Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's memorial wall of heroes: What we learned

We examine the familiar names on Starfleet Academy's memorial wall of heroes to discover more about the fates of past Starfleet officers.

Viewers of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy surely marvel at the massive sets of the USS Athena and Starfleet Academy. Eagle‑eyed Trekkers have probably noticed the listing of Starfleet officers’ names (along with various producers, directors, etc.—except for creator Gene Roddenberry, for some reason) from Trek’s past. Exactly what the wall of names means is less clear. It can be assumed that it’s in honor of Starfleet’s finest over the past centuries—except… what does this tell us about the ranks listed? If those are their final ranks, what happened? Many match the ranks we last saw on screen. Some belong to people who were never Starfleet officers at all. Some are saying that the wall is a commemorative display and not a memorial--hence there are Starfleet officers who are still alive. The problem with that is that it's one heck of a coincidence that those names are only the Discovery crew. No one in recent times was deserving? Not even Captain Ake or Michael Burnham or Admiral Vance? Not the Doctor?

In reality, this is just an easter egg to Star Trek fans. But as Star Trek fans, we must debate its accuracy. After all, that's part of the Prime Directive of Trek fandom, right?

We’ve squinted and scoured the internet to find some of the most eyebrow‑raising entries from the ones we can make out so far. We were especially happy to find the Facebook page Star Trek observations with Jorg Hillebrand which had screen caps and listings.

Please note, this is not a full list, just names we've chosen to note.

Ensign Robin Lefler - Only an ensign? This is odd. Definitely higher-ranked in beta canon.

Captain Tuvok

Captain Worf

Lt. Ash Tyler - The only one of the Discovery crew that makes sense of being on this wall. Though he must've not done much following his time on the Discovery if he only made it to lieutenant.

Capt. Erika Hernandez - Lost in the line of duty?

Capt. Carol Freeman

Capt. John Harriman - Promotion was to arrive on Tuesday, but was lost in a temporal anomaly.

Capt. Liam Shaw

Lt. JG Sam Kirk - I guess he quits Starfleet after SNW. Don't go to Deneva!

Commander Kyle - I assume this is transporter chief Kyle from TOS. I think we saw him in Star Trek II aboard the Reliant. Or did they all die when the Genesis device exploded?

Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh - Again, if only a lieutenant, will she die or leave Starfleet after SNW?

Capt. Hikaru Sulu - I thought Sulu would achieve a higher rank than Captain.

Commander Hugh Culber - I know he died, technically, but he's alive and well in the 32nd century.

Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax

Capt. D'Vana Tendi - An Orion Starfleet captain. Oh how far we've come from Kirk's green dancing women slaves.

Dr. Gillian Taylor - Huh? One of Starfleet's finest, I guess.

Lt. Commander Rok-Tahk - Cool! Rok made Lt. Commander! The Brikar species originated in the novels, first in the young readers novel Worf's First Adventure and then in Star Trek: New Frontier, both by Peter David.

Lt. Erica Ortegas - LIke La'an, does she die or leave Starfleet?

Captain Seven of Nine

Commander Paul Stamets - Like Hugh, he's presumably alive and well at the same time as Starfleet Academy is taking place.

Lt. Commander B'Elanna Torres

Captain Sonya Gomez

Ambassador Garak - I'm sure Garak never joined Starfleet, so why is he on the wall?

Commander Beckett Mariner

Fleet Admiral Elizabeth Shelby

Commander Joseph M'Benga - Assuming he's still a lieutenant during TOS, his Starfleet career continued post his time on the NCC-1701.

Commander Zero the Third - Another good one to see! Prodigy's Medusan

Commander Ro Laren - I guess no one emergency beamed her off the shuttlecraft. :(

Captain Travis Mayweather - Travis made captain. I always thought it would be Malcolm.

Commodore Geordi LaForge

Admiral Katrina Cornwell - First woman to command the Enterprise, NCC-1701, albeit for just a short time during Star Trek: Discovery season two.

Captain Chakotay

Admiral Jean-Luc Picard

Captain Rachel Garrett

Admiral Beverly Crusher

Captain Demora Sulu - Captain of the Enterprise-B, perhaps?

Commander Christine Chapel - The only one of Majel's characters to make it on the wall. She was last seen in Star Trek IV.

Midshipman First Class Peter Preston

Lieutenant Natasha Yar

Commander Ellen Landry - Did Landry really do anything noteworthy? Certainly not on Discovery.

Ambassador Spock

Commander Samantha Wildman

Admiral James T. Kirk - Technically, he was a captain when he died. Does he come back (as seen in the Star Trek: The Last Starship comic) and eventually become an admiral again?

Admiral Jonathan Archer - Didn't he technically, according to the Mirror Defiant's computer screens, show he became Federation President? Wouldn't that trump Admiral here?

Senior Chief Petty Officer Miles Edward O'Brien

Lieutenant Tom Paris - An odd one. I expected Paris to continue on in Starfleet following the Voyager years. Torres, his wife, obviously did.

Commander Janice Rand - Last seen as XO of the Excelsior!

Captain William T. Riker - Riker was still in uniform a year after the Borg incident. Did he retire shortly after that? Were there more adventures?

Commander Charles Tucker III

Commander Deanna Troi

Lt. Commander Data - I'd hoped that Data would continue his Starfleet career now that he was restored in Picard S3.

Lieutenant Julian Bashir - Julian never got a promotion after DS9?

Admiral Harry Kim - That's more like it!

Admiral Kathryn Janeway - I want to see more of Janeway!

Captain Benjamin Sisko - Now we know: he never came back.

Lt. Commander Hoshi Sato

Lt. JG Wesley Crusher

Lieutenant Nog - I expected Nog to have a long Starfleet career. This seems like a misstep, too.

Admiral Leonard H. McCoy

Ensigh Sito Jaxa - I guess she really did die in "Lower Decks."

Captain Nyota Uhura - Uhura made captain! In the novels, I believe she did command a science ship.

Commander Pavel Chekov - I expected Chekov to make captain, too. Maybe he retired after Generations.

Captain Christopher Pike

Ambassador Gwyndala - I expect Gwyn did have a lengthy career in both Starfleet and the diplomatic corps.

Were there any that we missed? There are a few that we didn't find that we really had hoped would have made their mark in Starfleet history.

Dal R'El - from Prodigy. While Gwyn, Rok and Zero get nods, Dal does not.

Jack Crusher - Either one, for that matter.

Ezri Dax - We get Jadzia, but not Ezri. In bet canon, she goes on to command the U.S.S. Aventine.

Kira Nerys - technically not a Starfleet Officer, though she was given a commission and commanded a key Federation outpost.

Katherine Pulaski - Not everyone's cup of tea, but I've come to like the character. She had obviously made a number of scientific discoveries during her career.

Elnor - The first Romulan in Starfleet and mentee of Jean-Luc Picard.

Ambassador Lwaxana Troi - Again, not a Starfleet officer, but near-royalty in the diplomatic corps. I'd expert her to get a nod on the wall.