the captain of the Saratoga? Oh.. shit. Sorry I didn't.. Some of my best friends.
HAL 9000: It is dangerous to remain here.

 

[Tosk]

Oh shit, I just realized that not only is the captain of the Saratoga a black woman, but the captain of the Saratoga was a Vulcan. It has to be Burnham, 'cause that is too crazy to be a coincidence. Like, way crazy.

 

[donners22]

This whole "theory" reminds me of the idiotic fanwank to explain why humanity is so white in the Trekverse. Essentially, the Eugenics wars wiped out most of the "brown peoples" in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, leaving North America and Europe to repopulate the Earth.

Much like how people tried to explain the absence of homosexual characters by saying it was just because it wasn't an issue in the future - ie. they were there, but were just never focused on (notwithstanding that we saw countless heterosexual relationships).

It's funny how a series which is lauded for diversity needs such dubious excuses for its lack of such.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

the captain of the Saratoga was a Vulcan.

No, she was human.

 

[Tosk]

No, she was human.

Not her, the captain of the Saratoga. The Vulcan dude.