Saru Commander Saru was a male Kelpien Starfleet officer who lived during the mid - 23rd century . The first of his species to enter Starfleet service , Saru served aboard at least two Federation starships , the and the , and served through much of the Federation - Klingon War of 2256 - 57 . On more than one occasion , he took command of the " Discovery " in place of the captain , . Saru eventually took command permanently after Lorca surreptitiously took the " Discovery " into the mirror universe , where was discovered that Lorca was in fact his mirror counterpart . ( ) Following " Discovery ' s " escape from the mirror universe and Lorca ' s death , Saru commanded the vessel ' s mission to Qo ' noS in mid - 2257 , where it successfully forced a truce with the Klingon s . For his part in ending the war , Saru was awarded the Starfleet Medal of Honor , the first Kelpien to be so honored . ( ) Starfleet career . Saru was the first Kelpien to join Starfleet . ( ) He had a first contact specialist qualification . ( ) Science officer of the USS " Shenzhou " . In 2249 , Saru had obtained the rank of lieutenant and was serving in the sciences division aboard the under Captain Philippa Georgiou as a bridge officer . He was present when Michael Burnham arrived on the starship . ( ) By 2256 , he had been promoted to lieutenant commander and worked as the ship ' s chief science officer . ( ) That year , Saru participated in the Battle of the Binary Stars , and later evacuated the " Shenzhou " with the remaining crew after the death of Captain Georgiou . ( ) First officer of the USS " Discovery " . About six months later , Saru had been promoted to commander , transferred to the command division , and made first officer of the under . ( ) When the prison transport shuttle carrying the disgraced former Starfleet officer Michael Burnham was brought aboard the USS " Discovery " for repairs , Saru escorted the former officer to engineering so that she would work as a “ data cruncher ” under Lieutenant Paul Stamets . When the , the " Discovery " ‘ s sister ship , suffered a catastrophe , Saru spoke up in Burnham ’ s defence , describing her as the “ smartest Starfleet officer [ he ] had ever met . ” Fear and Pahvo . According to Saru , Kelpiens live in a state of constant fear from the moment of birth . Saru may be the first of his species to have this alleviated , as after encountering the native energy life forms of Pahvo , he briefly experienced relief from this state while on the planet . He became so desperate to continue experiencing this lack of fear that he proceeded to first deceive , and then attack his fellow officers in an attempt to keep the planet out of the Federation - Klingon war . These actions eventually led to the Pahvans withdrawing their influence on him , as they came to believe it was generating disharmony among their Starfleet guests . ( ) Mirror universe and Captain of USS " Discovery " . Following the victory over General Kol and the " Sarcophagus " s destruction , Saru then confirmed that the spore drive had dropped " Discovery " into unknown space . After learning that they were in parallel universe , Saru then helped Cadet Tilly in posing as her after Lorca decided to have " Discovery " pose as the . After Lorca and Burnham boarded the , Saru was left in command of the " Discovery " . ( ) Saru , along with Tilly , then found Dr . Culber dead and in the arms of Lieutenant Stamets . With Tilly , Saru agreed to use the Mycelium spores to treat and heal him . Saru then had Tyler ( who had been revealed to be Klingon sleeper agent Voq ) beamed back aboard the " Discovery " with information on the ' s arrival to the mirror universe . Saru was able to decrypt the information on the " Defiant " , but much much of the information was redacted . When Dr . Pollard and her medical team were unable to hepl Tyler / Voq , Saru then allowed L ' Rell in helping Tyler / Voq in easing his pain . Saru was then contacted by Burnham to come to the . ( ) Enroute to the " Charon " , Lt . Stamets came to and told Saru of his ' s damage to the Mycelial network and its eventual destruction of the entire multiverse . Saru was then contacted by Burnham , who told them that Lorca was really a Terran posing as his counterpart . After this revelation , Saru decided to take command and destroy the " Charon " before it destroys the entire multiverse . Following " Discovery " s arrival at the " Charon " s coordinates , Saru then spoke with Lorca , who offered to spare him and " Discovery " s crew in exchange for Burnham . At first , Saru agreed . However , when Burnham and Georgiou attacked Lorca , Saru ordered " Discovery " to open fire . " Discovery " was successful in disabling the " Charon " s shields . Saru then ordered Burnham to beamed aboard prior to destroying the " Charon " . Following the " Charon " s desctruction , Saru and the crew then used the destruction ' s shockwave to return to their universe . ( ) Return to the War . Unfortunately , Saru , Stamets , and the crew then discovered that they overshot their return by nine months . Saru also discovered that Burnham had saved Emperor Georgiou and lied about the mirror universe Kelpiens . " Discovery " was then boarded by Admirals Shukar , Gorch , Cornwell , and Ambassador Sarek . At first Saru demanded to know the reason as to why they boarded . Saru then had mind - meld with the Ambassdor who learned about " Discovery " s trip to a parallel universe . Saru led the " Discovery " on a mission to Qo ' noS , the events of which led to the end of the war . Saru was awarded the Starfleet Medal of Honor for his actions , the first received by a Kelpien . Soon after , Saru led the ship on a voyage to to pick up the " Discovery " ' s new commanding officer , but was sidetracked along the way to respond to a distress call from the . ( ) Relationships . Friendships . Michael Burnham . Beginning in 2249 , Saru served with Burnham aboard the " Shenzhou " . They often disagreed with the handling of various situations , so much so that Captain Georgiou found it remarkable when they did concur . ( ) Memorable quotes . " " Your world has food chain s . Mine does not . Our species map is binary ; we are either predator or prey . My people were , bred , farmed . . . we are your livestock of old . We were biologically determined for one purpose , and one purpose alone – to sense the coming of death . I sense it coming now . " " Appendices . Background information . Saru was played by actor Doug Jones . Apocrypha . In the novel " Desperate Hours " by David Mack , it is revealed that Saru is from a world called Kelpia and that he was rescued from that world by Starfleet officers . Saru will also appear in " Fear Itself " by James Swallow .