Lt. Level Bonus Pod - Star Trek Discovery: Battle at the Binary Stars

I don't think Andy understands Section 31 for him to be so excited about it. Maybe this will put it in perspective: Emperor Georgiou, with the blessing of Star Fleet admirals, was going to destroy the entire Klingon homeworld. She was going to commit genocide... Remember in Star Wars when the Death Star destroys Alderran? Remember in the Force Awakens when Star Killer base destroys an entire solar system? Remember in JJ Abrams Trek when Nero destroys Vulcan and makes Spock's people an endangered species? That's what Section 31 does. Routinely. They will do anything to preserve the Federation. ANYTHING. That's not what Star Trek is about, right?

I don't know if I agree with that. Star Trek has always sort of help up the old military or sailor's traditions of "never leave a man behind" or "always render aid." It's just the way history turned out. If the Federation had won that battle and utterly dominated the Klingons, Burnham would be a hero. But since she got her captain and whole lot of other people killed through a series of accidents and bad decisions, she's a mutineer.

“I believed saving you and the crew was more important then Starfleet’s principles.” This is a defining moment in the story and I would argue the writers giving a clear sign that Burnham was in the wrong. Almost no other Starfleet character in the other shows would make that choice. Janeway is willing to strand her crew. The Needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few *and the few making that willing sacrifice* are a repeated theme in Star Trek. Kirk sacrifices Edith for the future, Spock sacrifices himself for his crew. If Burnham was beaming over to the Klingons and dying herself, that would be fine. Instead she makes a choice she has no right to make, the Federations honor for a crews survival.

Trek Barnes