WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery, season 5, episode 7, “Erigah”.
The Star Trek franchise is returning to a very important location from both Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager for the first time in 25 years. In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, “Erigah”, written by M. Raven Metzner and directed by Jon Dudkowski, the final clue to the location of the Progenitors’ technology is contained within The Eternal Gallery and Archive, an ancient library with the ability to change locations. It’s current position during Discovery‘s period of the Star Trek timeline is in a location that is well known to fans of DS9 and Voyager.
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 has contained multiple references to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine from the USS Discovery’s Ferengi bartender, to the Trill zhian’tara ritual, and Breen villains. Now, the ending of Discovery season 5, episode 7 sets up a return to the very region of space in which Star Trek‘s Deep Space Nine station was located. With their treasure hunt almost at an end, the USS Discovery is setting course for the Badlands, a location of vital importance to DS9 and to Star Trek: Voyager, for the first time in 25 years.
Related
Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide
As Burnham seeks the universe’s greatest treasure in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, she’ll need help from a host of new and returning characters.
Star Trek: Discovery Is Returning To An Important DS9 & Voyager Location
Working to decipher the clue left by Star Trek: Discovery‘s Betazoid scientist Marina Derex, Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio) are pointed in the direction of The Eternal Gallery and Archive by Commander Jett Reno (Tig Notaro), an expert in rare books. To narrow down the Archive’s location, Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) enlisted the help of the empathic Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), who was able to see violent plasma storms while holding Derex’s library card. It was plasma storms such as these that aided Maquis activities during both Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager.
Progenitors Scientist Team | Species | Clue Hidden Location |
|---|---|---|
Vellek | Romulan | Lyrek |
Jinaal Bix | Trill | Trill |
Carmen Cho | Terran | ISS Enterprise |
Hitoroshi Kreel | Denubulan | Halem’no |
Marina Derex | Betazoid | The Eternal Gallery and Archive |
Unnamed Scientist | Unknown | N/A, Deceased |
Judging by the visions of Book in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, the Badlands are still beset by the same intense plasma storms that caused trouble for the Cardassians, the Maquis, and the USS Voyager. While the USS Discovery has a spore drive that can drop them in and out of a location quickly, they could still find themselves victims to the punishing plasma storms while an away team explores the Eternal Archive. This means that the road for the final piece of the map to the Progenitors’ treasure could be a very rocky one in Discovery season 5, episode 8, “Labyrinths”.
Star Trek’s Badlands And Missing Ships Explained
The Badlands were introduced thirty years ago, when it was revealed as a major staging ground for the Maquis terrorist organization in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2. The introduction of the Badlands was part of a larger plan for DS9 to set up Star Trek: Voyager a year in advance of its 1995 premiere. In the Voyager pilot, “Caretaker”, Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the crew of the USS Voyager were lost in the Badlands after trying to trace a missing Maquis ship, containing her closest friend, Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ). Voyager was then caught in the Caretaker’s array and sent to the Delta Quadrant.
The USS Discovery won’t have to contend with the Caretaker’s array when they visit the Badlands, but they’ll still have to account for the plasma storms and spatial anomalies. Many ships were lost in the Badlands during Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, including the Valjean, commanded by Chakotay (Robert Beltran), and the IKS Koraga, aboard which Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) had served during the Dominion War. The Eternal Gallery and Archive being located in Star Trek‘s Badlands means that Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) shouldn’t expect a quiet trip to the library as Star Trek: Discovery‘s treasure hunt continues.
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Where to Watch*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.
Star Trek: Voyager
Where to Watch*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they’ve never faced before.
