How Star Trek Discovery’s Cast Found Satisfying Endings in Surprise Final Season

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 premieres on Paramount+ this week, and to the surprise of the show’s cast it turns out it will also be the Final Season of Discovery. 

ComicBook.com got to speak with the stars of Star Trek: Discovery during the show’s final press day event, and we had to know if they were truly able to reach some kind of resolution with their characters – given that they finished filming Season 5 expecting that there would be more to come. 

Discovery cast members Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber) and Mary Wiseman (Lt. Sylvia Tilly) had a pretty hopeful take to share with Star Trek fans; without dropping spoilers, the two actors each eluded to the idea that the ending of Season 5 left the crew of Discovery in new or reaffirmed status quos that also served as fitting endings to their entire arcs. 

“I’m pleasantly surprised, given that we didn’t know it was ending,” Wiseman explained. “With where everything ended up it kind of feels like everybody already had ended up in a good place. Where they were okay with themselves and on the right path. 

“Yeah I feel like when we last see Hugh in this season, he has… fulfilled that arc of someone who has been given a second chance at life and has to grow into the best version of Hisself – but is also still so in awe of life itself,” Cruz said in his answer. “I think that’s a beautiful place for him to be when we last see him, since he’s been through so much… There’s a level of acceptance and awe in him at the end.”

When ComicBook sat down with Star Trek: Discovery star Sonequa Martin-Green, we had to ask her the same question. Martin-Green admitted to the bittersweet nature of having things end for the cast – while also echoing her co-stars’ affirmation that things managed to end in the right place. 

 “Well, I tell you, bittersweet, you know? We were shocked, but then, there was something about Season 5, as we were shooting, that felt conclusive, even though we had no idea. And I’m so grateful for it now. A lot of us are. Because as you’ll see, as everyone will see, everything really shapes up, it has such an arc to it,” Martin-Green explained. “It’s so culminating for all the characters and for the story at large. So, it was bittersweet in that we’re just grateful that we were able to do this together, and we’ll always have it. We’ll always have Discovery, and then the bitter part goes without saying, right?” 

It stands to reason that the makers of Star Trek: Discovery looked at the Season 5 storyline and made the decision that it served as a better series ending than what they would get to in sixth season. So long as fans end up feeling the same way by the end, then Discovery can go out on a high note. 

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 will stream new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.