Starfleet Academy features a handful of familiar names and faces, but most of the characters had never been shown or referenced before Paramount+'s new Star Trek show premiered in 2026. Of these franchise newcomers, one stands out head and shoulders above the rest. They have an intentionally vague backstory and are brilliantly brought to life by the actor tasked with playing them. As the show has progressed, we've learned more and more about the figure in question, but no episode has been more informative in this regard than "Come, Let's Away."
Perhaps most known (at least since the turn of the century) as the voice of Elastigirl in the Incredibles franchise, Holly Hunter is currently playing Captain/Chancellor Nahla Ake in Starfleet Academy. Hunter's performance and Ake's intriguing off-screen past immediately had me hooked. Frustratingly, many of the questions I've had about her origin story have remained unanswered since the first episode of the show's inaugural season. Then, Episode 6 came with a long-awaited exposition dump — and I mean that in the best possible way.
FULL SPOILERS for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1 Episode 6, "Come, Let's Away."
Everything Starfleet Academy Episode 6 just told us about Holly Hunter's Star Trek character
There's a surprising amount to get through, so let's start small. First of all, I've never had a problem with the quirky way Ake sits in the captain's chair aboard the USS Athena. It's unique, and makes perfect sense given her informal personality type. Plus, "Come, Let's Away," finally proves it's all performative. At the very least, it serves a larger purpose.
When things get serious in Episode 6, Captain Ake sits bolt upright, far more like a traditional Starfleet captain. Without even saying a word, this communicates to her crew and the cadets that something is seriously wrong. Think of it as a physical embodiment of a Red Alert. When she's sprawled out in the seat, everything's fine. When she's not, it's time to lock in. It's far less distracting than a blaring siren and flashing lights.
Next up, Episode 6 also elaborates on Captain Ake's genetic background. It's been known since the premiere that she's half-Lanthanite, making her just the second member of the species to ever appear in Star Trek canon. The other is Carol Kane's Commander Pelia in Strange New Worlds. This led some (including me) to speculate that Pelia is Ake's mother. However, "Come, Let's Away," reveals it's Ake's father who was the Lanthanite, not her mother. Although this doesn't negate the possibility of Pelia having a more distant familial connection to Hunter's character, it perhaps makes it less likely.
Finally, and most importantly, we also learn more about Captain Ake's son in Episode 6. He has been mentioned before, but his name has yet to be spoken on-screen. All we had been told was that he lost his life in the Burn. In "Come, Let's Away," we learn more, and it's heartbreaking. In the 31st century, Captain Ake's son sent out an SOS from his ship, but his mother chose to remain with her crew to ensure their survival instead of abandoning her post to save her offspring. It's a decision that clearly still haunts her, but it's made intentionally unclear whether she'd do things differently if given the chance.
There is still a great deal left to learn about Captain Ake
Lathanites, by all accounts, are functionally immortal. Although the death of Captain Ake's son confirms that those with Lanthanite DNA can die, old age seems to be the one cause of death that just doesn't concern the species. Hunter's character is already over 400 years old by the time we meet her in Starfleet Academy's premiere, so we barely know anything about her beyond what we've already seen. Although the various reveals in "Come, Let's Away" are enlightening, they're a drop in the figurative ocean when it comes to Ake's mysterious past.
Her life has been so long to this point that it'd be impossible to account for even half of what she's done so far. However, some of the most important questions can, and should, be answered. For example, the identity of the character who fathered Ake's son is still a mystery. General Obel Wochak (David Keeley) is one possibility, as the Klingon clearly has a romantic past with the Starfleet Academy chancellor. That is just a theory, though. Although it would mean Ake's son was a human/Lanthanite/Klingon hybrid, which opens up all sorts of narrative possibilities via flashbacks. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy still has time to tell us more, and I hope it does.
A new episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1 is available on Paramount+ every Thursday until the finale airs on March 12, 2026.