Summary
The teaser trailer forStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 shows a glimpse of an Orion taken straight fromStar Trek: The Animated Series. With reputations as pirates and slave traders,Orions have been a part ofStar TreksinceStar Trek: The Original Series,andLower Deckshas finally given the green alien species some much needed updating.Lt. D’Vana Tendi (Noël Wells) has singlehandedly altered the perception of Orions both within theStar Trekuniverse and without. With her upbeat attitude and general enthusiasm, Tendi is a bright light among the crew of the USS Cerritos.
Although the above teaser only offers a few hints about the new season,Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 looks like it will feature the same zany adventures and deep cutTrekreferences the show has become known for. Despite returning to her homeplanet of Orion at theend ofStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 4,Tendi features heavily in the season 5 teaser, suggesting she won’t remain absent for long.In its fourth season,Lower Decksrevealed more about Tendi and her life on Orion, adding more depth to the Orion culture and Orions as a species. Hopefully,Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 will continue that trend.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 Trailer Breakdown - 10 Easter Eggs You Missed
Lower Decks unveils a teaser trailer for its final season at San Diego Comic-Con which is packed with Star Trek Easter eggs and hidden references.
Star Trek: The Animated Series’ Orion Appears In Lower Decks Season 5
The look of the Orions in TAS was quite distinct.
Orions only featured significantly in one episode ofStar Trek: The Animated Series,aptly titled “The Pirates of Orion,” and they had gained a distinct new look. When the USS Enterprise encounters an Orion ship, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) attempts to negotiate with the Orion Captain for the return of an important drug.Despite their pirate activities, the Orions wish to maintain their neutralityand prevent Starfleet from learning of their recent attack on a Federation vessel. The Orions are deeply suspicious of Kirk and his crew, refusing Kirk’s initial offer.
The Orions ofTASwear bright green uniforms with purple masks, and theStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 5 teasersuggests some Orions continue to wear these uniforms even into the late 24th century. While the context of the image from the trailer remains unknown,it’s always fun to seeLower Decksreference lesser-known elements fromStar Trek: The Animated Series.The Orions' history of piracy remains an important element of their species inStar Trek: Lower Decks,and the teaser shows Tendi in command of an Orion pirate ship once again.
Star Trek: Lower Decksseason 2, episode 2, “Kayshon, His Eyes Open” also contained a fun reference toStar Trek: The Animated Series(season 1, episode 7, “The Infinite Vulcan”) when the massive skeleton of Spock Two made an appearance.
10 Updates Star Trek Just Gave Tendi & Orions
The Orions first appeared in Star Trek back in 1966, but very little was known about their society and culture until Lower Decks' Tendi returns home.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 Will Bring Tendi Back To Starfleet
Tendi’s heart will always belong to Starfleet.
Before joining Starfleet, D’Vana Tendi was an infamous pirate known as theMistress of the Winter Constellations, and the skills she learned have proven useful on numerous Starfleet missions.Based onStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 5’s teaser, Tendi’s return to Orion will only be temporary.(Noël Wells confirmed this during theStar Trekpanel at San Diego Comic-Con.) The teaser shows numerous images of Tendi back in her Starfleet uniform alongside her fellow Cerritos crew members. It even appears she will get to go on a covert away mission disguised as an alien.
Star Trek: Lower Deckshas shown time and again how much Tendi loves Starfleet and the adventures she has as part of the USS Cerritos crew.She has gone to great lengths to separate herself from her pirate past and redefine what it means to be an Orion.It makes perfect sense that Tendi would do everything she can to return to Starfleet after she takes care of the obligations to her sister and her people. Among the incredibly fun cast ofStar Trek: Lower Decks,Tendi has proven to be one of the greatest surprises, and we can’t wait to see where the show takes her and the Cerritos next.
