Star Trek: Lower Decks Satirizes One of the Most Iconic Tropes in the Star Trek Franchise

Episode Insights: “Fissure Quest” in Star Trek: Lower Decks

Humorous Reflection: “Lower Decks”cleverly critiques “Star Trek”conventions, particularly the recurrent multiverse plots.
Multiverse Adventure: “Fissure Quest”spotlights the crew’s escapades across varied universes.
Fan Fatigue: The episode articulates the exhaustion many fans feel regarding excessive multiverse narratives in the franchise.

“Star Trek: Lower Decks”stands out among its franchise peers for its sharp wit and insightful satire of Star Trek fundamentals. With a combination of playful humor and a genuine appreciation for the source material, this animated series effectively channels the perspectives of devoted fans. In the penultimate episode titled “Fissure Quest,”the show takes aim at the beloved Star Trek multiverse concept.

The concept of the multiverse first emerged in the original series through the iconic episode “Mirror, Mirror,”which introduced the notorious Mirror Universe—a realm featuring sinister counterparts of the Enterprise crew. Over the years, the expansive Trek universe has been enriched with an array of alternate realities and timelines, a theme explored by nearly every series in the franchise.

In this season of “Lower Decks,”the USS Cerritos crew faces the chaos brought about by quantum fissures, gateways to parallel universes. “Fissure Quest”introduces a familiar character, critiquing the often-explored multiverse trope within the Star Trek saga.

A Multiverse of Beloved Characters

Harry Kims Lower Decks — Screen capture from Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 trailer.

The narrative of “Fissure Quest”begins in the Prime Universe, showcasing the much-loved characters known from the series. The plot quickly introduces Bradward Boimler’s transporter clone, William Boimler, leading to a shift to a Defiant-class vessel. Here, Captain William Boimler leads a disparate crew comprising fan-favorites such as T’Pol, Curzon Dax, Elim Garak, Dr. Julian Bashir, and multiple variations of Harry Kim, all engaged in a long-term mission to locate the cause of the quantum fissures.

Through William Boimler’s narration, viewers gain insight into his affection for this unconventional crew while simultaneously revealing his frustration toward the multiverse antics. As they approach a distressed ship to investigate, Boimler humorously questions what alternate version of a beloved character they may encounter next, saying, “Who will it be? Neelix with a crew cut? Really big Spock?”

This remark underscores his fatigue with the surplus of alternative character narratives, further exemplified when he meets yet another Harry Kim. Boimler quips dismissively about the addition to their already extensive collection, revealing that the only distinguishing factor about this new Kim is his newly upgraded rank to Lieutenant.

‘Lazy Derivative Remixes’

Alternate Mariner Lower Decks — Paramount+

As the crew updates this latest Harry Kim on their quest, the discussion turns to the growing threat to the multiverses. When Kim inquires about the motives behind this chaos, Boimler’s candid response echoes sentiments shared within the fan community.

“Because they’re probably a hacky evil version of someone we all know! A reverse Picard, or Borg-ified Kirk, or, f*ck it, I don’t know, human Worf. That’s all the multiverse is — just lazy, derivative remixes!”

This outburst from Boimler resonates deeply with many in the Star Trek fandom, as it reflects a sentiment that the exploration of alternate universes has become repetitive and uninspired. Originally, the intrigue behind multiversal storytelling lay in witnessing unconventional versions of well-known characters, engaging in actions contrary to their established personas. While this serves as a strong narrative device in moderation, the relentless portrayal of evil doppelgängers and timeline alterations risks diluting its appeal.

Nevertheless, while Boimler’s frustrations mirror the feelings of a segment of the viewer base, there remains an enduring fascination for those who relish the exploration of how slight shifts can drastically alter beloved characters and their narratives. This juxtaposition is a central theme of the episode.

Ultimately, the crew learns that the quantum fissures are a product of an alternate universe crewed by variations of Zephram Cochrane and Lily Sloan, who innovated quantum drives instead of warp technology. Thus, even the “lazy derivative remixes”can impart significant lessons—core to the essence of Star Trek, which has always prioritized discovery and understanding across the fabric of sentient existence.

The grand finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks is set to premiere on Thursday, December 19th, exclusively on Paramount+.

Source & Images