Warning: contains spoilers forStar Trek#26!
Star Trekhas finally revealedUhura’spost-Undiscovery Countryfate with a new Starfleet rank. What happened to Uhura after theEnterprisesailed into the sunset in the sixthStar Trekfilm is one of the franchise’s biggest mysteries. Nearly all of her colleagues are accounted for, but Uhura’s exact fate has never been revealed–untilStar Trek#26. Fans learn that Uhura’s career did not end at theEnterprise.
Star Trek#26, the second part of the “When the Walls Fell” story, is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Angel Hernandez. Afterescaping from Fluidic Space, Captain Sisko and theTheseusfind themselves in the Kelvin Universe, from JJ Abrams’ 2009 reboot film. They are met by theEnterprise, and when theTheseus’crew opens hailing frequencies, Ensign Sato sees Uhura on the bridge. Awestruck, Sato calls her “Captain Uhura.”
Uhura Was a Trailblazing Character, Both On and Off Screen
Uhura Was a Serious Win for Thoughtful Representation
Nyota Uhura was an integral member of theEnterprise’sbridge crew. Played by different actresses across the franchise’s history, Uhura is the ship’s communications officer. A revolutionary character at the time of her first appearance, Uhura has received development over time that has made her character stronger. For instance, Abrams’ 2009Star Trekmentioned her strong academic background in xeno-lnguistics. InStrange New Worlds, where she begins as a cadet aboard theEnterprise, Uhura has progressed further, as fans have learned about her family history. Despite being a breakthrough character, she received little development in the Original Series.
The Undiscovered Countrywas billed as the “final voyage” for Kirk and company, and while it brought the crew’s story to an end, it did not do so for every member individually.
Furthermore, Uhura’s fate afterStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Countryremains a mystery.The Undiscovered Countrywas billed as the “final voyage” for Kirk and company, and while it brought the crew’s story to an end, it did not do so for every member individually. Some, such as Kirk, Spock, and Scotty, made it to the 24th century. Sulu became skipper of theExcelsior, and while Chekov’s destiny is unknown, his grandson Anton is the President of the Federation as of the early 25th century. All are seemingly accounted for–except Uhura.
Uhura Continued Her Starfleet Career Even After Her Time on theEnterprise
Uhura Would Make a Great Starfleet Captain
Now,Star Trekhas seemingly confirmed that Uhura’s rise through the ranks did not end after theEnterprise’sfinal mission. Sata refers to Uhura as a “captain,” but does not expand any further. Sato does not mention if Uhura was the captain of her own ship. It is also possible that Uhura did not have a ship, but still held the rank of captain.HerEnterprisecolleague Scotty wasalso a Captain–the Captain of Engineering in this case. Uhura may have been in a similar situation, which would be fitting for someone of her stature and legacy.
Uhura actress Nichelle Nichols counted Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr among her fans. King personally spoke to Nichols about the impact Uhura would have on pop culture.
WhileStar Trek#26 is not necessarily in canon, Uhura becoming a captain makes perfect sense, especially in consideration of her service record. Time and again, Uhura was instrumental in helping save theEnterprise.Uhurawas a highly skilled, highly competent officer who commanded the respect of everyone around her. She also demonstrated many of the qualities that make an excellent Starfleet captain, such as empathy and the ability to think quickly. Even after her service on theEnterpriseended, her time in Starfleet did not, and she continued to distinguish herself even more.
