Spoilers How will Season 2 work from a character continuity perspective?

I mentioned this in the thread for last night's episode, but I think it bears some longer-form discussion.

Discovery has, compared to earlier Trek shows, a relatively small main cast - only six individuals. There are also very few recurring characters on the show. Not only that, but the other Discovery crewmembers are basically glorified extras who seldom get more than a line or two of script per episode.

The problem is, arguably the majority of the six main characters really should not be serving on the Discovery in the second season.

Ash Tyler - Now a confirmed Klingon sleeper agent. Even if he somehow "gets better" - integrates the Tyler personality with Voq and helps broker an armistice between the Klingons and the Federation - he isn't going to be allowed to serve on a Federation ship in the future. The only way out of this is if they somehow "purge" Voq from him entirely, which would essentially destroy his character anyway.

Gabriel Lorca - May actually be from the Mirror Universe - in which case it's highly likely he's not returning with Discovery to the prime universe. Even if he does return, or if the show is giving us a red herring for once, we know that Admiral Cornwell is going to suggest he take time off for mental health, meaning he loses his command.

Paul Stamets - No longer entirely human. I do not think he's going to evolve into The Traveler or anything, I think he will "get better" in some manner. But we know that he wants to go back home to recuperate. We also know the spore drive doesn't end up being implemented by Starfleet, meaning his research will have no practical value any longer, and he'll just be a random science dude. No reason to be on Discovery any longer.

Micheal Burnham - Her special dispensation to get out of jail was granted by Lorca. Obviously if he isn't the real Lorca it's no longer binding. Even barring this, she sincerely believes that she'll be sent back to prison once the war is over - and we know the war will end in four episodes.

Sylvia Tilly - Fourth-year cadet. Should be heading back to Starfleet for graduation, and assignment to a permanent berth.

Saru - The only main cast member who doesn't have any particularly good reason to not stay on Discovery.

To make it clear, I don't think the majority of the main cast is going to leave. But I think it's all but certain one will, and I wouldn't be shocked if two do. Given the show has put so many eggs in so few baskets in terms of the characters, I worry about what this means for the continuity of the show. I know that - similar to what is done for crappy teen dramas when everyone graduates from high school - they'll find some dumb excuse to keep an actor around who they like. But I feel like by making so many of the characters have these epic plot lines (rather than just being ordinary people) whatever is done with them in the second season will seem anticlimactic.

I also wonder if a lot of the personal arc structure is basically inherited from Bryan Fuller. We know what he wanted to do with the show was to tell individual stories each season with a different cast, in different Trek eras. It sure seems like the story is heading toward what should be a final conclusion for most of our characters, rather than a more open-ended conclusion.

Unless, of course, they upend it all by not getting home. Jumping to another universe, time, or place. That's the one way they could excuse keeping the entire crew together essentially indefinitely.

 

Reset Button - its all been a dream since Voq lit the beacon and Burnham saw the light.

 

There was a show on AMC called Halt & Catch Fire about the PC revolution of the 1980s and at the end of every season you wondered how the story could possibly continue after it, but somehow they managed to pick up the story even if the characters were in completely different places.

I do agree, though, that the staff inherited a story that was intended to be told in one season where anything could happen to the characters. But they've had enough time to adapt the story to get multiple seasons out of the crew if they want.

 

Ash Tyler-Voq is purged from his mind. All is forgiven. He remains as Disco's chief of security. Sadly lingering Klingon traits means he gets his ass kicked by any random alien appearing on the bridge.
Gabriel Lorca- He wins the war. All is forgiven He remains as Disco CO. Continues to kick ass and take names.
Paul Stamets- Disconnect from the network but altered by his experience, Stamets still perceives the universe in a different way. He stays on as Disco's Chief Science Officer.
Michael Burnham- Helped stop the war. Brokered peace with the Klingons. All is forgiven. Get's her commission back. Assigned to Disco as xeno-anthropology officer and Second Officer.
Sylvia Tilly- Graduates from Starfleet Academy with the rank of Lieutenant. Assigned to Disco as an Engineering Officer.
Saru- Still XO of the Disco.

 

Honestly, it wound't surprise me if there was huge cast turnover, especially given the way they were trickled in over the first few episodes. It wouldn't surprise me at all if SM-G was the only carryover. Though I suspect Jones and Rapp probably stick around - and Wiseman because she's become so popular.

