Star Trek: Discovery has already given the Federation the key to the multiverse. Space isn't the final frontier in Star Trek anymore; rather, that distinction now belongs to the multiverse. The concept of the multiverse is all the rage in modern popular culture, and that is reflected in Star Trek as well. The idea has become increasingly important in Star Trek: Discovery, surely setting the Federation up to begin exploring alternate dimensions and parallel timelines.
There had been nods towards the multiverse since season 1, in which a malfunction in the USS Discovery's spore drive transported the ship into the Mirror Universe. But the most significant development to date was in Star Trek: Discovery season 4, in which Ruon Tarka risked the entire galaxy to find enough power to leap between the dimensions. Ruon Tarka was far more tragic than he seemed, though, because in truth he didn't need to go to such extreme lengths to explore the multiverse. The USS Discovery's revolutionary spore drive is in fact the key to the multiverse.
The Spore Drive Is The Key To The Multiverse
The official Star Trek: Discovery tie-in Dead Endless, written by Dave Galanter, reveals the spore drive can actually be used to navigate the dimensions. Star Trek novels are traditionally considered non-canon, but those accompanying Star Trek: Discovery have actually been created with the support of the production team. Dead Endless is a curious book, actually set in a slightly different timeline, one in which Michael Burnham never initiated the Federation-Klingon War. In this timeline, advancements with spore drive technology led to an encounter with a multiversal equivalent of the Federation, They use the mycelial network to explore the various timelines, using sophisticated cloaks to hide from their inhabitants. They even have their version of the Prime Directive, only revealing themselves when a civilization has developed a spore drive.
The Federation in Star Trek: Discovery's main timeline developed the spore drive during wartime, meaning it was highly classified. Any refinements were abandoned when the USS Discovery jumped into the distant future, and experiments only resumed in the 32nd century. Star Trek: Discovery season 4 revealed the Federation had indeed figured out how to replicate a spote drive, however, and they were going to install it on all their ships as a replacement to dilithium.
How Could Star Trek's Multiverse Factor Into Discovery Season 5?
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 will surely explore the multiverse, perhaps with the USS Discovery either beginning to explore other timelines or go on a rescue mission when another ship gets stranded after jumping to mycelial space. Such plots could introduce so many new concepts; new enemies, new allies, and perhaps even this multiversal Federation. It will be exciting to see what Star Trek: Discovery makes of the multiverse, given the show already has the key to unlock it.