Has 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' just unleashed its very own Khan?
Space.com
by Richard Edwards February 13, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
'**Star Trek: Starfleet Academy**' has introduced a compelling new antagonist in Paul Giamatti's portrayal of Nus Braka, a character poised to join the ranks of Star Trek's legendary villains. In season 1, episode 6, "Come, Let's Away," Braka emerges as a formidable force, stepping up his game from a somewhat underwhelming debut in the series premiere. As part of the Venari Ral—a pirate cabal reminiscent of *Discovery*'s Emerald Chain and *Star Wars*-esque factions—Braka exudes the charm and menace of a classic Trek villain, with a penchant for grandstanding and supervillain-style monologues.
The episode also introduces the Furies, a brutal alien species that serve as Braka's enforcers. Their appearance hearkens back to *Star Trek: Invasion!* (a non-canonical series of books from the mid-'90s), but their terrifying presence adds fresh stakes to the narrative. The Furies' attack on the USS Miyazaki, a ship powered by an experimental singularity drive, injects much-needed tension into the story. This marks a shift for *Starfleet Academy*, which had previously leaned heavily into low-stakes humor and camaraderie among its cadets
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Originally published on Space.com on 2/13/2026