Diana Keng
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It was hugely anticipated, loudly touted, and blown completely out of proportion for what should’ve been a novel one-off curiosity, but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Episode 7 delivers the Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover like the bombshell G.O.A.T. event it was always meant to be.
Not only do Tawny Newsome and Jack Quaid manage to manifest their animated personas in live-action form perfectly, but the Mariner-Boimer brand of chaos proves to be a catalyst for character growth throughout the crew.
It’s incredibly fitting for TPTB to release this story of Starfleet’s biggest fanboy meeting his heroes as a surprise treat during the biggest fan convention weekend. Happy birthday, Captain Pike, and Happy Comic-Con to all of us!
And while I pride myself on nuanced and balanced narrative analysis and character development, you’ll forgive me for gushing over the brilliant detail and loving callbacks this adventure showcases so well.
This is a love letter to today’s IDIC Trek fans — those who revel in Easter Eggs and embrace all the wit and slapstick send-ups Trek aficionados can dream up — from the animated Strange New Worlds opening credits to Pelia paraphrasing Cary Grant (NOT Clark Gable) to Boimler’s Riker maneuver mounting Pike’s saddle (oooh, #phrasing).
I can’t imagine how weird it must be for those viewers who have resisted the call to watch Lower Decks with its irreverent yet respectful take on Trek lore when the cold open is on the Cerritos.
Without the three seasons of Lower Decks to establish characters, setting, and style, it would be a truly alien experience.
Rutherford: I love scanning new things for my collection. Radiation’s a super useful form of energy!
Rutherford & Tendi: [high-fiving] Ha ha! Science!
Mariner: Oh, the bar to excite you guys could not be lower.
Rutherford: Pretty great, huh?
For the rest of us, the tinge of anxiety that has been lingering since the announcement about the crossover over seeing Mariner and Boimler in fully-formed 3D live-action form disintegrated with Boimler’s first line as a real boy (er, man).
You guys look… very realistic.
Boimler
It helps a lot that the characters on Lower Decks bear more than a passing resemblance to their voice actors.
It’s been a source of amusement and speculation for a long time.
When Tawny Newsome spoke with TV Fanatic, her hints at the awesomeness of the crossover were tantalizing. Now that it’s here, it’s clear she really couldn’t have prepared us for how bonkers it all is without giving it all away.
In terms of scripting, it makes sense for Boimler to encounter the Enterprise crew on his own. If he and Mariner had arrived at the same time, her more energetic lean-in would most likely have landed them in the brig far sooner.
But her presence later isn’t performative representation either. Without her, they wouldn’t know where to look for the heronium-plated piece of the NX-01.
Spock: Do you know where the section is located?
Boimler: I don’t but…
Mariner: … Surprise! I paid attention!
Boimler: Without being asked!
Mariner: This guy was distracted by the grapplers.
Spock: It is surprising because she normally does not pay attention.
On his own, Boimler gets to have a rare solo adventure and make an accurate first impression on the Enterprise crew.
I love that Pike and his crew accept Boimler’s awe and awkwardness in stride. It’s a solid way to meld the two shows. The only way to incorporate the energy of Boimler and Mariner into the environment of Strange New Worlds is to treat them as alien beings.
And, in keeping with the ethos of Trek, there’s something to be learned from all forms of life and beings.
Boimler, being Boimler, means well but can’t help his impulsive nature.
Pike: Mr. Boimler, for a guy who seems like a rule-follower, you certainly break a lot of them. And Ms. Mariner, I thought you were here to save your friend, not make a situation worse.
Mariner: Look, it was all me, okay? I just… I don’t think Boimler can handle getting thrown in the brig by a guy he dressed up as for Halloween.
Pike: Really?
Mariner: Yeah, he has to contour the hell out of the jaw line too.
Boimler: It was a process.
Mariner, being Mariner, never tries to.
It’s fascinating how their topsy-turvy influence seems to course-correct the development of the legacy characters.
Boimler’s effect on Spock and Chapel’s dynamic is bittersweet. The unspoken realization for Christine is that Boimler knows nothing about her relationship with Spock, so it’s something that is never recorded in the history books.
Of course, just because it’s not in Boimler’s history doesn’t mean it won’t be in Christine’s future.
If we learn anything from the Orion science vessel (that still has rather sticky transporter fingers), it’s that recorded history isn’t always reflective of what actually happened.
Mariner’s time with Uhura is probably my favorite slice of intertemporal bestie-ness.
For her to meet her lifelong hero, realize Uhura‘s just as self-conscious and insecure about things as any person, and then take it upon herself to bring about some growth… I’m just so proud of Mariner. She’s really becoming mentor material.
Mariner: Are you familiar with Starfleet labor codes?
Uhura: Maybe.
Mariner: Section 48, Alpha dash seven? Officers must take meal breaks at regular intervals. I could report you.
Uhura: You know Starfleet codes?
Mariner: Of course. I mean, there’s a whole bunch of them that let you slack off a ton, so yeah.
It’s so meta. Future Uhura is an icon who inspires Mariner, who travels back and teaches Now Uhura to enjoy life and become the icon who will one day inspire Young Mariner.
#MINDBLOWN.
Uhura: Okay, next month for movie night, I’m programming an Andorian comedy.
Ortegas: Mm-hm, turns out the secret to getting Uhura to relax is making it feel like work.
Finally, there’s the persistent influence of time travel on Pike’s life.
His vision of his own future drove so much of his development and choices in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1.
Unbeknownst to him (yet), La’an has had a temporal adventure that may color her future relationship with James Kirk. The knock-on effects of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Episode 3 have yet to play out, but what would it mean to Kirk’s future adventures with a thawed-out Khan?
Mariner: Maybe I could help her?
Pike: I reeeeally want to say no, but how much more damage could you do at this point? So, go for it.
Now, Boimler and Mariner arrive, pushing him to connect with his crew and cherish his time with them. It’s so freakin’ sweet and just a beautiful message.
Of course, there is a level of partying that no one expected. And yeah, I cheered when the animated Enterprise crew appeared. Orion Hurricanes, FTW!
What sort of lessons will Boimler and Mariner take home with them from this adventure? Who can they debrief with? Was their future always the one that included their joy ride through the portal?
How will Spock and Chapel ride out this wrinkle in their love story? Is this the turning point that brings T’Pring back into the equation?
Most heroes I’ve seen are just pretending half the time. There’s this one guy I remember. He said to me, ‘I always pretended to be someone I wanted to be until finally I became that someone or he became me.’
Pelia
Does anyone else wonder if Pelia chatted up any other movie stars in her time on Earth?
Where does one get a Numero Una recruitment poster?
Meeting one’s heroes rarely goes as well as this adventure did, but they usually don’t involve time travel either.
All in all, this was a triumph of an adventure, blending two modern series in an engaging adventure that was a satisfying and delightful blend of whimsy, absurdism, and genuine heart.
Hit our comments with your highlights, Fanatics!
Was it Spoimler? Was it the historical scientific achievements of Orions set right? Was it watching Uhura down that Hurricane like nobody’s business? So many to choose from!
Diana Keng is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond ’til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. Follow her on Twitter.