Star Trek Captakn Archer on Enterprise's bridge
By
Shaun Corley
Published Feb 4, 2026, 8:00 PM EST
Shaun Corley is a Staff Writer for ScreenRant, a position he has held for five years. While he enjoys many types of comics and graphic novels, he has a particular interest in the licensed Star Trek titles.
Sign in to your ScreenRant account
Add Us On
Summary
Generate a summary of this story
follow
Follow
followed
Followed
Like
Like
Thread
Log in
Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
Try something different:
Show me the facts
Explain it like I’m 5
Give me a lighthearted recap
Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy!
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is set to fix a 23-year-old mistake, dating back to Enterprise. The newest addition to the Star Trek universe, Starfleet Academy is off to a strong start, with exciting new characters and storylines that promise great things, including the chance to improve on one of Enterprise’s biggest missed steps.
As revealed in season three of Star Trek: Discovery, the Federation fell apart in the wake of a galactic catastrophe known as “the Burn,” which caused all dilithium in the galaxy to explode.
Star Trek Starfleet Academy debate cadets
With warp travel now off the table, galactic civilization fell apart, and Earth ended up leaving the Federation.
The War College Was Created to Serve a Very Different Galaxy
Starfleet Academy Shows The Galaxy In the Process of Rebirth
War College Starfleet Academy
Even though Earth no longer had the protection of Starfleet, it still needed protection from its enemies, which were now plentiful in the post-Burn galaxy. Thus was created the War College. As the name implies, the War College’s primary purpose was defense, going as far as to construct a massive, planet-wide energy shield grid.
Even though Earth no longer had the protection of Starfleet, it still needed protection from its enemies, which were now plentiful in the post-Burn galaxy. Thus was created the War College.
The galaxy that Discovery found was in chaos, but Starfleet Academy shows that civilization is slowly reasserting itself. In the show’s second episode, Betazed, once a Federation staple that also left after the Burn, returns to the fold. In the third episode, the Klingons accept a new homeworld, after the Burn ravaged theirs.
And the reopening of Starfleet Academy is perhaps the surest sign that the Federation is on the rebound. The first class to attend the Academy in over a century, as seen in the pilot episode, is a diverse one, coming from all parts of the galaxy. Relocating the Federation headquarters to Earth is another sign of progress.
The Cadets at Starfleet Academy Have Rivals in the War College
The Two Schools Are Currenty Engaged in a "Prank War."
As shown in Starfleet Academy’s opening episodes, a rivalry exists between the Academy and the War College. In the show’s third episode, "Vitus Reflux", the two schools engage in a slowly escalating “prank war.” The War College repeatedly gets wins over Starfleet Academy, until finally the cadets rally and get one over on the College.
The rivalry between Starfleet Academy and the War College was seeded in the opening episodes, but “Vitus Reflux” took it to a new level. The War College students were depicted as arrogant and haughty, constantly belittling the upstarts of Starfleet Academy. The Academy cadets had to go to extreme lengths to beat the College.
The Rivalry Between Starfleet Academy and the War College Might Seem Familiar to Long-Time Star Trek Fans
The MACOs Were Introduced in Enterprise's Third Season
Star Trek Enterprise, Maco Space Marine Explained. Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer.
If the rivalry between the two institutions seems familiar, it is because it brings to mind the tensions between Starfleet and the MACOS on Star Trek: Enterprise. Introduced in the show’s third season, the MACOS, who were the United Earth equivalent of the Marines, were stationed aboard Enterprise during the Xindi crisis, to assist should the need for combat arise.
Almost instantly, the two squared off, in a real-world mirror of the rivalry existing between different branches of the military. Malcolm Reed, Enterprise’s security officer, especially took a dislike to the MACOs. Eventually, he came to blows with a member of the MACOs, which served to smooth over the rivalry.
Star Trek: Enterprise Dropped the MACOs Storyline
Enterprise Did Not Develop the MACOs Story Very Well
Star Trek Enterprise, Harbinger. MACO Space Marines. Steven Culp as Major Hayes and Dominic Keating as Malcolm Reed..
In time, Starfleet must have learned to work more amicably with the MACOs, for they stuck around on Enterprise once the threat of the Xindi was neutralized. Later episodes made no mention of the rivalry that existed between the two branches. In fact, the MACOs were largely abandoned after the Xindi arc, save for background appearances.
Subscribe to our newsletter for Star Trek insights
Want deeper Star Trek context? Subscribe to the newsletter for sustained analysis of canon shifts, faction rivalries like Starfleet vs. the War College, smart comparisons across series, and other franchise developments. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.By dropping the MACOs arc, Enterprise also left the tension between them and Starfleet unexplored. Outside of Malcolm’s dislike of the MACOs, no one else aboard Enterprise really had any issues with them. If Enterprise’s showrunners intended the MACOs to add drama to the mix by fighting with Starfleet, then the initiative failed.
Starfleet Academy Can Improve Upon An Enterprise Storyline
Starfleet Academy Is Off to a Strong Start
Starfleet Academy has a grand opportunity to improve upon the MACOs storyline that Enterprise introduced. The War College, which stresses combat and defense over exploration, has much more in common with the MACOs. The differences between the two branches were also explored and discussed on Enterprise, but never elaborated upon, giving the MACOs short shrift.
And if the opening episodes of Starfleet Academy are any indication, then the rivalry between the cadets and the War College will greatly improve upon the MACOs and Starfleet story of Enterprise. An entire episode was devoted to exploring this rivalry, something lacking on Enterprise. Future episodes will no doubt build upon this tension.
-
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
-
Star Trek: Enterprise
-
Star Trek
Subscribe to our newsletter for Star Trek insights
Want deeper Star Trek context? Subscribe to the newsletter for sustained analysis of canon shifts, faction rivalries like Starfleet vs. the War College, smart comparisons across series, and other franchise developments. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Trending Now
How Eleven's Upcoming Stranger Things Return Is Different From Original Netflix Story
10 Fantasy Books Better Than Harry Potter
Jonathan Frakes “Couldn’t Not Ruin The Take” Directing Jack Quaid In Star Trek Crossover
