Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1’s Finale – “Rubincon”
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy remembered that Star Trek was missing something important after 60 years. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi from a teleplay by Alex Kurtzman and Kirsten Beyer and a story by Noga Landau and Gaia Violo, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1’s finale saw Nus Braka (Paul Giamatti) place Captain Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) and the United Federation of Planets on trial.
Nus Braka not only wanted Captain Ake to answer for her crimes against himself and Anisha Mir (Tatiana Maslany), but the Klingarite space pirate wanted to humiliate the Federation in the eyes of the galaxy before literally blowing it up with Omega-47. Of course, Braka’s show trial was self-serving and meant to venerate himself as the man to lead the rest of the galaxy.
Thanks to the teamwork of Starfleet Academy’s cadets, Nus Braka’s Omega-47 plan was foiled, while Captain Ake and Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta) exposed Nustopher as nothing more than “an angry child with his finger on the button whose entire worldview is based on a lie.” Yet when Braka thought his triumph was imminent, Nus also pointed out something Starfleet is missing.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Pointed Out There’s No Starfleet Anthem
For a Klingon and Tellarite hybrid who grew up on the outlier worlds beyond Federation space, Nus Braka loves to spout references to Federation culture and callbacks to things from 21st-century Earth. Nus even taunted Caleb Mir for joining Starfleet Academy, and “singing the Starfleet anthem,” to which Captain Ake responded:
“There is no Starfleet anthem, but what a good idea.”
Nus Braka and Captain Ake collectively brought the audience to the fascinating realization that it’s true: Starfleet doesn’t have an anthem. In Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s 32nd century, Starfleet has existed for a thousand years, yet no one composed a rousing Starfleet melody during that millennium.
Of course, Star Trek boasts many stunning orchestral scores, starting with Alexander Courage’s theme music in Star Trek: The Original Series. Jerry Goldsmith composed the theme for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, which became the opening credits music of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the ersatz Star Trek theme by default.
Yet in-universe, Starfleet doesn’t have an anthem. No definitive music accompanies Starfleet Officers or Starfleet Academy’s cadets when they formally assemble for special occasions like graduations, starship launches, or ceremonies like promotions.
Audiences tend not to notice the lack of a Starfleet anthem since the score of whatever Star Trek movie or TV show usually plays, but the music is for the viewer at home and is not necessarily heard by the characters on-screen.
Why Star Trek Doesn’t Have A Starfleet Anthem (Yet)
Many of the finest composers in Hollywood have delivered Star Trek orchestral scores, from Jerry Goldsmith of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, to James Horner of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, to Dennis McCarthy of Star Trek Generations, to Michael Giacchino of J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek and Star Trek: Prodigy, to Jeff Russo of Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 Finale Ending Explained
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy resolves Nus Braka’s attack on the Federation and the Caleb/Anisha/Captain Ake storyline with hope and optimism.
However, perhaps the lack of an official Starfleet score is related to the ongoing debate about whether Starfleet is a military organization. In the 1980s, Gene Roddenberry argued that Starfleet isn’t military, despite its command structure being obviously based on the United States Navy, with Admirals, Captains, Commanders, and Ensigns.
In his later years, Gene Roddenberry likened Starfleet to what Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) called it in Star Trek (2009), “a peacekeeping and humanitarian armada.” If that’s what Starfleet is, then it’s logical that Starfleet wouldn’t have or need a military-style anthem.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy leans into Roddenberry’s interpretation of Starfleet, with the rival War College created to clearly delineate a military arm of Starfleet meant for combat. Yet it also makes sense for both Starfleet Academy and the War College, especially, to have a rousing anthem for assemblies.
Perhaps Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 2 will follow up on Nus Braka’s inadvertent “good idea,” and Captain Ake or Admiral Charles Vance (Oded Fehr) will commission a Starfleet anthem, at least for Starfleet Academy, if not for the whole of Starfleet.
It’s also too bad that a Starfleet anthem wasn’t introduced by Star Trek: Starfleet Academy this year to help celebrate Star Trek‘s 60th anniversary.
- Release Date
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January 15, 2026
- Network
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Paramount+
- Showrunner
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Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau
- Directors
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Douglas Aarniokoski, Alex Kurtzman, Andi Armaganian, Larry Teng
- Writers
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Gaia Violo, Alex Taub, Jane Maggs, Tawny Newsome, Kirsten Beyer, Kiley Rossetter, Eric Anthony Glover
