Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5, Episode 9 - “Fissure Quest”
Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 just topped its previous crossover withStar Trek: Strange New Worlds. InStrange New Worldsseason 2, episode 7, “Those Old Scientists,” Ensigns Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) made the jump from animation to live-action. After encountering a portal, Boimler and Mariner find themselves in the 23rd century USS Enterprise of Captain Christoper Pike (Anson Mount). What follows is a hilarious series of interactions as Boimler tries (and fails) to contain his excitement about meeting his heroes.
In its final season on Paramount+,Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5finds the USS Cerritos investigating a series of quantum fissures that have opened up across the galaxy.Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5, episode 9, “Fissure Quest,” reveals thatSection 31 has assigned Captain William Boimler and a crew of"interdimensional castaways"to investigate these riftsin spacetime. Boimler’s crew includes some surprisingly familiar faces from across theStar Trektimeline, many of whom have not been seen since their respective shows ended.
How Star Trek: Lower Decks Topped Strange New Worlds’ Crossover
Lower Decks' Animation Allowed For More Characters To Return
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'“Those Old Scientists” remains a brilliant and hilarious episode ofStar Trekthat introduced new fans toStar Trek: Lower Decks. For obvious reasons,prequel series likeStrange New Worldscannot always bring back the original actors to reprise their roles,but an animated series likeLower Decksdoes not have that problem. Captain Boimler’s crew in “Fissure Quest” includesT’Pol (Jolene Blalock), Curzon Dax (Fred Tatasciore), Garak (Andrew Robinson), Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig), and many Harry Kims (Garrett Wang), all of whom are voiced by their original actors (with the exception of Curzon).
Star Trek’s Biggest Crossover Ever Just Happened With 6 Shocking Legacy Character Comebacks
Setting up its season 5 finale, Star Trek: Lower Decks goes big by bringing back characters from DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, and First Contact.
It would be difficult for a live-action show likeStrange New Worldsto achieve a crossover of the same magnitude with so many returning characters. Not only have the creators ofStar Trek: Lower Deckstruly maximized the advantages of animation, but they also let their obvious love forStar Trekshine through.“Fissure Quest” showed a Garak and a (holographic) Bashir as a loving married couple,and revealed that this T’Pol spent over sixty years married to Trip Tucker (Connor Trinneer). Both of these storylines fulfill the desires of manyStar Trekfans, who have voiced their opinions on message boards and comment sections across the internet.
Lower Decks’ Crossover Took Advantage Of Star Trek’s Multiverse
Multiple Star Trek Shows Collided In Lower Decks' Penultimate Episode
Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 has also taken full advantage of the multiverse to bring characters together from differentStar Trekseries.Captain William Boimler himself is a transporter clone of the original Lt. Bradward Boimler, andhis entire crew aboard the Anaximander is made up of alternate-universe versions of popular characters.While theseStar Trekicons maintain the same basic personality as their Prime Universe counterparts, they have also been shaped by an entirely different universe. This givesLower Decksthe freedom to have fun with their characters and show a different side to these beloved fan favorites.
Star Trek: Prodigyseason 2 also brought backStar Trek: The Next Generation’s beloved Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden).
When Boimler and his crew get captured by"feral Khwopians,“they find themselves in a cell with another crew from an alternate reality. This crew is led byCaptain Lily Sloane (Alfre Woodard)who has a ship called the Beagle capable of traveling throughout the multiverse. Introduced inStar Trek: First Contact,Lily Sloane never had the chance to become a true explorer in that action-packed film.Star Trek: Lower Decksgives her and all of the other returning characters a chance to fulfill different dreams, and also implies that other belovedStar Trekcharacters are out there in the multiverse, too.
