Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is racing through its Season 1 run on the 2026 TV schedule, and before we know it, the wait will be on for Season 2. While we don't know much more beyond the wonderful cast wraps filming on the latest episodes soon, actor George Hawkins gave CinemaBlend a sneak peek at what's ahead for Darem.
After telling us about the scene cut from "Ko'Zeine" involving Darem's parents, Hawkins talked about how viewers can expect this episode to change his character's journey in Season 2. As one might guess, being free from the weight of appeasing his parents will have a profound impact on his story in the next season:
Season 2 is a really exciting time for Darem, and it's a really interesting thing to play as a, as an actor because we're part of a show that cares about character growth, progression, and becoming a better version of yourself. So the version of Darem that we meet in episode one is so different from the person that we see at the end of season two.
It sounds like Darem has the potential to go through as radical a change as some of Star Trek's best characters. The franchise has always thrived on character arcs that show sweeping change for an individual, and I'm excited to hear that the Darem of Season 1 may feel like another person entirely at the end of Season 2.
Darem's cocky attitude mixed with parent problems has me thinking he could be similar to Star Trek: Voyager's Tom Paris, which isn't a bad thing. Apparently the work in Season 2 left a profound impact on George Hawkins, who said he embraced the challenge of seeing his Khionian character really come into his own in Starfleet Academy:
It's such an arc that I'm actually playing a different character, like the aspirations and the intentions and the obstacles are completely different. As an actor, those are the things that you hold onto, So I’m the same in the sense I'm going through the same experience as Darem because I'm I'm sort of losing the things that I held onto as an actor. I've sort of got to attach myself to new ambitions and new intentions. I hope that plays out well. I hope people like that.
I'll be curious to see how Darem's character change impacts his relationship with Jay-Den, given the romantic tension they shared in previous episodes. While Star Trek is no stranger to highlighting same-sex couples in its programming, it would be a real mic drop statement to show a budding romance between lead characters on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Debate rages on in the Star Trek fandom, as critical acclaim hasn't been enough to win every viewer over when it comes to Starfleet Academy. There have even been high-profile figures decrying the series as "too woke" and calling for shows closer to The Next Generation or even the TOS eras.
For now, Starfleet Academy continues with Season 1, which is rounding out introductory storylines for its central characters. With the exception of Tarima, every main character has now had a solid storyline to give the audience a good idea of what they're all about. As George Hawkins noted, though, anyone can change, and I can't wait to see how all these characters further develop as they make their way through the Academy.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy continues on Paramount+ on Thursdays. With only a few episodes left before Season 1 concludes, I can't wait to see how this season ends and what else is in store for the next batch of episodes.
