Lower Decks Episode 2 introduces us to the Cerritos’ new Security Chief. In a great call back to TNG we get our first Tamarian Starfleet officer. Kayshon is an entertaining addition to the crew even if he spent most of the show as puppet. Although the main plot involving Mariner on a Collectors vessel contained a bewildering array of Easter eggs and callbacks to all eras of Trek its was Boimler’s story on the Titan which held my attention most.
Life on the Titan isn’t quite what Boimler thought it would be like but instead of being picked on by the rest of the gung ho crew he was accepted for who he was and eventually proved himself and this demonstrated the true spirit of Star Trek. It was the same last season when Rutherford wanted to try out other professions. Lower Decks might be comedy but it captures the heart of Starfleet and the ideals of the Federation.
Egos still exist in Star Trek but they do not denigrate others. The crew of the Titan might be top notch but it was still analytical Boimler that got them out of a fix. Starfleet works because it is a whole team of people of different races and mentalities that as a whole make everyone better.
I was always wondering how Boimler would get back to the Cerritos and I was worried that he would return to the ship in disgrace after flunking out and returning tail between his legs, proof that aspiring to being something more is worthless, but McMahan proves that he is adept and by giving us a great call back to the transporter duplicate enables Boimler to have his cake and eat it.
I hope Boimler returns to the Cerritos a bit more confident and able to challenge Mariners overbearing take charge attitude. I could go on and identify the thousands of visual nods in this post but there are plenty of YouTube channels which will do it far better than I can.
Into the Nebula 
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