After that huge double-episode pilot, Star Trek Prodigy kicks off its weekly episode schedule in perfect style.
What is going on here?
If you haven’t been in the loop, Captain – I mean Hologram – Janeway is back, and this clip that premiered 3 weeks ago is in fact in the first 5 minutes of this episode! She goes on to explain her functions on the ship and what The Federation and Starfleet are to the young “cadets”. We’re saying cadets because HJ (Hologram Janeway) thinks they are cadets and not a bunch of rag-tag aliens that commandeered a starship.
Checking out the Protostar
Just before Dal and the crew check out the other decks. Dal “As Captain” sets a course on the star map away from Federation Space. He chooses a red planet and disregards HJ’s recommendation.
Once the motley crew starts poking around the ship Jankom Pog, our assumed Engineer, comes across the Warp Cores. Yes, I said Warp Cores! Not only that, but it seems that the Protostar has a 3rd propulsion system of unknown origin. Jankom and Rok-Tahk, come across the Mess Hall, where HJ explains that all the food is free! Jankom pigs out, while Rok gets a loaded dish of slop she had while she worked in the mines because that is all she knows. HJ complimented her on “Being a girl who knows what she likes.”
Eventually Zero and Dal start looking for sleeping quarters. Eventually, it looks like they came across a bunk room. Zero was quite content saying it would help with the team-building process. But Dal in his ideas of grandeur found comfort in the Captain’s quarters. Rok even brings a meal to Gwyn who has taken up residence in the brig.
The Star in STARSTRUCK
This episode wasn’t about the ideals of Starfleet. It’s literally about a star! Like I already said against HJ’s suggestion, Dal warped the ship to a Binary Solar System where one of the suns was about to implode and was sucking up the other celestial body! Thus making a huge gravitational well and slowly sucking in the ship and her crew.
Dal panics and diverts power, shutting down all nonessential systems like HJ and even the brig forcefields. Gwyn escapes, but can’t find a lifeboat as they were jettisoned to reduce weight to try and pull away from the white dwarf. The computer does have a new VEHICLE REPLICATOR! Which looks like some kinda cross between a 3D pen and Tron! Rok goes down to try and stop her and uses her emotions of being stuck in the mines to fuel her fighting spirit.
While on the bridge, the team tries other hair-brained ideas. Dal finally gives up and looks to HJ for advice. HJ can only ADVISE, not give the right answer. The team eventually survives the day and everyone goes back to their routine, but this time asking for guidance and learning from HJ.
To finish up the episode the Diviner now has a new containment suit, so he doesn’t have to be stuck in a tube. He and Drednok leave the mines converting their fortress into a star ship with cloaking technology, so they can pursue the Protostars warp signature.
Captain’s Log
If you’ve read my articles in the past, this is the part where I give my opinion. Since this is Star Trek I’ll do like Dal and give myself the title of Captain.
This is a great episode to follow up on. We get to see part of the ship and get a feel for some more of the personality quirks of the crew. Don’t forget, this is a show designed for kids to ease them into the Trek Universe, so its pacing has to be a bit different than an episode aimed for adults.
The big things I noticed are the 3rd propulsion system. I think it has something to do with the interesting warp you see in the opening credits. Also the VEHICLE REPLICATOR?! What the heck! Now knowing that Richard Beltran will make an appearance we can safely assume this series isn’t THAT far in the future from Voyager. But a Vehicle Replicator was leaning a bit heavy on the programmable matter you’ve seen in Star Trek: Discovery.
I’m going to stretch and say that with the next 7 episodes, each character will either have a back story and/or feature episode. How did the kids get stranded in a mine and called the unwanted? Why is the Protostar stuck out in the Delta Quadrant? What connection does it have with The Divinver? HOW is HJ DRINKING COFFEE???
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Of course HJ is drinking coffee!