Time to take a deep dive into the just released first look trailer for Star Trek: Discovery! Let’s begin with a step-by-step look. (Note: you can zoom in on the still images with a click.)

Burnham and Georgiou lost in space

We start with Lieutenant Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Captain Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) in a desert on what is likely an alien world, with a scene shot on location in Jordan. Burnham wonders where they are going, and Capt. Georgiouis says Burnham has served under her for seven years and it was time to talk about her getting her own command. Take note: previous reporting has Sonequa-Green’s Burnham serving aboard the U.S.S. Discovery, but at this point it appears she is a member of the U.S.S. Shenzhou crew under Captain Georgiou.

A closer look at the communicator

A close-up on Georgiou gives us a good look at the new Starfleet communicator when she requests a beam up.

U.S.S. Shenzhou breaks through

We then get a nice shot of the U.S.S. Shenzhou breaking through the clouds.

Transporter effect

Every iteration of Star Trek has its own transporter effect and Discovery is no different. This new effect gives the impression the transporter is creating a sort of grid pattern before converting a person’s matter into energy.

Shenzhou at warp

We have a new look for a ship at warp as well, as we cut to see the Shenzhou headed out. This new look has a sort of warbling or even watery effect, plus what looks to be a bright sphere at the center of it.

An under-saucer bridge

The Shenzhou has something new – or at least not seen before – in Star Trek, with the bridge situated on the underside of the saucer section, seen in a zoom in to Burnham looking contemplative. The bridge is darker than most seen in Trek, especially on TV, with a design somewhat reminiscent of the NX-01 from Star Trek: Enterprise or the U.S.S. Kelvin from the 2009 Star Trek movie. It features a window as viewscreen, which was something seen in the recent Kelvin-universe Star Trek movies.

Holo-Sarek

Next up, a holographic Ambassador Sarek (James Frain) talking [apparently to Burnham] saying: “Great unifiers are few and far between, but they do come. Often such leaders will need a profound cause.”

Let’s check out the bridge crew

We then get a collection of shots featuring Captain Philippa Georgiou and her bridge crew, including the first look at science officer Saru (Doug Jones). It is also worth noting that Saru has been reported to be part of the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery but like Burnham, we find him here on the bridge of the Shenzhou.

We get quick glances at a couple of other interesting-looking characters on the bridge, one with some kind of cybernetic headgear that reminds us of someone from another galaxy, and a blue alien. We also start to see the variations on the new uniforms which seem to be standard blue with different piping in gold, silver, and bronze.

The viewscreen/window in action

Saru tells the captain they have discovered something of “unknown origin,” and we get a look at the sort of HUD viewscreen window.

Michael goes for a walk at the edge

With Sarek ominously asking, “What have you found out there on the edge of Federation space?”, giving us an idea that they are indeed out on the final frontier, we see Michael Burnham suited up for an EVA in what may be the most elaborate Star Trek space suit ever.

Burn baby burn

And Michael isn’t just going for a walk–we see her suit has thrusters, as she issues the command, “Computer, enable igniter,” reminiscent of Spock’s thruster suit flight through V’Ger in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Say hello to the Klingons

Things get tense as we see Burnham observing what appear to be a very big Klingon ship or structure.

We then cut to the interior and see what appears to be some kind of sarcophagus of what is presumably a very revered Klingon.

And we get to see our Discovery Klingons for the first time (if you don’t count those leaks), and these guys definitely have ridges.

Nice console, wonder if it explodes?

Cut to a quick close-up look at a bridge console with a lot of high-tech detail.

T’Kuvma

And now we cut to a close-up of the leader of this group of Klingons, T’Kuvma (Chris Obi).

Shenzhou registry

We catch a quick glimpse of the U.S.S. Shenzhou rolling over where you can see its registry number.

Here is a zoom in where we flip the image and enhance to see NCC-1227. This would imply that the Shenzhou is a later ship to the U.S.S. Discovery, whose registry is NCC-1031.

Sarek’s questionable bedside manner

Then we are back to Sarek, non-hologram version, telling what we assume is a young Terran (she has no points on her ears), “You will never learn Vulcan, your tongue is too human.” And the way this segment is cut, they are at least trying to give the impression this is a young version of Burnham, who is lying down in some kind of chamber.

Corridor

We soon get a brief glimpse of what is presumably corridor on the Shenzhou. Like the bridge, the design has hints of the NX-01 Enterprise, U.S.S. Kelvin and even the U.S.S. Enterprise refit from the TOS movie era.

Aural alert

We see what looks like some kind of attack on the Shenzhou which has everyone covering their ears, including Ensign Connor (Sam Vartholomeos).

Strange new world

Next, a quick shot of an alien world.

Screaming Klingons

We then see T’Kuvma and other Klingons performing what appears to the the Klingon death ritual.

That is one ugly alien

We see Michael speaking to her captain suggesting “we target its neck and cut off its head” interspersed with a shot of a seriously creepy alien, possibly from the same alien planet above.

Daft Punk in the house?

We all know Mr. Data is the first android to serve in Starfleet and he was created with cutting edge 24th century technology. So it isn’t entirely clear what we have here. It could be a robot, or maybe the helmet is just some kind of elaborate life-support system, possibly just a way to make cool techno beats.

To fire or not to fire

Another shot of a console shows the Shenzhou comes loaded with photon torpedoes. While a staple of Star Trek, they weren’t actually introduced into the original series until late in the first season.

We also see a heated disagreement between Burnham and Georgiou over firing first (presumably at the Klingons), with Burnham arguing that they need to do it.

Saru’s special purpose

Saru reveals, “My people were biologically determined for one purpose alone – to sense the coming of death.” And apparently his alien Spidey-sense is tingling.

Space fight!

The trailer ends with Burnham and a Klingon on what appears to be the hull of the Klingon ship engaged in EVA space combat.

Title cards tell a story

Throughout the trailer a series of title cards set up Star Trek: Discovery.

Bonus Klingon content in Netflix trailer

In our earlier article we posted the Netflix version of the trailer which is cut differently but has almost all the same footage except for a couple of quick close-up glimpses at some Klingons. You can see some kind of weapon and some nasty claws too.

Where is the Discovery?

There is a whole lot to pack into one trailer, but there is one thing missing: the U.S.S. Discovery, which will presumably be the main ship for the series. Also missing is Captain Lorca (Jason Isaacs) and some other members of his crew we’ve heard about.

Did you spot anything else?

Sound off in the comments below about our deep dive and what you have spotted in the new trailer.