Somehow, is more than halfway through. It seems that certain mysteries and new canon details might not be fully resolved by the end of this episode run. In fact, since Starfleet Academy Season 2 is already underway—and mostly completed—it’s not too early for fans to start speculating about questions that could be addressed further down the line, beyond the events of the currently airing episodes. One such question is: Who is Genesis Lythe’s mysterious father?
“It’s really fun for me to think about, especially because I spent so long wondering, who is this guy?” Actress Bella Shepard tells Inverse. However, she does have a small clue about the future of this question, along with insights into how she’s integrated into the Star Trek family.
Mild spoilers ahead.
In Starfleet Academy Season 1, Episode 7, “Ko’Zeine,” half the episode centers on Darem’s (George Dawson) failed royal marriage, while the other half follows Genesis attempting to erase her transcripts. She’s being fast-tracked in a command program and wants specific details of her past kept hidden. By the episode’s end, she and Caleb (Sandro Rosta) are caught, and she suddenly finds herself on a new path—one we learn will almost certainly disappoint her renowned but off-screen Starfleet admiral father.
“I think her initial instinct is to view it as a setback, but it’s almost like something within her has been uncovered, so she doesn’t need to hide as much anymore,” Shepard explains. “Trust is vital to her, and she knows it’s also important to Caleb. Now that he’s aware of her flaws and insecurities, it’s a relief for her, as she has less of a facade to maintain.”
Shepard also notes that this sense of bonding and self-doubt mirrors her own journey of realizing the weight of being part of a massive franchise like Star Trek.
“It didn’t fully hit me until we were halfway through Season 1,” Shepard said. “I thought, okay, cool. I’m going to be on a new Star Trek show. Let’s get to work. I was going through my usual process and then meeting all these people…” Shepard highlights meeting Discovery’s Sonequa Martin-Green as a standout moment, as well as being directed by Trek legend Jonanathan Frakes for the pivotal, upcoming penultimate episode of SFA Season 1. “That’s when I realized what I’d gotten myself into. Meeting Jonathan Frakes and being directed by him for Episode 9…he’s this walking teddy bear full of wisdom and humor.”
So, like Genesis, Shepard is learning to balance Star Trek’s legacy with simply being herself. And the metaphor for this is clearly Genesis’s mysterious admiral father.
“Does he exist?” Shepard teases. “I’d say my hint is that I do know more than what you all see. But I’m not sure how accurate that information will stay. So that’s my take for now.”