Star Trek: TNG’s Tattooed Aliens Return For The First Time In 35 Years

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5, Episode 5 - "Starbase 80?!"

Star Trek: Lower Decks has brought back numerous aliens from Star Trek: The Next Generation, including the tattooed Acamarians. In Lower Decks season 5, episode 5, "Starbase 80?!," the USS Cerritos is forced to travel to the infamous Starbase 80 when their navigational system malfunctions. When the Cerritos crew arrives, Station Commander Kassia Nox (Nicole Byer) greets them and shows them around the station. Because of its remote location, Starbase 80 has been neglected by Starfleet and is in desperate need of upgrades and repairs.

While Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) and Commander Jack Ransom (Jerry O'Connell) try to track down the parts they need to repair the Cerritos, Lts. Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), D'Vana Tendi (Noël Wells), and Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) explore the station with Nox, helping with repairs. As they walk through the shopping area of the station, Boimler points out a group of surly-looking Acamarian gang members. This prompts Nox to share the "fun fact" that the remote Starbase 80 has a large Acamarian population thanks to "an old negotiation hiccup" that gave them control of half the starbase.

Star Trek: TNG’s Acamarians Explained

Most Of The Acamarians Have Distinct Facial Tattoos

Introduced in TNG season 3, episode 9, "The Vengeance Factor," the Acamarians had strong ties to their clans, which often resulted in blood feuds and other conflicts. Sometime before their introduction in TNG, however, the Acamarians had achieved relative peace, although not all of the society's citizens were happy about it. Some Acamarians refused to be a part of their new peaceful society, instead choosing to become raiders and marauders. These groups became known as the Gatherers and they rejected any attempts to reunite with the rest of Acamar III.

After the Gatherers raided a Federation outpost, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew became involved in the conflict. Picard eventually convinced both sides to come together, and, despite an assassination attempt at the peace talks, the Gatherers finally agreed to return home. "The Vengeance Factor" marks the one and only appearance of the Acamarians until their return in Lower Decks. Although "Starbase 80?!" does not offer much more insight into their species, the Acamarians on the starbase resemble the nomadic Gatherers more than their more peaceful counterparts.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Has Brought Back Other TNG Aliens

Lower Decks Feels Like A Spiritual Successor Of TNG

Star Trek: Lower Decks is set just one year after the events of Star Trek: Nemesis, and the show takes full advantage of its place in the TNG era. In addition to featuring some of Star Trek's most famous aliens, like the Klingons and Vulcans, Lower Decks has also brought back some of TNG's more obscure alien species. For example, the Pakleds, first introduced in TNG season 2, episode 17, "Samaritan Snare," returned as antagonists in Lower Decks seasons 1 and 2. The notoriously dumb aliens were involved in conflicts with the USS Cerritos and the USS Titan.

In Lower Decks season 2, a Tamarian named Lt. Kayshon (Carl Tart) became the first of his species to serve in Starfleet after Captain Picard helped establish communication with the Tamarians in TNG season 5, episode 2, "Darmok." Kayshon serves as a security officer on the Cerritos, and his Tamarian metaphors sometimes confuse the universal translator. Every episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks overflows with often-niche references to past Trek, and the animated comedy has brought back several species who only appeared once on TNG.