Starfleet Academy Character Will Be Missing In Season 2, Confirms Show Boss

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1, episode 10!Star Trek: Starfleet Academy boss Alex Kurtzman confirms one major character is going to be missing in season 2 of the sci-fi drama.

According to Kurtzman, a key character in the show will not see their story continue into season 2, despite potential setup for their future. The end of Starfleet Academy season 1 saw the core Academy members take down Paul Giamatti’s Nus Braka and his mines. Now, he’s in custody, destined to pay for his crimes in the process.

However, while speaking with TV Insider, Kurtzman revealed that Giamatti will not be returning as Nus Braka in Starfleet Academy season 2. The showrunner explained that, while they would love to see Nus return in the future, it wasn’t going to happen in season 2. Giamatti is also open to coming back into the fold:

No, not in Season 2. There’s nothing we want more than to bring Paul back and there’s nothing Paul wants more than to come back, so we are going to figure that out in Season 3.

Luckily, an absence doesn’t appear to be in the cards for everyone else in the show. When asked about the return of the rest of the cast, Kurtzman clarified that no other characters in Starfleet Academy would be absent. The main actors on the show will return in season 2 to reprise their roles:

TV Insider: Will everyone else be back?

Alex Kurtzman: You mean everybody else who’s currently on the show?

TV Insider: Yeah.

Alex Kurtzman: That’s the plan, yeah.

Nus’ absence in Starfleet Academy season 2 isn’t that much of a surprise. The villain was defeated at the end of season 1, his arrest meaning he’ll be unable to continue his activities going forward. The Academy members getting accolades for their involvement also signals everyone in the show will continue to be important in the episodes ahead.

Although not much is known about how Starfleet Academy is going to evolve going into season 2, Kurtzman and co-showrunner Noga Landau have plans for numerous standalone concept episodes which will, eventually, tie into the larger plot of the story. It appears the duo have plenty in store, even without Nus involved in what’s to come.

Still, Kurtzman’s statement makes it seem like they’re not done with Nus just yet. Even though season 3 hasn’t been confirmed as of writing, there’s a long-term plan for Starfleet Academy that could easily afford bringing Nus back into the fold. How his story could continue after his arrest, however, remains to be seen.

Since Starfleet Academy season 2 wrapped filming in February of this year, it’s unlikely there will be a secretive return for Giamatti’s character. Still, Nus’ importance in season 1 means it would make sense for him to come back at some point. Perhaps season 2’s story can offer enough of a breather to make his return make sense later on.