WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 4, episode 7, "A Few Badgeys More."
Summary
In season 4 of Star Trek: Lower Decks, viewers are introduced to a peculiar and uplifting alternative to the Daystrom Station featured in Star Trek: Picard. The Daystrom Institute's Self-Aware Megalomaniacal Computer Storage facility offers a unique approach to rehabilitating malevolent computers, utilizing talk therapy, gardening, and enjoyable movie nights. This stands in stark contrast to the high-security and perilous environment of Daystrom Station in season 3 of Star Trek: Picard.
Star Trek: Lower Decks builds upon the concept of evil A.I. from the original series, but "A Few Badgeys More" introduces redemptive storylines for these malevolent computers, offering a hopeful outlook for the future of artificial intelligence.
In season 4 of Star Trek: Lower Decks, a deeper understanding of the Daystrom Institute's Self-Aware Megalomanical Computer Storage facility is unveiled. This facility presents a peculiar and more favorable contrast to Star Trek: Picard's Daystrom Station. Lieutant JGs Bradward Boimler and D'Vana Tendi embark on a journey to this facility to reunite with two former malevolent A.I.s from their past - AGIMUS and Peanut Hamper. AGIMUS (voiced by Jeffrey Combs) and Peanut Hamper (voiced by Kether Donohue) each have their own motives, with Peanut Hamper seeking parole and AGIMUS claiming to possess crucial information regarding recent mysterious attacks. Boimler, suspicious of their intentions, suspects that these rogue A.I.s are conspiring to escape from prison.
Star Trek’s Daystrom Institute Is The Opposite Of Daystrom Station & It’s Weird
The Self-Aware Megalomaniacal Computer Storage facility is a specialized Federation institution dedicated to housing the most notorious elements from the Star Trek universe. Among these, Star Trek: Picard's Daystrom Station served as a clandestine Federation black site, concealing the Federation's deepest secrets. Notably, the secure A.I. at Daystrom Station was developed using the essence of Lore (Brent Spiner), Star Trek: The Next Generation's most renowned self-aware megalomaniacal artificial intelligence. While it remains uncertain whether Lore ever resided in the Self-Aware Megalomaniacal Computer storage facility featured in Star Trek: Lower Decks, it is intriguing to consider the potential positive psychological breakthrough he might have experienced if he had.
In the vast Star Trek universe, Daystrom Station stands in stark contrast to the Daystrom Institute, yet their disparities hold great significance within the overarching narrative. Doctor Richard Daystrom, portrayed by William Marshall, once plunged Starfleet into chaos through his creation, the M-5 Computer, which unexpectedly turned hostile. By utilizing Daystrom's own delicate neural patterns, the computer and its creator experienced a profound psychological breakdown. In light of this, the Daystrom Institute in Star Trek: Lower Decks offers an intriguing approach: rehabilitating these previously malevolent machines through dialogue therapy, tending to gardens, and enjoying regular movie nights. This commitment to fostering a more balanced cognitive state serves as a testament to Richard Daystrom's true legacy.
This is in stark contrast to Daystrom Station depicted in Star Trek: Picard season 3, which served as a heavily fortified and staggeringly perilous facility. Considering the majority of the valuable components housed at the Starfleet black site consisted of lethal weapons, such as the Genesis Device or the Thalaron Generator, it is more logical to safeguard these resources through stringent security measures. In the event of an attempt to liberate an evil computer from the Daystrom Institute, one can anticipate the computer turning against its captors in its relentless pursuit to conquer organic life. However, if an unauthorized individual managed to breach Daystrom Station, parallel to Captain Vadic's daring act, the consequences would be significantly more catastrophic.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Inherited TOS’s Evil A.I. Trope
The Star Trek franchise has always featured malevolent computers, a theme most prevalent in Star Trek: The Original Series. With the rise of computers in the 1960s, it was natural for TOS writers to explore the implications. Fast-forward to the 2020s, and Star Trek: Lower Decks continues the tradition of the sinister A.I. trope. Artificial intelligence is currently a hot topic, with smart speakers in people's homes and A.I.'s insidious presence in the entertainment industry. Once again, the concept of malevolent computers in Star Trek remains highly relevant to the times.
However, the storylines of Peanut Hamper, AGIMUS, and Badgey (Jack McBrayer) in "A Few Badgeys More" offer hope for the future. Each of the malicious computers in Star Trek: Lower Decks undergo a redemptive transformation in the episode. Peanut Hamper reconciles with her father, AGIMUS discovers the importance of friendship, and Badgey overcomes his thirst for revenge. If these three wicked AI entities can find redemption, perhaps real-world artificial intelligence can also be utilized for positive purposes. Don't miss Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, which is available for streaming on Paramount+ every Thursday.
