Over the course of Star Trek: Discovery's four seasons, Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) has changed more than any other Star Trek Captain in the course of their series. Star Trek: Discovery season 5 promises a change to a more adventurous tone as Captain Burnham leads the USS Discovery-A on a quest to find the "greatest treasure in the known galaxy." As the centerpiece character of Star Trek: Discovery, Michael's character development coincides with the series' continual evolution.

Star Trek: Discovery is unique among Star Trek shows because Michael Burnham is undeniably the star and main character. Other Star Trek series form more of an ensemble; although the Captain is the traditional lead, they don't necessarily drive the main plot of every episode of an entire season. Star Trek: Discovery was designed to break the mold in several ways, starting with the fact that when the series began, the focal character wasn't a Captain but Michael, a former Starfleet Commander who was broken for instigating the devastating Klingon War of 2256-2257. As Star Trek: Discovery continued, Michael significantly transformed, not just in her physical appearance and hairstyles, but in the very nature of her character.

Related: Star Trek's Burnham Is The Most Important 32nd Century Captain - After Only 2 Years

How Burnham Has Changed Since Star Trek: Discovery Began

Since her introduction in Star Trek: Discovery season 1, Michael Burnham is consistently highly intelligent, intuitive, and ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. But Discovery season 1's Burnham was a very different person as the fact that she was raised on Vulcan by Ambassador Sarek (James Frain) was quite evident. Michael abused logic to act unilaterally to prevent the Klingon War, and her mutiny ended up starting that very war, which led to the death of Captain Phillipa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) and the destruction of her ship, the USS Shenzhou. After serving a prison sentence, Michael was broken and humbled, and she gradually fought her way back to redemption and her rank as Commander.

Throughout Star Trek: Discovery, Michael lost her adopted Vulcan coldness and openly embraced her emotions as she formed familial bonds with Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), Saru (Doug Jones), and Discovery's crew. In Star Trek: Discovery season 3, Michael fell in love with Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), and she precariously balances her relationship with Book and her Starfleet responsibilities. The original Michael is gone by Discovery season 4, and Burnham is now more than a starship Captain. She is the de facto head of the USS Discovery's family who openly expresses her love for Book and her crew mates who sacrificed everything to journey with her to the 32nd century.

Discovery's Future Means Burnham's Development Isn't Finished

Michael Burnham rides a bike in Star Trek Discovery Season 5  First Look.

Michael's character evolution is poised to continue in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, which teases that Captain Burnham will spearhead a galactic treasure hunt. This will cause her to rub shoulders with rogues she encountered during the missing year that Burnham and Book worked as couriers, which is bound to reveal even more of her character. In fact, that year Michael spent with Book marked the biggest change in Michael's personality, as she was liberated from her Starfleet duty and reveled in a kind of freedom Burnham had never experienced before. Michael was clearly a changed woman when she returned to the USS Discovery and ascended to the Captain's chair.

Captain Burnham continues to be a work in progress whose evolution is the nucleus of Star Trek: Discovery. Charting Michael from Discovery season 1's start to the end of season 4 shows a woman who has learned difficult lessons, overcome insurmountable challenges, and faced the harshest truths about herself in order to rise above. With Star Trek: Discovery now permanently ensconced in the 32nd century, Michael is literally almost a thousand years from where she began as a character, and Burnham embraces her changes, emotions, and betterment with the same gusto as she faces the unknown future.

More: Discovery Delivered Season 4's Premiere Promise In An Unexpected Way

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 is expected to premiere in 2023 on Paramount+.