Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard
In Star Trek: Picard‘s season 2 premiere, Jean-Luc casually mentions redesigns to the infamous Kobayashi Maru test. First introduced in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the Kobayashi Maru has been mentioned numerous times in various Star Trek media and is widely acknowledged outside of the fandom. Simply, the Kobayashi Maru is designed to test the character of Starfleet Academy cadets during a no-win scenario, much like that of philosopher Philippa Foot’s trolley problem. However, Picard’s proposed alterations could fundamentally alter the nature of one of Star Trek‘s most iconic and enduring elements.
The goal of the simulated exercise is the rescue of the Kobayashi Maru, a civilian spaceship that is badly damaged and stranded in a dangerous situation. The Starfleet cadet must rescue the Kobayashi Maru or leave the civilians onboard to certain destruction. Should the cadet save the civilians, this then puts the cadet’s ship and crew in jeopardy, as the test design includes the threat of an unsurmountable enemy should the cadet decide to save the civilians. This puts the Starfleet cadet in a peculiar and unwinnable situation in order to determine their character. Now that Jean-Luc Picard is chancellor of Starfleet Academy, he casually mentions redesigning the Kobayashi Maru when speaking to Raffaela “Raffi” Musiker. Raffi remarks on her discontent with the test, and the two don’t dwell on it further. In the grand context of the episode, it’s just a passing comment; Picard doesn’t go into greater detail about his plans for redesigns, but his use of language, redesign as opposed to a simple update, could speak volumes about Picard’s intentions.
Updating the Kobayashi Maru to make the test more applicable to the 24th-century cadets, like removing the Klingon or Romulan ships from the simulation, makes sense, as neither presents a marginal threat, and peace has since been struck. This is a particularly relevant training exercise that always utilizes the current enemy of the Federation, so there have likely been marginal updates to the Kobayashi Maru since its inception. But these updates should go without much fanfare, as it just seems natural to keep the test relevant. When Picard speaks to a redesign of the test, it hints more at significant updates to the structure of the exam itself. Should Picard change or alter the Kobayashi Maru in a big way, it could very well read as an insult to the many captains, including himself, who have previously come through the test, as it could be interpreted as an admission that a central cornerstone of Starfleet training has always been flawed and perhaps not as valuable as it was once assumed.
The importance of Kobayashi Maru to the Starfleet Academy cannot be understated. Many students of Starfleet Academy, including respected captains, have confronted the test with certain ingenuity. Captain James T. Kirk is still the only captain to have beaten the Kobayashi Maru. In The Wrath of Khan, it is revealed that Kirk beat the test on his third and final attempt by reprogramming the simulation to save both the civilian ship and his crew. The importance of Kirk’s unorthodox answer to such a seemingly impossible scenario is pivotal to understanding the significance of the Kobayashi Maru within the Star Trek universe; there is a constant need to redefine and challenge any stereotypical rule by breaking the preconceived rules instead of operating solely within them. This speaks leagues to any great Starfleet Captain, as any leader should consider all rules and consider breaking them in favor of achieving a goal.
Given Picard didn’t delve into further detail about his plans for redesign, it’s difficult to ascertain just what his intentions with the Kobayashi Maru are going forward. The Kobayashi Maru is considered a pivotal facet of Starfleet training, and redesigning it could prove challenging and unnecessary, given its ability to perfectly speak to Starfleet’s most important lesson about the balance required of its leaders. Any significant changes made in Star Trek: Picard would be extremely insulting to the merits of the exam itself and any Starfleet Academy cadet who has since been tested under the Kobayashi Maru.
New episodes of Star Trek: Picard air Thursdays on Paramount+
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