Quellcrist Falconer and Michael Burnham

Kavita and I delve so deeply into our Netflix series that we both end up dreaming of spaceships, time travel, robots, ghosts, etc. That's how immersive we get. That's how obsessed we get. Or, how freely our imaginations run wild. 

The other day she told me she dreamt we were standing in line to test a new time traveling machine and, we tested it and, then she wanted to go back to the time she met her friend for the first time and then she met her younger self. And, I had the same type of dream. 

I recently watched Star Trek Discovery and, really enjoyed it. The story is set before the original series and, its biggest gift is that we get to meet Spock's big sister. (We also get to meet Sherlock Holme's little sis don't we in Enola Holmes. Can't wait to meet James Bond's sister.)

I can't get gush enough about her. Why? Because she's a beautiful, intelligent, brilliant, courageous black female character who takes centre stage. She totally dominates the screen, the story, and she is so breathtakingly compelling. 

I found myself thinking about Altered Carbon's Quellcrist Falconer : leader, visionary, fighter, beautiful and black. There are many many similarities between these protagonists. 

Why did I become so drawn to these characters? I think it's because for the first time we get to watch strong black women in action who have a strong moral compass, very clear path , and, aren't these annoying wishy-washy characters. Of course, the genre demands very strong capable women who aren't totally derailed by random issues but still, their overwhelming strength and focus and, moral leadership feel so good. The crafting of these characters, the performances and the stories are so good, satisfyingly good. 

I'm not sure which character I like more. Altered Carbon is a very dark, complex story that points to a highly depressing future, a way to think about our world right now, that is not much different in terms of mind blowing inequality and the excesses of the powerful and rich. Altered Carbon shows us a world where a handful enjoy life on the clouds, living forever, living their fantasies while the rest eek out their lives in a polluted, violent system. Quellcrist Falconer is a revolutionary in this world, she wants to wake people up, rebel against the injustice and undo the violence of the stack class system. 

Michael Burnham, on the other hand, is very much pro-status quo. Yes, sometimes she breaks a few Federation rules and bureaucracy but she isn't out to break up the system. She very much believes in the mission/vision of the Federation , of the stability it brings, its moral rightness , its moral leadership, in the idea that a united Galaxy under the right leadership is the only answer. And, Earth, particularly United States, is the centre of it all. It reeks of American Exceptionalism, that there is one true power to lead us. 

Still, these two characters are wonderful to watch, to be their kick-ass selves, standing tall, fighting, leading, taking charge, and, we love them for their clarity, their strength. It's just wonderful to watch them and dream about them.