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	This article contains information regarding Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and thus may contain spoilers.

Commander Jett Reno was a 23rd century female Human Federation Starfleet officer. She served as an engineer aboard the USS Hiawatha during the Federation-Klingon War and later aboard the USS Discovery during its investigation of the red bursts.

Civilian career

Before committing to Starfleet, Reno worked a lot of odd jobs, including VIP shuttle pilot, deep mercury welder, and bartender on Ashalon IV when she picked up guest shifts at Red's Lounge, claming one hadn't lived until one had tasted her Seven of Limes. (DIS: "Erigah"). Reno also did a stint fixing comms relays near Hysperia, using positron beams to do remote repairs. When Reno decided to join Starfleet, she padded her resumé by calling herself a rare and antiquarian bookseller, when she had actually been a smuggler working for a disreputable antiquarian archivist. (DIS: "Erigah", "Labyrinths") Nevertheless, Reno's knowledge in the area helped to decode the next clue as pointing to the Eternal Gallery and Archive. (DIS: "Erigah")

Reno totaled the first three shuttles that she ever flew, something that was not easy to do, but Reno "had a gift." (SA: "Rubincon")

Starfleet career

After losing her wife during the Federation-Klingon War, Reno joined the crew of the USS Hiawatha because she needed something to focus on. She later survived the crash landing of the Hiawatha. Reno treated an ensign who had been horribly burned for eleven days despite the ensign begging her to let her die. After eleven days, the ensign died despite her best efforts and, seeing that his green eyes were the same shade as her wife's, Reno realized that that was why she had kept him alive -- not because of him, but because of herself. (DIS: "Species Ten-C")

Reno managed to sustain injured crew members for ten months and eleven days before being rescued by a landing party from the USS Discovery in 2257. (DIS: "Brother")

Assignment to Discovery

At some point following her rescue, she was officially assigned to the Discovery. Around Stardate 1834.2512, when the ship’s computers were infected with a power virus, Reno was assigned to put firewalls around the critical propulsion systems (i.e., the spore drive). While in Paul Stamets‘s engineering lab, Reno verbally sparred with him over the merits of the spore drive. Reno, Stamets, and Sylvia Tilly were trapped in the lab shortly thereafter and had to contend with leaking energy relays and the escape of a multidimensional fungal parasite. Reno and Stamets worked together to save Tilly from the parasite but were ultimately unsuccessful after the lifeform infected them with hallucinogenic spores. (DIS: "An Obol for Charon")

While Discovery was in orbit of Boreth, Reno joined Linus, Joann Owosekun, Keyla Detmer, Nilsson, and Stamets for a meal in the mess hall. She noticed Stamets is in a sour mood. He told her he felt down after failing to find a way to retrieve Gabrielle Burnham from the future or successfully fight off Control. Reno informed him that Pike had left orders for her and Stamets before beaming down to Boreth to prepare to receive a raw time crystal. Reno then playfully bantered with Linus during a game of auto-antonym before observing Hugh Culber entering the mess hall. After Reno expressed surprise that Stamets had not moved on from Culber, Stamets told her to mind her own business. (DIS: "Through the Valley of Shadows")

Later, Reno reported to Sickbay requesting medical assistance. Culber diagnoses her with a mere hangnail, but Reno told him that it was impeding her work, along with an "idiot" who had recently returned from the dead – Culber. He treated her with an analgesic that stings Reno, and she remarked that she could understand why his relationship with Stamets had worked. Culber asked her how long she and Stamets had been friends. Reno remarked that they are not but that she needs Stamets to perform better at his work. After Culber noticed her wedding ring, Reno explained that her wife was Soyousian and acted "totally bananas" while planning the wedding. Reno also revealed her wife died during the Federation-Klingon War and remarked that people such as herself and Culber – more level-headed, pragmatic people – often seem to find partners in people like Stamets or her deceased wife, who are more anxious and fussy. With that, Reno reminded Culber that he was granted a rare opportunity. "You have a second chance, and it may not last forever. Don’t screw it up," she said. (DIS: "Through the Valley of Shadows")

