Shocking Revelation: Star Trek: Prodigy Remains Canon Despite Paramount Plus Cancellation!
Star Trek: Prodigy remains canon despite Paramount Plus cancelation Find out what happens to the show as it searches for a new streaming home
Summary
Star Trek: Prodigy is still considered canon despite its cancellation and removal from Paramount Plus, just like Star Trek: The Animated Series.
Animated Star Trek shows, such as Prodigy, hold equal significance to their live-action counterparts and should not be undervalued.
The destiny of Prodigy's position as canon and its utilization of characters hinges on its agreement with a new streaming platform, but it is anticipated to continue exerting a strong influence on the Star Trek franchise.
Despite the cancellation of season 2 and the removal of its existing episodes in the Paramount Plus streaming purge, Star Trek: Prodigy remains a canonical part of the Star Trek universe. While Star Trek: The Animated Series faced criticism from die-hard fans and was deemed non-canon by the show's creator Gene Roddenberry, this perception has extended to Prodigy and Star Trek: Lower Decks for some fans.
However, it's important to recognize that animated Star Trek shows are just as significant as their live-action counterparts. For instance, Star Trek: Prodigy serves as a canonical sequel to Star Trek: Voyager, continuing the story of Admiral Kathryn Janeway and Captain Chakotay five years after the USS Voyager's return home. The cancellation of Prodigy season 2 or the show's transfer to a different network does not invalidate its canonical status.
Paramount Plus Cancelation Doesn’t Affect Star Trek: Prodigy As Canon
Star Trek: Prodigy's fate echoes Warner Bros Discovery's cost-cutting strategy, resulting in the cancellation of their Batgirl movie's theatrical release. Even if Batgirl were to be released, James Gunn's involvement in creating the new DC cinematic universe diminishes its chance of becoming canon. Prodigy, unlike Batgirl, reached audiences on Nickelodeon and Paramount+, making it difficult to overlook despite its unavailability. It remains available for purchase on physical media alongside other Star Trek shows, solidifying its canon status.
The strong support to save Star Trek: Prodigy underscores the impact it has had on fans, a sentiment that cannot be easily erased despite Paramount+'s decision to remove the show. The recent crossover between Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks solidifies the fact that animated and live-action shows coexist in the same universe. Consequently, any major canon changes from Prodigy will carry over into the broader Star Trek franchise, regardless of Paramount's cancellation.
What Happens When Star Trek: Prodigy Finds A New Streaming Home?
Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 was written and produced with the intention of being included on Paramount+, alongside other Star Trek content. However, if it is picked up by a different streaming platform for a season 3, there may be complications regarding the rights to use certain characters in the third season. This should not have a significant effect on the larger franchise, as there are already limitations on which characters can appear in different Star Trek shows. The only potential issue would arise if Paramount+ decides to produce Terry Matalas' suggested Star Trek: Legacy and wishes to reunite Captain Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) with her former crew members from Voyager.
The outcome of all this will depend on the agreement made when Star Trek: Prodigy secures a new streaming platform. It is probable that existing legacy characters such as Janeway, Chakotay, and the Doctor (Robert Picardo) will be included in this agreement, although there may be restrictions on using additional characters. This should not pose a major problem, as Star Trek: Prodigy primarily focuses on Dal R'El (Brett Gray) and his friends. When the show finds its new home, these new generation Starfleet recruits will continue to have an impact on the franchise's canon, influencing future entries.
