Pitched as a gateway show to bring more young adults tot he Star Trek franchise, Star Trek Prodigy quickly became one of the most consistent and well rounded shows in the modern era of the franchise. Following the tale of a young group of aliens who stumble upon an abandoned starship, the random team became a crew as they fought for freedom and adventure under their mentor and guide, Kathryn Janeway – well, sort of…
Over two seasons the crew and their goals were clearly established, with the second being set primarily aboard the Voyager-A as Admiral Janeway tested the chain of command while her protégé’s completely ignored it to save Captain Chakotay, it all ended with wannabe Captain Dal realising his best place was supporting Gwyndala as leader as they set course for a full time training cruise on board their own new ship while Starfleet dealt with the Mars Attack.
The final moments of season 2 ended on hope and adventure as the crew warped towards the unknown. But behind the scenes, the future of the show was just as unknown thanks to Paramount cutting the show in a massive restructure and Netflix holding the streaming rights and any future it had in their hands. But that future seems less than bright. Following the recent departure from Netflix which, combined with the Hageman’s moving on to other projects, signals the end of the road for Gwyn and her crew. So we decided…. why not look at what made the show so much fun?
Last Flight of the Protostar (S2E11/12)
Bringing back legacy characters has been somewhat of a success in Star Trek lately. From half the Strange New Worlds crew to tying Picard and Seven of Nine’s fates together. For Prodigy, it’s all Janeway. A few of them really as the first season introduced a training hologram version to mentor the crew while season 2 mostly focuses on the Admiral herself. But a large chunk of the plot came down to her former first officer Chakotay, and where he is considering it’s his empty and abandoned ship that starts the adventure.
When they find Chakotay lost in time, he’s a man defeated. Found alone on a beaten up USS Protostar, he’s the last survivor of his crew and guardian of the weapon that’s been coded into his ship. The story is as much about getting the Protostar where it need to be to kick start the events of the first season as it is saving Chakotay. Though saving him means breaking him from the mindset he’s been in while trapped alone for years…
It’s a relatively simple thing. Young hopeful cadets versus grumpy loner where everyone aligns by a common goal at the end. There’s also some cool stuff in how they get the Protostar to it’s final destination – and all with a surprisingly happy ending that doesn’t hit the reset button. But the best part was seeing (well, hearing!) Robert Beltran energised in a role just as much as he was in the early seasons of Voyager and reviving a once stale and forgotten character.
Starstruck (S1E3)
The opening episodes of Prodigy were a great start for the show. It quickly introduced Dal, Gwyn, what would be their crew on the new ship they’d stumbled on, and what they’d face from the bad guys as they tried to flee. But this is a show thats acting as a gateway for Star Trek, not one specifically designed for long time fans like Lower Decks was so the audience needed an introduction to Starfleet just as the kids did….
Once everything kicked into gear, episode three properly starts off each characters own story, bringing a little bit of background as they muddle together to figure themselves out in a wild and unexpected scenario for them all. But the real gem is taking the time to give us an episode that acts as an explainer for whats to come. If you’ve never seen Star Trek, you might know what a phaser does, but would you know your replicator from your tricorder? Starstruck does with the perfect balance of introducing personal journeys along with a breakdown of what goodies are lurking inside the Protostar.
Supernova (S1 E19/20)
A finale can make or break a show. For every ‘Goodbye, Farewell and Amen’, there’s a Dexter out there sailing into a storm or a dragon queen being unceremoniously stab-hugged. Prodigy set up a lot in it’s first season – the crew, the bad guys, Gwyn stuck between them both and the Protostar itself turned into a weapon that’ll destroy any Starfleet ship it comes in contact with. Throw in Janeway and the Dauntless chasing them down with Gwyn’s evil sister on board…. it’s a lot.
With so much going on, it can be hard to find a balance. Especially with an animated show who’s episodes are half the length of live action and the often tiring trope of another big battle fleet on the horizon. But… it works. There’s no time wasted, most questions answered and enough tension to keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the moment Hologram Janeway figures out how to save her students, passing the baton to the real Janeway to fight their corner to make the rogue heroes official trainee’s under her guidance.
A Moral Star (S1 E9/10)
At it’s best, Star Trek often falls into moral dilemma and for the Protostar crew, their biggest decision comes with no experience or anyone else to fall back on with a calm conference room to talk out the answers. The big bad of the series, the Diviner, ran the prison planet the crew escaped from. In exchange for returning the Protostar to his world, Tars Lamora, he’ll give his thanks by releasing everyone under his control. On the flip side, there’s this cool ship from a civilisation that could save them all anyway. In the middle is Dal, the self chosen captain and his new ally Gwyndala as they have to choose to go back and save everyone, or keep heading to the Federation and put their trust in them bringing a better future the hard way.