During Discovery's visit to Xahea following the detection of another signal on Stardate 1051.8, Reno attended a meeting to discuss a plan to send the ship forward in time. She astutely deduced that the Xahean queen, Me Hani Ika Hali Ka Po, was working out complex nuclear particle physics calculations while seemingly waving a spoon in the air, building a rapport between the two. After Po described her plan, Reno noted that flowing that much energy through the time crystal would be like getting a drink of water from a waterfall. "It'll work, but then you drown," she explained. Later, Reno joined a group of other Discovery crew in staying aboard the ship with Michael Burnham during the conflict with Control. When Burnham said she could not allow them to put themselves in such danger, Reno replied that they are not asking permission. She then joined Tilly and Stamets to try to speed up charging of the time crystal, which was gaining power too slowly to be ready before Control arrived. They realized the cage housing the crystal was slowing the charge rate. Reno colorfully noted that they could disengage the cage but that "everyone will see visions of the future and their heads will explode." When other options proved fruitless, Reno ordered Stamets and Tilly to leave the room and keep others out. With just minutes before Control was to arrive, she deactivated the cage, speeding up the charge but also triggering visions of the battle to come. (DIS: "Such Sweet Sorrow")

As the Battle near Xahea commenced, Reno informed Burnham that the time crystal needed just over four minutes to finish charging. Burnham asked if she could cut that time in half, but Reno replied that she was unable to break the laws of physics. Once the crystal reached full charge, Commander Saru assigned Tilly to accompany Reno to deliver it to Burnham. The pair met up with Burnham and the others in a corridor shortly after falling debris had severely injured Stamets. Reno handed off the crystal to Burnham and remained behind to repair the damage to the corridor. Reno was present later on the bridge as Discovery followed Burnham, in the red angel time suit, into the distant future. (DIS: "Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2")

32nd century

When Discovery arrived in 3189, Reno and the rest of the crew were struck unconscious briefly by tidal forces in the wormhole. The ship's crash-landing on The Colony left Reno complaining about pain in her back. She pointed out that Terralysium, Discovery's intended destination, was not icy, and speculated that the ship's plasma manifold ruptured in the crash, which will require repairing many EPS relays. Despite her injured back, Reno assisted in repairs in engineering, where she partnered with Stamets, himself still recovering from injuries received during the Battle near Xahea. They tracked down the final damaged relay in a Jefferies tube, but Reno's injured back prevented her from being able to access it. Stamets was reluctant given his own diminished state, but Reno gave him a pep talk, saying "Helpless is a shitty feeling, but it is not forever, and it doesn’t make you any less capable." With Reno's remote assistance, Stamets repaired the relay, stabilizing key systems around the ship. (DIS: "Far From Home")

Upon arriving at Federation Headquarters, Reno joined Stamets and others in a corridor looking at the advanced starships in amazement. During interrogation by holographic Starfleet officers, Reno described her rescue from the Hiawatha by Burnham and Captain Christopher Pike, saying sardonically that it was "raining Starfleet officers." She also denied having any knowledge of the Emerald Chain and nonchalantly requested a snack (chips and salsa) and a drink. After Discovery jumped to rendezvous with the USS Tikhov, Reno joined Stamets and Tilly in studying unusual radiation in the vicinity. After Dr. Attis reported seeing a bright light before his family died, Reno and the rest quickly deduced that a coronal mass ejection from a nearby star about six weeks earlier had killed his family. Lieutenant Willa, observing their work, remarked that Reno, Stamets and Tilly had a less-than-professional working relationship. Reno replied that she tried to "raise the bar." She also rebuffed Stamets' statement that they had learned to accept their disfunction. (DIS: "Die Trying")

She later complained to Stamets and Adira Tal that they were taking too much of the ship's power trying to locate the source of their distress beacon. Reno snacked on black licorice, which both Adira and Cleveland Booker pointed out violated a rule against consuming food in engineering, though Reno insisted licorice is "not food, it's candy, it's practically an accessory." (DIS: "Terra Firma, Part 2")

Reno was present in engineering when Su'Kal nearly triggered a second Burn. Stamets directed Reno to lock down the warp core's magnetic constrictors in response. Reno later lent her combadge to Adira, who used it to sneak aboard Booker's ship in order to beam down to Theta Zeta. (DIS: "Su'Kal") Jett Reno, 3191.png Reno was evacuated with most of the rest of Discovery's officers after it was captured by Osyraa and taken to Federation Headquarters. (DIS: "That Hope Is You, Part 2") During the initial invasion, Reno saved Commander Rayner from two years in the future from a Regulator. Rayner managed to avoid suspicion by claiming that he was a recent transfer from Federation Headquarters while Burnham, who was transported along with Rayner, hid out of Reno's sight. (DIS: "Face the Strange") Reno returned after the ship was re-taken and assisted Owosekun in repairing a DOT-23 drone controlled by the Sphere data that had previously saved Owosekun's life. Later, Reno, wearing a dress uniform along with the rest of the senior staff, was present on the bridge when Burnham arrived for the first time as captain. (DIS: "That Hope Is You, Part 2")

