The latest episode of “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” just dropped a bombshell on fans. Episode 6, titled “Come, Let’s Away,” which arrived on Paramount+ on February 12, 2026, introduces a new alien species that might be the most horrifying threat the galaxy has seen in decades. Meet the Furies, a group of space pirates so brutal that they make classic enemies like the Klingons look like schoolyard bullies .
For a franchise that has given us the emotionless, unstoppable Borg and the cunning Romulans, it takes a lot to shock viewers. But the Furies manage to do just that. These aren’t your typical villains who want to conquer planets or engage in philosophical debates. They are driven by something far more primal and disturbing: constant, unending pain.
The Furies’ First Attack: A Field Trip Turns Deadly
In the episode, the cadets from Starfleet Academy go on what is supposed to be a routine field trip aboard the USS Athena. They visit a “starship graveyard” to work on a decommissioned vessel, the USS Miyazaki. The goal is simple teamwork and repair practice. But things go horribly wrong when the Furies attack .
These raiders ambush the ship and capture the cadets. We learn that the Furies are humanoid in shape, but they are related to a bat-like species known as the Lynar. This connection gives them a specific weakness—they are vulnerable to sonic weapons—but that doesn’t make them any less dangerous .
Admiral Charles Vance, played by Oded Fehr, delivers a chilling warning about them. He states that the Furies are known to kill hostages even after receiving a ransom. They don’t play by any rules. They don’t negotiate. They simply bring death .
What Makes the Furies So Terrifying?
The Furies are not just your run-of-the-mill thieves. They are defined by a tragic and horrifying characteristic. According to information gathered by Starfleet, with help from the slippery pirate Nus Braka (Paul Giamatti), the Furies live in constant physical agony. This perpetual pain has twisted them into creatures that must spread that suffering to others .
Here is what sets them apart from other Star Trek villains:
- Cannibalistic Tendencies: They don’t just kill their victims; they devour them. Reports suggest they can even tear through a Klingon’s notoriously tough hide .
- Primal Communication: They don’t speak in complex languages. Instead, they communicate with high-pitched shrieks similar to velociraptors, which adds to their predatory and animalistic nature .
- Brutal Efficiency: When the cadets finally manage to escape, the Furies demonstrate their ruthlessness. They descend upon a teacher who stayed behind and rip him apart right in front of everyone .
Their design and behavior have drawn immediate comparisons to the Reavers from the cult-classic series “Firefly.” Like the Reavers, the Furies are driven mad by their circumstances and exist solely to inflict horror. However, their look is also being compared to the Cenobites from the “Hellraiser” films, giving them a dark, almost supernatural visual edge .
Are the Furies Connected to Old ‘Star Trek’ Lore?
For long-time fans, the name “Furies” might ring a bell. Interestingly, they aren’t a brand-new invention for this TV show. The Furies actually originated in a series of Star Trek crossover novels published in 1996 called “Star Trek: Invasion!” .
In those books, the Furies were a vastly different threat. They were an ancient, highly intelligent species from outside the Milky Way galaxy. They were described as hideously ugly and were said to have inspired demonic figures in the mythologies of countless worlds, including Earth. In that story, they had even conquered the Alpha Quadrant thousands of years ago, enslaving humans and Vulcans .
However, the version we see in “Starfleet Academy” is a bit different. The show has adapted them for the 32nd century. Instead of being extragalactic masterminds, the show’s Furies are humanoid hybrids who emerged during or after the cataclysmic event known as “the Burn.” They are less about psychological manipulation and more about pure, visceral violence . This marks a rare instance of Star Trek mining its “B-Canon” (books and comics) for ideas to bring into the live-action shows .
Paul Giamatti’s Nus Braka and the Betrayal
The episode doesn’t just rely on the Furies for tension. It also brings back Paul Giamatti as the devious Nus Braka. Chancellor Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) is forced to make a risky deal with Braka to save the cadets, as he claims to know how to stop the Furies .
Spoiler alert: it was a trap. Braka was actually in league with the Furies all along. He delivers a cold line to Chancellor Ake, revealing his true motivation: “I hate you because you think your way of life is better than mine” . His deception allows the Furies to ambush the rescue mission, leading to the tragic death of an instructor and raising the stakes for the remaining episodes .
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Where to Watch and What Comes Next
“Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” is streaming exclusively on Paramount+. The show debuted on January 15, 2026, with its first two episodes, and new episodes drop every Thursday. The season finale is scheduled for March 12, 2026 .
Episode 6, directed by Larry Teng and written by Kenneth Lin and Kiley Rosseter, marks a significant turning point for the series . The show has moved away from the classroom drama of the early episodes and fully embraced the dangers of space exploration.
With the introduction of the Furies, “Starfleet Academy” has successfully created a villain that feels like a credible threat in a post-Borg galaxy. Whether the Furies will return for future seasons remains to be seen, but for now, they have left a bloody mark on the series and on the psyche of the young cadets.
The series, which celebrates 60 years of Star Trek in 2026, also features returning favorites like Robert Picardo as the Doctor from “Voyager” and Tig Notaro as Commander Jett Reno . With the first season nearing its end, fans are eager to see how the cadets recover from this attack and if Starfleet can find a way to combat this new, terrifying enemy.
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