Star Trek’s next show,Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, already gaveStar Trek: Voyagerfans another reason to celebrate. TheStar Trek: Starfleet Academytrailerreleased at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 gave fans a glimpse of the upcoming series.Starfleet Academyis set to premiere in 2026 on Paramount+ with Holly Hunter as Academy Chancellor Captain Nahla Ake.
As a spinoff ofStar Trek: Discovery,Star Trek: Starfleet Academyis set 800 years afterStar Trek: Voyager,in the 32nd century. In addition to seeing the return of the USS Voyager’s Doctor (Robert Picardo), a few moreVoyagerEaster eggs in the newStarfleet Academytrailer hint at what eventually became of theUSS Voyager crew.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Confirms Harry Kim Was Promoted To Admiral In Canon
One of the most excitingStar Trek: VoyagerEaster eggs in theStar Trek: Starfleet Academytrailer confirms that Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) was promoted to Admiral. In the shot, several Academy cadets stand in front of a wall listing the names and ranks of Starfleet icons—with “ADM HARRY S.L. KIM” appearing near the bottom of the fourth column.
Nestled among the names of familiar characters from nearlyeveryStar Trekshow, this is the same Harry Kim who served as an Ensign for seven years on the USS Voyager.Star Trek: Voyagerseason 2, episode 5, “Non Sequitur” revealed Harry Kim’s middle initials are indeed S.L., and there’s no number after the name indicating it’s a descendant.
While we still don’t know what the wall of names signifies, it’s likely these notable figures in Starfleet history are listed in a vaguely chronological order, with 23rd and 24th-century icons mingled together. The ranks might be the characters' ranks when they died, received a particular award, spoke at the Academy commencement, or something else entirely.
Regardless of what the wall ofStar Trekcharacters' names is all about, one thing is for sure: fans are excited that Harry Kim not onlyfinallygot a promotion, but made it all the way to Admiral.
It’s been a long road getting from Ensign to Admiral forStar Trek: Voyager’s Harry Kim. Despite there being plenty oftimes when Harry Kim should have been promoted, Harry never actually got a second pip on his collar duringVoyager’s run. Kim as “the eternal Ensign” has become a meme amongVoyagerfans, with Wang himself embracing the nickname.
NewStar Trekshows confirm that a lot ofStar Trek: Voyagercharacters were promotedafter the USS Voyager returned from the Delta Quadrant. While the Prime Timeline’s Harry Kim isn’t seen in post-Voyagershows (only an alternate timeline’s version of Harry appears inStar Trek: Lower Decks), chances are Kim was also promoted to Lieutenant shortly after Voyager’s homecoming.
I’m not surprised that Harry Kim stayed the course to become a career officer and rose all the way to the top of Starfleet’s ranks, surpassing most of his Voyager crewmates. Seven years of solid service under less-than-ideal conditions in the Delta Quadrant meant the entire Voyager crew had completely proven themselves worthy of promotions if they stayed in Starfleet.
Being set in the 32nd century means thatStar Trek: Starfleet Academycan reveal more about what canonically happened to legacyStar Trekcharacters. In that regard,Starfleet Academyis a show that can tie into the entireStar Trektimeline. I’m excited to see what other well-deserved futures accompany Admiral Harry Kim inStar Trek: Starfleet Academy.
