Star Trek quandaries are most provocative after they illustrate a strong “What if?” state of affairs.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 Episode 10 provides renegade miscreant Nick Locarno up as a “What if?” foil to Mariner, embodying a possible future Beckett the place rage and ego have derailed ability and expertise.
Meanwhile, Tendi should dwell out the “What if?” of her returning to her household of pirates as a result of the wants of the numerous outweigh her dream of being a Starfleet scientist.
This season finale does what Lower Decks has at all times finished properly, constructing a fast-paced motion comedy on the inspiration of Star Trek canon.
At this level, it is fairly meta, as a lot of the canon it references is its personal.
I’ll admit that this season has managed to subvert lots of my expectations.
Theorizing based mostly on the seeds planted in Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3, I had forecast an AI rebellion resulting in some Borg encounter the place they pat the Badgey-Peanut Hamper-Agimus triumvirate on their collective reminiscence banks and touch upon how cute they’re.
So, the revisit and redemption of Nick Locarno has been a refreshing shock.
Tendi: Sheesh, why is he so mad?
Ransom: Locarno was kicked out of Starfleet. He obtained one in all his squad killed performing a banned flight maneuver, then tried to cowl it up.
T’Lyn: Clearly, his emotional conduct conflicts along with his culpability.
T’Ana: Yeah, he’s an a**gap.
Weaving Mariner’s early Starfleet life into that of Sito Jaxa and Nova Squadron not solely gives a timeline anchor to Mariner’s profession, however it additionally reaffirms the post-TNG and DS9 Federation mentality.
Mariner: Nice ship. Very… white. And nothing else.
Locarno: Thanks. I designed it myself. None of the Starfleet carpets or wooden paneling in right here.
Robert Duncan McNeill’s return feels destined as he reprises Locarno simply over two years after showing as Tom Paris on Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 Episode 3.
This is almost the temporal inverse of enjoying Cadet Locarno on Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 5 Episode 19, just some years earlier than Star Trek: Voyager premiered with him as live-action Tom Paris.
McNeill enjoying the twin roles is a few low-hanging however inescapable humor ready to fall.
Rutherford: They have, like, the identical face! They’re an identical!
Boimler: No, I simply don’t see it.
And to channel some JL Picard, if it have been finished when ’tis finished, then ’twere properly it have been finished shortly.
Rutherford: They have, like, the identical face! They’re an identical!
Boimler: No, I simply don’t see it.
They do not make an enormous deal about it, however the elephant is addressed, they usually transfer on. Classy.
I’ve extra points with the flashback to Nova Squadron earlier than the Kolvoord Starburst catastrophe.
Yay(!) for Wil Wheaton returning as Wesley Crusher, however the place the heck is Jean Hajar? Nova Squadron had 5 members, made extra evident by the actual fact the emblem Locarno sports activities is the five-pointed Kolvoord Starburst.
(And about that, who else will get that peaked-in-high-school vibe off good ol’ Nick?)
Locarno: I may’ve been the most effective pilot in Starfleet.
Mariner: Don’t let that anger outline your life. You surprised all these crews. You didn’t kill them as a result of deep down you’re not a assassin.
Locarno: I’m sorry however I actually am. My excellent life was taken from me and now, I’m getting it again.
Omitting Hajar appears particularly unusual, contemplating they’ve Shannon Fill (categorized as a “former TV actress”) again as Sito Jaxa when Walker Brandt continues to be actively performing professionally.
Similar to when Mariner joined Trek-verse Lara Croft, Petra Aberdeen, on Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 Episode 9, nothing stokes her Federation fires greater than when somebody disparages the foundational values it promotes.
Locarno: I believed you have been smarter than everybody else. Sounds such as you’re simply one other apologist for a damaged system.
Mariner: Hey, Starfleet’s not excellent. They mess up on a regular basis. But in the long run, they’re attempting to do what’s proper.
The U.S.S. Passaro Mariner commandeers is a double enigma — one explainable and the opposite a minor plothole.
The title is explainable. It commemorates the late Fabio Passaro, a creator at Eaglemoss Productions who, over his profession, was chargeable for numerous CG fashions and their show mannequin CAD information.
What’s leaving many people scratching our heads is how Locarno obtained his palms on a Federation ship that also responds to Starfleet override codes.
Locarno: Look, why don’t you simply dock on the station? If you actually don’t need to be a part of me, I’ll ship you in your manner.
Mariner: And allow you to get your palms on a planetary homicide machine? Uh, no thanks.
