Star Trek as we always knew it ended painfully a decade ago.

“Nemesis” was the final film of another era, sending off The Next Generation crew in controversial fashion. “Enterprise” aired its last episode eleven years ago, creating the largest gap between Trek shows since the original and The Next Generation.

In that eleven years, the brand has survived. But the brand has been just a mere shell, being Trek in name only.

While 2009’s self-titled reboot was a nice homage that launched an alternate universe, the sequel “Into Darkness” showed us the future of the film series. Whereas the original was an intelligent and complex saga that tackled difficult subject matter, it was now becoming a cheap science fiction thrill.

Star Trek has become unrecognizable.

Actor Chris Pine, new “Kirk”, said that you can’t make Star Trek “cerebral” in the year 2016. There you have it, Star Trek is done being Star Trek.

Star Trek has always been about the complicated themes. There are layers to the stories and depth to the ideas. It takes boundaries and instead of respecting them, it challenges them in an intelligent way. The thought-provoking material is central to the entire saga’s legacy.

“Deep Space Nine” was dark and arguably contrary to the utopian vision of Gene Roddenberry, but it worked because it still respected the Trek legacy of tackling difficult issues. It wasn’t just dark and gloomy for the sake of ratings and money.

That was “Into Darkness.”

Thus, as Trek fandom eagerly awaits more details about the new television series, one must wonder: what is next in “Discovery”?

“Discovery” needs to make Star Trek be Star Trek again. Instead of being your standard shoot-em-up Fast and Furious action flick in space, it needs to have depth. It needs to be political and hit social issues. It needs to raise questions, present answers, and jump head first into the problems our world faces just as it has all along.

Star Trek again needs to make itself worthy of carrying on the name. Restore the Star Trek legacy.