While time cycling, Stamets encountered Reno in one of the time periods that he visited and asked for her advice on building a chroniton stabilizer to stop it. Reno realized that Stamets was stuck in a time loop, something that he denied poorly, and which Reno quickly brushed off. (DIS: "Face the Strange")

While defending the Archive from Ruhn's dreadnaught, Reno worked with Stamets and Adira to find a solution to the Breen's shield-tunneling technology. Once again, Reno's history of odd jobs came in handy when she came up with the idea to use a concentrated positron beam to disrupt the tunnel based on Reno's work on fixing comms relays near Hysperia. (DIS: "Labyrinths")

Starfleet Academy

By 3195, Reno had entered a romantic relationship with Lura Thok. To be with her, she left Discovery to become an instructor at the newly recommissioned Starfleet Academy in San Francisco. (SA: "Vitus Reflux")

Reno taught Temporal Mechanics at Starfleet Academy. She was present at a reception where Fleet Admiral Charles Vance and Captain Nahla Ake were trying to convince Betazed to rejoin the Federation. Reno expressed her dislike for how judgy the Betazoid President was and was shocked by Thok's violent suggestion for the problem. (SA: "Beta Test")

Reno and Thok caught the Starfleet Academy and War College cadets having an unauthorized Calica match in the Sato Atrium, much to Reno's exasperation. Cadet Darem Reymi later went to Reno for help with his PADD. Reno realized that the cadet was having parental issues and told him that people either showed up for you or they didn't. Thok interrupted to discuss dinner plans and Reno revealed how she had left Discovery to be with her. Reno gently rebuked Darem for his behavior towards Genesis Lythe who had been there for Darem. Reno's advice caused Darem to make amends with Genesis. (SA: "Vitus Reflux")

Ake enlisted Reno and the Doctor to help prepare Chancellor Kelrec for an important meeting with the chancellor of another academy. (SA: "Series Acclimation Mil")

Reno handled transport for the leaving cadets and remained on campus during the All-Worlds Day break. Later, an exasperated Reno argued with Thok over her injured toe as Caleb Mir and Genesis were forced to dodge her. Reno subsequently caught them breaking into the USS Athena's bridge and called back Ake to punish the pair. (SA: "Ko'Zeine")

Reno oversaw a simulation where the cadets served as the Athena's bridge crew in a stressful situation. Still struggling with the events on the USS Miyazaki, the cadets disastrously failed the simulation with their inability to work together. In response, Ake called in Sylvia Tilly to help, reuniting Reno with her old friend from Discovery. Witnessing Tilly's efforts succeed, Reno congratulated her. Before leaving, Tilly suggested Reno joining her on one of Tilly's adventures as "the third years could use a little Reno in their lives." (SA: "The Life of the Stars")

At the end of the academic year, Reno accompanied Ake and the Doctor on an unauthorized rescue mission into Venari Ral space for the cadets. Reno acted as the Athena's helmsman, pulling off a rather daring maneuver, and later sent a distress call to all Starfleet vessels. (SA: "300th Night")

After the Athena was boarded by the Venari Ral and Ake and Anisha Mir were captured, Reno took over as acting captain of the battered ship with the cadets as her crew. Reno compared the situation to a final exam and used it as something of a teachable moment, offering advice to the cadets, pointing out the scenarios that they were experiencing, having personal experience with being stranded on a broken ship with no hope of rescue. Reno and Caleb were able to fix the warp core and they located Braka who was holding a trial for the Federation in the captured Atrium. While warping to the location, Reno chose "now show me pretty streaks of light" as her warp catchphrase. Once the Omega-47 mines were deactivated, Admiral Vance arrived with Starfleet to arrest Braka. Reno subsequently reunited with Thok and they walked through the Atrium together as the Athena arrived at Betazed. (SA: "Rubincon")

Personal life

Reno was widowed, her Soyousian wife having died in the Federation-Klingon War. She continued to wear her wedding ring after her wife's death. (DIS: "Through the Valley of Shadows")

At some point, she entered into a relationship with Cadet Master Lura Thok and left Discovery to be with her. (SA: "Vitus Reflux")

Memorable quotes

"Helpless is a shitty feeling. But it is not forever, and it doesn't make you any less capable."

- Reno (DIS: "Far From Home")

"Hugh, thanks. Jett, thanks for nothing."
"Back at you, bobcat."
"Bobcat?"
"I don't know, I'm on drugs."

