As the Star Trek franchise reaches its 60th anniversary, it is no surprise that several long-standing traditions have emerged. From captain catchphrases to signature maneuvers, numerous beloved Star Trek tropes have been handed down through generations.
One of these is the redshirt. Most prominently featured in Star Trek: The Original Series, the main cast including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley would often beam down to a planet accompanied by a new crew member. This newcomer would typically wear the security officer’s red shirt and would invariably meet their demise within minutes of arriving on the alien world.
The “redshirt” trope has transcended Star Trek, with any character in any movie or TV show fitting that mold affectionately referred to as a “redshirt.” Some series (like J.J. Abrams’ Lost) have even acknowledged this trope onscreen, and Starfleet Academy is the latest to pay homage to the redshirt tradition.
In Honor Of Lt. Commander Tomov: Starfleet Academy’s Very First Redshirt
To maintain suspense, modern Star Trek is more subtle with its redshirts than in earlier times. Nevertheless, the trope remains very much alive.
Although Lt. Commander Tomov does not wear a red shirt in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 6, he embodies every other characteristic of a redshirt. Similar to The Original Series, the episode misleads viewers into believing this character will last by offering glimpses of personality. With Tomov, we learn about his bet with Lura Thok and his shore leave, and we see his admiration for Caleb Mir.
It seems we are just beginning to understand who Lt. Commander Tomov is when he is abruptly taken away by this week’s monster. As with classic redshirts, Tomov’s death serves to unsettle the remaining crew members and heighten the stakes for the audience. The image of his body drifting through space represents the moment where the captain finally comprehends the gravity of the situation.
Even without the redshirt uniform, it may not be entirely coincidental that just before his death, Tomov is illuminated by the ship’s interior red lights.
Starfleet Academy’s Honorary Redshirt Is Actually A Double Bluff
Lt. Commander Tomov may experience the redshirt fate in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, but his death is actually a double bluff. Because Tomov meets his end, most viewers will instinctively assume that the rest of the away team—composed entirely of main or recurring characters—will survive until the episode concludes.
This leads to a surprising twist when Vulcan student B’Avi dies. Even without Tomov being killed, Starfleet Academy‘s lighter tone already lulls viewers into a false sense of security that none of the younger characters will actually perish. Receiving a traditional Star Trek redshirt death in the episode’s first act only reinforces this notion, so when B’Avi is killed by one of the Furies, it delivers a genuine shock.
