Uncover 30 Mind-Blowing Star Trek: Voyager Easter Eggs in Lower Decks Season 4 Premiere

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Voyager Season 4, Episode 1 - "Twovix'

Summary

The premiere of season 4 of Star Trek: Lower Decks, titled "Twovix," is packed with Easter eggs that pay tribute to Star Trek: Voyager. It includes nods to memorable episodes and the iconic theme song. In a homage to the divisive "Tuvix" episode of Voyager, the episode merges two characters, Dr. T'ana and Lt. Commander Billups, just like Tuvix was formed.

The premiere episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, titled "Twovix", is filled with hidden references that pay tribute to Star Trek: Voyager. These nods to the iconic series are scattered throughout the episode, as the crew of the USS Cerritos assists curator Beljo Tweekle (Andy Richter) in bringing the renowned Intrepid-class starship USS Voyager back to Earth. This transformation is crucial, as it will be transformed into the museum depicted in Star Trek: Picard.

24 T'Illups is the new Tuvix

Tweekle's meticulousness extends to every element housed within Voyager, transforming the ship into a captivating museum. From the meticulous placement of officers at their stations to the intriguing holograms and remnants of Borg technology that could pose a danger, Tweekle is dedicated to ensuring that even the most insignificant details are preserved. In his quest to create engaging attractions, he incorporates references to notable Star Trek: Voyager episodes into the various plot threads of "Twovix," creating a harmonious celebration of diverse elements coming together.

At the core of "Twovix" lies a tribute to the renowned Star Trek: Voyager episode titled "Tuvix" from season 2. In this episode, Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ) and Neelix (Ethan Phillips) become genetically intertwined through a transporter mishap, resulting in the creation of Tuvix (Tom Wright), a singular entity possessing attributes of both individuals. Star Trek: Lower Decks replicates this accident by merging Dr. T'ana (Gillian Vigman) and Lt. Commander Andy Billups (Paul Scheer) into T'Illups.

23 Voyager's Theme Song

22 Raise the Nacelles and Go to Warp

The renowned theme song of Star Trek: Voyager, composed by Jerry Goldsmith, gracefully resurfaces multiple times throughout the episode. Its delightful melodies enchant our ears upon the initial appearance of Voyager on the screen, upon the conclusion of the Star Trek: Lower Decks opening credits, and culminate in a captivating auditory experience as we embark on a journey through the Voyager Museum.

In a shot reminiscent of the concluding scene in the opening sequence of Star Trek: Voyager, the USS Voyager showcases its distinct nacelles, typically positioned parallel to the hull. However, in this particular frame, the nacelles gracefully uplift at an angle, propelling Voyager into the vast expanse as it engages in warp speed, disappearing into the distance.

21 2370s Transporter Technology

20 Chakotay? Really?

Upon returning to the Cerritos from Voyager, Dr. T'Ana and Lt. Commander Billups are transported via a vertically expanding transporter beam, mirroring the technology featured on Star Trek: Voyager.

Boimler, when asked about his uneasiness, nonchalantly responds with "Chakotay served here," accompanied by a casual shrug. Mariner remains skeptical, asserting that Commander Chakotay (portrayed by Robert Beltran) pales in comparison "to that Pike thing we're not supposed to discuss," thereby adding to the excitement of the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Easter egg.

19 Mission-Worn Uniforms

The mannequins placed throughout Voyager, with their blank faces, represent specific characters. Each character is dressed in "mission-worn uniforms" and positioned in appropriate locations. In the cargo bay, stands Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), where her Borg regeneration unit was once housed. Ensign Harry Kim (Garret Wang) is stationed at his Ops station. Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) is seated in her chair on the bridge. And so on.

18 T'Lyn's Provisional Rank Insignia

Non-Starfleet officers wear provisional rank insignia in an oval shape with silver and black bars, following the same pattern as the pip rank insignia worn by Starfleet. These distinctive insignia were famously sported by members of Voyager's crew who belonged to the Maquis, such as Lt. B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson). Additionally, Ensign T'Lyn (Gabrielle Ruiz) on Star Trek: Lower Decks dons a similar insignia as she hails from a Vulcan vessel.

17 Neelix's Food

16 The Cargo Bay "Smells Like Borg"

Behind the mess hall counter, there is a Neelix mannequin, which is adorned with a beard-like formation of whiskers. Alongside this, the museum exhibit showcases various bowls of food originating from the Delta Quadrant. Neelix's reputation for cooking is famously known to be subpar, but it was a vital aspect of life on board Voyager, especially when replicator rations were scarce. Undoubtedly, the vat positioned on the right contains a freshly-prepared leola root stew, which happens to be one of his culinary specialties.

T'Lyn notices that Voyager has a distinct "Borg-like" scent, likely due to the presence of Borg regeneration alcoves in Cargo Bay 2. These alcoves serve as the sleeping quarters for Seven of Nine, Icheb, and the other former Borg children aboard the ship. Positioned like a museum exhibition, the alcoves line the walls until an unexpected mishap occurs: one of them topples onto Tweekle, activating and unintentionally releasing the assimilating Borg nanoprobes.

