Captain Michael Burnham, played by Black actress Sonequa Martin-Green, leads as the central figure, joined by non-binary character Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio, using they/them pronouns) and the established gay couple Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) and Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz). These identities receive continued screen time and narrative focus amid the season's ancient power quest plot, with Adira's non-binary status and pronoun usage carried forward from prior seasons without organic integration into the 32nd-century setting.

Creator statements from Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet highlight deliberate diversity mandates in casting and writers' rooms to reflect modern inclusion, extending the franchise's activist intent beyond traditional Star Trek progressivism. Audience reception shows clear division, with Metacritic user scores averaging 4.2 amid widespread complaints of forced representation and low viewership contributing to the show's cancellation after this final season, while GLAAD nominated it for Outstanding Drama Series. The ideology influences character prominence and marketing more than isolated subplots, elevating its centrality despite the adventure premise.