Star Trek Revives Voyager’s Innovative Technology with a New Hologram Doctor

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5, episode 9, “Fissure Quest.”

Exciting Returns in Star Trek: Lower Decks

Star Trek: Voyager significantly enriched the Star Trek universe, and its legacy continues to resonate in the latest season of Star Trek: Lower Decks. This animated series recently thrilled fans by reintroducing a beloved technology that first captivated audiences during Captain Kathryn Janeway’s adventures played by Kate Mulgrew. Set entirely outside the Alpha Quadrant, Star Trek: Voyager embarked on a perilous journey through the Delta Quadrant, revealing not only dangers but also astonishing innovations. With the arrival of Season 5’s cast additions, particularly in episode 9, the animated series has brought back one of Voyager’s notable devices.

Unraveling the Mysteries of “Fissure Quest”

Episode 9, aptly titled “Fissure Quest,” delves into an exhilarating multiverse narrative that cleverly integrates elements from across the Star Trek franchise. Viewers may find themselves on a treasure hunt for Easter Eggs referencing various Star Trek television series. This episode not only rekindles nostalgia for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fans through a returning cast member but also nods to Robert Picardo’s iconic portrayal of the Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager, featuring one of the series’ most underappreciated technological advancements.

Reviving the Mobile Hologram Emitter

The mobile emitter, first introduced in Star Trek: Voyager during the season 3 two-part episode “Future’s End,”granted Picardo’s holographic Doctor unprecedented independence, enabling him to traverse locations beyond fixed holo-emitters. While this advanced technology has reappeared in other series, including Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Prodigy, its most exciting moment arrives in “Fissure Quest,”where it coincides with Alexander Siddig’s return as Dr. Julian Bashir—this time in holographic form.

Notably, the emitter from “Fissure Quest”hails from the 29th century, presenting a level of sophistication far exceeding what the Federation should reasonably possess during the events of Voyager and its subsequent incarnations.

Bashir: A Holographic Twist

The iteration of Bashir showcased in “Fissure Quest”originates not from Star Trek’s Prime Universe but likely from an alternate reality where he achieved sentience. This twist fulfills a storyline from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, specifically the fifth season’s “Dr. Bashir, I Presume?”where Picardo guest-starred as Dr. Lewis Zimmerman, the creator of the Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH). Zimmerman envisioned Bashir as a model for a next-generation EMH, a project that, unfortunately, never fully materialized—until now.

The Return to Prodigy

Tracking the Mobile Emitter’s Legacy

In the animated series Star Trek: Prodigy, Picardo’s character reemerges for the first time since the end of Voyager in 2001. The Doctor appears in season 2, showcasing his mobile holo-emitter again. This continuity makes sense within the narrative framework, as he remains an active Starfleet officer needing autonomy to perform his duties effectively. However, there lies an intriguing narrative aspect here.

B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) was known for making improvised repairs to the Doctor’s emitter throughout Voyager. This leads us to speculate whether the mobile emitter’s original specifications were compromised. The Doctor’s appearance in Prodigy suggests he still possesses the same device rather than an updated version—an indication that Starfleet may have endeavored to reverse-engineer this advanced technology, potentially restoring it back to him regardless of any failures.

Impact of Mobile Emitters on Star Trek’s Universe

Exploring the Significance of Holographic Evolution

Holo-technology occupies a fascinating niche in Star Trek’s expansive narrative. While primarily deployed for tactical simulations and recreation, certain holographic characters have transcended their programming to embody true artificial life. Picardo’s Doctor exemplifies this phenomenon, being the most extensively developed hologram in Star Trek history; he has navigated diverse environments well beyond the confines of holodecks and sick bays.

Connections between holographic Janeaway and Bashir highlight how mobile emitters facilitate these characters’ evolution. As a contributing member of the crew on the Anaximander, the holographic Bashir shares a romantic relationship with Elim Garak, suggesting that holograms can experience emotions akin to biological beings. Thus, while “Fissure Quest”provides a nostalgic and entertaining experience for fans of Star Trek: Voyager, it also reinforces the profound implications of holographic technology and its potential for future storytelling in the Star Trek universe.

Paramount+’s Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 Release Schedule
Episode	Title	Release Date (2024)
1	“Two Little Hills”	October 22
2	“Shades of Green”	October 22
3	“The Best Exotic Nanite Hotel”	October 31
4	“A Farewell to Farms”	November 7
5	“Star Base 80?”	November 14
6	“Of Gods and Angels”	November 21
7	“Fully Dilated”	November 28
8	“Upper Decks”	December 5
9	“Fissure Quest”	December 12
10	“The New Next Generation”	December 19