Star Trek: Lower Decks introduced some great new characters who, with a little tweaking, could fit into the larger universe, but one particular figure would be far too weird if they crossed over into another Star Trek project. Of course, Lower Decks didn't just focus on original characters. The animated comedy also brought several icons back to the franchise, some of whom hadn't reprised their Star Trek roles for decades. Lower Decks thrived on being modern Star Trek's hotbed of classic-era easter eggs, but it didn't just limit itself to being a nostalgia fest.
Set in the heart of the Star Trek timeline, Lower Decks remains one of the most unique Star Trek TV shows. Although it officially added to the main canon with each passing second, it also felt like a Star Trek parody at times, lovingly poking fun at all corners of the franchise. Regardless, it was part of the main continuity, a fact that was reinforced by its Star Trek: Strange New Worlds crossover episode, "Those Old Scientists." Strange New Worlds had to blunt certain edges of Lower Decks for the collaboration to work, but that wouldn't always be enough.
Badgey Appearing In Star Trek Shows Other Than Lower Decks Would Be Very Weird
Rutherford's rogue hologram only works in Lower Decks
Badgey (Jack McBrayer) is a Starfleet training hologram programmed by Ensign Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero). Although he initially functioned as intended, he ended up gaining sentience, going rogue, and becoming a bad guy. On paper, Badgey sounds like a textbook Star Trek villain, as several holodeck mishaps have occurred across the franchise. However, the fact that he's a giant, anthropomorphized Starfleet badge makes him stand out quite significantly in this particular category of Star Trek bad guys.
Badgey's appearance in something like the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy would likely create too much tonal dissonance and would be incredibly distracting.
McBrayer's character fits in perfectly with Lower Decks' tongue-in-cheek approach to Star Trek lore, but I just can't imagine him showing up in another show without it needing to drastically alter the tone of either the project in question or Badgey himself for it to work. Sure, Boimler and Mariner were cartoonishly eccentric when they made their live-action debut in "Those Old Scientists," but they were still at least human characters. Badgey's appearance in something like the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy would likely create too much tonal dissonance and would be incredibly distracting.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Wrapped Up Badgey's Arc So He Doesn't Need To Return
Badgey's exit means he probably won't need to come back to Star Trek
Star Trek: Lower Decks ended with season 5 in late 2024. While the characters could still return someday in another Star Trek project, there's no sign of that happening anytime soon. The crew of the USS Cerritos was last seen taking off to continue its exploration of the Alpha Quadrant, so the ship's story is pretty open-ended. Inversely, Badgey's arc was tied up in a neat little bow in the show's final season.
Badgey Is The Perfect Argument For Why Star Trek: Lower Decks Shouldn't Have Ended
The Lower Deckers had so much more to give
I had my doubts that Star Trek: Lower Decks would work when it was first announced. An animated comedy set in the same universe as all the other shows sounded like a bizarre idea that risked the integrity of the larger universe. Thankfully, I was hugely mistaken, and I got on board with Lower Decks immediately once I realized what the show was doing. It offered a fresh take on the beloved 24th century while also folding in elements from pretty much every other era, sometimes while feeling like the characters were directly addressing the audience.
Badgey is a shining example of Star Trek: Lower Decks' franchise-loving formula blending perfectly well with the larger canon in a way I can't see any other show pulling off.
