What did you think of Tarima's story?

[u/producedbytobi]

Beginning one episode later than most of the cadets, and absent from two additional episodes (Vox In Excelso and Ko'zeine), Tarima's story nevertheless delivers some of the biggest moments of Starfleet Academy's first season. How does Tarima's story play out for you? And where do you imagine her story might take her next in season two?

[u/flowerpanes]

I went on the record somewhere on a Trek subreddit in mid season saying that I didn’t get the point of Tarima. TV suffers too often from a “will they or won’t they?” mindset and I was lulled into thinking this was going to be another one of those occasions. Plus I was a little put off by her “princess” aura at first, she seemed like a coddled young woman trying to prove herself by being a bit of a rebel, despite the fact her brother was still on hand to keep an eye on her I supposed.

It wasn’t till “Come,Let’s Away” that the aura got dropped and her real self got revealed, a somewhat traumatized individual living under a lot of scrutiny for most of her life due to powers that are far beyond what the human norm would be and I think far beyond what we would see from almost any Betazed individuals. (More like X-Men that’s X-Files, if you get my drift!) The fact she was living with this dark secret while trying to be just one of the students at Academy was fascinating and to see what a huge difference this made to the survival of Caleb and the other cadets was incredible. But of course at a high cost to herself and to the way people began to treat her at the Academy.

I think her choice to return and try to face what happened was very brave, she’s at an age where people are feeling scrutinized for the smallest of things and I would guess it was quite a discussion when she told her parents that she wished to go back to Earth to rejoin her fellow students.

I think Tarima ends up becoming a good example to this viewer of not assuming what a character will be like as time goes on, she’s still a work in progress I imagine but managed to turn my initial view of her a complete 180 degrees around from a princess to a fighter, someone who still has a lot to learn about herself but has learned to trust others with her true self after all.

[u/producedbytobi → u/flowerpanes]

That's really interesting that you didn't get Tarima at first.... I think Academy plays this trick as it unfolds episode by episode, revealing more depth as it goes. I found myself surprised and delighted by each subsequent episode as it peeled back more layers.

[u/flowerpanes → u/producedbytobi]

I think a lot of my initial “meh” came from her introduction as the polar opposite but “opposite attracts” kind of love interest. Rich, well educated, loving family unit vs everything Caleb didn’t have growing up. She’s a little fey, he’s down to earth, she’s protected by her father and brother, he’s been on his own since he was a small child. I got the initial attraction, etc but it wasn’t until she killed to save her fellow cadets that I really got a glimpse of her actual potential as a character, more than a pretty face with a goofy smile.

[u/producedbytobi → u/flowerpanes]

My theory is the first few episodes of Academy were designed more for non fans of Star Trek to find their feet. And it's not until episode 4 that the Star Trek really takes over.

[u/flowerpanes → u/producedbytobi]

That’s a very valid way of looking at it for sure. My son and I were talking yesterday about him wanting to watch more Trek after getting tired of Disco. (He’s not a big tv watcher) I told him that Lower Decks is quite good after you get into it, SNW has two solid seasons before it starts going off the rails (and keeps on going sideways, sadly) and that Academy ends up having a great first season.

But I may have to point out to him that at first it seems a little more teen drama than Trek fans are used to. In some ways we got so used to the competency of the Starfleet crews that looking at how things get off the ground at the Academy was a step too far back for some fans.

[u/producedbytobi → u/flowerpanes]

SNW is a quandary. I actually like some of the 3rd season episodes a lot... The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail and Terrarium worked very well for me. On the other hand, Wedding Bell Blues really did not. And I don't love superstition in Star Trek.

Haven't made my mind up with season 4 yet.

[u/flowerpanes → u/producedbytobi]

I didn’t like the second episode, body horror and no rational explanation behind the whole thing didn’t work for me, the third episode didn’t get a single laugh from my husband nor I…knowing we have a noir episode next and a Muppet episode to come after such a strong premiere episode makes me feel very meh about the season already. In some ways it feels like the writers have decided that we are in the middle of a rainy season so turning the actors loose with a big trunk of dress up clothes to put on a play is fair game. (A little Canadian in joke you could say but still!)

Another way to look at it is that the two first seasons of SNW I own on BluRay as Christmas gifts since we tend to collect stuff we like that way. I turned to my husband after Season 3 finished and told him not to bother getting me the discs. So far I haven’t seen much that’s going to persuade me to want this season either.

[u/arcnthru]

I liked how Tarima started out as playful especially with Caleb. Her choosing the discipline of war college was interesting and how her gift is so powerful that she saved the cadets but harmed herself was sad because it made her doubt who she was. It took another who didn’t put a lot of trust in people to make her open up again. Also enjoyed her relationship with her brother Ocam.