The relationship between the two wasn’t automatic. Dal was the idealistic idiot, and Gwyn is the daughter of the Diviner and still has loyalty to him. But both have been inspired by what they’ve learned through Janeway and the Protostar and their solutions show that, while they come from a place far removed from the Federation, the hope and values they’ve seen already have changed them for the better.
Ascension (S2 E 15/16)
After sneaking around posing as part of Janeway’s crew, Gwyn’s sister Ascenia follows in the Diviners footsteps to become even more fun as the antagonist in season 2. Manipulating her people the Vau N’Akar into following her, and building her own war fleet, she wins the evil villain jackpot with her flagship having another new toy on board: The ‘Incursor’, a temporal weapon that kills people with time; rapidly increasing their rate of decay and ageing them to death.
As Janeway leads Voyager, Chakotay takes his chair back on the Protostar while Dal takes flight alongside a group of Nova Squadron cadets in fighter shuttle and suddenly, we have ourselves a battle! Which is fairly awesome. We know those kinda of shuttles exist thanks to the Next Generation, and we’ve seen raider-like Peregrine fighters in DS9. The wonderful world of animation brings them to life in spectacular fashion which is in itself an absolute delight.
The squadron’s action sequences are spectacular all on their own. Throw in ever raising threat levels, self sacrifice from the crew and a big twist at the end and this just becomes one of the most fun and exciting episodes of the series as a whole that showcases every level of why Prodigy has proven itself worthy!
While Prodigy has no streaming home at the moment, both seasons one and two are available to buy on BluRay from all good retailers including HMV and Amazon.
About the author
Site & Service Updates July 2026
It's been a strange year as we adapt to then changing landscape of the Star Trek franchise with recent corporate shenanigans in the media industry, as well as adjusting to and anticipating new regulation sin our home base of the UK which has taken up more brain power than we'd expected!Still, despite distractions, we've been working away in the background with a revised Admin schedule to ensure at the very least every Sunday we can check off some items on the to do list and keep everyone updated on the changes whether minor, major or a bit pointless! On Screen Additions After being placed on the low priority list for a while, the On Screen Mission Log section has begun taking shape. Previously the On Screen section had it's own section per show since the launch of Discovery, however with […]
New Unit Application Guide
Account Academy Database Fleet Updates Calendar Latest Entries Explore Database Index Starfleet Academy Help & Support ⯇ DATABASE INDEX ACCOUNT HUB NEw Unit Application Guide Clarification This section is both for information and for making formal applications for creating or importing a new unit into SFCQ2. Applications can also be made directly to Fleet Administration. All applications are considered for review. × JOIN THE CAPTAINS TABLE Every Star Trek fans dreams of being the captain of their own Starship. Although running an SFC Quadrant 2 Unit is (probably) easier than commanding a starship, both roles require commitment and dedication.Unit’s are, and always will be, the core of SFC. It is within them that members can indulge in their shared interests for Star Trek and science fiction while enjoying the company of fellow fans and like minded people. At their best, […]
[Q2&A] Membership Handbook: Revised & Updated for 2026
With over fifty years (and counting) of history, joining SFC can sometimes be a whirlwind and while we're always focused on a more casual experience, tit can sometimes be overwhelming knowing where to start. While we offer our Academy as an induction tour of Quadrant 2's organisation and structure, and are always open to expanding more information in the Fleet Database, our Officers Pack gives you a one stop resource to highlight our core policies, membership information and more; The Membership Handbook/ Membership within Q2 is fairly laid back. But since it's inception - both overall as Starfleet Command as well as the administrative split for Quadrant 2 - out handbook has outlined who we are, how we operate and as a resource for members to be able to understand what membership entails from our core mission statement, to our […]
[Retro Review] The Galileo Seven
Pulled in two directions, the Enterprise has to deliver critical medical supplies to avert a plague and conduct vital research at the same time. Unable to turn down the order, Kirk thinks on his feet by carrying forward to save the planet, while sending Spock to lead a research team on the Galileo shuttle to carry out their mission until the Enterprise has finished it's mission of mercy. It's a good idea. Until it isn't. Isolated form the Enterprise, the Galileo runs into a bit of bother. Thrown off course by plot, the shuttle crash lands on a primitive planet. Alone with a broken ship and a people who are as barbaric as they are terrified by the shuttles sudden arrival, Spock has to lead his own team through fear and frustration with cool and calming logic. On the first […]
A Fistful of O’Brien
Entering the Star Trek world as an unnamed extra with a few bits of dialogue, O'Brien soon became a fixture on the Enterprise D as it's transporter chief before moving to Deep Space Nine to head up engineering and operations on what was thought to be a backwater outpost before it became one of the most strategically important stations in the quadrant!As the only enlisted or non commissioned officer to feature in the main cast of any Star Trek show to date, O'Brien stands as the only working class hero in the Star Trek universe with a vast and varied career taking from the front lines of the Cardassian war as a soldier, to the front lines of the Dominion War as an engineer, retrofitting DS9, keeping the Defiant from blowing itself apart, and even sniping Dominion troops. All in […]
