Captain Ake Appreciation Thread

[Agony_Boothb]

I'm loving this character to much and felt that Nahla Ake needs an appreciation/discussion thread.

A few viewers seem to have issues with Ake's quirks namely that she likes being barefoot. Holly Hunter said the barefoot thing was her idea and I think it says a lot about mindset of Ake. When we first see her in the flashback scene in ep 1, Ake is an authoritarian, she's all buttoned up and wearing her hair up and she's separating a mother from her child because the Federation said to.

That moment and losing Caleb broke her and in the 15 years since, she became a rebel against authority. She wears her hair down and refuses to wear shoes if she doesn't have to. Also she wears casual clothes a lot even when on duty. I think these are all ways Ake uses to keep herself grounded and to make sure she doesn't allow herself to become someone who blindly follows orders again.

I also like the juxtaposition between Ake and Kelrec. Kelrec is such a crusty old dean/Lt. Harris from police academy and it's great seeing Ake play off that.

Compared to all the other Captains, Ake is such a fucking rebel/fun aunt and I'm totally here for it.

 

[Charles Phipps]

I want to know if she's part Caitan.

It would explain a lot.

Maybe she'll knock over something and go, "Look what you made me do."

 

[JirinPanthosa]

You hear a lot of complaints about the loungy way she sits down, how it's not as "Professional" (But most of them really mean not hyper-masculine enough to their liking). But really, sitting that way is a baller move. A way of making the enemy feel less significant to her, and making underlings feel the need to prove themselves more to hold her interest.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I want to know if she's part Caitan.

It would explain a lot.

Maybe she'll knock over something and go, "Look what you made me do."

I like her cat moves.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I freaking love her. I refer to her as "Captain Quirk".

 

[Detached Nacelle]

So far we've had two Lanthanites and they both make me laugh out loud routinely.

 

[Greg Cox]

I think she's great. She's a kind of captain we've never seen before: a barefoot, bohemian college professor with nary a stick up her ass.


She's fun and refreshing.

 

[Campe]

Love. Her.

 

[Char Kais]

Nahla "MaKlunkey" Ake is the single worst part of Star Trek Starfleet Academy.

When I saw the first trailer, I thought she had a lot of Geneviève Bujold vibes, but it's much worse.

Everything about her is horrible.
The funny/quirky facial expressions, her body language, the old lady voice, and her entire demeanor: slouching on chairs, walking around barefoot, jumping around. The old cat lady vibes.

She is unprofessional, has no leadership qualities, has very low energy overall, is tiny and frail, and has scarecrow vibes, is too old, and sometimes her face looks outright creepy.

She is so tiny:

 

[Detached Nacelle]

I'd be very worried too if I were a purple square

 

[Shawnster]

Ake is my favorite character in this series. I really like her and she reminds me of two close friends of mine.

The barefoot scene in episode 2 helped me come to terms with her quirky nature, but I still feel the way she sits in the command chair is too unprofessional for the captain on the bridge.

I also think her dual role as both captain and chancellor is too much. That's 2 full time jobs that both require mandatory overtime. I know they couldn't have done the role as just one or the other because that would have required an additional character that would steal lead screen time away from Holly Hunter as Ake. Still, it's just one more nit on the pile.

The glasses didn't bother me at first but now kinda do.

But none of this detracts from her being awesome.

 

[tomalak301]

"Professional" (But most of them really mean not hyper-masculine enough to their liking)

I'm a little confused about this point. Since when did professionalism equate to masculinity. I'm sure if you were going into a job interview, doing it like Ake acts would probably not be a great first impression.

The only thing I don't like about her is the constant showing of bare feet, but I've never been a fan of "bare feet" (It kind of grosses me out). I do like her attitude though, and her scene with Caleb at the end of the episode last night was nearly redeemed the entire thing. I just didn't like the journey to get there.

 

[Greg Cox]

The only thing I don't like about her is the constant showing of bare feet, but I've never been a fan of "bare feet" (It kind of grosses me out).

You should probably avoid Bell, Book, and Candle (1958) with Kim Novak. She plays a Greenwich Village art dealer (and witch) who -- scandalously! -- goes about barefoot all the time.

And, yes, the movie treats this as shockingly rebellious and unconventional.

 

[tomalak301]

You should probably avoid Bell, Book, and Candle (1958) with Kim Novak. She plays a Greenwich Village art dealer (and witch) who -- scandalously! -- goes about barefoot all the time.

This is the first I've seen of it so I probably wasn't going to read it anyway.

 

[Charles Phipps]

I don't think she's unprofessional but her job isn't to be a Starfleet Captain.

She's a teacher and literally a pre-school teacher now teaching college.

The thing is that she's somehow the Magic Schoolbus' Ms. Frizzle teaching Starfleet Academy.

 

[Michael]

Nahla "MaKlunkey" Ake is the single worst part of Star Trek Starfleet Academy.

When I saw the first trailer, I thought she had a lot of Geneviève Bujold vibes, but it's much worse.

Everything about her is horrible.
The funny/quirky facial expressions, her body language, the old lady voice, and her entire demeanor: slouching on chairs, walking around barefoot, jumping around. The old cat lady vibes.

She is unprofessional, has no leadership qualities, has very low energy overall, is tiny and frail, and has scarecrow vibes, is too old, and sometimes her face looks outright creepy.

She is so tiny:

There is of course nothing inherently wrong about voicing displeasure with a character. But it has a wildly different flavor to go into a thread dedicated to appreciating that character only to mock her looks, voice and mannerisms, complete with cartoon drawing and still frames of unfortunate facial expressions. What’s also telling is that almost everything you’re saying about her is talking about the actress and not the character she’s playing. Being “tiny, old and having the voice of an older person” are not character traits. So this seems to be barely disguised sexism and ageism under the pretense of just saying you don’t like the character. Also, taking into account your history of previous warnings on the board I’m less inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt. Seriously reconsider the way you are engaging with the board and quit the constant ragebaiting, or else you won’t be long for this place. This is a warning for trolling. Comments to PM.

 

[Detached Nacelle]

If she isn't Pelia's granddaughter or something then Lanthanites must just be an eccentric and quirky people. Perhaps a result of living so long, instead of being depressed about it they seek out new ways to just have fun and enjoy every day.

Of course Ake lived through the decline of the Federation, then the Burn and its aftermath and also lost her son so she was very serious in the flashback but since then learned to just do as Lanthanites do and look for the fun in each day.

 

[Agony_Boothb]

If she isn't Pelia's granddaughter or something then Lanthanites must just be an eccentric and quirky people. Perhaps a result of living so long, instead of being depressed about it they seek out new ways to just have fun and enjoy every day.

Of course Ake lived through the decline of the Federation, then the Burn and its aftermath and also lost her son so she was very serious in the flashback but since then learned to just do as Lanthanites do and look for the fun in each day.

I feel like also working at the Little Blooms orphanage might have influenced her a lot. Hang around little kids for long enough and they quickly teach you the importance of play and not taking yourself too seriously.

 

[Detached Nacelle]

I feel like also working at the Little Blooms orphanage might have influenced her a lot. Hang around little kids for long enough and they quickly teach you the importance of play and not taking yourself too seriously.

And the importance of pyjamas with tiny warp cores on them. I want them so much.

 

[Agony_Boothb]

And the importance of pyjamas with tiny warp cores on them. I want them so much.

Caleb thinking they were accordions was pretty funny