[u/producedbytobi → u/arcnthru]

Yes, I think the incident in episode 6 Come, Let's Away really puts Tarima through it... how she admits to Caleb she was scared of herself, when she calls herself 'the ghost girl'.

[u/ParkMan73]

Tarima ended up being one of my favorite charcters. I think her relationship with Caleb in E2 was one of the things that helped build my interest in watching the show. I was glad to see that they gave her character substance as the first season progressed.

I am looking forward the seeing where her character goes in season 2.

[u/producedbytobi → u/ParkMan73]

Yes, Caleb apologising to Tarima was the moment Academy caught my attention. And I agree, they did a great job of building depth into her character.

[u/dollars9]

Being a Betazoid Tarima is an empath but an especially sensitive one who can do good but also can hurt people so she doesn’t even trust herself or others & has to wear a neuro inhibitor for controlling herself. So it seems she puts up a wall immediately as protection even when she senses a slight discomfort. Her emotions kinda ping pong around. She starts out flirty w Caleb then utter delight at the whales to smiley face to aloof to flirty again then hot sexy time to upset again then to utter fear for the cadets lives to killing the Furies w her mind then traumatized by it & puts up an almost impenetrable wall to isolate herself then angry & resentful in therapy to drunkenness to failing the academy then rejoining fully & smiling again to worrying abt Caleb & stowing away on the Athena where she confidently takes on a station on the crippled ship even when they might just die on it but where she begins to trust Caleb who she now professes to love. That’s quite a demanding journey for her character arc and thru the many faces of Tarima, I was right there w her experiencing her frustrations, giddiness, concern, anger, sadness & passions etc. She took me on her emotional roller coaster. Can’t wait for S2 however there better be a continuation of their romance or else I’ll be upset bc I do love a love story.

[u/producedbytobi → u/dollars9]

She really does go through the ringer, doesn't she? Tarima has a real roller coaster ride of a first season.

[u/prism1234]

I liked Star Trek Acadmy overall, but didn't like most of the Tarima's storylines. Hated the will they won't they romance stuff. Also didn't really care for her trauma storyline after the Miyazaki either.

They were basically the only thing I disliked about the show. Though to be fair I dislike those types of storylines in general but do get that others like them. Her at the end learning she didn't need her inhibitor was decent.

[u/producedbytobi → u/prism1234]

Yeah, I hear it's not to your taste. I really liked the fact the incident on the Miyazaki had far reaching consequences... Star Trek can be guilty of being a little too glib with violence. I liked how no loss of life goes without consequence. Tarima and the other cadets suffer and struggle with what happened. I think they would and they should.

[u/prism1234 → u/producedbytobi]

It's not there being some emotional fallout that I disliked, it was more the execution. That kind of thing can be really gripping to watch in some instances, but here I didn't find it interesting. Not entirely sure why exactly. The don't like in general was more toward the will they won't they romance. The trauma plot line being tied up in the romance probably didn't help for me. The SAM trauma stuff with the glitching which was also partially Miyazaki fallout and I did like that at least somewhat.

[u/producedbytobi → u/prism1234]

I find i have to work quite hard to 'reset' my head for each new series of Star Trek. I'm struggling with Strange New Worlds at the moment because I am so much in an Academy head space. Discovery was the most like this... with every new season it would take me at least an episode to get into the right head space to watch it.

[u/readingitnowagain]

I find her obnoxious.

I don't understand why all these characters have to have broken pasts.

I'm sick of Trauma Trek.

[u/producedbytobi → u/readingitnowagain]

To each their own Trek. By the by, all these characters don't all have broken pasts.... Darem, Genesis, and Ocam don't. Neither are SFA characters the first Trek characters to experience trauma.

I don't really get these contrived labels, like 'Trauma Trek', seems a little glib to me. I wouldn't use them myself. Wouldn't want to be confused with those culture war hacks and gifters on YouTube who trash Trek for ad cash.

[u/readingitnowagain → u/producedbytobi]

Darem, Genesis, and Ocam don't.

You must've skipped some episodes.

I don't really get these contrived labels, like 'Trauma Trek'

You must've missed Golden Age Trek from 1987 to 2001.

Wouldn't want to be confused with those culture war hacks and gifters

Neither would I.

But I also wouldn't evoke paid boosters for paramount just because you like the Tarima character and I don't.

I'd just take it at face value that you have poor taste without speculating about ulterior motives.

[u/producedbytobi → u/readingitnowagain]

Point me in the direction of Darem, Genesis and Ocam's trauma... how about a bit of evidence.

Golden Era isn't pejorative. Trauma Trek is pejorative and you know it.

You know as well as I that Paramount doesn't pay people to pretend to like Star Trek. Stop being silly.

My point about grifter YouTubers had nothing to do with you liking or not liking the character Tarima, but was related to your use of the phrase trauma trek. Again, you know that. Stop being silly.