“We were also kind of the outcasts”: More Than Sonequa Martin-Green’s Mechanical Acting, Fans Will Never Forgive Star Trek: Discovery for a Controversial Change to Klingons 

Since its debut, Star Trek: Discovery has been a significant addition to the beloved Star Trek franchise. But despite the anticipation surrounding the project, the 2017 TV series was later subject to criticism, surrounding Sonequa Martin-Green’s portrayal of Michael Burnham, and the controversial depiction of Klingons.

While Star Trek: Discovery has garnered overall praise for its visual effects and modern storytelling, Sonequa Martin-Green’s acting has consistently drawn backlash, with accusations of her performance lacking emotional depth. Meanwhile, it seems, that fans can still turn a blind eye to Martin-Green’s acting, but they can never forgive the show for changing the appearance of Klingons. 

Sonequa Martin-Green’s Performance Witnessed Negative Reception 

When Star Trek: Discovery was released in 2017, with the optimism to meet fans’ expectations, the show was greeted by a loyal fanbase, praising its take on complex themes relevant to contemporary society. But unfortunately, the moment of praise didn’t last long, since people soon began criticizing Sonequa Martin-Green’s performance, who was helming the role of Michael Burnham. 

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The character of Michael Burnham, originally envisioned as the first officer of the USS Shenzhou and later recruited on the USS Discovery as a science specialist, was positioned as a strong, intelligent protagonist. However, Sonequa Martin-Green’s portrayal was perceived as wooden and lacking the nuance and warmth typically associated with Star Trek lead characters. 

Critics have since argued that Sonequa Martin-Green’s acting style significantly failed to capture the essence of a Star Trek persona, a role traditionally characterized by a balance of intelligence and leadership. Instead, Martin-Green’s performance was criticized for monotony and an inability to convey the emotional depth required to keep audiences hooked to the screen. 

But despite fans expressing discontent towards Sonequa Martin-Green’s performance, criticism towards Star Trek: Discovery extended beyond the actress. To be fair, fans might even forgive the disappointing performance for once, but what the show did with Klingons sparked an unending outcry among Star Trek enthusiasts. 

Fans are Enraged with Star Trek: Discovery’s Depiction of Klingons

Ever since the inception of the Star Trek universe, the Klingons have been a staple of the franchise. The characters have long been recognized for their distinctive appearance and cultural richness. However, with the arrival of Star Trek: Discovery, the depiction of Klingons underwent a controversial transformation that left many fans perplexed and dissatisfied.

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Traditionally, Klingons were characterized by their bronze skin, facial hair, and human-like appearance. But over the years, through different Star Trek projects, the character’s depiction has evolved. However, none of them turned out to be as controversial as that in Star Trek: Discovery. The Klingons in the show appeared radically different, with purple skin over bronze or brown, and lack of hair. 

However, although Star Trek: Discovery shot itself in the foot with its decision to redesign the Klingon aesthetic, the show’s actress Mary Chieffo claimed to appreciate the deviation. Despite backlash, Chieffo revealed how she loved the idea, during her appearance on the D-Con Chamber podcast. 

In the way we were speaking the [Klingon] language because we were speaking it more than any Klingon had in the past, we were really diving into, also, an untouched version of the language. Because at that point, timeline-wise, there was a moment in Enterprise, obviously – the pilot, right? [Where Enterprise met Klingons.]

But since then, the idea was that there had been no contact. Or, throughout whatever y’all experienced on Enterprise, once you had your experience, then nothing until this point. I loved the idea, particularly with T’Kuvma, that they were kind of this ancient sect of Klingon houses, and that we were also kind of the outcasts.

Meanwhile, CBR figured out a possible explanation that might have caused this dramatic change in the appearance of the Klingons. According to the outlet, genetic mutations sound like the only logical explanation for the change. Considering how the Star Trek universe has established the fact that Klingons can procreate with some non-Klingon species, mutations may have caused a difference between “pure” Klingons and altered ones. 

Star Trek films and shows are available on Paramount+. 

This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire