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),[1] 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.
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.[2] 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.
A portion of her biography created for the episode not seen on-screen, stated that she and her family were among four thousand people who died on Tarsus IV in 2246 when a food shortage caused by an exotic fungus threatened the colony's population. This would have made her 117 at the time of her death. Governor Kodos ordered the deaths of Sato and the others in order to save the rest of the colony. She was buried in Kyoto with her husband, Takashi Kimura.
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
Actress Linda Park, cast as Hoshi Sato, said "Fight or Flight" shows how her character grew during the series
Episodes in which Sato's character is expanded or plays a key role:
"Exile" – She remains on an alien planet to learn more about the Xindi.
"The Council" – Vital in communicating with the Xindi council
"Countdown" – Kidnapped and tortured by Xindi-Reptilians, she is brainwashed to assist in destruction of Earth.
"Zero Hour" – Crucial in the destruction of the Xindi superweapon before it can be used to destroy Earth
"Observer Effect" – Chosen to carry a deadly pathogen in an experiment observed by the Organians
"In a Mirror, Darkly" – The Sato of the parallel universe is promiscuous, conniving and ambitious, ultimately declaring herself Empress Sato of Earth.
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."[4]
Consulting producer and writer during season 1, Fred Dekker said Hoshi was his favorite character to write for as he felt she was the most human and relatable of the crew.[5]
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.[3]
In 2004, IGN said "Linda Park is possibly the most under-utilized actor on the show and shows the most potential."[6]
In 2013, Slate magazine ranked Hoshi Sato one of the ten best crew characters in the Star Trek franchise.[7]
In 2015, Den of Geek noted how Hoshi showed the importance of communication and the depth of her linguistic abilities. They recommended the episodes "Fight or Flight" and "Vox Sola" as watches for the Hoshi character.[8]
In 2016, The Wrap ranked Hoshi the 37th, on a list of 39 of the best characters in the Star Trek franchise. They noted her importance as a translator but called her "a poor man's Uhura" and said the writers failed to flesh out the character beyond her basic premise.[9]Wired ranked Lt. Commander Hoshi Sato the 27th-most important Starfleet character in the Star Trek universe.[10]
