Star Trek Discovery: Michael Burnham's best quote

Summary

• Michael Burnham offers leadership through eloquent speeches and loyalty.

• She remains steady in her principles and values and shows courage.

• Despite her typically reserved behavior, Michael shows the moment of humor and compassion.

With Michael Burnham, Star Trek: Discovery told another type of story to the franchise. The protagonist was not the captain, but an innocent former officer, accused of mutiny and was given a second chance to serve in a spaceship. Together with its crew Weathers Weathers with Klingons, the mystery reveals with time travel and even forging forward to meet challenges 900 years to come.

Although she encounters as quite Stoic, especially at first, Michael has lots of resonance, memorable lines throughout the series. She may not be the most outgoing expressive, but when the moment demands it she can gather her crew and inspire her friends with her words. These are some of Michael's best quotes in Discovered.

“But tonight I will meet one of my biggest challenges so far. Tonight we have … a party.”

More scary than any red warning

• Season 1, section 7, “Magic to make the sanest man get angry”

Michael is not exactly a social butterfly. For her, the concept of spending time in a relaxed environment with her crews – of which many are still careful with her because she committed Mutiny, is not so long ago – more scary than a whole Klingon war fleet.

When the crew throws a party at the beginning of this section, Michael expresses her concern in her personal log. It is a feeling that many viewers can relate to: being intimidated by loud music, tipsy colleagues and a chance meeting with a love interest. Fortunately, Michael is called away before she has to spend too much time in the festivities.

“You brought this ship through time. You carried this crew on your shoulders. You are the captain in the true sense of the word.”

Loyalty to Captain Saru

• Season 3, section 3, “People of Earth”

When Discovery jumps into the future and Michael is reunited with the crew, the question of captivity is still up in the air. Saru is approaching Michael for a discussion, as they had agreed to decide which of them would cut the ship when they reached their destination. Michael, however, explains that there is no discussion, and Saru should the captain the ship, with these lines showing her support.

This moment not only reinforces their friendship, but it shows how far the two have come. At the beginning of the series, Michael and Saru were careful with each other after what happened to their former vessels. But now Michael Saru feels better than anyone else and sees his strengths clearer than even he does. She trusts him to guide the crew and guide her through this unknown universe.

“It is of the principles of United Federation of Planet that I live. And of them I will surely die.”

Michael puts down his ideals

• Season 1, section 3, “Context is for kings”

When Captain Gabriel Lorca offers Michael a position on the discovery, she initially rejects him. She theorizes that his experiments relate to illegal new forms of weapons and that because of her mutiny at Shenzhou expect she will be willing to work outside the boundaries of the Federation Act. She makes it clear that if Lorca wants someone who is willing to throw away Starfleet ideal aside, he has the wrong woman.

Burnham is wrong about one thing: Discovery's research is not about weapons but travel. After learning about Spore Drive and its potential, Michael decides to stay. But her original words about refusal reason throughout her time at the crew. When Lorca turns out to be unreliable, Michael stands against him. When she faces impossible challenges, she greets them with courage, determination and curiosity. Although she has committed Mutiny before, she is faithful to the values that Starfleet is introduced in its officers.

“Luckily for you I was raised on Vulcan. We don't make fun.”

Classic dead pan humor

• Season 2, section 2, “New Eden”

After a away mission that resulted in Captain Pike blasting his ribs, he calls Michael to his office to discuss the assignment, the seven red signals and the mysterious “angel”. When he greets Michael, he warns her not to make him laugh, and this is her answer. Unfortunately for Captain Pike, he thinks this statement is humorous in itself and makes him gain from pain.

Michael is often reserved, especially in the show's early seasons, but she has a temporary preference for dry humor. This early interaction with Captain Pike, whether she was going to make him laugh or not, is the perfect example of one of her rare quips.

“There are a million ways to get to the captain's chair. Find your own.”

Tilly's exercise program

• Season 1, section 6, “Lethe”

Michael and her roommate, Ensign Sylvia Tilly, have been bound and discuss Tilly's goal of becoming captain. Michael has recommended Tilly a strict training program and holds her to it to make sure she does not vacation. She offers advice where she can, hoping to help her eager young friend.

In the section, however, a visit from her foster father Sarek Michael Michael is to reflect on her past and the events that brought her where she is today. In the end, her perspective has changed, and she tells Tilly that she gave her bad advice. She encourages Tilly to find her own way to her goals, which Tilly answers as she already has.

“The only way to defeat fear is to tell it no.”

Fear itself

• Season 1, section 15, “Will you take my hand?”

When the crew prepares to take on Klingons with Mirror Georgious's plan to end the war, Michael remembers a parable of a young soldier who spoke with his champion before the battle. The master tells the soldier how to recognize fear, as the soldier asks: “When I know fear, how will I defeat it?” Michael notes that she and the crew are thinking about the same question now.

At the end of the section, however, the crew met that fear and came out on the other side. For his actions in battle, Michael and several other discovery members receive the medal for honor. In its acceptance number, Michael invokes the parable again, this time including the general's answer: this memorable line. To defeat fear is to refuse to give it up, to refuse to release what is right. Michael continues to say that she is guilty of falling into fear before – but will not allow it to control her in the future.

“I'm just glad I'm the one who leads her last assignment. And that I will have a chance to say goodbye.”

A farewell to a friend

• Season 5, section 10, “Life, self”

In the epilogue for the series finale, Michael Burnham has a final assignment aboard the discovery: take it to a set of coordinates in deep space, where she leaves it to wait. What, Michael doesn't know; This is a red directive mission. Zora, Discovery's Sentient computer, must probably wait longer than Michael's life.

When Michael prepares to go out, she speaks this line to Booker (which at this time is her husband for several decades). Discovery is so much more than a ship – she is a friend, a protector, a Stalwart allied all these years. She has transported Michael and the crew through so much, and Michael is grateful for the opportunity to get a final ride.