 

Lorca - "Lorca is from the MU" will be the new "Ash is Voq" in every way. Probably tries to become Emperor and gets yanked back into the Prime Universe at the last minute via a "rescue" from Discovery. Season 2 could have him attempting to keep his cover until he can get back to the MU, keeping Stamets, Burnham, and Tilly on the ship. Also, he probably wants that Klingon cloaking tech for the Terran Empire.
Isaacs is just too good to let go after one season.
Stamets - We know Culber's coming back in one way or another, so he's gonna be around. Guess they're keeping the spore drive for a while. Maybe Lorca tries to use the drive for war in the MU, so Stamets destroys it.
Burnham - My bet's on Lorca sticking around, otherwise there'll be some kind of overturn/expungement for her conviction. If her conviction goes away, it would make sense for her to become a captain, but it's way too soon for that. She's still gotta end that war anyways.
Tilly - Assuming they keep using the spore drive, they'll probably want her on hand to help with it. Does some distance learning courses to finish her cadet training, gets assigned to Disco.
Tyler/Voq - Wild card! The Klingons, as they are now, won't want anything to do with him. Having Klingon and human personalities in the same body will end the war and fix Klingon society somehow. Maybe he'll become a Federation ambassador to Qo'noS.

Not on the list, but:
L'Rell - Totally becomes a friendly... over time. Her and Burnham bond over Tyler/Voq but remain "frenemies". Introduces Cornwell to bloodwine. They become the space wine moms.
Cornwell - Pops up regularly to try and get Lorca removed from Discovery, slowly realizes he's from the MU.
Culber - Gonna get weird. Is Stamets going to take him on dates in the mycelial plane?

They could do a lot of fun things with the side characters too.
Airiam - Really needs some backstory, her character design is too new/different to leave unexplained.
Detmer - Burnham's seen a lot of her MU counterpart, but seemed tense with Prime Detmer. Could make for some uncomfortable situations once Michael gets back to Discovery.
Bridge Crew - Seriously, who are they?

Explaining the spore drive away is going to be so awkward. I don't envy the writers at all.
tl;dr: Plenty of good options.

 

What if the Discovery can't return to the prime universe and are hopping across galaxies each season... That would mean everyone needs to stay on the ship...

 

I guess Admiral Cornwell will be the one who gets Burnham a pardon and maybe a reinstitution into her old rank, as Michael was the one responsible for her rescue from the Sarcophagus ship.

Maybe Burnham will also get the captaincy of the Discovery in the second season, depending on what happens to Lorca. Stranger things happened to Cadet Kirk in the JJverse...

 

I agree that Burnham will most likely get a pardon, and if Lorca sticks around she will be reinstated to the rank of Commander and made Discovery's science officer. If Lorca is out, we'll either get Saru in the big chair or a new captain. If Saru becomes Discovery's captain he'll make burnham his XO or she will become the ships science officer if they get a new Captain.

I don't think we will be seeing Captain Burnham anytime soon. Burnham's actions at the start of the series showed that she is not ready to be a captain and I think Burnham feels she is not ready. I think by the end of Season one Burnham will have made peace with her actions and begin to work towards being worthy of the faith Captain Georgiou had in her.

 

As long as Lorca is still around for season two, I'm pretty ambivalent about the rest.

 

Burnham, Saru, and Tilly (once she graduates in between seasons) are a lock to return. Detmer will move up to regular, as will Rhys. Stamets/Culber may or may not be returning. Pretty sure Lorca's done after this season, one way or the other.

We'll have to introduce an actual ship's doctor/engineer to the crew next time, and maybe a new Captain; let's raid Pike's crew, shall we? Haul crusty ol' Phillip Boyce off the Enterprise and put him in sickbay. Maybe Montgomery Scott as well to serve as chief engineer/Tilly's mentor. Wouldn't it be wild if Jose Tyler turned out to be Ash's brother or something? (Yeah, didn't think so either.) Yeoman Colt... maybe, but two adorkable redheads on the ship might be one too many. Whoever replaces Lorca as Captain should be a totally new character - I agree it is too soon for Burnham to become Captain. Maybe by Season Four.

 

For all the whinging people do how the show is "predictable", there's a whole lot of things that are up in the air in regards how the season will end...

 

I would be really glad if they were somehow isolated from the Federation of their era and could in their current cast use spore drive for their unique storylines.

