Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Mike McMahan Addresses Wild Discovery Reference In Series Finale, And Now It Has Me Wondering

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As a lifelong Trekkie with over four decades of starship voyages under my belt, I must say that the finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks left me both awestruck and bewildered. This animated gem has always been a treasure trove of intricate references and Easter eggs, but the Klingon transformation in “The New Next Generation” took things to a whole new level.

☢️ Heed this notice! The ensuing information reveals spoilers for the Star Trek: Lower Decks finale titled “The New Next Generation.” To watch it, you’ll need a Paramount+ membership; view with caution if you wish to remain unspoiled!

The TV schedule for 2025 is fast approaching, and that means exciting new Star Trek series are on their way too! However, 2024 was a mix of joy and sorrow for the franchise, as fans bid farewell to both Discovery and Lower Decks. Notably, the final episode of the animated series Lower Decks made a surprising reference to its predecessor, Discovery, although this intricate nod could stir up debates within the fanbase. In fact, we had a chat with showrunner Mike McMahan about this fascinating reference.

If you found my conversation confusing, don’t worry – Lower Decks, with its abundance of references, can be tricky to follow sometimes. Here’s a summary for those who might have missed it, and some insights I picked up from the showrunner on this significant moment that could shape the future of the franchise.

How Discovery’s Klingons Show Up In Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Series Finale

As a passionate film enthusiast, I found myself captivated by the premiere of “The New Next Generation,” where a group of Klingons were maintaining vigil at the border of their domain. Suddenly, an anomaly appeared and unleashed cosmic vibrations that disrupted the very fabric of our universe. Just moments before one of the ships was obliterated, one of the Klingon warriors underwent an extraordinary transformation – morphing from a form reminiscent of the TNG era into a striking figure resembling the Klingons depicted in Star Trek: Discovery.

This instance is quite intriguing, and I’m confident that dedicated Star Trek fans picked up on it due to its implications. While we might attribute this to a strange anomaly in the multiverse, it could hint at Discovery existing in an alternate timeline that doesn’t align with Star Trek’s Prime timeline. In simpler terms, Lower Decks seems to be suggesting that there’s a deviation from the traditional Star Trek continuity.

What Mike McMahan Had To Say About The Multiversal Moment

The television series Star Trek: Discovery has received mixed reactions from fans, and since the upcoming Starfleet Academy spin-off will feature characters known from Discovery, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the show Lower Decks were to challenge its continuity within the Prime universe. In fact, when I inquired about this topic with showrunner Mike McMahan, his response was quite revealing:

I won’t dictate how fans should react to anything. In [Fissure Quest], you’ll notice the timelines are chaotic across various realities. Was I playing a trick with that particular moment, aware of my actions? Absolutely. I’m not naive. Additionally, it’s not definitively established – another multiversal shift we witnessed transformed it into a Klingon ship. You can interpret that moment as you wish, and feel free to discuss it with me in ten years [smiles].

McMahan’s reply might cement this brief scene as a point of contention in Star Trek: Discovery debates among fans for years to come. In essence, he’s suggesting that viewers can draw their own conclusions from that pivotal moment and furthermore, these interpretations can vary greatly depending on individual perspectives.

If you think it was merely a coincidence and there wasn’t any deeper meaning behind Discovery, there are reasons to support this view.

More On Star Trek

I wasn’t expecting to see L’Rell’s Klingon breasts as a bingo item in the upcoming season finale of Star Trek: Discovery.

It’s plausible to propose that given the diversity explored in Star Trek: Lower Decks, it’s likely there are at least a couple more universes where the Klingons resemble those from Discovery. After all, who knows? The Klingon from that universe might not even possess two genitals! It may be worth investigating further by someone else.

Although there may be some disagreements about that particular episode, I must say that Star Trek: Lower Decks certainly ended with a flourish. If the series doesn’t come back, it’s left an intriguing “What if” scenario for potential future projects. Fingers crossed that it does return, but until then, we can enjoy the fantastic show on streaming platforms for quite some time.

After wrapping up “Star Trek: Lower Decks”, we’re excitedly anticipating the premiere of the Section 31 movie on Paramount+, scheduled for January 24th. Additionally, a fresh season of Strange New Worlds is on its way in 2025, so keep your excitement levels high!

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2024-12-19 21:38