‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Recap – ‘The Inner Fight’

10/28/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Tawny Newsome as Lieutenant Beckett Mariner in Episode 409 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ – ‘The Inner Fight’. (Photo Courtesy of Paramount+.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 409 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. Also, this piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

We like to believe, that an easy cure for our problems and woes, is to surround ourselves with good things, and there is merit to that line of thinking. After all, when we have people making us laugh, we do indeed feel great. And sometimes, just going out and having a blast or picking up a couple of comfort items do the same. But alas, those feelings are fleeting in nature and there is good reason for that. Because in order to truly be free of our woes, we have to confront them, resolve them and truly make peace with them, for they will hang over us until the end of our time, regardless of how much good surrounds us. And for proof, look no further than the next episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks on Paramount+.

For ‘The Inner Fight’ took the time to ponder upon how… PTSD and trauma and other such 21st Century ailments, are alive and well in the 24th. They just happen to be easily masked by the benefits of the Federation. For being able to have the basics of what we need, would indeed keep dark thoughts at bay for some time. But even, they are there, hiding behind the smiles of a replicated cup of hot cocoa and a replicated sundae and the story pondered upon that in a supremely unique manner. For Lieutenant Beckett Mariner was continuing to act out in this story, to the point where she kept putting her life at risk for issues that didn’t require such risk and well, that concerned her mother deeply, to the point where she asked for help from Mariner’s friends.

Because the strange vessel that had been targeting ships all over the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, was targeting ex-Starfleet officers next. From the biggest of names, such as Beverly Crusher to the deeper STU cuts, such as Nick Locarno. Who you might remember from The Next Generation episode, ‘The First Duty’. And well, the risk of harm coming to Locarno, prompted Captain Freeman to have Tendi, Boims, and T’Lyn take Mariner along on a simple mission to update a weather relay orbiting an obscure planet so that she could be safe and well… that brought forth all kinds of epic surprises regarding the mystery ship and what happened to the crew’s that we recently learned, were being stolen by this vessel.

Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, Gabrielle Ruiz, and Noël Wells as Lieutenant Beckett Mariner, Lieutenant Bradward Boimler, Lieutenant T’Lyn, and Lieutenant D’Vana Tendi in Episode 409 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ – ‘The Inner Fight’. (Photo Courtesy of Paramount+.)

In that, those souls were being stored on the very planet below that weather relay. And concerns from more Klingons working with this mystery ship, forced the Lower Deckers to beam down and discover all those missing crews and other dangers abound. And while they hunkered down to sleep… Mariner made a point to get out there and save the day and while she was out and about, she ran into a hearty Klingon who questioned her ferocity and her misplaced anger and that was when Mariner opened up to inform us… that she was once friends with Ensign Sito from the TNG episode, ‘Lower Decks’, ironically enough… and that Sito’s death in that episode, impacted Mariner deeply. To the point where she lamented some of what Starfleet stood for and what it was willing to sacrifice in the name of the greater good. Simply because she had unresolved PTSD from Sito’s death, and never dealt with it until that moment.

But at last, she did, and that was proof positive that such matters are part of the human adventure and need to be dealt with for us to find peace and move forward and once it was resolved, Mariner accomplished wonders. Because she rallied everyone to work together and fight back to send a distress call and to seize the Bird of Prey that was hovering above the planet. So, they all could be free at last, and it was powerful to finally learn what truly has pushed Mariner to be the way she is and fight the system. But of course, there was the whole matter regarding Locarno, and that mystery ship, and what the show revealed to us regarding both elements, was quite stunning. For it was discovered by Ruthy, that the ship was constructed carefully by Nick Locarno, and it was flown by him as well, and he was so confident that Mariner was still set in her ways of sticking it to Starfleet… that he brought her aboard and asked for her help.

Which of course, is a cliffhanger ending, that brings about more questions. Such as what is Locarno’s motivation here? Is it to destabilize the quadrants? Break up the Federation? Time will tell of course, but what we do know at this point, is that the species that sent the whale probe is not involved, nor is Moopsy. It’s all one sour man who could be getting revenge for washing out of Starfleet when his washout was all his own damn fault. But what matters more, is that this was a beautiful and powerful tale about healing and the work that goes into that, and how important it is that we do so. Because without healing, we are stuck in life, and Mariner could be on quite the path now… provided

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