Michael Burnham was a 23rd century Human woman, a career Starfleet officer in the 2250s decade. (DSC novel: Desperate Hours; DSC episodes: "The Vulcan Hello", "Battle at the Binary Stars")
Convicted of mutiny against Captain Philippa Georgiou, she was stripped of her rank and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2256. (DSC episodes: "The Vulcan Hello", "Battle at the Binary Stars")
Due to her efforts in helping to bring an end to the Federation-Klingon War of 2256 she was pardoned by the Federation President in 2257, and restored to the rank of commander. (DSC episode: "Will You Take My Hand?")
Biography[]
Burnham was born on Earth in 2226. In the early 2230s decade, Burnham lived with her father aboard the Torus 4 deep space research outpost, and he told her stories about the girl who made the stars. Later, Burnham and her parents, Mike and Gabrielle Burnham, lived at a Vulcan-human facility on Doctari Alpha. Her parents planned a trip to Mars, but she wanted to stay to watch a star go supernova. Unfortunately, the Klingons attacked the facility. As Burnham's father barricaded the kitchen door, her mother hid her in a cabinet. Despite not seeing her parents' deaths, Burnham heard the Klingons gloat about killing her father quickly and her mother longer. Burnham continued to listen as the Klingons laughed and had dinner. (Short Treks episode: "The Girl Who Made the Stars", DSC episodes: "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry", "Will You Take My Hand?")
Burnham was taken in by Vulcan Ambassador Sarek and his human wife, Amanda Grayson on Vulcan. She became the first human to attend the Vulcan Learning Center. During her time there, Burnham was targeted by Logic extremists who were against Vulcan-human interactions. Burnham was physically dead for three minutes and Sarek was forced to initiate a mind meld with her in order to revive her. As result of this meld, a portion of Sarek's katra remained in Burnham's mind and the two would share a link with each other that would allow them to communicate over great distance and feel each other's pain. (DSC episodes: "The Vulcan Hello", "Battle at the Binary Stars", "Lethe")
Burnham and her foster brother Spock would listen to Amanda when she read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Burnham was given a hard copy from Amanda that she would keep with her well into adulthood. When she was ten years old, Burnham and Amand went with her to a book exchange on Eridani D. (DSC episodes: "Context Is for Kings", "Lethe")
In 2245, Burnham attended the Vulcan Science Academy, studying quantum physics. She graduated in 2249 at the top of her class and received the Vulcanian Scientific Legion of Honor. Burnham applied to the Vulcan Expeditionary Group, but was rejected. Unknown to Burnham, she was rejected because she was human and Sarek was forced to choose between her or Spock, who was half-human. Thus, Sarek chose Spock and Burnham believed that it was her weaknesses that resulted in this choice, and that Sarek was wrong to believe in her – a sentiment Amanda dismissed. Sarek's shame ultimately only grew when, eventually, Spock unexpectedly chose to join Starfleet instead of the Expeditionary Group, rendering Sarek's sacrifice of Burnham's Vulcan career pointless. (DSC episodes: "The Vulcan Hello", "Battle at the Binary Stars", "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry", "Lethe")
Starfleet career[]
USS Shenzhou[]
Sarek spoke with the USS Shenzhou's captain, Philippa Georgiou about taking on Burnham. Thus, in 2249, at the age of 23, Burnham joined Starfleet and the Shenzhou's crew as a xenoanthropologist. By 2255, Burnham was a lieutenant. In that year, Burnham was named the Shenzhou's acting XO over the Chief science officer, Lieutenant Saru. Burnham, along with the USS Enterprise's science officer and foster brother, Spock were sent to board the Juggernaut at the Sirsa III colony. After they boarded the ship, Burnham and Spock agreed tests to see if they were worthy to join the Turanian Dynasty. During their tests, Burnham and Spock were able to overload their phasers and disable the Juggernaut. Burnham was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and became the XO. (DSC novel: Desperate Hours; DSC episodes: "The Vulcan Hello", "Battle at the Binary Stars")
In 2256, Burnham went with Captain Georgiou to the Crepusculan homeworld. There, they were able to save the Crepusculans from extinction by drilling through bedrock to release water to them. During their time there, Georgiou spoke with Burnham on possibility of being given her own command of ship. (DSC episode: "The Vulcan Hello")
Encounter with the Klingons[]
In May of 2256, the Shenzhou was sent to investigate damage done to a interstellar relay in a binary star system. When an object that created a scattering was found, Burnham was allowed to use a Environmental suit and thruster pack to investigate this object. Enroute to the object, Burnham lost contact lost contact with the Shenzhou. There, she discovered a Klingon there and tried to make contact with him. Unfortunately, Burnham inadvertently killed the Klingon and returned to the Shenzhou.
