WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 4, episode 7, “A Few Badgeys More”
Star Trek: Voyager‘s Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) has a successor, as revealed in the latest episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4. As a former Borg drone, Seven was initially met with suspicion after being welcomed aboard the USS Voyager by Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). Unfortunately, even though Seven won the trust and respect of her Voyager crew mates, she was met with distrust and prejudice as she pursued a career with Starfleet. With her promotion to Captain of the USS Enterprise-G in Star Trek: Picard season 3, her arc has finally reached a satisfying conclusion, and she’s now leading the next generation of Starfleet recruits.
In an episode that’s all about former enemies finding redemption, Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 7, “A Few Badgeys More” introduces Seven of Nine’s spiritual successor. Featuring the returns of AGIMUS (Jeffrey Combs), Peanut Hamper (Kether Donohue), and Badgey (Jack McBrayer), the episode sees each of the artificial life forms find redemption. AGIMUS discovers that friendship is more important than subjugation, while traitorous Starfleet officer Peanut Hamper returns to her family. Meanwhile, Badgey initiates his most daring and audacious plot to avenge himself against his father Lt. JG Samanthan Rutherford (Eugene Cordero). In the process, Badgey splits into several aspects, one of which could easily fulfill the role of Star Trek: Voyager‘s Seven of Nine in future episodes of Lower Decks.
Goodgey Is Star Trek’s New Seven of Nine
When Rutherford appeals to Badgey’s need to be loved, the psychopathic hologram splits in two, creating Goodgey. A silver version of the anthropomorphic Starfleet insignia, Goodgey is a more benevolent and helpful version of Rutherford’s holographic tutor. After Badgey realizes the error of his ways and ascends to a higher plain, Rutherford makes the decision to keep Goodgey around. The hologram becomes the sentient guidance system for Rutherford’s attempts to recreate Star Trek: Enterprise‘s grapplers. Rutherford’s decision makes Lt. JG’s Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid), and D’Vana Tendi (Noël Wells) incredibly uneasy, not unlike the Voyager crew members who had to get used to sharing a starship with a former Borg drone.
In Star Trek: Voyager, Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran) initially believed that Seven was a security risk, in the same way that the Lower Deckers clearly believe Goodgey could turn on them at any moment. Badgey’s program was responsible for almost destroying the Cerritos and also controlled the Texas-class starships that nearly brought Starfeet to its knees, so their concerns are warranted. Now that Rutherford has learned his lesson from Badgey – insisting that Goodgey call him “Rutherford” and not “Father” – it’s likely that Goodgey will become just as valuable a member of the crew of the USS Cerritos as Seven was to Voyager.
Goodgey Could Continue Another Voyager Character’s Star Trek Story
When Badgey takes over the Drookmani ship, he installs scavenged holo-emitters so that he can move around freely. This technology was previously installed on the USS Voyager for its exhibition in Star Trek: Lower Decks‘ season 4 premiere, however it hasn’t been rolled out on active starships. This is presumably why Star Trek: Voyager‘s EMH calls himself unique in the teaser for Star Trek: Prodigy season 2.
Holographic rights are still in their infancy following the EMH’s fight to be legally recognized as an individual in Star Trek: Voyager‘s final season. Goodgey could advance this fight for recognition, or if he does turn on the Cerritos, set it further back than ever. It will be interesting to see how Goodgey’s story in Star Trek: Lower Decks develops – will he follow in the footsteps of Seven and the Doctor, or revert to his Badgey side? Only time will tell.
Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.