Either manner, each Passaro and Locarno are actually integrated into the brand new planet, endlessly part of one thing new and alive, due to the Genesis machine.
Of course, it appears inconceivable for the Ferengi to have created their very own Genesis machine that truly works primarily as a result of I doubt the Grand Nagus Rom, seen on Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 Episode 6, would’ve authorised such a factor.
But if Lower Decks has taught us something, it is that each species within the galaxy is able to sciencing. So, assuming the Ferengi constructed their very own Genesis machine, would not or not it’s extra worthwhile to place a paywall on the activation reasonably than the deactivation?
Locarno: I graduated high of my class. Do you suppose I don’t know the best way to disarm a bomb?
Mariner: First off, you didn’t graduate. And second, that factor is just too harmful for anybody.
A second paywall for deactivation would even be very Ferengi, however not charging Mariner to begin ‘er up is simply leaving latinum on the desk.
Ultimately, Locarno’s ambitions overshoot his attain, and Mariner desires the win extra.
In my estimation, his strategic misstep was bringing Sito into the talk. Mariner’s allegiance is to her reminiscence, to not Locarno’s ego or Nova Squadron’s status. When Locarno dismisses her dying as a waste, it is a bridge too far.
After a number of adventures the place Mariner and the Beta Shifters come to the rescue of the senior officers, it is candy to see Captain Freeman faucet her internal Beckett and disrespect orders to do what’s proper.
Not solely that however using a Riker-esque (à la Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Episode 4) approach, like throwing the Orion destroyer on the Trynar Shield, is a suitably spectacular technique that technically does not contain firing a shot.
Freeman: If we transfer quick, we will nonetheless observe his warp trajectory.
Vassery: Unfortunately, there isn’t a transferring quick in a scenario like this.
Admiral Freeman: What scenario?
Vassery: Locarno has coordinated mutinies on ships from over a dozen non-Federation planets. If we did one thing that injured a Klingon or a Romulan…
Admiral Freeman: They turned their backs on their worlds after they moved towards their captain!
Vassery: In cold coups. We can’t be the primary to open fireplace.
Now, concerning the commerce for that destroyer…
I’ll come proper out and state my perception that Tendi’s plan is to make her sister remorse bringing her again into the fold.
After their reunion on Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 Episode 4, we’ve got a greater sense of the familial ties and obligations in high-ranking Orion homes.
The Barter By Battle factor is a brand new twist, for certain, however regardless of Migleemo falling sufferer to the collapsing hulk of his opponent, our Tendi demonstrated a keenly strategic thoughts for battle.
Tendi: We want a ship with sufficient firepower to punch a gap. We’d simply be borrowing it, actually. We’ll give it proper again.
D’Erika: Um. It’s a warship. Not a used copy of Sword and Scabbard.
As the queen of the pirates, is D’Erika assured sufficient to imagine The Mistress of the Winter Constellation will not outshine her?
The entire wedding ceremony abduction plot is a product of D’Erika’s insecurities. How lengthy earlier than her elder sister’s pure expertise for killing and subterfuge proves an excessive amount of to deal with?
Or maybe D’Vana will undermine D’Erika’s court docket and get everybody on board with science nerding?
If all goes to plan, we’ll have our Tendi again on the Cerritos earlier than the opening credit play on the Season 5 premiere.
While we wait and see, let’s contemplate how far our Beta Shifters have come.
This season alone, they have been promoted, commanded away missions, birthed alien infants, uncovered sentient AI plots, redeemed rascals, and contaminated the crew with emotionality.
They’ve grown to incorporate the scene-stealing, deadpan house Daria Vulcan, T’Lyn and even realized to work with the likes of Livik and Levy.
And Boimler. Has. Captained.
How Crisis Point III was that?
Mariner: Oh boy, somebody’s obtained captain fever.
Boimler: Oh, do I sound captain-y to you? Because Ransom was very proud of my captaining.
Mariner: I like how this has, on no account, gone to your head.
What can they presumably have in retailer for Season 5 to high all that, Fanatics?
There are rumors of an Enterprise connection. Will we time journey to Archer’s time?
Could we’ve got a correct Mirror Universe journey? A musical? A totally live-action occasion?
Live lengthy and speculate, my pals! Hit our feedback together with your greatest takeaways and hottest theories!
Diana Keng is a workers author for TV Fanatic. She is a lifelong fan of sensible sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond ’til she dies. Her responsible pleasures embody female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and goals massive. Follow her on X.
Discussion about this post