After an incredibly divergent couple of adventures, Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 Episode 8 calls back to the Rise of Vindicta, the hugely entertaining pastiche holo-film therapy tool on Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 1 Episode 9.
From the thrilling cold open to the ominous cliffhanger, this is a carefully crafted masterclass in self-referential artistry.
Furthermore, Tendi and Boimler both discover new truths through their experiences that hint at potential future developments. Once again, I marvel at the character depth found in this comedic animated series.
The holodeck is one of those Trek techs that has always fascinated fans. Never mind that the entire genre is escapism; they’ve also invented a way to turn their fantasies into tangible reality.
Of course, there is the usual defense that the holodeck is a training tool, but seriously? It’s recreation and titillation wrapped up in one disinfectable cargo bay.
Lower Decks’s use of the holodeck has been perhaps more immersive than other series.
Over the last three seasons, we’ve seen the holodeck give life to Badgey, rise to Vindicta, a setting for Shaxs and T’Ana’s foreplay, and provide one of the least preferred maintenance duties for Lower Decks grunts.
Boimler: Don’t worry, ‘Crisis Point TWO’ is twice as good as the original.
Mariner: Crisis Point… No, you can’t just piggy back off my movie!
Boimler: Technically, it was my program first, so I can do what I want. Uh, Computer, arch.
Mariner: That doesn’t contractually obligate you to make a bad sequel.
Boimler’s original program indicates that he’s got a lot more technological savvy than we’d typically associate with him.
Of course, it’s Mariner’s innovative rewrite that pushes the envelope and provides us with the cinematic scope of the first Crisis Point adventure.
Boimler’s sequel gives all four core ensigns the room to be individuals.
Mariner wallows in half-hearted resentment over Boimler’s fan-fiction revisit to her Vindicta-verse. Still, she kind of wants to see how it plays out, if only for the opportunity to commentate and critique.
Boimler: Freeman just explained that the Chronogami can be used to destroy any point in history.
Mariner: What, does it make an alternate cinematic timeline that runs concurrent to our own but with, like, different people playing younger versions of us?
Tendi: [laughs] Scientifically, that would be a bit of a reach.
Rutherford, being physically half-tech himself, revels in the all-inclusive nature of the role-play, treating it like the best amusement park ride ever, snacks and all.
But it’s Tendi who surprises us when she takes on the acting captain role in stopping the holo-Romulans from destroying the Federation with the Chronogami.
Freeman: The Chonogami. A top-secret Starfleet prototype which can penetrate temporal barriers. ‘Chrono’ because it involves taking Time and folding it in on itself like the Japanese art form…
Mariner: Yeah, origami. Right, yeah, we get it.
Where are my Tendi-kins? Tendi-philes? We need a name. And one that’s not gross-creepy, please.
Tendi’s had such extraordinary character growth moments this season. Seeing her branch out from her Pollyanna keener core to embrace her badass Orion training and step up to addressing Command has been an exhilarating ride.
When she consciously owns the fact that she wants to be a captain one day, there’s a real light that goes on for her and Rutherford, too.
We’ve always known that Boimler yearns to command, but he always gets in his own way. Case in point, getting outplayed by his own transporter twin on Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 Episode 2.
Tendi, on the other hand, needed to grow confidence in her abilities before she could admit to her secret ambitions.
The alleged death of William Boimler that sends our Bradward into a stunning (and stunned) existential tailspin turns out to be a two-pronged plot device.
Sapping Brad of his joy in the execution of Crisis Point 2: Paradoxus, it renders the collection of holographic settings and characters meaningless until one offers him all the answers.
The irony of him seeking meaning in a holodeck program is not lost on Mariner.
Boimler: We gotta do this!
Mariner: This? What is THIS? These random extras?
Random Extra: I am Knick-Knack.
Mariner: Case in point.
William’s death drives Brad away from the main story, through a litany of cinematic homages, and straight into the arms of guest star George Takei as Hikaru Sulu.
A beautiful recreation of the Star Trek film, Generations, it’s an elegant and satisfying conclusion to Brad’s internal rage.
But then the second prong strikes, and, unlike the original, here, the resurrection of the dead occurs IRL, not on the holodeck.
I question the logic behind recruiting any Boimler to Section 31, but apparently, there’s a plan in action, and William Boimler needs to be presumed dead for it to work.
William Boimler: Isn’t Section 31 supposed to be like a big secret? I mean why would we wear special com badges that advertise who we are?
Section 31 Operative: You could still be dead.
William Boimler: Y’know, I like the badge.
Meanwhile, Dr. T’Ana’s diagnosis of Bradward Boimler’s episode of unconsciousness is weirdly in line with his transporter twin’s fate.
Boimler: So, I was dreaming?
T’Ana: More like clinically dead.
While the Kityha detour smacks of the best of Star Trek treasure hunts — Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6 Episode 20, “The Chase,” — its incredibly underwhelming and nonsensical conclusion is a let-down of Boimler proportions.
Which is, admittedly, hilarious.
This is one of those turducken types of episodes that really deserves a couple of viewings dedicated to just picking out the Easter Eggs and admiring the Plot-gami they’ve folded in on itself.
He was an exact copy of me. Had his own quarters on a cooler ship. But he died for no reason. I guess I was trying to make all of this matter because then I would matter. But trying to make this dumb movie important just proves that I’m not.
Boimler
It’s one of the few episodes when Mariner’s antics take a backseat to the others, and it’s somewhat surprising how good a supportive character she can be.
Boimler: Crisis Point was just a sad little tantrum so that you could murder the crew. This is an important examination of the human condition.
Mariner: Yeah. IE Bad move. I officially disown Crisis Point.
Will we see Section 31 Boimler before the season closes out? How will Bold Boimler take that?
Will Dr. Migleemo sign off on Tendi’s Senior Bridge Officer training? Will that mean the team breaks up when she moves up?
There’s also the mysterious figure from Rutherford’s retrieved memories on Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 Episode 5. Remember him? (Wow, this season has done a lot in less than four hours of running time total so far.)
But, as Rutherford points out, a franchise doesn’t follow its villains. As Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3 Episode 7 demonstrated, we’re here for our heroes. Leave them out of the bulk of a story, and we start to question the value of the narrative.
As we reach the penultimate offering of the season (but knowing another season is guaranteed), what do you hope to see?
Is it the Starfleet debut of the Vulcan and Klingon ensigns of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 Episode 9? Is it more classic series guest stars?
Could there be a set-up for the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds crossover announced at San Diego Comic-Con?
Hit our comments with your wishlist!
Diana Keng is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
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