Star Trek’s Animated Comedy Has One Last Chance For Its Biggest TNG Callback (2024)

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 is the animated comedy's last chance for its biggest Star Trek: The Next Generation callback. Entering their final season on Paramount+, Star Trek: Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan promises a satisfying ending for the dysfunctionally heroic crew of the USS Cerritos. McMahan and Star Trek: Lower Decks' cast members have also hinted at major Star Trek legacy voice cameos in season 5. Could this mean Star Trek: The Next Generation will cross over into Star Trek: Lower Decks?

One of the most satisfying aspects of Star Trek: Lower Decks is that it continues the beloved 24th-century era of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Everything in TNG, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and the four Star Trek: The Next Generation movies happened before Star Trek: Lower Decks began. Lieutenants Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), Samanthan Rutherford (Eugene Cordero), D'Vana Tendi (Noel Wells), and the rest of the USS Cerritos' crew are students of Starfleet history and regularly reference people and events throughout Star Trek. Of course, Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), and the USS Titan have already appeared in Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Season 5 Is Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Last Chance To Show USS Enterprise-E

Will Captain Freeman meet Captain Picard?

The ultimate Star Trek: The Next Generation callback in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 would be the USS Enterprise-E commanded by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), and Lower Decks season 5 is the last chance for this to happen. Star Trek: Lower Decks begins in 2380, one year after Star Trek: Nemesis, and Lower Decks season 5 picks up at some point in 2381. Although Star Trek: Picard established that Jean-Luc was promoted to Admiral in 2381, it may not have happened yet by Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5. Could Sir Patrick Stewart voice Captain Picard and meet Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5?

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Great news: Star Trek: Lower Decks is coming back for season 5. Bad news: It's the final season of Lower Decks on Paramount+.

However, just as big an appearance in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 would be Captain Worf (Michael Dorn). When Picard becomes an Admiral, Worf takes over as Captain of the Enterprise. Depending on when in 2381 Star Trek: Lower Decks is set, the most famous Klingon in Starfleet would be in command of the USS Enterprise-E, and it would still be a few years before the E is lost in mysterious circumstances that Worf insists isn't his fault. An appearance in Star Trek: Lower Decks would also add to Michael Dorn's untouchable record for making the most Star Trek appearances of any other actor or character.

What Is Happening In Star Trek’s Universe In Lower Decks Season 5

The 2380s are an eventful decade

If the USS Enterprise-E appears in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5, it's important to assess what's going on in the Star Trek universe in the 2380s. The USS Voyager returned to Earth in 2378, a year before Star Trek: Nemesis in 2379. After Star Trek: Lower Decks begins in 2380, the United Federation of Planets learns that the Romulan sun is going supernova, which finally happens in 2387. Picard is promoted to Admiral in 2381 to lead the Federation's mission to rescue the Romulan people, which is then abandoned in 2385 in the wake of the attack on Mars by rouge synthetics, leading to the Federation's ban on artificial life forms.

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Star Trek Ending Its Animated Comedy Still Makes No Sense

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At some point in the early 2380s, Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) decides to leave the USS Enterprise-E because she secretly got pregnant with Jean-Luc Picard's son, Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers). Later in the decade, Captain Riker and Counselor Troi's son, Thad, contracts a fatal illness, and the Troi-Rikers leave Starfleet and move their family to Nepenthe. Of course, the events of Star Trek: Prodigy seasons 1 and 2 take place from 2383 to 2385, while some unexplained event leads to the loss of the USS Enterprise-E. Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 will likely end before the bulk of the fateful events of the 2380s.

Could Lower Decks End With A Transfer To USS Enterprise?

One of the Cerrtios' Lieutenants could get called up to the flagship

Star Trek’s Animated Comedy Has One Last Chance For Its Biggest TNG Callback (3)

How Star Trek: Lower Decks will ultimately end, and what happens to the crew of the USS Cerritos, remains to be seen. But could Star Trek: Lower Decks end with a transfer to the USS Enterprise-E? This would echo how Star Trek: Lower Decks season 1 ended with Ensign Brad Boimler transferring to the USS Titan. However, a call-up to the Enterprise would make sense as Boimler's endgame, considering the ambitious junior Lieutenant's career trajectory. It would make perfect sense for Star Trek: Lower Decks to wrap up its run on Paramount+ with Boimler promoted to serve on the Federation flagship.

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Star Trek: Lower Decks Cast Guide - Who Voices Each Character In All 4 Seasons

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Lieutenant Brad Boimler being a lifer of the USS Cerritos isn't his logical destiny. In contrast, Lieutenants Rutherford and Tendi are in love with the Cerritos and seem happy to keep serving on 'the Enterprise of the California Class' starships. Lieutenant T'Lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz) also doesn't have Starfleet career ambitions and seems satisfied to stay on the Cerritos until the Vulcans invite her to return. As for Lieutenant Beckett Mariner, her safest career option seems to be remaining under the aegis of her mother, Captain Freeman, on the Cerritos. Star Trek: Lower Decks has hinted at the USS Enterprise for years, and an appearance by Captain Picard, Captain Worf, and/or their iconic starship would be the ultimate callback in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5.

  • Star Trek’s Animated Comedy Has One Last Chance For Its Biggest TNG Callback (5)

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    *Availability in US

    Cast
    Tawny Newsome , Jack Quaid , Dawnn Lewis , Noel Wells , Eugene Cordero , Gabrielle Ruiz , Fred Tatasciore , Jerry O'Connell

    Release Date
    August 6, 2020

    Seasons
    5
    Network
    Paramount
    Streaming Service(s)
    Paramount+
    Franchise(s)
    Star Trek

    Writers
    Mike McMahan

    Showrunner
    Mike McMahan
    Where To Watch
    Paramount+
  • Star Trek’s Animated Comedy Has One Last Chance For Its Biggest TNG Callback (9)

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    9.2/10

    Star Trek: The Next Generation

    Where to Watch

    • stream
    • rent
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    Not available

    *Availability in US

    Cast
    Patrick Stewart , Marina Sirtis , Brent Spiner , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Wil Wheaton

    Release Date
    September 28, 1987

    Seasons
    7
    Network
    CBS
    Streaming Service(s)
    Amazon Prime Video
    Franchise(s)
    Star Trek

    Writers
    Gene Roddenberry

    Showrunner
    Gene Roddenberry
    Where To Watch
    Paramount+
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