Hoshi Sato
Hoshi Sato , played by Korean American actress Linda Park, is a fictional character in the science fiction television series "". In the show Sato, born in Kyoto, Japan on July 9, 2129, is the communications officer aboard the starship "Enterprise (NX-01)", and a linguist who can speak more than forty languages (polyglotism), including Klingon. She is an acknowledged linguistic genius and expert at operating the universal translator, a key instrument in allowing the crew to communicate with alien cultures. Biography. Relatively little of Sato's background was explored in the series. She briefly suffered from space sickness and claustrophobia . The fourth season episode "Observer Effect" revealed that she was once dishonourably discharged from Starfleet for running a floating poker game and breaking the arm of a Starfleet instructor who tried to break it up (she has a black belt in Aikido). She was subsequently allowed to reenlist because of her exceptional linguistic skills. Before posting to the "Enterprise", she taught linguistics in Brazil; it is not known whether she was an active Starfleet officer at the time, or was reactivated to serve under Jonathan Archer. She later (also in "Observer Effect") expressed regret at leaving without saying goodbye to  her students. The screenwriters mistakenly had the character speak in Spanish, since in Brazil the language is Portuguese. She appears to be very close to Captain Archer; he is often protective towards her and they appear to have a history that predates her posting to "Enterprise", but the full nature of their relationship was not explored further. The series' final episode, "These Are the Voyages...", reveals that Sato remains Archer's communications officer throughout his tenure as captain, and was considering resuming her teaching career in Brazil following the ship's decommissioning. The final episode also revealed that, after serving  aboard "Enterprise" for ten years, she still wore an Ensign's insignia. As noted in the records aboard the USS "Defiant", Sato eventually achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Fate. According to a computer bio screen, shown in the episode "In a Mirror, Darkly", and taken from the memory banks of the USS "Defiant", Sato was born in Kyoto, Japan. She was instrumental in the development of the universal translator. She eventually marries a man named Takashi Kimura, and retires from Starfleet with the rank of lieutenant commander. Mirror Universe. In the Mirror Universe, Sato held the rank of Lieutenant . In addition to being the communications officer, she acted as the "Captain's Woman" (a combination yeoman/concubine) of and then Commander Jonathan Archer after Archer took control of the ISS "Enterprise". After Archer used the USS "Defiant" to put down the rebellion, Sato poisoned him and took command of the ship, taking the Mirror Travis Mayweather as a new consort. Upon reaching Earth, she demanded Earth's surrender and proclaimed herself Empress. Key episodes. Episodes in which Sato's character is expanded or plays a key role: Reception. According to author David Greven, "Ensign Hoshi Sato is an Asian  American linguist and the communications officer. Prone to fearful fits and generally seen as ineffectual in any terms other than the linguistic aspects of her job, Hoshi is the resident screamer." In 2001 in an interview with Ian Spelling of "The New York Times", actress Linda Park who portrays character Hoshi Sato on "Enterprise" cited "Fight or Flight" as an example of the progression and growth of her character during the series. In 2004, IGN said "Linda Park is possibly the most under-utilized actor on the show and shows the most potential." In 2013, "Slate magazine" ranked Hoshi Sato  one of the ten best crew characters in the "Star Trek" franchise. In 2015, "Den of Geek" noted how Hoshi showed the importance of communication and the depth of her linguistic abilities. They recommended the episodes “” and “Vox Sola” as watches for the Hoshi character. In 2018, "The Wrap" ranked Hoshi the 37th-best character in the "Star Trek" franchise, noting her job as translator before the days of the universal translator technology. In 2016, "Wired" ranked Lt. Commander Hoshi Sato the 27th-most important Starfleet character in the "Star Trek" universe.