When Star Trek: Starfleet Academy premieres on Paramount+ this January, fans will be tuning in to meet a fresh cohort of cadets. The show, set in the 32nd century after the events of Discovery, will bring a youthful edge to the franchise. However, it’s one of the adult officer castings that will continue a curious, long-standing Trek trend.
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We recently got a first look at WWE superstar Becky Lynch (real name Rebecca Quin) in her Starfleet Academy role, adorned in Starfleet gold and sporting a red bob on the bridge of what looks to be the USS Athena. With her on board, Star Trek continues its tradition of casting wrestling icons, beginning back in the early ’90s. Lynch is far from the first wrestler to move from the ring to the ranks of a Star Trek ensemble. In fact, she will be following in the footsteps of several WWE (and formerly WWF) athletes who appeared on Trek over the last several decades.
Becky Lynch Continues Wrestling’s Legacy in Star Trek
A handful of WWE stars have found themselves a part of the Star Trek canon. Most famous among them is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who appeared in the Voyager episode “Tsunkatse” in the year 2000. In the story, Johnson plays a fitting role as a Pendari Champion in a gladiator match against Seven of Nine. Given Johnson’s widespread fame and action-hero reputation today, it’s no surprise this is now the most recognizable wrestler-to-Trek crossover.
Beyond The Rock, the franchise has featured other wrestling stars, such as Paul “Big Show” Wight and Tommy “Tiny” Lister Jr., in the Star Trek: Enterprise episodes “Borderland” and “Broken Bow,” respectively. However, the first wrestler cameo in Trek actually dates back 34 years, to Tom Magee’s appearance as Klingon Monster Fek’lhr in The Next Generation‘s “Devil’s Due” in 1991.
Now, with Becky Lynch’s casting, the WWE x Trek trend continues, notably with the first female wrestler to come aboard. Not much is known about the specifics of her character, but according to TrekMovie, she will play Lt. Ya, who Lynch claims is “not your average Starfleet officer.” You can catch Lynch in the lineage of WWE stars on Star Trek by checking out Starfleet Academy, January 15th, on Paramount+.
How do you think Becky Lynch will fit in as a Starfleet officer? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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