Star Trek: Discovery Season 5’s Best Surprise Is Book And Culber’s Friendship

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, “Whistlespeak”

The friendship between Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) and Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) is one of the best surprises of Star Trek: Discovery season 5. The importance of family and friendship has become a key part of Discovery since the crew made the decision to strand themselves in the far future in the season 2 finale. However, sometimes Star Trek: Discovery is guilty of telling, rather than showing, that the crew of the USS Discovery is a close-knit group of friends. This recently became apparent when Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) struggled to find his place on the Discovery crew.

Star Trek: Discovery‘s best friendships feel natural, with the easy chemistry of the actors coming through in their scenes together. For example, Discovery season 5, episode 6, “Whistlespeak” sees Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) break the Prime Directive to save the life of her friend, Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman). The audience knows how important Burnham and Tilly are to each other because they’ve watched them grow and develop since being thrown together in Discovery season 1. Mary Wiseman and Sonequa Martin-Green’s easy chemistry with each other further emphasizes this bond. However, Discovery season 5, episode 6 also solidifies another winning friendship.

Booker And Culber’s Star Trek: Discovery Friendship Is A Joy

Booker and Culber have been frequently paired together during Star Trek: Discovery season 5 so far. In Discovery season 5, episode 2, Book and Dr. Culber teamed up to create a psychological profile of Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis). Indeed, it was Culber whom Book first confided in about his family connection to Moll via her biological father, and his mentor, Cleveland Booker IV. Book, Burnham and Culber visited Trill in Discovery season 5, episode 3, “Jinaal”, where Hugh had an eye-opening spiritual experience via a Trill zhian’tara ritual.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, “Whistlespeak”, Book helps Culber come to terms with his spiritual awakening. The scene in which Booker and Hugh discuss spirituality and relationships over a plate of mofongo con pollo al ajillo together is beautifully understated. It’s the sort of grounded character interaction that the high-stakes action and adventure of Star Trek doesn’t always allow for. However, David Ajala and Wilson Cruz play the scene perfectly, emphasizing the strong friendship that is forming between their two Discovery characters.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 6 Is A Celebration Of Friendship

On the surface, “Whistlespeak” is a traditional Star Trek story about a pre-warp civilization worshipping advanced but broken technology. However, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 5, episode 6 is also a celebration of the friendship between Culber and Booker, and between Burnham and Tilly. Captain Burnham is obviously fiercely loyal to her entire crew, but her friendship with Tilly adds an extra dimension to her decision to break the Prime Directive at the climax of the episode. “Whistlespeak” is also book ended by scenes between both groups of friends, establishing the importance of friendship.

The ease with which Tilly and Burnham can laugh about the former’s near-death experience at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, is a great example of the strength of their friendship. Similarly, Booker’s understanding of the importance of Culber’s spiritual awakening helps him to accept that it’s okay if his partner, Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) never fully understands it. Friends help friends understand more about themselves and the world around them. As the USS Discovery gets closer to the secret of life itself, these friendships could become more important than ever.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.