Star Trek Unveils a Long-Neglected Starship Captain's Perk

Article Overview

The Captain's Yacht, seen again in season 4 finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks, plays a vital role in rescuing Lieutenant Mariner. This warp-capable spacecraft operates separately from its parent starship, equipped with its own engines, transporters, and weapons systems.

In the thrilling finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, titled "Old Friends, New Planets," the often forgotten Argo vehicle from Star Trek: Nemesis makes a comeback. Lieutenant Beckett Mariner, portrayed by Tawny Newsome, manages to cleverly utilize this rugged all-terrain buggy to navigate challenging terrain. Meanwhile, Captain Carol Freeman, played by Dawnn Lewis, seizes an enormous Orion battleship provided by D'Erika Tendi (Ariel Winter) to break through Locarno's Trynar Shield. However, due to its immense weight, the battleship becomes a mere projectile, utilizing its mass to create the much-needed passage.

Unexpectedly, it is the secret third vessel that takes advantage of the new hole in the Trynar Shield, skillfully navigating through the battle to reach Mariner's commandeered starship, the USS Passaro, within transporter range. Utilizing this tiny ship, Freeman successfully beams her daughter Mariner on board just moments before Locarno's stolen Genesis Device detonates, allowing them to escape swiftly and avoid being ensnared in the resultant planetary formation. Remarkably, despite its inclusion in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Lower Decks represents only the second instance of this specialized vehicle being utilized on screen.

Star Trek: Lower Decks Finally Uses The Forgotten Captain’s Yacht

Captain Picard Used The Enterprise-E's Yacht In Star Trek: Insurrection

In the season four finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks titled "Old Friends, New Planets," Captain Freeman's secret third vessel is revealed to be the Captain's Yacht, an often overlooked component of starship design that plays a crucial role in Mariner's rescue from Nick Locarno's Nova Fleet. The Captain's Yacht, designed specifically for the captain's personal use, is a small spacecraft capable of warp travel. It detaches from the underside of the starship's saucer section and operates independently, equipped with its own engines, transporters, and weapons systems. Similar to the captain's ready room or private dining area, the Captain's Yacht is considered a privilege of the captaincy.

Lt. Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) expresses surprise, admitting that he has never witnessed anyone utilizing the Captain's Yacht.

The Captain's Yacht has been an integral aspect of starship design since Star Trek: The Next Generation. Notably, production designer Andrew Probert incorporated it into the USS Enterprise-D, specifically naming it the Calypso, and designating it as Captain Jean-Luc Picard's (Patrick Stewart) personal vessel. Moreover, the USS Voyager was equipped with a detachable captain's yacht called the aeroshuttle, exclusively intended for the use of Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). Due to budgetary restrictions, neither TNG nor Star Trek: Voyager showcased the actual usage of these Captains' Yachts on-screen. However, in the feature film Star Trek: Insurrection, Picard's Enterprise-E yacht, known as the Cousteau, was skillfully integrated into the plot, much like the animated series Lower Decks.

Lower Decks Brought Back Another Forgotten Star Trek Vehicle

The Cerritos also has an Argo from Star Trek: Nemesis.

Star Trek: Lower Decks, an animated series, has the ability to reintroduce other Star Trek vehicles that were previously limited to movie budgets. In the movie Star Trek: Nemesis, characters such as Captain Picard, Lt. Commander Worf, and Lt. Commander Data use the Argo, a high-tech all-terrain vehicle, to retrieve important components. The Argo is a rugged 3-seater with specialized features like independent sensors, ample cargo space, a rear-mounted phaser cannon, and remote control capabilities. It can also be operated at high speeds, which adds to its appeal.

In the first episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks, titled "Second Contact," an Argo-type buggy makes a comeback. This time, it is a standard-issue vehicle used by Starfleet on away missions, but without the shuttle accompanying it. The buggy's tough construction and generous cargo capacity make it ideal for transporting supplies in challenging terrain. Ensign Beckett Mariner realizes the Argo's potential and decides to use it to help the Galardonians by delivering farming equipment, even though it goes against Starfleet's official protocol. Through Star Trek: Lower Decks, the Argo and the Captain's Yacht, both rarely utilized Star Trek vehicles, are given a chance to shine once again.

All episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 are out now on Paramount+.

Editor's P/S

As an enthusiastic fan of Star Trek, I was thrilled to see the return of the Captain's Yacht in the season 4 finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks. This often-overlooked starship component played a vital role in rescuing Lieutenant Mariner, and it was great to see it finally get some much-deserved attention.

The Captain's Yacht is a small, warp-capable spacecraft that operates separately from its parent starship. It's equipped with its own engines, transporters, and weapons systems, making it a versatile and powerful vessel. In the episode "Old Friends, New Planets," the Captain's Yacht was used to navigate challenging terrain, break through a Trynar Shield, and rescue Mariner from a stolen Genesis Device. It was a thrilling sequence that showcased the Yacht's capabilities and demonstrated its importance to the Starfleet.

I hope that the Captain's Yacht will continue to be used in future episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks. It's a great way to add some variety to the show's starship battles, and it's a fun reminder of the rich history of Star Trek.