[Q2&A] Career Track
SFC has always structured it's internal reward and recognition system on the command structure of Starfleet on screen. Newbies are cadets. When they become full members, they become Ensigns. And those eager to take on a leadership role can rank up to Commander or Captain. Even the board of directors are mirrored within the theme as Commodores and Admirals! It's always been the way, but the path of an officer isn't for everyone... Despite the original idea of all star ship personnel being highly trained astronauts, therefore nullifying the need for enlisted crew, the enlisted ranks have existed in some form since the original series. More defined in the film era, particularly under the revision of style and structure in The Wrath of Khan, they have been slightly more prominent since. Most notable of the enlisted members of Starfleet was […]
Related
A Fistful of O’Brien
Entering the Star Trek world as an unnamed extra with a few bits of dialogue, O'Brien soon became a fixture on the Enterprise D as it's transporter chief before moving to Deep Space Nine to head up engineering and operations on what was thought to be a backwater outpost before it became one of the most strategically important stations in the quadrant!As the only enlisted or non commissioned officer to feature in the main cast of any Star Trek show to date, O'Brien stands as the only working class hero in the Star Trek universe with a vast and varied career taking from the front lines of the Cardassian war as a soldier, to the front lines of the Dominion War as an engineer, retrofitting DS9, keeping the Defiant from blowing itself apart, and even sniping Dominion troops. All in […]
A Fistful of Justice
Although it's one of the worlds most legendary science fiction shows, Star Trek has always dabbled with format and genre's, all dressed up behind deep space adventures. Whether using the holodeck for a touch of fantasy, or diving into the horrors of war through Deep Space Nine's run, the variety of story telling never seems to fit one mould. But out of all the different tales told in the wonderful world of Starfleet, one that always promises to deliver is the court room drama. This month we're diving into the most captivating of Star Trek's courtroom drama's with a Fistful of Justice! AD ASTRA PER ASPERA Strange New Worlds, Season 2 One of the most modern examples of Strar Trek's court room drama saw Pike's own Number One, Una-Chin Reilly, under court martial for a serious breach of Starfleet regulation […]
A Fistful of Sisko
In the past few years, Star Trek has made several nods to it's past. But while The NExt Generation and Voyager had their continuations, Deep Space Nine continued to 'black sheep' of the family with it's history and name drops being few and far between. Until Academy when we had an entire episode based around the legend of Starfleet's most complex captains. Starting his show as a widower and single parent, Benjamin Sisko started his time in Star Trek as a reluctant hero turned religious icon who's become a prime figure in Bajoran history, the Federation-Dominion war and much more. If you missed his series, first of.... why?! And also, if you want a quick intro - here's our Sisko top five to see what the fuss is all about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzBkvzPoofQ IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT Season 6, Episode 13 Lets […]
A Fistful of Honour Beyond Bloodshed
Feared throughout the galaxy due to being fearless warriors who thrive on battle and bloodshed, the Klingon's are one of Star Trek's most iconic races and yet, with all their history, perhaps the most misunderstood. Starting off in the original series as authoritarian and distrustful antagonist, they were written as a parallel to Russia with the Klingon Empire in a cold war with the Federation following a long conflict. The Klingons would have a bit of reinvention in the movies thanks to higher budgets giving the producers a chance for a more alien look, while their culture and history would get a little more depth on The Next Generation thanks to the inclusion of Worf, the first Klingon member of Starfleet. But Worf's views on the Klingon culture weren't quite spot on. From a noble house, Worf was displaced and […]
A Fistful of Familiar Surroundings
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. President Forward During the Next Generation multiple set pieces were re-used and recycled from the set pieces built for the film franchise. From the obvious re-use of internal corridors, to smaller pieces such as Dr Crushers office being McCoy's, it's hard for a keen eye to ignore how much the productions shared between them. But as The Next Generation became the dominant forcer with ongoing production and full standing sets, eventually the turn tabled and by the final original cast instalment, it was the TNG stages that became the obvious redress solution. The most jarring of the films set re-uses was the office of the president. As Kirk and McCoy were charged with assassination, a political poop show begins and the Federation […]
A Fistful of New Beginnings
The coming of a new year always comes with a feeling of new beginnings. Whether it's hearing the bells at midnight or planning a list of new years resolutions to forget about by February, the changing of numbers and another year ahead can bring us a sense of starting over. To commemorate another year passing, and the beginning of a new Star Trek milestone, we're kicking off with our usual list looking at five times Star Trek itself was able to give itself a fresh start. GROWING THE BEARD Between the first and second seasons of The Next Generation, things changed. A lot. A lot of the Next Generation was just carrying over from the abandoned Phase II and Roddenberry's constant rewrites led to a very inconsistent start for the show. By the second season things has calmed down a […]
