Culmets

"Well, one tends to worry when they’re doomed to love a brilliant but reckless maniac who’s willing to risk his life for glory."

- Hugh Culber

Culmets is the slash ship between Hugh Culber and Paul Stamets from the Star Trek fandom.

Canon
THE BUTCHER'S KNIFE CARES NOT FOR THE LAMB'S CRY

After sustaining an ingury, Stamets is sent to the med bay where he is treated by Dr. Culber. Captain Lorca walks in and asks for a status report. Culber tells him that he almost pierced his frontal lobe, and Stamets sarcastically comments that its useless since it's used more for emotions and memory. Culber bites back that he'll save it in case he decides to have a feeling, but their bickering is interrupted by Lorca, who then begins to argue with Stamets over the spore drive. Fed up with Lorca, he asks Culber if he's done. Culber tells him that there's blood on his face, but he ignores the comment as he walks out.

CHOOSE YOUR PAIN

Michael Burnham and Culber go into engineering to talk to Stamets. He asks why Culber is with Michael, and what she wants. Culber tells him that she's worried about the spore drive's effects on the Tardigrade, and he agrees that the creature is slowly being killed by it, Michael wants to find a work around. Culber asks Stamets if anyone needs his help, and Culber counters that he's needed in the med bay.

Season 2
IF MEMORY SERVES

Stamets starts taking Culber through the ship, explaining that not much has changed, it should feel familiar. Culber says that it does, more or less. Stamets awkwardly says that they should take advantage of their opportunity, given how much personal time he has saved up. Culber knows, given that he spends almost every moment in his lab. Stamets says that means his memory is fully intact, just as Culber spots Tyler walking through the halls. Stamets not sure how he wanted Culber to see Tyler again, he's just glad he's back. They reach their quarters and Stamets enters, but Culber follows Tyler instead.

In their room, Stamets brings Culber dinner. Culber notes that Stamets kept all of his stuff. Stamets admits he considered sending things to Culber's mom, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He wasn't ready. They sit down and eat but Culber finds it unfamiliar. He can't connect anything with his memory or senses. Stamets thinks Culber is in some kind of shock, but Culber doesn't think it's that simple. Stamets doesn't think it's a matter of identity, since Culber knows who he is, but Culber think it just might be who he was. Stamets wants to try and normalize it, but Culber doesn't see anything about this as normal. He keeps pushing him to feel something, and wants to just pick up like nothing happened. He starts to storm off angrily, but Stamets follows after a moments. He tells Culber that loosing him was the worst thing that ever happened to him. Now that he's here, he's treating it like the miracle that he had dreamed about ever night since...Stamets can't bring himself to say that Culber died, making Culber angry. Stamets asks why he is, but Culber says that he doesn't know and just leaves.

After the fight with Tyler, Stamets and Culber are alone in the gallery. Stamets thinks that Culber should get his hand checked out, but Culber says that it doesn't matter, since he can't even feel it. Stamets asks him to come home, but Culber says that it's not his home anymore. That version of him is dead. Stamets asks why, but Culber says that it doesn't matter. He just asks him to move forward, and that he would do the same if their situations were reversed. Stamets says okay, just as he's called away to engineering.

PROJECT DAEDALUS

Spock puts out an observation on Stamets and says that he saw Culber moving out of their quarters and that Stamets seemed upset. Stamets explains that Culber said he needed distance, assuming he meant from him. Spock offers his own idea, that Culber needs distance not because he no longer loves Stamets, but because Culber doesn't know how to feel about himself.

THE RED ANGEL

While Stamets is discussing the plan with Georgiou, Culber walks in looking for Admiral Cornwell. Things become awkward for a moment but Stamets continues to explain what they would need for the plan. Georgiou starts to flirt with Stamets, but Culber stops him and says that Stamets is gay. Georgiou says that in her universe they had fun together and starts to flirt with Culber as well. Stamets clarifies that they're both gay, and Georgiou says that was pretty obvious. Everyone is confused as she leaves to talk to Pike.

As Stamets sets up the trap, Culber comes by. He says that they didn't get to talk at Ariam's funeral and wanted to say he's sorry about her death. Stamets thanks him and goes back to work. Culber tries to talk, but Stamets says it's not the time, and might never be the time.

Season 1
Choose Your Pain
 * When walking into engineering Culber asks Michael to show him how to handle Stamets.

Season 2
If Memory Serves
 * Stamets promises to get Tyler removed from their deck.
 * Stamets cooks Culber his favorite food using his recipe.
 * Stamets watches Culber fight Tyler.

The Red Angel
 * Culber listens to Stamets at Ariam's funeral.
 * Stamets look over to Culber as Georgiou checks him out.
 * Culber talks with Cornwall about his relationship with Stamets.

Quotes
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm gonna stay right by your side. It'll be okay."

- Hugh

Fanon
Star Trek fans had been waiting to see LGBT character for years within the franchise. Many were excited that there would be a character who was gay, although some fans argued that they didn't want the franchise "pushing an agenda", despite it being representative of minorities in every iterations. Fans who wanted it however, did have problems with the only show in the franchise that had LGBT characters, being on a streaming service that not everyone had access too.

Despite it being the most written ship in the Star Trek: Discovery tag on AO3, it took almost till the mid-season finale for it to become an official tag, despite even at the time, having more written about it than any other ship. Many fans where disappointed at this, as they had to use different means of finding works on the site. It is the most written ship for both characters.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Culber/Stamets tag on FanFiction.Net
 * Culber/Stamets tag on FanFiction.Net

TUMBLR

Trivia

 * They are the first official canon LGBT couple in the Star Trek franchise.
 * Both characters are played by queer actors.
 * Both have also been in productions of Rent, although at separate times.
 * The couple had the first male/male kiss in Star Trek.
 * The first female/female kiss was with the pairing Lenzia. The two kisses were exactly 22 years and 13 days apart.