Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 dropped a new trailer at New York Comic Con, and fans got quite a surprise in the new footage. The trailer revealed a Ferengi that, in many ways, looked a whole lot different than what we’re used to seeing from the species. So understandably, we have a lot of questions.
Seeing distinct difference in this unnamed Ferengi’s appearance seemed to rustle up feelings from the big controversy regarding Star Trek: Discovery in Season 1. The show featured Klingons in its inaugural season, and they looked entirely different than the ones in the original series, despite Season 1 happening within the same period as that show. At first glance, this new Ferengi immediately had some assuming Discovery was doing the same thing, but it’s worth noting that there are different explanations.
For example, Season 4 takes place in the 32nd century, which is far removed from any past Trek series. Fans know “The Burn” made Dilithium scarce, which impacted the ease of warp capability for many. As a result of the sudden catastrophe, many species were landlocked in specific regions, which led to much more diversity among alien races. It’s possible this Ferengi isn’t purely Ferengi, but a mix of another or many different species seen throughout the franchise's history. Of course, this could also could also just be a very wrinkly Ferengi, similar to the Grand Nagus in Deep Space Nine.
Looks aside, it also appears that the Ferengi is prominent member of Starfleet. Their exact rank is tough to determine since the series once again changed the uniforms. However, fans are sure to find this interesting, as these creatures are drawn to business-heavy, high-paying jobs more often than Starfleet positions. One notable exception would be Deep Space Nine’s Nog, played by late actor Aron Eisenberg. Star Trek: Discovery paid tribute to the actor in Season 3 with a Starfleet ship named the USS Nog.
While there are no guarantees, one has to wonder if this Ferengi is in command of the ship we saw in Season 3 and this is another opportunity for the series to pay homage to Nog and the character’s legacy within Starfleet. Again though, a lot of time has passed within the show's timeline so, after centuries, it’s entirely possible a Ferengi just simply chose to get involved in Starfleet, with Nog having no bearing on the decision.
Controversy is nothing new for the Paramount+ show. As the first series in the “New Trek” era, it received the most criticism and scrutiny from fans who wish the franchise would return to its episodic roots and don’t care for the franchise's current direction. Of course, there’s also a new generation of fans and an existing fandom who are very much on board with the ways this series has revitalized the franchise as a whole. I’m sure the powers that be pretty much saw the online discourse coming the moment the character design was conceived. Still, it's clear the producers are going to continue making the choices they believe fit the franchise. You can check out the new trailer for yourself down below:
Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 premieres on Paramount+ on Thursday, November 18th. If you're looking for more in terms of controversy within the new Trek shows, be sure to read up on the way Lower Decks ruffled feathers. Though be warned, this was a little more extreme than an altered design!