15 The Pip Ceremony

14 Bio-neural Gel Packs

When the majority of Cerritos Ensigns are promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade, a pip ceremony is conducted. During this ceremony, the newly acquired pips are delicately stored in small boxes and placed on the Ensigns' collars by their commanding officer, in this instance, Commander Jack Ransom (Jerry O'Connell). In a similar fashion, Captain Janeway hosted a ceremony for Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) after his demotion to Ensign as a form of punishment. However, Harry Kim, unfortunately, never received the opportunity for a promotion.

Voyager, one of the pioneering Starfleet vessels, boasts bio-neural gel packs within its internal computer system. These packs, a fusion of technology and biology, enhance the processing speed of the ship's computers. Ensign Samanthan Rutherford (played by Eugene Cordero) holds a captivating interest in them from an engineering standpoint. However, he also observes that these gel packs, akin to living organisms, are susceptible to illnesses. And regarding that matter...

13 Tak Takian Macrovirus

The macrovirus, featured in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Macrocosm" (season 3, episode 12), emerges from behind a wall panel on the Voyager spacecraft. This alien virus manages to override the transporter's biofilters and proceeds to grow and infect the bio-neural gel packs and eventually the crew members. Fortunately, Janeway's phaser rifle and the Doctor's previously administered vaccine prove to be effective against the virus. As a result, the crew members do not need to worry about being infected, but they do have to deal with the unpleasant aftermath of being covered in slime.

12 "Janeway straight up murdered Tuvix!"

The ongoing debate centers around the Star Trek: Voyager season 2, episode 24 "Tuvix," which poses an incredibly challenging decision for Captain Janeway. She must weigh the option of allowing Tuvix to continue his existence as a combined entity or take the course of separating him back into Tuvok and Neelix. This moral dilemma lacks a clear-cut answer, but Star Trek: Lower Decks takes a definite stance. Beckett Mariner and Captain Freeman unequivocally assert that Captain Janeway indeed committed the act of murder against Tuvix.

11 Un-Tuvix-ing via EMH

T'Lyn searches the records for an efficient technique to disentangle the immense amalgamation of individuals who have all been united as Tuvixed, and uncovers the approach employed by Voyager's EMH, commonly known as The Doctor (Robert Picardo).

10 Klingon Ship Fragment

In the closing moments of "Twovix," an episode from the second season of Star Trek: Lower Decks titled "wej Duj," the Klingon vessel makes a return. Unfortunately, this ship is obliterated by an unknown adversary from the Star Trek universe, leaving behind a fragment of hull plating adorned with the iconic Klingon insignia. This occurrence bears a resemblance to a similar event in Star Trek: Voyager's sixth season, specifically in the third episode called "Barge of the Dead," where a segment of a Klingon spacecraft was discovered in the Delta Quadrant.

9 Doctor Chaotica & Captain Proton

Oh, the holodeck! Starfleet officers have been delighted by numerous programs ever since its introduction. Lieutenant Tom Paris, portrayed by Robert Duncan McNeill, immerses himself in The Adventures of Captain Proton, an enthralling retrofuturistic space adventure where he fearlessly combats the nefarious Doctor Chaotica, played by Martin Rayner, in stunning black-and-white. In Lower Decks, Chaotica resurfaces as one of the holographic antagonists pursuing our courageous heroes. However, it is Boimler who manages to vanquish him using a blend of melodrama appropriate to the time period, triumphantly proclaiming, "I am the son of Captain Proton!" All of this unfolds with the backdrop of the Paris mannequin.

8 Michael Sullivan of Fair Haven

Bartender Michael Sullivan (Fintan McKeown) originates from the charming virtual town of Fair Haven, Ireland, a creation of Tom Paris on the holodeck in Star Trek: Voyager season 6, episode 11 "Fair Haven". In order to replace Chakotay, Captain Janeway embraces a romantic involvement with the holographic character Michael, and she decides to customize his program to better suit her preferences. This includes making him taller, more knowledgeable, and, of course, "removing the wife."

7 Holographic Thaw Clown

6 Added Holo Emitters

The Clown (Michael McKean) from Star Trek: Voyager season 2, episode 23 "The Thaw" adds an element of danger to Voyager's holographic enemies. This malevolent entity resides within a Matrix-like simulation, a manifestation of the fears of those connected to it. With a penchant for decapitating ensigns, The Clown distinguishes himself from holograms like Michael and Chaotica. However, who's to say that The Clown didn't find a way to infiltrate the system when Janeway defeated him with a holographic version of herself?

Mariner is puzzled when the holograms suddenly activate, questioning how they managed to leave the holodeck. Tweekle reveals that he installed holo emitters all over the ship, following a recommendation from the Doctor. This alteration allowed the Doctor, who was initially confined to sickbay or the holodeck, to venture beyond those areas with the help of his portable emitter.

5 Tuvixed Uniforms

In the 2380s, the Tuvix incident is extensively documented in Starfleet records and is commonly referred to as "getting Tuvixed." Interestingly, the fusion of Tuvok and Neelix also extends to their attire, resulting in Tuvok's gold-shouldered Starfleet operations uniform merging with Neelix's vibrant civilian clothing. Remarkably, this unique pattern persists in T'Illups's Tuvixed uniform, despite both T'Ana and Billups initially wearing standard Starfleet attire.