Burnham woke up three hours later in the ship's medical bay. She told Georgiou and the crew that the object is Klingon and that they were there. Burnham contacted Sarek and asked him about how the Vulcans established a relationship with the Klingons. After listening Sarek's story about a Vulcan ship's excursion in H'atoria, Burnham recommended to Georgiou that they should open fire on the Klingons before they do. However, Georgiou refused this idea and ordered Burnham to stand down. Unfortunately, Burnham used the nerve pinch on her and decided to take command of the Shenzhou. As she ordered the crew to open fire, Georgiou came about and charged with mutiny as more Klingons arrived.
Burnham was relieved of her post and was sent to the brig. However, Burnham was released from the brig when the Shenzhou suffered damage. Burnham suggested to Georgiou that they capture the Sarcophagus's commander, T'Kuvma. Georgiou agreed to the plan and they both beamed aboard the Sarcophagus. Burnham fought with T'Kuvma's protege, VoQ. Unfortunately, T'Kuvma killed Georgiou in front of her and Burnham chose to kill him. Burnham tried to bring Georgiou's body back with her but was unable. After the Shenzhou was abandoned, Burnham was taken to Earth where she was court martialed and pleaded guilty to the charges of mutiny, assaulting a fellow officer, and precipitating war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. She was stripped of her rank and imprisoned for life. (DSC episodes: "The Vulcan Hello", "Battle at the Binary Stars")
For the next six months, Burnham was sent to prison. Burnham, along with three other prisoners – Stone, Cold, and Psycho – were on board the shuttle SPT 21 being transferred to Tellun. Enroute to Tellun, the shuttle ran into Species GS54. Luckily, the shuttle, Burnham and the others were rescued by the USS Discovery.
USS Discovery[]
Onboard the Discovery, Burnham met up with several crewmates from the Shenzhou, such as Keyla Detmer who refused to speak with her. After a scuffle with the other prisoners, Burnham was brought before the Discovery's captain, Gabriel Lorca. Despite Burnham asking why she was brought aboard the Discovery, she listened to Lorca offering to help him with his mission. Despite Burnham refusing the offer, Lorca was able to get her to agree to briefly assisting them in their mission. Burnham was given quarters to share with Cadet Sylvia Tilly. (DSC episode: "Context Is for Kings")
Due to her role in bringing the 2256-57 war with the Klingons to an end, Burnham was pardoned by the Federation President and her rank of commander was restored. (DSC episode: "Will You Take My Hand?")
The red bursts[]
En route to Vulcan, the Discovery stopped to assist the USS Enterprise, which had experienced a ship-wide systems failure. Burnham was disappointed to learn from Captain Christopher Pike that her foster brother was not on board the ship, and was worried that she would not have an opportunity to patch things up with him. With the approval of Captain Pike, she went to her brother's quarters to find that he had been keeping track of the red bursts and that this might have something to do with his current condition. (DSC episodes: "Will You Take My Hand?", "Brother")
Burnham later helped cure a mentally-disabled Spock by taking him to Talos IV, where the Talosian Keeper and his people were able to cure Spock in exchange for the memory of the start of the conflict between Spock and Burnham. (DSC episode: "If Memory Serves")
Learning that Section 31's Control was seeking to evolve so that it could become sentient and wipe out all sentient life in the galaxy, Spock helped Burnham temporarily trap The Red Angel in the 23rd century before she was pulled back in to the future. After Burnham's mother was pulled back to the 32nd century Spock and Burnham began to repair their relationship. (DSC episode: "The Red Angel")
Determining that Discovery held data that Control was looking for in order to evolve, Burnham helped take Discovery into the 32nd century. When Spock was unable to accompany them, she advised her foster brother that there was a galaxy full of people looking to reach out to him, and that he should seek the person furthest from him for guidance. After defeating Control, Burnham and the rest of the Discovery crew jumped 930 years into the future to not allow Control to be able to return. (DSC episodes: "Such Sweet Sorrow", "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2")
The 32nd century[]
Arrival[]
Arriving through the wormhole in the year 3188, Burnham crashed into Cleveland Booker's ship. Both Booker and Burnham crashed on the planet Hima. An uneasy alliance was formed between the two. She learned that the United Federation of Planets had mostly been dissolved because of an event called The Burn which destroyed most of the galaxy's dilithium and killed many people. Booker took her to Requiem a large city on the planet, where she was captured and interrogated by Andorian-Orion authorities. The two were chased around the planet by them using portable transporters. The two reached Booker's ship where he revealed his cargo to Burnham, a trance worm named Molly. After escaping the authorities Burnham accompanied Booker to Sanctuary Four to deliver Molly. Booker then took her to meet Aditya Sahil at a Federation relay station. The two discussed the situation and both agreed to find the Discovery and her crew and help reform the Federation. (DSC episode: "That Hope Is You, Part 1")
