Star Trek’s Alternate Reality Mariner: A Clever Callback to Picard in TNG

An intriguing alternate reality portrayal of Lieutenant Beckett Mariner (voiced by Tawny Newsome) in the iconic series Star Trek: Lower Decks brilliantly evokes Captain Jean-Luc Picard (portrayed by Patrick Stewart) from Star Trek: The Next Generation. In the climactic episode “Fissure Quest” , Lieutenant Brad Boimler’s (Jack Quaid) transporter duplicate, Captain William Boimler, assembles a crew of doppelgängers from the vast expanse of the Star Trek universe. During a mission, they rescue Ensign Beckett Mariner, who is donned in an operations gold Starfleet uniform, only for William to discover that this version of Mariner exhibits a surprisingly subdued temperament.

This alternate Ensign beckons memories from Star Trek: The Next Generation’s season 6, episode 15 titled “Tapestry” . In this episode, the omnipotent Q (John de Lancie) offers a dying Captain Picard a chance to revisit a pivotal moment from 2327, allowing him to alter the trajectory of his early career. After sidestepping the confrontation with a Nausicaan—a tussle that originally resulted in Picard acquiring an artificial heart—Q returns him to the current timeline aboard the USS Enterprise-D in 2369. However, instead of commanding the starship, Lieutenant j.g. Picard finds himself as a reserved astrophysicist, perceived by Commander William Riker (played by Jonathan Frakes) as too cautious for a leadership role.

Lieutenant Beckett Mariner’s Echoes of Lieutenant Picard in Star Trek: Lower Decks

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The depiction of Ensign Mariner in her alternate universe in “Fissure Quest”mirrors that of Lieutenant Picard in “Tapestry.” Both characters share a commonality—not only in their uniforms but also in their tempered personalities. While Lieutenant Picard, garbed in blue, demonstrates competence in his field as an astrophysicist, he lacks the ambition to take risks or step out of his comfort zone. This hesitance, similarly found in Mariner, effectively delays their ascension to higher ranks and keeps them away from the leadership paths they are meant to follow in the Prime Universe.

Interestingly, Mariner previously wore a gold operations division shirt when Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) temporarily promoted her to lieutenant in season 1, episode 4, “Most Vessel.” Yet, after securing her real promotion to lieutenant during the fourth season, Beckett adopts the command division red uniform.

Picard’s temporal journey in “Tapestry” suggests that pivotal life choices significantly shape individual realities. If the alternate Mariner made different decisions, akin to those of Lieutenant Picard avoiding the Nausicaan confrontation, it could alter her development as well. In season 4, episode 9 titled “The Inner Fight” , Mariner acknowledges her tendency to self-sabotage to avoid the responsibilities tied to command, especially the potential consequences of others’ lives. Had she chosen a more restrained path, avoiding conflicts, she too might find herself stagnating in rank, miles away from the command-related hard choices.

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T'Pol explaining quantum realities to the crew in Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 5 Ep 9 — Image via Paramount+

The alternate reality introduced in “Tapestry” may still persist within the expansive Star Trek multiverse. While the events in “Tapestry” were largely designed to impart a lesson to Picard, the conclusion of the episode sees Q restoring the timeline to its original state. Recent explorations in Star Trek series, such as Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Prodigy, delve deeper into the notion of a multiverse. This progression hints that even fleeting alternate realities might endure, suggesting every Star Trek universe continues to coexist within the varied dimensions of Star Trek: Lower Decks.

An alluring question arises: what unfolds in the 24th century’s Star Trek universe devoid of Captain Picard’s assertiveness? Although the absence of his charisma might prevent “the collapse of the Federation or galaxy cataclysms”, a lack of decisive leadership can still send ripples through the fabric of reality, reminiscent of the transformations seen in the Kelvin Timeline. A timid Lieutenant Picard does not inspire confidence within the USS Enterprise-D’s crew, and a less reckless version of Beckett Mariner might transform the dynamic of the USS Cerritos into a much quieter—and arguably less compelling—environment.

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