Discover the Terrifying Return of Wrath of Khan's Most Fearsome Alien in Star Trek

Summary

In the fourth season's newest installment of Star Trek: Lower Decks, the USS Cerritos embarks on an expedition to a captivating collection housing a variety of extraterrestrial species, including the spine-chilling Ceti eel from The Wrath of Khan.

The episode's chaos stems from Moopsy, an alien that appears harmless but actually devours bones and poses a greater threat than an Attack Tribble from Star Trek: Picard season 3. Lt. Mariner is unfairly accused of setting Moopsy free, although her deep understanding of Starfleet history is evident since she would never unleash a Ceti eel.

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 cleverly reintroduced the most frightening alien from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. In episode 2, titled "I Have No Bones Yet I Must Flee," the USS Cerritos visits Narj's Miraculous Menagerarium, a display of various extraterrestrial lifeforms, including two humans. Lt. Beckett Mariner, Commander Jack Ransom, and Ensign Gary find themselves in a terrifying chase when a creature named Moopsy escapes, but they are fortunate that the infamous alien from The Wrath of Khan remains confined to its cage.

Twitter user Jörg Hillebrand, a researcher on Star Trek: Picard season 3, highlights that one of the alien species showcased in the menagerie of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 is the dreaded Ceti eel from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Take a look at his post below:

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan's Ceti Eel Explained

In the midst of the chaos at Narj's Miraculous Menagerarium, it is quite easy to overlook the presence of the elusive Ceti eel. While everyone's attention was fixated on Moopsy, the outwardly charming extraterrestrial creature that conceals a bone-consuming nature and poses a greater threat than even the Attack Tribble in Star Trek: Picard season 3, Lieutenant Mariner was initially accused of setting Moospy free. However, Beckett possesses an extensive knowledge of Starfleet history, making it highly unlikely that she would ever unleash a Ceti eel from its encasement.

The Ceti eel, originating from the planet Ceti Alpha V, is the sole surviving species following the disruption of the planet's orbit due to the explosion of Ceti Alpha VI. Once hatched, the Ceti eel larvae infiltrates the victim's ear, as seen in Star Trek II with Commander Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Captain Terrell (Paul Winfield) from the USS Reliant, where it tightly wraps around their cerebral cortex. The ensuing excruciating madness renders the victim highly vulnerable to manipulation and ultimately leads to their demise. In his quest for revenge, Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán) utilized these harrowing creatures as instruments of torture, following their deadly attack on twenty of his genetically-engineered followers, including his "beloved wife" Marla McGivers (Madlyn Rhue).

The Ceti eel, famously terrifying in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, made only one other appearance before Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4. In the finale of Star Trek: Discovery season 1, titled "Will You Take My Hand," Ceti eels were sold and consumed at an Orion outpost on Qo'noS, the Klingon homeworld, demonstrating their edibility. Discovery season 1 takes place 28 years prior to The Wrath of Khan and approximately 9 years before Captain James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise abandoned Khan and his followers on Ceti Alpha V. Six months later, Ceti Alpha VI exploded, causing a shift in V's orbit. While Star Trek: Lower Decks is set about a century after the events of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in the year 2285, the Ceti eels have persisted, and an individual was courageous enough to journey to Ceti Alpha V and capture them for exhibition in Narj's Miraculous Menagerarium. Star Trek: Lower Becks season 4 is available for streaming on Paramount+ every Thursday.

Source: Twitter/X