Jay-Den Kraag has been one of the greatest things about Star Trek: Starfleet Academy so far. From his beginnings as a shy Klingon with dreams of becoming a doctor, Karim Diané’s character was elevated to another level via a tragic backstory. In an episode steeped in Star Trek‘s Klingon history, Jay-Den successfully added progressive new elements to the fictional race, and has remained a highlight ever since.
Starfleet Academy episode 7 finds Jay-Den playing best man at Derem Reymi’s wedding, and while Klingons are no strangers to marriage in Star Trek, he’s quite literally a Klingon out of water at the Khionian event. The entire sorry debacle brings new complexity to Jay-Den’s persona, continuing to honor Klingons of the past while moving confidently into the future. Episode 7 is, however, very nearly a disastrous blow to Jay-Den’s position as Starfleet Academy‘s best new character.
A Klingon In Ibiza Would Have Been So, So Bad
While change will always be somewhat controversial, Star Trek‘s expansion of the Klingons through Jay-Den has been largely positive so far. His desire to heal instead of kill, while not necessarily popular among the Houses of Qo’noS, remains rooted in Star Trek lore and makes logical sense given the Klingons’ status as a near-extinct race following the Burn. Jay-Den’s brewing romance with Reymi also mirrors established canon, echoing Worf and Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but… not as awful.
Even as someone who embraces how Starfleet Academy and Jay-Den are morphing the traditional expectations of a Klingon, however, even I struggle with the image of a Klingon attending foam parties and doing belly button shots on the beach in Ibiza. It’s giving “Let He Who is Without Sin” vibes but, somehow, worse.
By putting Jay-Den in such a weird situation, Starfleet Academy would have risked turning him from a serious character with a comedic side into an outright joke – especially in that shirt. Starfleet Academy mercifully veers in a completely different direction when Jay-Den accidentally-on-purpose dumps Ibiza for Khionia, but I was panicked for a minute there.
Starfleet Academy Episode 7 Is Secretly Massive For Jay-Den Kraag
As well as healing the sick and injured, part of Jay-Den Kraag’s moral code is, in stark contrast to his Klingon heritage, to avoid hurting other living beings. Because of that, Jay-Den has deliberately avoided physical conflict throughout Starfleet Academy so far, and even when taken prisoner aboard the USS Miyazaki in episode 6, he could be seen lingering in the background instead of fighting.
That’s why it’s so surprising to see Jay-Den tap into his Klingon nature when he thinks Reymi is being abducted in Starfleet Academy episode 7. Without any hesitation or thought, Jay-Den grabs a nearby rock, ready to kill, and declares, “It is a good day to die.”
It’s an instinctive reflex, and a keen insight into Jay-Den’s true character. His ethical stance on violence is commendable, but this could be Jay-Den’s first step toward realizing that such a rigid stance might get his friends and loved ones killed one day.
Also significant is Jay-Den’s unflinching willingness to sacrifice his beliefs in order to protect Reymi. It speaks to the feelings neither is quite prepared to admit yet. Frankly, Starfleet Academy‘s Ibiza nonsense is a clear sign that Jay-Den and Kyle are ill-suited as a couple. The Klingon shares a much stronger bond with Reymi, and it’s Reymi who sees Jay-Den on a deeper level than this… Kyle guy.
- Release Date
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January 15, 2026
- Network
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Paramount+
- Showrunner
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Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau
