Star Trek: Discovery’s Breen Go Too Far Beyond Other Enemy Alien Ships

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 7 - "Erigah"

Summary The Breen Dreadnought in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is ridiculously huge.

Captain Burnham and crew try to negotiate with the Breen over the Progenitors' technology treasure.

The Breen's over-the-top intimidation tactics may be a sign of desperation in the face of civil war.

Star Trek: Discovery's new Breen Dreadnought ship is ridiculously and perhaps unnecessarily massive. As Discovery's fifth and final season marches toward the finish line, the Breen have emerged as the biggest threat to the United Federation of Planets. Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the USS Discovery are close to finding the powerful technology of the Progenitors, but the Breen now know of and want the Progenitors' treasure, thanks to Moll (Eve Harlow).

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In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, "Erigah," the Breen arrive at the Federation's doorstep to collect the Erigah (Breen blood bounty) on L'ak (Elias Toufexis). Not only does the Breen's Deadnought dwarf the USS Discovery and every other Federation starship, but it makes Federation HQ itself look tiny in comparison. As Discovery's crew continues to work to decipher the final clue, Captain Burnham and Ni'Var President T'Rina (Tara Rosling) attempt to negotiate with the Breen and stall for time. After learning that L'ak is a member of Breen royalty, Burnham concocts a risky plan to trick the Breen.

Written by M. Raven Metzner and directed by Jon Dudkowski, "Erigah" puts several pieces into place that set up Star Trek: Discovery's endgame.

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Star Trek: Discovery’s Breen Dreadnought Is Absurdly Huge

The Breen ship makes Federation Headquarters look small.

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The massive Breen Dreadnought was first glimpsed in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange," when Captain Burnham and Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) saw a dark alternate future where the Breen captured the Progenitors' technology and used it to destroy the Federation. Thankfully, Burnham and Rayner managed to prevent that future, with some help from Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp). When the Breen arrive in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, "Erigah," Burnham notes that the Dreadnought is the same one that destroyed Fed HQ in the possible future.

The Breen use fear and intimidation as weapons, but the Dreadnought's display of force feels excessive even for them.

Many Star Trek villains have boasted huge starships that physically outclass Starfleet vessels, from Borg Cubes to the Scimitar commanded by Shinzon (Tom Hardy) in Star Trek: Nemesis and the Narada commanded by Nero (Eric Bana) in Star Trek (2009). But the scale of the Breen Dreadnought feels like overkill. It's also implied that the Breen have access to multiple Dreadnoughts, as Burnham refers to them as "the most powerful warship class in the entire Breen Imperium." The Breen use fear and intimidation as weapons, but the Dreadnought's display of force feels excessive even for them.

Star Trek Is Going Overboard With Making The Breen Intimidating Villains

"Where’s the nuance?"

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As the Breen approach Federation Headquarters, a confrontation is feared to be inevitable. When Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) mentions this, Commander Jett Reno (Tig Notaro) says: "It’s the whole faceless-helmet vibe. Truncheons. Jackboots. Where’s the nuance?" And Reno has a point. When Breen Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo) answers the Federation's hail, he appears as a giant holographic head that towers over Admiral Charles Vance (Oded Fehr) and the other Federation officials. When the Breen transport over to the station, they come with a party that feels excessively large. Plus, with their helmets, weapons, and uniforms, the Breen present themselves as intimidating, faceless soldiers.

The excess makes Ruhn and his Breen faction appear desperate.

The Breen intentionally make themselves look formidable, but after a point, it feels like they're overcompensating. The Breen have already proven that they can deal the Federation a devastating attack, as they did during Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Dominion War, so all of the posturing feels unnecessary. With a Breen Civil War brewing as different factions campaign for the throne, it's possible Primarch Ruhn made this display as a show of force for the other factions, assuming they would hear about it. On the other hand, the excess makes Ruhn and his Breen faction appear desperate. Star Trek: Discovery has revealed more about the mysterious Breen than any previous Star Trek show, but the scale and tactics of the Breen feel a bit too over the top.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery stream Thursdays on Paramount+.