- Stamets, Reno, and Culber (DIS: "Far From Home")

"Yeah, so, we're working on the latest clue. Uh, it points to a rare manuscript. We were thinking since you used to work with those, um..."
"Uh... I may have padded my resumé with that one. Truth is, I used to move hard-to-find folios for a shady antiquarian archivist. Try saying that one five times fast."
"Uh, sorry, you were a smuggler?"
"I smuggled. Had a lot of odd jobs before I committed to Starfleet. VIP shuttle pilot, deep mercury welder, bartender at a cozy little dive on Ashalon IV. I'm actually supposed to pick up a guest shift tonight at Red's Lounge. You haven't lived until you've tried my Seven of Limes."
"Wow, you really got around. Uh, not... I'm sor... Not like that."
"Oh, yeah, like that."
"All right, well, story for another time."

- Tilly, Reno, and Adira, discuss Reno's shady past (DIS: "Erigah")

"French-Klingon fusion – the cuisine I never knew that I needed. I left a starship on the edge of creation to be with her. That's what you call showing up for someone. Has someone ever done that for you? I don't know. Maybe someone who was furious with you? Or maybe someone you repeatedly underestimated? Who is also your classmate named Genesis?"
"I got it, I got it."
"I didn't know. I mean, you went far away. I was worried about you."

- Reno, gently rebuking Darem (SA: "Vitus Reflux")

"Well, the rumor's true. She's here. You know, I could feel it in my teeth, like, right at the back of my molars. They started to hurt like after you eat cookie dough."
"It's okay to love."
"Is it? Your relentless optimism is nightmarish."

- Reno and Tilly, upon being reunited (SA: "The Life of the Stars")

"Pop quiz: eight of us on a busted saucer on a suicide run against Braka and his entire armada, or 100 Starfleet ships armed to the teeth flying in for the rescue once we take down the wall like we were ordered to do by our captain?"
"I thought Starfleet doesn't leave anyone behind."
"Caleb. I know what you're feeling, but if he blows those mines, it's the end of the Federation and a death sentence for all the worlds trapped inside. We're talking about two very important lives... or trillions."

- Reno, Caleb and Tarima discuss their next course of action (SA: "Rubincon")

"Anybody would've done what I did."
"No. I've lived in two very different centuries. And I'm telling you... No. Very few people would've turned around. Remember the first day of class when I asked you to tell me who you are? You just told me. You're not essentially broken, kid. I know it was a bumpy road gettin' here, but I'm sorry to say, you already give a damn about your friends, and about Starfleet."
"I just don't wanna keep hurting people. I'm gonna mess it up again. I'm gonna act like an arrogant little shit."
"I have absolutely no doubt about that."

- Caleb gets some advice from Reno (SA: "Rubincon")

"You make a teacher proud. You guys together, I like it. Hell of a lot better than that simulation debacle. All right, this is the last step. As far as final exams go, this one is a doozy. If you pass, we live. If you fail, we're all dead."

- Reno to the cadets (SA: "Rubincon")

"Now show me pretty streaks of light."

- Reno's choice of command for going to warp (SA: "Rubincon")

Appendices

Appearances

Background information

Jett Reno was portrayed by Tig Notaro. She was referred to as "Denise Reno" on StarTrek.com. [1]^(X) During a 28 January 2019 appearance [2] on Conan O'Brien's talk show Conan, Notaro explained that the character had originally been presented to her as "Denise Reno". She recalled that she had replied, "Can't we, like, take it up a notch?" According to Notaro, she then recommended the name "Jett" as a tribute to American rock singer Joan Jett. Notaro admitted during a November 2020 appearance on the Fitzdog podcast that her character's name did end up sounding like former United States Attorney General Janet Reno. [3]

During the O'Brien interview, Notaro noted that the role requires her to act alongside pyrotechnics and to perform some stunts. She also confessed to having a problem remembering the technobabble dialogue. "As much as I love the show… I'm terrible at the dialogue on the show. I'm really bad," she admitted. [4]

On the Fitzdog podcast, Notaro said she has been friends with Alex Kurtzman since moving to Los Angeles 22 years prior and so he found her a spot on the show. However, Notaro said she was uninterested in a full-time role. "I'm not looking to become a full cast member but I enjoy the world, and I enjoy the cast and crew, and I think what I have going on is kind of perfect." Notaro also revealed she forfeited some appearances in the show's fourth season over concerns about having to fly to Toronto for filming during the COVID-19 pandemic. But she said further filming would occur in May 2021 and that she hoped to participate, even if she had to drive the distance.[5]

The end credits of SA Season 1's finale "Rubincon" included cast photos alongside tongue-in-cheek yearbook facts and quotes as if by their character, with Reno's listing:

• Number One Peeve: Why do I come after the two voices?
• Wants to be Remembered as: I don't. Leave me alone. Take your questions and go away.

External link

• Jett Reno at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works