Discovery’s replacement for Emperor Georgiou is what Burnham needed
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The presentation of the president Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal) a Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 provided a flower that Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) needed after the departure of Empress Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh). Since Michael Burnham’s debut as a Star Trek: DiscoveryBurnham’s central character, always needed a mother figure as a counterpart who could hone and channel Burnham’s raw talent and penchant for heroic and rebellious acts. Orphaned at age 10, Burnham came to live with Sarek (James Frain) on Vulcan, where his human wife, Amanda (Mia Kirshner), became Michael’s mother.
When Burnham served aboard the USS Shenzhou, Captain Philippa Georgiou became her mentor and mother figure, as well as her captain. Michael’s relationship with Georgiou turned strange when he met Phillipa’s mirror universe doppelganger, who arrived aboard the USS Discovery. Emperor Georgiou felt even closer to Michael because she was the adoptive mother of Burnham’s evil double mirror. Georgiou was fascinated by the sincere Michael of the Primary Universe, who was so opposite to the treacherous scoundrel she raised. Meanwhile, Michael’s innate need for a mother figure was because his own mother, Dr. Gabrielle Burnham (Sonja Sohn), was largely absent, even after joining. Star Trek: Discovery as the Red Angel before later becoming Qowat Milat in the 32nd century.
Burnham no longer needed Georgiou after Season 3 of Discovery
For Star Trek: Discovery By Season 3, however, Michael had outgrown his need for a mother figure. Burnham arrived in the 32nd century a year before the USS Discovery, during which time she fell in love and traveled the galaxy as a messenger with Cleveland Booker (David Ajala). Michael had entered a new phase where he no longer sought redemption or penance for his tragic mistake of igniting the Klingon War in Star Trek: Discovery season 1. Instead, Burnham was on a new journey to become the captain she was meant to be.
Meanwhile, Emperor Georgiou was dying from a combination of time travel and universe crossing. But Georgiou also acknowledged that Burnham had evolved and gone from looking to a mother figure for guidance. Burnham was now ready to sink or swim on her own, and this coincided with Georgiou’s own need to leave the 32nd century for her own survival. However, Michael still needed a female flower in Georgiou’s place, and Star Trek: Discovery cleverly invented by President Rillak to counter Captain Burnham.
President Rillak made Burnham a better captain
President Rillak was an ideal complement Star Trek: Discovery season 4, and it was a new kind of opposition that Captain Burnham needed. Unlike Georgiou, Rillak felt no maternal instincts or nurturing feelings towards Michael. Instead, the president saw Captain Burnham, at first, as a questionable figure who was prone to taking risks and heroics. Admiral Charles Vance (Oded Fehr) came to admire Captain Burnham after saving the galaxy in Star Trek: Discovery season 3, but President Rillak was an even harder sell. He saw Burnham’s potential as both an asset and a liability to the Federation, and personally intervened to push Michael to toe the Federation line.
Captain Burnham, in turn, was frustrated that President Rillak was monitoring her, but that’s because she was used to being pampered by her mother figures like Emperor Georgiou. President Rillak challenged and forced Michael’s professionalism, and Captain Burnham especially needed that influence after Book went rogue and put Michael in an emotionally compromised position. Captain Burnham and President Rillak earned each other’s respect as two powerful women who were ultimately responsible for the lives of billions. His was a critical dynamic that he did Star Trek: Discovery season 4 was fascinating and led to the growth of Michael Burnham to become an even better captain of the Discovery.
Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 is expected to premiere in 2023 on Paramount+.
