WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Discovery Season 4, Episode 8, "All In," streaming now on Paramount+.
The USS Discovery has always been one of the most advanced and inspirational vessels in Starfleet's armada, no matter what century it is. From its experimental Spore Drive powering its warp engine to its highly accomplished crew, the Discovery is packed with innovative minds and features that make it unique from its counterparts. And though the Discovery is staffed by a crew of bonafide badasses, a vital mission outside of Federation space confirms which crew member is the biggest badass of them all: Lieutenant Commander Joann Owosekun.
Tasked with learning more about the mysterious civilization outside of the galaxy responsible for unleashing a devastating dark matter anomaly, Captain Michael Burnham is also given a secret mission to prevent Cleveland "Book" Booker from obtaining the rare element isolinium to use towards powering an illegal weapon. To maintain a low profile, Burnham intercepts Book at a casino outside of Federation space with a thriving black market, with Burnham accompanied by Owosekun. In order to outbid Book for the coveted isolinium, Owosekun volunteers to fight in brutal cage matches to earn the necessary latinum. More than simply proving her combat prowess, Owosekun uses the opportunity to prove just how formidable she truly is.
Owosekun is fighting against an opponent far larger and more physically imposing than she is, but she doesn't appear nervous or frightened for a second. This fearlessness only grows as Owosekun is mercilessly defeated in the opening rounds of the fight, eager to continue the battle before the betting audience despite Burnham's repeated overtures for her friend and crew mate to stand down. With the odds now heavily running against Owosekun, the intrepid Starfleet officer completely turns the tables on her opponent and handily beats him senseless to claim victory and the inflated prize money to bid for the isolinium.
Raised in a community on Earth that chose to eschew advanced technology available to the Federation, Owosekun learned how to fend for herself before eventually joining Starfleet, hoping her parents would understand her decision. During the Klingon-Federation War in Star Trek: Discovery Season 1, Owosekun served on the Discovery's bridge as an operations officer, holding the rank of lieutenant and earning the Starfleet Medal of Honor for her service in the conflict. After arriving in the 32nd century with the rest of Discovery's crew, Owosekun played a vital role in defeating the villainous Emerald Chain alliance, holding her breath in decks without active life support to deliver a bomb. Following this, Owosekun was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander for her bravery and heroic actions.
Amongst a crew of heavy hitters, Owosekun has quickly risen as one of the most important members of Discovery's crew and has literally demonstrated she can take a punch as well as dish them out to her enemies. In the end, Burnham and Owosekun's private mission was only partially successful, but there is no doubt about Owosekun's capabilities or conviction on the job. The anomaly may still be on the loose and Book may be proceeding with its own illicit plan, but with Owosekun playing a more active role among her crew mates and quickly becoming one of Burnham's most trusted associates, the Discovery is not out of the fight just yet.
Created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman, Star Trek: Discovery releases new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.