Lower Decks’ Weds Beloved ‘Deep Space Nine’ Characters

movies - افلام Wissam 14/12/2024 0 تعليقات

Lower Decks’ Weds Beloved ‘Deep Space Nine’ Characters

More than a few viewers of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine speculated on the electrifying chemistry between recurring characters Doctor Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) and Mister Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson). But despite becoming a fan-favorite pairing for the show’s entire seven-season run, a relationship between the two was never officially confirmed — until now, thanks to the latest episode of the animated Paramount+ series Star Trek: Lower Decks.

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In “Fissure Quest,” the show’s dimensional rift storyline comes to a head, as an alternate version of Jack Quaid’s Boimler crosses dimensions in order to investigate the eponymous fissures. This plot opens the door for a truly memorable slew of characters from across the Star Trek franchise to make their return, including T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) from Enterprise, Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) from Voyager, Lily Sloane (Alfre Woodard) from First Contact, and, of course, Bashir and Garak from Deep Space Nine. In Lower Decks, however, Bashir and Garak aren’t just friends, they’re newlyweds — exploring the universe together in holy matrimony after thirty years of slow-burn suspense.

star-trek-lower-decks Lower Decks’ Weds Beloved ‘Deep Space Nine’ Characters

Here are the reasons why this animated series works so well.

First appearing as a guest star in the 1993 Deep Space Nine episode “Past Prologue,” Garak instantly captured fans’ hearts thanks to his natural chemistry and memorable banter with the young Doctor Bashir, transforming his one-off role into a recurring character. Magnetic interactions between the two quickly sparked rumors of a romantic relationship — but despite fans’ passionate petitioning to see an official confirmation of Garak and Bashir’s more-than-friendly feelings, nothing was ever explicitly stated on-screen. Although Star Trek has long been a symbol of pushing back against social conventions — from airing one of TV’s first interracial kisses, to positively depicting a character with Russian heritage in the midst of the Cold War — the idea of showing a same-sex, man-lizard couple in the 1990s seemed too controversial, even for Star Trek.

Making Garak and Bashir Official Was a Unanimous Decision

Even after Deep Space Nine concluded in 1999, the actors who portrayed Garak and Bashir — Robinson and Siddig, respectively — continued to champion their characters’ relationship. These efforts included speaking at conventions in the ’90s about the dynamic between Garak and Bashir, to recording an audiobook, and even performing fan-written works over Zoom in 2020. Clearly, no one wanted to see the on-screen realization of Garak and Bashir’s romantic relationship more than Robinson and Siddig — but Lower Decks showrunner Mike McMahan stated that many of the series’ writers were Garak and Bashir fans themselves. “If there’s anything the multiverse is good for,” McMahan said, “it’s spending time with these two newlyweds as they explore the universe and their relationship together.”

Given the obvious passion from Lower Decks writers and voice actors for the Star Trek universe, it’s no surprise that the show has earned incredibly positive reviews during its five-season run. Containing plenty of Easter eggs for seasoned Star Trek fans, while simultaneously providing a more “common man” perspective on galactic exploration that is rarely seen in other installments of the franchise, the show is certainly going to be missed after releasing the final episode on December 19, 2025.