 

Just in terms of character's in terms of arc's here is how I see it going.

Lorca: I think he is also going to be gone. I'm not sure they will kill him though and I imagine they will leave some room open for future guest spots. I think he is going to either stay in the mirror universe and maybe become the new emperor or he will come back to the regular universe and become a rogue of sorts.

Saru: He will become the first alien captain in Trek. Even though the audience knows he is basically just a placeholder for Burnham they will milk that for drama. Were Lorca was a strong and confident leader he will be seen as weak against whatever big threat will be used in season 2. He will be in conflict with his first officer who will be Burnham.

Burnham: She will become the first officer and will become more like Lorca. Somewhat emotionally damaged by losing both Tyler and Lorca and something bad she will do in the mirror universe that she can't forgive herself. She will be in conflict with Saru a great deal and her friendship with Tilly will breakdown.

TIlly: She will become part of that command track thing she wants to be part off. She will have a posting on the bridge. You will see her become more strong and confident.

Stamets: I think he will be out of a job since the Spore drive will be scrapped and he will find himself posted in some science lab doing routine work. He will spend a good portion of the season searching for ways to bring Culber back to life and most people will think his theories are crazy crackpot idea's. Eventually he will find the answer and will be succeed in bringing him back but at some cost. Something bad will happen to the ship or someone on it and or Culber isn't quite the same.

Tyler: I think he also will not be back. I think he and the Klingon lady whose name I keep forgetting will die basically by killing each other. He will kill her for what she did to him only to see the "Tyler" personality completely disapear. Voq will then go to prision or kill himself.

I don't think any of the other characters will be bumped up to regular status but I do think we will get at least 3 new characters. One of them will be a very well and somewhat famous character actor to replace the presence of Lorca. I expect we will see a chief engineer and main engineering set in season 2 to replace the rinky dinky spore drive, room. I also expect a new regular who is already established in the Trek universe. Maybe Scotty or someone not quite as big like a Gary Mitchell or Doctor M'Benga. I expect at least one of these new characters will be gay but they will be clear that it isn't a new love interest for Stamets because that would be a cliche and in fact might actually hate the guy. I could see him as being his new supervisor and wanting to transfer him because he is letting his work slide while spending all this time on his crackpot theories.

Jason

 

Trek meets Sliders... that could work, I could see that being fun.

I keep wondering if the ship is returning to the Prime Universe, but a post-Nemesis timeframe. That could solve a lot of storytelling problems at once for them.

 

Someone I know on another board had this theory:

The only flaw in this theory I see is it gives Saru no reason to be on the Discovery in Season 2 - since Georgiou will still be alive, Burnham would be offered the Discovery, and Saru would become Georgiou's XO as was originally planned before everything went pear shaped.

A slightly alternate setup would be if Georgiou somehow still dies, adding a "bittersweet" element to the ending of the season. Burnham becomes captain of the Shenzhou instead of the Discovery, Saru becomes her XO, and Tilly is requested as an ensign upon graduation.

 

I’d bet my house against it before I’d bet 50$ in favour.

 

Not sure if it would be post-Nemesis but I also kind of think we might see a time jump on the show. It solves the problem of nobody on "TOS" knowing about the Mirror Universe or even making a effort to prevent the Defiant from being lost into the space vortex thingy that will send it back in time and to a alternate timeline. We haven't seen enough of the current time period so the needs of keeping to a 60's look goes away and yet we haven't seen enough of the timeline to say that look isn't what is happening for the most part outside of "Discovery." It gives fans just enough room to head-canon away some of changes before the show does more damage to illusion of "TOS" still looking like it did for some never to be explained reason.

I could see them going to a post TOS movie time period. It's a mostly unexplored time period yet still close enough you could in theory still see some TOS characters show up. Sarek in old age makeup could still even be part of the show. Plus their is something cool about the idea that the crew basically failing in it's mission to win the Klingon war. Instead of maybe a lasting peace the cold war nature of the Federation/Klingon conflict ended up happening instead. Also the Mirror Universe Discovery might have done some terrible stuff and might even be out their still. You could do a whole season about trying to stop the mirror Discovery and Captain Killy doing who knows what.

Jason

 

I'm pretty sure that you have to start out as an ensign upon graduation from Starfleet. What Tilly is trying to do by ingratiating herself with Saru is to be made command track, rather than engineering or science track. But she won't start out a lieutenant.