Star Trek: Lower Decks recently closed out Season 4, and while it's going to be a wait until Season 5 can be binged with a Paramount+ subscription, CinemaBlend can share some insight about what to expect when the sci-fi comedy returns. Showrunner Mike McMahan already broke down Season 4's ending, as well as Tendi's situation, but what's going on with the other main characters aboard and around the USS Cerritos?
McMahan was kind enough to share some details with CinemaBlend about what's going on with Mariner and others as the new season looms in the distance. While we still have other upcoming Trek shows on the way before the animated hit is back , this should be enough to keep dedicated fans satiated as they wait for more episodes.
Mariner
Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4 was a wild one for Beckett Mariner. Having historically kept her rank of Ensign throughout most of her career, she was hell-bent on getting demoted again after a promotion in Season 3. Her increasingly reckless number of stunts drew the attention of old schoolmate Nick Locarno, who misinterpreted the actions as a sign of Mariner's hatred of Starfleet.
The Season 4 finale proved that Mariner was pro-Starfleet, but what does that mean for Season 5? Mike McMahan revealed that we'll see the same Mariner as always, but with one key difference going forward:
Mariner is just as chaotic, just as funny, just as Starfleet. But she's also unburdened. She's unburdened by the stuff that she was carrying that was causing her to be self-destructive. I actually love writing Season 5 Mariner because it's funny, awesome, Star Trek Mariner without this kind of need to tear herself down. I think that she still has issues with people leaving her but she's grown so much. She's grown with Boimler, she's grown with the Captain, and her relationship with the Captain. And nobody on the ship knows what Ma'ah, the Klingon, knows. Mariner was able to finally talk about something for the first time ever because she was promoted, and for the first time, somebody like Jack Ransom said, ‘I see what you're doing. I'm not gonna demote you. I don't care what you do.’ That took away a pressure release Mariner always had before, and it finally erupts with Ma'ah because she communicates for the first time is able to address something that was weighing on her and then she's able to move forward.
Mariner finally was able to open up and quit burying her feelings, and the end result means she'll have a little emotional weight removed in Season 5. That's good because I don't think the crewmates could've handled Mariner going on missions with a death wish much longer, and someone would've gotten hurt eventually.
So, should we expect an entirely different Mariner in Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5? Not quite, according to Mike McMahan, but there is an important lesson laid out by this journey that is worth absorbing:
What I like about that is she's still her. And it says to me what I think a lot of people find. We're all dealing with heavy stuff and talking about stuff with, you know, whether it's a Klingon or a therapist, it doesn't make you less you, it makes you more you. It's not solved. It's not something where you're like, ‘Well, that's done.’ You're allowed to be imperfect and move forward, but you're allowed to be happy while doing it. And that's the fun of Mariner in season five.
Mariner is, like so many of us, still a work in progress. As such, fans can expect her to get up to some shenanigans in Season 5, and possibly still be a thorn in the side of her mother, Captain Freeman, going forward.
Boimler
Season 4 was strange for Bradward Boimler, who somewhat panicked under the pressure of his new promotion. This led to a lot of overthinking and chaotic moments, but in the end, he rose to the occasion when it mattered and was even able to captain the Cerritos during the mission to save Mariner.
It was a big moment for Boimler, and it could lead to more promotions and bigger roles down the stretch. With that said, Mike McMahan said that Jack Quaid's character still has a ways to go before he's ready to command a ship:
Boimler’s had a taste of the bridge and being a captain and knows what it feels like to be a captain in a moment of crisis. But he doesn't have yet what it means to be a captain on an everyday basis and he's gonna keep learning that. He doesn't slide back but he's still Boimler next season, but he's checked that box.
Boimler had all the confidence when it mattered, but there's still room in Season 5 for him to have doubts or act neurotic over the smallest of details. In other words, if he ends up butt naked and creates another raunchy moment controversy for Jack Quaid reminiscent of his work on The Boys, don't be surprised.
T'Lyn
T'Lyn had a bigger spotlight in Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4, and fans immediately fell in love with the Vulcan partly inspired by Enterprise's T-Pol. While a newcomer to the bunch, T'Lyn slowly went from annoyed Vulcan to a full-fledged ally of the Lower Decks' main characters by the end of the season.
Mike McMahan revealed that T'Lyn will also change in Season 5, but more in terms of her mindset. He talked about her embracing her role on the Cerritos and what that means going forward:
You've got T’Lyn, who decided to stay, which means how does she define herself as an officer instead of as a guest? And how does that change your mentality of what you're interested in and what you're trying to achieve?
It seems like T'Lyn is going to try and make a name for herself on the Cerritos, which I'm ok with. She seems the most capable of the crew of quickly rising through the ranks, but that's mainly because she's less prone to shenanigans. Who knows if that will change as she spends more time with her new friends.
Unfortunately, Mike McMahan didn't get into what was happening with Rutherford, but I know I'd love to see him and Tendi finally become a couple. Perhaps there will be some room for that in Season 5, but if not, there are a lot of other exciting things to look forward to. I may or may not be trying to manifest another Wesley Crusher appearance, especially after learning about Wil Wheaton's reaction to being asked on the show.
All four current seasons of Star Trek: Lower Decks are available to stream right now on Paramount+. Get on that, and prepare for a new year of Trek content in 2024 and beyond!
