‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Recap – ‘Fissure Quest’

12/14/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

The Prime Lower Deckers, Unaware of the Challenge that Awaits in Episode 509 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ – ‘Fissure Quest’. (Photo Courtesy of Paramount+.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Penultimate Episode of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

It is definitely safe to say, that the fifth and final season of the magnificent Paramount+ series, Star Trek: Lower Decks, has been quite special in nature. In part because the jokes have been phenomenal, and we’ve enjoyed some serious laughs for certain. Not to mention, it’s revisited some beautiful themes that permeate the franchise, such as being true to oneself and so many more. Plus, it’s also taken the time to lean hard into the tributes it often provides to the franchise. Some of which have involved the source material from which this show was born, while others have been broader in nature. Since Brent Spiner made his way to the show via another iteration of Lieutenant Commander Data, and what’s wild… is that was just the bare beginning of tributes to come, as evidenced by this week’s episode of the show.

For ‘Fissure Quest’ the penultimate story in this saga… brought back many a classic character and paid wonderful homage to them and their journeys and righted some wrongs that the fans have struggled with, and it accomplished all of that… through a catch-up moment with Captain William Boimler. Who was in command of his own Defiant class starship, and he was tasked, with an amazing crew, to find the source of the multiverse rifts. Which he and his motley crew were able to do. Courtesy of help from a multiverse Mariner that was versed in engineering, and through her knowledge… they came to discover that the rifts that everyone was closing, were a byproduct made by the source vessel. An old-school, early Federation ship known as the Beagle, whose mission… was not nefarious.

Because we came to learn that her mission was to explore strange new realities and seek out new versions of ourselves and see where the human condition could boldly go. Which made for some beautiful moments with her skipper, that were nearly ruined by a sassy and overly ambitious Harry Kim from another universe. One who was a Lieutenant and nearly destroyed the multiverse with his machinations. But thanks to William, he set in motion a plan to not only save the majority of the multiverse but task the prime one with an incredible task. Wherein the Lower Deckers will have to step up and do what so many other Starfleet officers in the prime timeline have done. In that they will have to save the galaxy from utter peril. If Prime-Boims can handle such a task.

Captain William Boimler Readies His Crew for Action in Episode 509 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ – ‘Fissure Quest’. (Photo Courtesy of Paramount+.)

But there’s good reason to go quickly go through the plot in this recap, in that… we have to talk about the tributes. Because this episode, was a love letter to the franchise, and truly worked to right wrongs in the same way that Star Trek: Picard did in its third season. Since it featured the return of some Star Trek heavyweights. Courtesy of Jolene Blalock reprising the role of T’Pol, and even Alexander Siddig and Andrew Robinson returned as Garak and Doctor Julian Bashir. Plus, Garret Wang played a galaxy’s worth of Harry Kim’s and of course, Alfre Woodard reprised a slightly different Lily Sloane. One who was leading the charge to explore the multiverse, and we even met a canon iteration of Curzon Dax, and this was just… impressive and amazing and their stories helped heal some rough memories.

Because let’s be honest, no one in the fandom is cool with how Trip’s journey ended in Star Trek: Enterprise. So, to have T’Pol speak to a universe where he survived and they were married for decades on end, was just beautiful and soothing. Not to mention, Garak and Julian were finally a couple, something that everyone expected to happen long ago because of the chemistry the characters brimmed with on Deep Space Nine, but never did, because the 90s were a weird time. But here, it happened, and it was everything we hoped for and more. All of which just made, for the right kind of fan service, and it really was incredible to see these iconic characters again and hear the voices of the beloved actors that played them, one more time.

All of which gave rise, to one amazing penultimate episode. Because not only did it serve as one last salute to the rich history that gave life to this show, but it also set the stage for a classic Trek series finale. Wherein the stakes are sky high, and billions of lives are on the line, and well, that is going to make the wait for next week’s series finale quite grueling. Because deep down we know, this finale will be the finest hour for the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos, and the heroism they will put forth, and the goodbye we will have to provide them with… will leave us in tears and leave us with smiles. Because we got to go on this journey, with this fine crew and truly… it will be a thrilling and emotional delight to stand with the Lower Deckers, one last time. Until then.

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