Star Trek Celebrates Its 60th Anniversary By Changing the Federation Forever

There’s a sense in which Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is the franchise’s ultimate 60th anniversary celebration. The concept of Starfleet Academy was first mentioned all the way back in 1966, after all, and the idea of a dedicated show has literally been in the works for decades. But this isn’t the Starfleet Academy of James T. Kirk or Jean-Luc Picard (although their legacies stand strong). The new TV series is set in the aftermath of Star Trek: Discovery, after a cosmic event known as the Burn that almost brought an end to galactic travel.

This is a unique period in the Star Trek timeline. The Federation had retreated from galactic affairs after the Burn, becoming a regional power rather than a galactic force for good, and it’s currently reinventing itself after the USS Discovery figured out the cause of the Burn and ensured there won’t be a repeat. This means the Federation is reestablishing itself as a galactic power, attempting to persuade other worlds to rejoin it. In Starfleet Academy episode 2, that leads to the boldest change yet.

The Federation is Finally Moving Away from Earth

The Federation was originally established in 2161, with four founding members: Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar. Although there were four original members, it only really came into existence because of Human influence, which meant Earth became the capital of the Federation. It certainly helped that Earth was effectively a neutral planet among this core group, a fledgling galactic society where the other space powers had complicated histories of outright conflict. Although the Federation swiftly grew, Earth remained its capital, increasingly important over the centuries.

All that changed after the Burn, with Starfleet becoming increasingly concerned about security on Earth. The Federation Headquarters was moved off-planet, and Earth seceded from the Federation, a key indicator of its decline. Everything changed when the USS Discovery arrived on the scene, however, because galactic travel became possible once again. Captain Burnham’s personal faith in the Federation inspired many, and the Federation began to reestablish itself once again, with Earth rejoining.

As seen in Starfleet Academy episode 2, the assumption had been that Starfleet Headquarters would move back to Earth. It seems that isn’t the case, however; recognizing the vulnerability of Betazed, and eager to bring the Betazoids back into the Federation, leadership instead chose to relocate there. It’s a smart and strategic move, not least because the Betzoids had successfully protected their sector of space from piracy using an impressive psychic wall that offered additional security to Federation Headquarters.

What the Federation’s New Home Really Means for Star Trek

It’s safe to assume this is a major blow to Earth’s prestige in the Federation. More importantly, it signifies a much more diverse future from the Federation where Humanity and Earth are a little less important, allowing returning races like the Betazoids a chance to become equally significant going forwards. Significantly, this massive shift was proposed as a concession to persuade the Betazoids that the Federation was committed to them, and as an alternative to imposing checks on the Federation’s future expansion. All in all, it signifies a new confidence in the Federation and an eagerness to grow once again.

Earth remains historically important to the Federation, of course. Even more significantly, the planet is still home to Starfleet Academy – again, a strategic decision that makes sense. The Academy and Starfleet Headquarters are now in completely different star systems, making the Federation a lot more secure. It had never really made sense for the present and future of the Federation to be based on the same planet, because a single strategic strike could neutralize both, meaning Earth required much more protection than any other world.

From an out-of-universe perspective, this change seems to fit perfectly with Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future. It points to a time when Humanity has grown to the point where we are one among many races, and where we acknowledge as much, allowing Earth’s dominance in the Federation to diminish. It really does feel like the perfect way to celebrate Star Trek‘s 60th anniversary.

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