The Star Trek: Discovery crew are well and truly going where no one has gone before in season 3. The show’s next season will find Michael Burnham and co. flung 900 years into the future, far beyond the time period that’s been explored to date in the Trek franchise. We’re set to enter a very different galaxy, then, where the Federation and Starfleet are not in the same shape as they were in the 23rd century.
For instance, Starfleet has got a new insignia. The below promo image features Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael, complete with her new look. Her hair is noticeably longer, but if you look at the badge pinned to her uniform you’ll see that it’s not the one used in the first two seasons. Instead of the familiar delta shape, this one is oval, though the delta symbol is etched into the left-hand side of the insignia.
As is usual, the three marks on the badge’s edge denote Burnham’s status as commander. And upon closer inspection, you might even say that this new insignia resembles a mix of the previous Discovery badges and the Bajoran combadges from Deep Space Nine.
We’ve already got a look at the Federation flag of the 32nd century as well, which makes clear that the union of planets is far from its heyday, with many worlds having left. The Discovery crew, we’ve been promised, will act as a beacon of hope to this diminished Starfleet/Federation and will aim to bring back some of its old-fashioned optimism, which will lend the series a more classic Trek feel and tone.
Star Trek: Discovery doesn’t return on CBS All Access until October 15th, but later this week, Lower Decks premieres, kicking off an uninterpreted stream of 23 straight weeks of Trek content.