He doesn't need to be a series regular or anything, but an every-once-in-a-while Starfleet fixture, like an odd blend between Nechayev and... Sloan.
Discovery's second season left Ash in the 22nd century. More than that, it also gave us a rather fulfilling Pike/Tyler dynamic. As the season progressed, Pike was able to put a bit more faith in a man whom he initially distrusted. There's history there, as well as a potential bond between Tyler and Spock -- their shared admiration for the far-flung Michael Burnham.
Besides, I feel like Shazad Latif nailed a complicated role. I admire that the writers gave him a separate path from the rest of the crew, but since we have another show coming that's probably set immediately thereafter, why not give the guy a few more paychecks?
Discovery's second season left Ash in the 22nd century. More than that, it also gave us a rather fulfilling Pike/Tyler dynamic. As the season progressed, Pike was able to put a bit more faith in a man whom he initially distrusted. There's history there, as well as a potential bond between Tyler and Spock -- their shared admiration for the far-flung Michael Burnham.
Besides, I feel like Shazad Latif nailed a complicated role. I admire that the writers gave him a separate path from the rest of the crew, but since we have another show coming that's probably set immediately thereafter, why not give the guy a few more paychecks?