Star Trek: Discovery’s Series Finale Finally Reveals Kovich’s True Identity

Star Trek: Discovery has completed its five-season mission, debuting its series finale episode, “Life, Itself,” today on Paramount+. In addition to wrapping up this season’s main mystery, which began in an episode of , the episode also shed light on the secret identity of Star Trek: Discovery’s most mysterious character, Doctor Kovich. (SPOILERS follow for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 10, “Life, Itself.”) Star Trek: Discovery’s finale sees Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) leaping into the unknown as she plunges into the strange Progenitor technology to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Afterward, she reports on the “Red Directive” to Doctor Kovich (David Cronenberg) in his office.

Examining the shelves behind Kovichs’ desk, Burnham notices a few items from the 24th century that shouldn’t have much meaning to her, since she and her crew skipped that century when they jumped 800 years into the future. However, they likely stand out to fans of Star Trek from the 1990s. There’s a bottle of Chateau Picard, the VISOR worn by Geordi La Forge, and the baseball that Benjamin Sisko kept on his desk in his office on Deep Space 9. Burnham realizes that “Kovich” is a code name. She asks Kovich about his true identity, and he says it is “something of a Red Directive itself.” Finally, he introduces himself as “Agent Daniels, USS Enterprise and other places.”

Who is Agent Daniels in Star Trek?

Agent Daniels first appeared in Star Trek: Enterprise, played by Matt Winston. A serialized arc of Enterprise revolved around the Temporal Cold War. That conflict broke out across the timeline beginning in the 28th century, after several galactic factions chose to break the Temporal Accords, meant to govern the use of time travel technology.

By the 31st century, the temporal cold war was in full swing. The Federation was involved, sending agents back in time to counter the timeline-altering activities of agents from other groups. Captain Jonathan Archer of the USS Enterprise NX-01 became vital to the conflict after meeting Agent Daniels, who had traveled back in time from the 31st century and gone undercover as a member of the USS Enterprise NX-01’s crew while trying to capture a terrorist who’d also been drug into the Temporal Cold War.

The conflict continued until Archer and Daniels brought it to an end. When Kovich mentions the Enterprise to Burnham, he may be referring to the Enterprise NX-01 (though who knows what other Enterprises he may have served on during his time-hopping career).

A previous episode of that all-time travel technology had been outlawed following the Temporal Cold War’s conclusion in the 31st century. That is why, arriving in the 32nd century, the Discovery had to be refitted as the Discovery 1031-A, to appear like a new ship built in Discovery‘s honor instead of an actual vessel from the past. Kovich being Daniels, a veteran of the Temporal Cold War, helps explain his wealth of knowledge, interest in Discovery, and fondness for anachronistic items like memo pads.

All episodes of Star Trek: Discovery are streaming now on Paramount+.