Introduced as Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), this Star Trek: Discovery character’s history is as complex as the very name he carried into the series. At first, he just seems like a run-of-the-mill galactic criminal. He works as a courier for dubious clients. He turns on Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) shortly after the two meet in a chance collision. She’s just zoomed into the future after saving those in her present as the Red Angel; he’s on the run after stealing mysterious cargo from a fellow courier, a Betelgeusian named Cosmo Traitt. Michael and Cleveland end up crashing onto the nearby planet of Hima in season 3, episode 1, “That Hope is You, Part I.”
Michael convinces Book that she comes in peace and has valuables to trade. He goes along with her until he turns on her and makes off with her 23rd century gadgets. But after she turns the tables on him, the two team up and the heart of gold within the thief is finally revealed. Cleveland reveals that he’s been using his telepathic connection with animals and plants telepathically to rescue them. The “cargo” he’d stolen from Cosmo was a tranceworm, an endangered species that he’s smuggling to a safe habitat. As he and Michael grow closer in their galactic adventures, it becomes apparent that there’s even more to Book than meets the eye.
Cleveland Booker: A History
In fact, there’s more to the name Cleveland Booker in general. It’s actually an alias passed down through a long line of couriers, making the current one Cleveland Booker V. Star Trek: Discovery never truly explains who carried that name first, or how they created the legacy behind it. But season 4, episode 12, “Species Ten-C” provides insight into what makes the name so important throughout the galaxy. Book explains to the “temporarily detained” Jett Reno (Tig Notaro) that this name means trust among couriers. Anyone who carries it is honor-bound to the promises they make to clients, to allies, and to each other – for better or for worse.
However, Book’s loyalty is tested when the Starfleet scientist he’s partnered with goes rogue. Ruon Tarka (Shawn Doyle) shows a willingness to risk millions of lives to destroy the Dark Matter Anomaly (DMA). His desperation pushes Book to switch sides and help the Federation stop Ruon’s destruction of Earth, Ni’Var (the planet formerly known as Vulcan), and many more. In that way, though, he’s more like his predecessors than he realizes.
Cleveland Booker IV
Here’s where things get a little confusing. Before Cleveland Booker V swept into Star Trek: Discovery and steals Michael’s heart, he was mentored by Cleveland Booker IV. Book explained that Booker IV had taken him under his wing as a young Kwejian, and showed him the ropes of being a proper courier. Too bad he left behind his wife and child in the process. His teachings make an honorable man (of sorts) out of his wayward mentee, Book. But being abandoned by her father turns young Malinne into the angry Moll (Eve Harlow).
Star Trek is no stranger to children with daddy issues. Spock alone dealt with a plethora of them in several shows, including The Original Series and Strange New Worlds. But Moll makes her issues everyone else’s problem. Cleveland Booker IV died before he could ever make up for leaving Malinne behind. So, Book tries to make up for his actions by seeking redemption for Moll. While it doesn’t exactly work out in the end, he does his namesake proud just by trying.
Star Trek: Discovery’s Cleveland Booker
Book took his mentor’s name years after leaving behind his family and their dangerous ways. He was originally named Tareckx after his father, in the tradition of his people. Unlike his mentor, his father hunted trace worms for the Orion syndicate known as the Emerald Chain. It’s no wonder that Book later takes on the role of rescuing these same endangered animals from other hunters.
In classic Star Trek tradition, Book’s checkered past leads to a colorful future of traversing the stars and battling demons both internal and external. His ability to communicate telepathically with animals comes in handy when Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) needs help with the spore drive in season 4. But Book’s struggles with grief after the destruction of his homeworld nearly put him in prison. His journey throughout Discovery is difficult at times, and wondrous at others. Either way, he lives up to his adopted name by always trying to be the best version of himself and living life to the fullest, no matter what.
Book’s role in Star Trek: Discovery goes through many changes. He starts out as a thief with a heart of gold. Then he catches the eye of Starfleet’s prodigal daughter and gets dragged into her mission to (once again) save the galaxy. After Michael becomes Captain Burnham, he becomes something of a live-in boyfriend. Sure, he commits a few crimes along the way. But that doesn’t stop him from basically joining the USS Discovery crew any more than it stops Quark’s work on Deep Space Nine. It simply adds a little spice to his character development.
Still, it would have been nice to learn more about the history of the name ‘Cleveland Booker’. Why does it have such a stellar reputation? How does it get passed down? What happens to those who don’t play by the rules? More importantly, who carries on the mantle now that Book has retired to settle down with his love? Only lovers of media analysis and Star Trek: Discovery fanfiction can unravel the mystery of Cleveland Booker at this point.
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