I Love How One Stаr Trek Cарtаіn Hаtes Pісаrd's Enterрrіse-D Reрlасement From Tһe TNG Movіes

I love Star Trek: Lower Decks' running joke about Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) hating Sovereign Class starships like Captain Jean-Luc Picard's (Patrick Stewart) USS Enterprise-E. Star Trek: Lower Decks wrapped up its fifth and final season on Paramount+ with an epic story spanning the Star Trek multiverse. Only Captain Freeman and the USS Cerritos could save Star Trek's Prime timeline from being obliterated by a devastating soliton wave.

Captain Carol Freeman took great pride in the USS Cerritos, which became the pride of Starfleet's California Class. Though there were moments throughout Star Trek: Lower Decks where Freeman felt she deserved command of a better starship, Carol ably led the Cerritos through numerous Second Contact missions and crises. Freeman was promoted to Starbase 80 at the end of Star Trek: Lower Decks, but she spearheaded a greater respect for the California Class - a respect Carol doesn't have for Sovereign Class starships.

Why Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Captain Freeman Hates Picard’s Sovereign Class Enterprise

Captain Freeman Is No Fan Of The USS Enterprise-E

Star Trek: Lower Decks creator Mike McMahan first sprinkled in Captain Carol Freeman's disdain for the Sovereign Class in Star Trek: Lower Decks' season 1 finale, "No Small Parts." When the USS Cerritos undergoes repairs at Douglas Station, Freeman orders no cosmetic changes to her starship, stating, "I hate it when a ship gets repaired and comes out looking all Sovereign Class." Hilariously, it's one of the rare times a Star Trek Captain dissed the design of Captain Picard's USS Enterprise-E.

In Star Trek: Lower Decks' series finale, "The New Next Generation," the USS Cerritos is transformed into other designs found in the multiverse. When the soliton wave turns the Cerritos "all Sovereign Class," a resigned Captain Freeman says, "I guess I'll have to take it." Carol had no time to complain since she had a universe to save. It's a riotously funny callback to Freeman's disdain for the Sovereign Class, especially when Star Trek Captains commonly envy the USS Enterprise. But Carol just doesn't like the Sovereign Class, and I love her for it.

Picard’s Sovereign Class Never Became As Great As USS Enterprise-D

The USS Enterprise-E Was Mysteriously Lost

The USS Enterprise-E and the Sovereign Class starship design in general debuted in Star Trek: First Contact. The Enterprise-E replaced the Galaxy Class USS Enterprise-D, which was destroyed in Star Trek Generations. Designed by John Eaves, the sleek Sovereign Class was built as a warship, specifically to fight the Borg. However, because it only appeared in three Star Trek: The Next Generation movies, the Enterprise-E couldn't imprint itself on fans the way the USS Enterprise-D did after seven seasons of TNG.

Despite its successes in Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek: Nemesis, the USS Enterprise-E feels like a lesser successor to the D, which returned to glory in Star Trek: Picard season 3. The Enterprise-E was also lost under mysterious circumstances, which adds to its legacy feeling underdeveloped. It tickles me that Captain Freeman on Star Trek: Lower Decks sure doesn't think much of the Sovereign Class, even if one of them is the USS Enterprise-E.