We are halfway through the second season of Star Trek: Lower Decks; the second half kicks off on Thursday with episode six, “The Spy Humungous.” As we head into the back half we thought we would take a closer look at the Star Trek Day mid-season trailer to see what we can expect for the animated comedy.
Unlike the Star Trek Day trailers for Prodigy (see analysis) or Picard (analysis coming soon), the Lower Decks trailer doesn’t really tell a single story as much as present a non-stop stream of moments, gags, and hints, with some moments that appear connected, split up, and all mixed up. So here are some of the things we can piece together, in no particular order.
Scorpion Tendi
The previews for “The Spy Humungous” reveal the return of Pakleds, and it is “trash day,” also known as “anomaly consolidation” day. With a Pakled ship out the window we can hear Mariner bemoan “another work assignment” with Tendi saying she can “smell adventure,” and Rutherford coming along, but not Boimler.
Mariner says, “Collecting weird space crap is part of the fun of Starfleet.”
We get a glimpse of the more buffed Boimler with more stylish hair than we’ve seen in a previous trailer, and he faces off with Mariner and Tendi and some of the “trash.”
Mariner, Tendi, and Rutherford (with some of their trash) run into a group including Casey and (ugh) Jennifer.
Tendi gets turned into a scorpion.
“Buff’ Boimler gets thrown back by a gusher from the replicator as scorpion Tendi looks on.
Smart fight
The Pakleds show up as well. A few of the dimwitted bad guys crash through a window, including one with a knife in his teeth (pirate-style).
The Cerritos exchanges fire with a Pakled ship.
Brad v. Borg
TNG’s biggest bad guys get a couple of moments. Brad faces off with some Borg drones who declare he will be assimilated, but Brad isn’t having it, saying “Can’t have that,” as he fires on them.
A shuttle escapes from an exploding cube.
Evil computer
There are a few shots of Mariner and Boimler in the shuttle Yosemite dealing with some kind of anomalies.
The shuttle comes in for a crash landing…
…which apparently injures Mariner’s arm, grossing out Boimler after she pops it back.
They end up getting into a phaser fight, after unloading the snarky computer model (voiced by Jeffrey Combs as heard in a previous trailer).
Eventually, the computer module is seen atop a flaming pile of skulls.
We later see Ransom and another shuttle on a planet, also with flames and ruins, handing out supplies, but this may be unrelated.
Head alert
A Pandronian (a colony species introduced in the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode “Bem”) visits the ship, while Rutherford and Tendi on the bridge look on nervously.
Things go haywire with the Pandronian falling apart, but Mariner and Captain Freeman are now on the bridge and seem to be enjoying the show.
Rutherford blows it
In what appears to be a simulation, Rutherford reenacts a scene from Star Trek II, and burns his hand trying to get into the irradiated dilithium chamber room.
Using air quotes, he tells Tendi he “got blown up” and laughs as the movie-era USS Enterprise explodes.
Holey sh–
An explosion creates a debris field.
Chaos on the bridge as they approach a black hole.
The Cerritos dives into the debris stream being pulled to the black hole.
Oh, and a Crystalline Entity shows up at some point too.
Running
Rutherford and Tendi in spacesuits running through the ship.
People in various costumes, and workout leotards, running through the ship.
Falling
Storage crates tumble down, leaving T’Ana, Shaxs, and the captain reeling
The captain and Billups are jostled by an explosion outside the ship.
Punching
A Klingon throws a punch.
Mariner does some Kirk-fu on Shaxs, both wearing classic Mirror Universe Terran uniforms.
Lower Decking
Mariner says, “Look alive people!”
After a rousing speech from Captain Freeman about never backing down from a challenge, she announces the ballroom dancing competition will be postponed.
Brad says, “Every ship in the fleet depends on officers like us to do those million little things that keep the ship going.”
Brad prepares a banner, possibly for Captain Freeman Day?
The crew assembles.
Boimler polishes his phaser rifle as Mariner asks, “How are those different from regular phasers?” Brad replies, “Uh, they take two hands.”
Watch the trailer again
Find more Star Trek: Lower Decks fun at TrekMovie.com.
Klingons have ridges! All looks good but getting a little tired of the Holodeck trope (Borg, TMP Enterprise, etc)
haha – Crusher and Troi yoga costumes easter egg
Thanks for the article and stills. Never noticed the Borg cube interior is based off the best of both worlds version. I’m really looking forward to watching it! And looking at that refit Connie makes pine for a TOS movie era series.
Agreed!!! Even in cartoon format the sets and engineering suits look great!!!