Burnham became a courier and, along with Booker, tracked down what information she could about The Burn and the whereabouts of Starfleet and the Federation. She made many connections and had gone through some changes personally while she waited for Discovery to come through the wormhole. (DSC episode: "People of Earth")
Back aboard Discovery[]
A year later, Burnham came across the Discovery as the crew was attempting to get the ship out of parasitic ice so they could leave the planet. Burnham's ship used a tractor beam to lift Discovery off the surface. Burnham contacted the ship to tell them she had waited a year for them to arrive and that she had finally found them. (DSC episode: "Far From Home")
Upon arriving back on Discovery, she was greeted by the crew. They all hugged her and shared a moment with her. Burnham explained what had happened in the last 930 years. Burnham shares a moment with Tilly where she admits that things have changed for her during her time apart from the crew. Following a message from a Starfleet admiral sent twelve years prior, Burnham and the crew head to Earth where they encountered the United Earth Defense Force, after a confrontation, the members of the EDF beamed on board to investigate the ship. When a raider known as Wen showed up, Burnham and Booker took it upon themselves to take the ship's dilithium and distract Wen. The plan worked and Burnham and Booker beamed back to Discovery with Wen and got him, Captain Saru, and Captain Ndoye to speak. After some tension, Wen and Ndoye agree to halt hostilities and share resources. Burnham stayed on Discovery as first officer to Saru. Later, the two learned through Paul Stamnets that the Earth Defense officer known as Adira was the host for a Trill symbiont named Tal, which was the admiral that sent the message twelve years prior, but Adira was having trouble accessing the memories of the previous host so they set out for answers. (DSC episode: "People of Earth")
Burnham went with Adira to Trill so Adira could reconnect with the memories of the Tal symbiont's previous hosts, but after the Trill Guardians saw Adira and realized they were Human, they confronted them for being a non Trill host and questioned the Federation. As Burnham and Adira walked away from the meeting, they were ambushed so the Tal symbiont could be retrieved, but Burnham protected Adira and dealt with the attackers. At that moment, Guardian Xi approached and offered to guide them. He took them to the Caves of Mak'ala where Adira could heal their lost connection with the previous hosts by entering the sacred pools, however, after being in the water for a while, her life signs began to drop and Burnham had to dive in to help. They both experienced the memories of when Gray Tal (the previous host and Adira's boyfriend) became joined and later died, passing the symbiont on to Adira. Burnham convinced Adira to face these memories because this would fully join them and that way Starfleet could get the message that Sena Tal had for them. After the ritual was finally complete the Trill apologized for their prior behavior and told Michael that when the time was right they might join the Federation again. Michael and Adira then went back to Discovery where the two shared a moment in Adira's quarters as they played cello. After finishing, Adira told Michael that they knew the coordinates for the Federation Headquarters. (DSC episode: "Forget Me Not")
Captain of Discovery[]
Captain Burnham
After the Discovery was captured by the Emerald Chain, Burnham helped retake the ship from the Chain's leader, Osyraa. Afterwards, Saru suggested Michael became the new captain of Discovery and temporarily left to take his fellow Kelpian Su'kal back home for the first time since Su'kal was a child. In his absence, Admiral Charles Vance promoted Burnham to Captain and named her the CO of the Discovery, realizing that Burnham was just the kind of officer needed to heal the Federation. (DSC episode: "That Hope Is You, Part 2")
Alternate timelines and realities[]
According to Gabrielle Burnham, she witnessed hundreds of versions of her daughter's death during her time traveling efforts to stop Control. (DSC episode: "Perpetual Infinity")
In one alternate timeline, Burnham was killed by a creature in Vulcan's Forge after running away from home. Gabrielle, as the Red Angel, warned a young Spock who alerted Sarek and Amanda Grayson who came to Burnham's rescue just in time. (DSC episode: "If Memory Serves")
Starfleet service record[]
| location | assignment | dates | rank or rate | rank insignia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USS Shenzhou | 2249-2254 | ensign | ||
| tactical officer | 2254-2255 | lieutenant | 
| |
| first officer | 2255 | lieutenant commander | 
| |
| 2256 | commander | 
| ||
| imprisoned | 2256 | rank and position revoked | ||
| USS Discovery | science specialist | 2256-2257 | no rank | |
| science officer | from 2257-3188 | commander | 
| |
| Alice | Courier | 3188-89 | ||
| USS Discovery | first officer | 3189 |
| |
| science officer | 3189 |
| ||
| commanding officer | 3189- | captain | 
| |