Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's Hilarious Apollo Callback in 'Ko'Zeine'

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1, Episode 7 - "Ko'Zeine"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 7 has a hilarious visual callback to the mighty Greek god who appeared in Star Trek: The Original Series. Written by Alex Taub and Eric Anthony Glover, and directed by Andi Armaganian, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 7 is a homecoming to the Khionian Realm for Darem Reymi (George Hawkins).

After a 'marital abduction' during All-Worlds Day, Darem Reymi is whisked to the Khionian Sunset Moon for his sealing (wedding) to Kaira (Jaelynn Thora Brooks). Jay-Den Kraag (Karim Diané) followed Darem home and found himself as his classmate's 'ko'zeine' (best man). Jay-Den also sees through Darem and understands that he is resigned to doing his duty to Khionia, but his heart belongs to Starfleet Academy.

Jay-Den's best man speech about who Darem has become at Starfleet Academy made Kaira realize that the best thing for her new husband was to let him go to pursue his new path. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 7's Khionan story dove into its aristocratic culture, including opulent costumes and a striking piece of headgear Darem wore that evokes Star Trek: The Original Series.

Darem’s Laurels In Starfleet Academy Calls Back To Apollo In Star Trek: The Original Series

When he was about to be sealed as Khionia's new king, and during his very, very brief reign, Darem Reymi wore a crown that looked like Greek and Roman laurels, specifically the ones that adored the head of the Greek god, Apollo (Michael Forest). Darem's appearance played as a humorous reveal to Jay-Den Kraag, who thought he was saving his kidnapped friend.

Darem looks both dashing and a little silly wearing his crown of laurels, which was part of his traditional Khionian attire during his sealing to Kaira. While Darem's headpiece looks like a Greek or Roman laurel, however, it's not. Rather, Darem's crown resembles coral, symbolizing Khionia as an aquatic, fish-like blue people who take human form on land.

Although Star Trek: Starfleet Academy wasn't drawing a direct comparison to Apollo, Darem's headgear was hard not to see as a nod to the tragic Greek god who once held the USS Enterprise captive on Pollux IV with a giant green hand in an iconic episode of Star Trek: The Original Series.

What Happened To Apollo & Star Trek’s Greek Gods

Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 2, "Who Mourns for Adonais?" established that the Greek gods were real in Star Trek's universe. Not quite as mighty as Star Trek's all-powerful cosmic beings like the Q Continuum or the Metron, the Greek pantheon were aliens from Pollux IV who came to Earth and were worshiped as gods thousands of years ago.

When Captain Kirk and the Starship Enterprise encountered Apollo, he was the last of his pantheon. Long after the other gods departed this plane of existence, the lonely Apollo remained on Pollux IV waiting for humans to develop space travel. Apollo believed his followers would find him and worship him again. Of course, Apollo was wrong, and he dematerialized, joining his fellow gods and goddesses in parts unknown.

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5, episode 6, "Of Gods and Angles," introduced Ensign Olly (Saba Homayoon), a descendant of Zeus. Olly also possessed Zeus psychokinetic powers to absorb energy and create thunderbolts. Despite trying to conceal them and become an engineer, Olly's abilities were problematic, and she was transferred to different Starfleet ships. Olly finally found a home on the USS Cerritos.

Ensign Olly in Star Trek: Lower Decks' 24th century is a living link to Apollo and the Greek gods from Star Trek: The Original Series. Though Darem Reymi's Khionan culture is different in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, certain aesthetic similarities can link an aquatic race in the 32nd century to the race of dieties that once made Ancient Greece on Earth their home.

​​​​​​​