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Klingons Return In Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

31 January 2026

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1, Episode 4 – “Vox in Excelso”The Klingons officially return in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 4, which updates and moves the story of the great warrior race forward in the late 32nd century. Directed by Doug Aarniokoski, and written by Gaia Violo and Eric Anthony Glover, the instant classic Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 4 restores the Klingons after Star Trek: Discovery’s widely disliked re-imagining.

While Klingons appeared in Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1 and 2, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, those series are prequels set in the 22nd and 23rd centuries. Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy‘s depictions of Klingons maintained their late-24th century status quo, while Captain Worf (Michael Dorn) was the only Klingon seen in Star Trek: Picard.

The forward momentum of the Klingons stalled after Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager ended. When Star Trek: Discovery season 3 jumped to the 32nd century, the whereabouts of the Klingons in the galaxy after The Burn was an often-asked question. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy finally provides critical updates on the great warrior race and the tragic but hopeful state of the Klingon Empire in 3195.

The Burn Destroyed The Klingon Homeworld

Starfleet Academy Cadets watch Klingon news

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 4 revealed that the Klingon homeworld, Qo’noS, was among many planets destroyed by The Burn in 3069. Dilithum reactors on Qo’noS exploded, which tore the Klingons’ home planet apart and killed billions. In an instant, the mighty Klingon Empire became an endangered species on the brink of extinction.

The destruction of Qo’noS in the 31st century echoes the 2293 explosion of the Klingon moon, Praxis, in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

With no warp travel after The Burn, the surviving Klingons were reduced to refugees scattered across the galaxy in what became known as the Klingon Diaspora. Yet the Klingons’ unimaginable tragedy only strengthened the survivors’ resolve to “Remain Klingon” and refuse “charity,” although the United Federation of Planets was, itself, broken apart, and unable to render aid to the Klingons.

Only 8 Klingon Great Houses Remain In Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s 32nd Century

In the mid-23rd century of Star Trek: Discovery season 1, the Klingon Empire had 24 Great Houses that united under the Klingon Messiah, T’Kuvma (Chris Obi), to wage war on the Federation. After The Burn destroyed Qo’noS in the 31st century, the Klingon Empire was reduced to only 8 Great Houses.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 4 revealed that an unregistered cargo transport carrying members of the eight remaining Klingon Houses crashed en route to Taurus VII. There were many deaths, worsening the Klingon refugee crisis. Although Jay-Den Kraag’s (Karim Diané) family members were aboard the transport, they were confirmed to have survived.

Jay-Den Kraag’s Klingon Warrior Initiation Ritual

Jay-Den Kraag’s family was among the Klingon refugees who took residence on Krios Prime. Although Jay-Den was intended to become a traditional Klingon warrior, he, instead, rejected violence and sought to be a healer. Jay-Den’s brother, Thar (Tremaine Nelson), encouraged him to join Starfleet Academy against their parents’ wishes.

While at a Starfleet trading post, Thar was stabbed and died from the poisoned weapon. Jay-Den’s father ordered him to become a Klingon warrior and kill a Veqlargh toQ as part of their family’s rite of passage. When Jay-Den refused to kill the bird-of-prey, his father purposely missed, as a pretext for abandoning their son on Krios Prime.

Sixteen months later, at Starfleet Academy, Commander Lura Thok (Gina Yashere), who is half-Klingon and half-Jem’Hadar, helped Jay-Den realize his father purposely missed his kill shot. Contrary to Jay-Den’s belief that his family had forsaken him, Thok explained it was the Kraag clan’s way of letting Jay-Den go. This allowed him to pursue his destiny at Starfleet Academy.

The Klingons Get A New Homeworld In Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

Klingons New Homeworld Strange New Worlds

At some point before 3180, Captain Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) and Klingon General Obel Wochak (David Keeley) met and shared a romantic attraction. This relationship became crucial in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 4, after the Federation identified Faal Alpha, a planet similar to Qo’noS, that could become the Klingons’ new homeworld.

Jay-Den Kraag gave Captain Ake and the Federation a “Klingon solution to a Klingon problem.”

The remaining Klingon Great Houses rejected the Federation’s “charity.” The Klingons’ warrior code determined that they could only claim Faal Alpha through battle and conquest, not as a gift so the Federation can save them. As part of his own self-acceptance as a Klingon and a Starfleet cadet, Jay-Den Kraag gave Captain Ake and the Federation a “Klingon solution to a Klingon problem.”

Following Jay-Den’s idea, Captain Ake assembled a Starfleet armada to “fight” the Klingons over Faal Alpha. Defeating the Federation and accepting their unconditional surrender in the staged “battle” satisfied Klingon honor that they had to “win” Faal Alpha through conquest. The Klingon refugees then commenced settling on Faal Alpha as their new Klingon homeworld.

Finally, the story of the Klingons moves forward in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy‘s 32nd century. Moving beyond their tragedy, the Klingon Empire begins its comeback to become the great power it once was. Additionally, the survival of Jay-Den Kraag’s family tacitly promises a reunion in a future episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.