The hunt for "the greatest treasure in the known galaxy" in USS Discovery-A's crew, including Michael and her relationship with her true love, Cleveland "Book" Booker (David Ajala).
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 apparently centers on a treasure hunt for an unnamed prize. Whatever it is, it's important enough that the United Federation of Planets and other interested parties want control of it. When Captain Burnham leads the quest for the "greatest treasure of the known galaxy," she will have to tap into the s and resources she made during the lost year when she and Book were couriers. After the Discovery landed in the 32nd century, a reluctant Michael reed Starfleet as Captain Saru's (Doug Jones) First Officer, and she brought Book along for the mission to solve the mystery of The Burn. The success of The Burn mission came with a long-awaited promotion to Captain of Discovery for Michael, and she hasn't really looked back since. However, Star Trek: Discovery season 5's story offers the perfect opportunity to tap into the little-known events of the year it was just Michael and Book (and Grudge) exploring the 32nd century galaxy together.
Michael Burnham's Lost Year In Star Trek: Discovery Season 3
When she time-traveled to the year 3188 as the Red Angel, Michael Burnham arrived alone, and Book was the first person she met. They literally crashed into each other, and soon, they were fighting other couriers and mercenaries to protect a shipment of trans worms. The USS Discovery didn't arrive in the 32nd century for another year, and for all Michael knew, she would never see her starship and her friends again. Burnham made the best of it, and Book was the perfect companion to explore the strange new future galaxy with. Of course, Michael and Book fell in love, and their relationship remains a centerpiece of Star Trek: Discovery season 5. The events of Michael's year as a courier are detailed in Uma McCormack's "Star Trek: Discovery: Wonderlands," which may or may not be canon with the TV series.
Now that she is Captain Burnham, it's easy to forget that Michael was so changed by her year as a courier with Book that she initially didn't want to return to Starfleet. Burnham questioned her decision to become Saru's Number One, and it took the length of Star Trek: Discovery season 3 for Michael to reaffirm her commitment to Starfleet. But the events of Michael's lost year with Book were only hinted at, although each tidbit revealed has been a fascinating layer to their relationship. The Star Trek: Discovery season 4 episode "All In," especially scored when Burnham and Book squared off at the card table in the karma barge casino of Haz Mazaro (Daniel Kash), an old when they were couriers who liked Michael more than Book.
How Discovery Season 5's New Characters Bring Back Michael's Lost Year
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 tapping into Michael Burnham's lost year will also introduce two new characters, Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis). Both are former couriers who Michael and Book knew when they were in the trade. Moll and L'ak are apparently also in the market for the "greatest treasure in the known galaxy," and the jury is out if they are competitors or allies of Michael (or both). Michael tapping into her former life as a courier also allows Star Trek: Discovery to tap into the seedy underbelly of the very different 32nd-century galaxy, which is always an exciting contrast to the glossy and noble environs of Starfleet and the Federation in Star Trek: Discovery.
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is expected to premiere in 2023 on Paramount+