Summary
- Star Trek: Discovery’s final season will wrap up with a satisfying epilogue, resolving all storylines.
- The cast and crew were surprised by the series finale announcement but appreciated the opportunity for additional filming.
- Fans can expect a complete wrap-up of the show without lingering questions or unresolved cliffhangers.
Star Trek: Discovery showrunner Michelle Paradise promises that the epilogue in the series finale will be “a complete wrap-up.” Star Trek: Discovery season 5, which is the final season, premieres Thursday, April 4, on Paramount+. Discovery‘s cast and crew didn’t know season 5 would end the series during production, but Paramount+ allowed for 3 days of additional filming directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi to create a “coda” for Star Trek: Discovery‘s story and characters.
At WonderCon, Star Trek: Discovery screened season 5’s premiere episode, followed by a panel with Michelle Paradise and Olatunde Osunsamni moderated by Scott Mantz. Answering a fan question, Michelle Paradise spoke about filming additional scenes for Star Trek: Discovery‘s epilogue, and how they aren’t closing out the series with a cliffhanger that will never be resolved. Read her quote below:
Getting the opportunity to shoot some additional days, it feels like we wrap up the series in such a satisfying way. I can tell you there won’t be lingering questions. It’s not, “Oh my gosh, are they all gonna die?” and you’re never going to find out. It’s a complete wrap-up.
Earlier in Star Trek: Discovery‘s WonderCon panel, Michelle Paradise elaborated on what it meant to the cast and crew to be able to film the epilogue scenes for Discovery season 5’s finale:
Our studio and network were incredible with this. When we found out it was going to be our last season, they gave us the opportunity to shoot some additional days, to shoot some additional material. I have to say that gave us the opportunity to wrap it all up in a way that is going to feel, I promise you, it’s going to feel so satisfying to all of you who have invested in this show. And it meant so much to us, personally, who have given so much to this show, that we had the opportunity to do that. And it’s so rare. It’s so rare that that happens, but they all know what this show means to you and to all of us, and they gave us the chance to do that, and I think you’ll be really happy.
What We Know About Star Trek: Discovery Season 5’s Ending
Will Discovery’s characters return?
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 will end with a two-part finale: “Lagrange Point” directed by Jonathan Frakes, and the final episode, “Life, Itself” directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi. While nothing has been revealed about the final chapters of Star Trek: Discovery, the series finale will conclude Discovery season 5’s treasure hunt story. Star Trek: Discovery season 5 revolves around Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) leading the USS Discovery on a hunt for an ancient power source derived from an 800-year-old Romulan vessel. Michelle Paradise also mused that Discovery season 5 is thematically about endings.
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 will indeed be a complete ending, but, in Star Trek, there are always possibilities.
Variety’s cover story about the future of the Star Trek franchise finally confirmed that the next Star Trek TV series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, is set in the 32nd century after Star Trek: Discovery. This lends the possibility of Discovery’s characters, with the obvious being Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), appearing in Starfleet Academy. However, any potential Discovery cameos in Starfleet Academy, or hoped-for future plans for Discovery such as a streaming movie after Star Trek: Section 31, are classified. Star Trek: Discovery season 5 will indeed be a complete ending, but, in Star Trek, there are always possibilities.
