WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Prodigy season 1!
Star Trek: Prodigy introduced a diverse range of young Starfleet Academy hopefuls and new alien species to the Star Trek franchise. The animated Star Trek series was aimed at a younger audience, and is the perfect entry-level show for young fans. Alongside new alien species like the Vau N’Akat and the mystery of the heritage of Dal R’El (Brett Gray), Prodigy also introduced characters from existing races like the Medusians and Tellarites.
Star Trek: Prodigy‘s young crew were brought together at the Tars Lamora prison colony, where they were used as slave labor in the colony’s mines by the Diviner (John Noble). Discovering the abandoned Star Trek: Prodigy hero ship the USS Protostar, the youngsters are given the chance to be heroes thanks to the guidance of Hologram Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). Prodigy‘s young heroes also learned more about themselves throughout season 1, as they explored their passions for science, engineering, and exploration. On top of this, they also learned more about their mysterious origins, and what it takes to be a Starfleet recruit.
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6 Dal R’El
Voiced by Brett Gray.
Dal R’El is the lead protagonist of Star Trek: Prodigy, and is the unofficial captain of the USS Protostar during season 1. Unaware of where he came from, Dal was raised by a Ferengi called DaiMon Nandi, who later sold him into slavery on Tars Lamora. Dal later discovered this on being reunited with Nandi, and turned his back on the closest thing he had to a mother. Dal’s search for answers about his origins was a big part of Prodigy season 1, and he eventually discovered that he was a humanoid augment, genetically hybridized with multiple alien species by scholars of Star Trek‘s Arik Soong (Brent Spiner).
Unfortunately, Dal’s genetic augmentations barred him from entry into Starfleet Academy, due to the ban on genetically enhanced species still being enforced. Luckily, Vice Admiral Janeway vouched for Dal, recognizing his heroism and value to the organization. Dal also had a tentative romantic connection with Gwyndala (Ella Purnell) which was abruptly paused in the Star Trek: Prodigy season 1 finale, due to her decision to return to Solum and prepare her people for the arrival of the Federation. As Prodigy season 2 starts, Dal will no longer be a captain, and will instead be a young warrant officer aboard the USS Voyager-A, something which may not sit well with this supremely confident, and occasionally brash, leader.
5 Gwyndala
Voiced by Ella Purnell
Gwyndala was the genetically engineered “daughter” of the villainous Diviner, who was taken hostage by Dal during his escape from Tars Lamora. After their initial enmity, Gwyn and Dal grew closer, after she was left to die by her father. The Diviner’s plans in Star Trek: Prodigy season 1 overshadowed his duty as a father, and his abandonment led Gwyn to join the Protostar crew as a valuable ally. Gwyn had a talent for communication, understanding an impressive array of languages, which proved to be invaluable when the Living Construct disabled the Federation’s universal translators.
Gwyn learned about the historic tragedy that devastated her home planet, and has resolved to travel to Solum to unite her people. Her hope is that by uniting the Vau N’Akat and preparing them for the arrival of the Federation, she can avert a civil war that will leave the planet devastated in 50 years. This means that Gwyn will not be joining her friends aboard the USS Voyager-A in Star Trek: Prodigy season 2, suggesting a dual narrative split across 24th and 25th-century Solum.
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4 Rok-Tahk
Voiced by Rylee Alazraqui
Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui) is a Brikar, a species which originated in the non-canon Star Trek novel Worf’s First Adventure by Peter David. Large and with hardened rock-like skin, the Brikar seemed perfect for the role of the USS Protostar’s security officer in Star Trek: Prodigy season 1. However, Rok-Tahk’s passion was for science and exobiology, a specialism she was encouraged to pursue by Starfleet Academy in the Prodigy season 1 finale. It’s unsurprising that Rok-Tahk didn’t want a career as a security officer, as she had spent her early years on a touring show where she would play a monster in a staged duel.
When Rok-Tahk rebelled against her role as the monster, she was sold to one of Star Trek: Voyager‘s Kazon villains, who then sold Rok to the Diviner. However, she soon found the family and support that she craved as part of the Protostar crew. Rok-Tahk’s scientific gifts were honed when she became trapped inside a temporal anomaly in which ten minutes passed like an eternity. She used those scientific skills to help the Protostar crew avoid several predicaments during Star Trek: Prodigy season 1. Similarly, her fascination with Murf and their genetic origins were also key to her discovering a talent for exobiology.
3 Jankom Pog
Voiced by Jason Mantzoukas
Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas) is the USS Protostar’s incredibly talented Tellarite engineer. Interestingly, Jankom originated not in the 24th century, but the 22nd, prior to the Tellarites founding the Federation with the Vulcans, Andorians, and Humans. He was enlisted for a deep space mission to the Delta Quadrant, and was awoken in the 24th century, due to a faulty stasis chamber. He sacrificed himself to save his fellow Tellarites, who were still in stasis and required the remaining oxygen. Unfortunately for Jankom, his escape pod was captured by Kazon slavers, who took him to the Tars Lamora prison colony.
Jankom Pog was hugely confident about his engineering abilities, but this confidence was knocked by his inability to deactivate or remove the Living Construct from the USS Protostar. However, he later received a boost when he saved a species of aliens who modeled their society after Star Trek legacy character David Garrovick. Discovering the Gallileo 7 shuttle to be leaking toxic run-off, he entered the craft and eventually crashed it into a canyon to protect the colonists. Pog also got another knock to his confidence when he met another Tellarite who snootily dismissed the youngster as a “pauper.” Pauper or not, Jankom Pog will be a great asset to the USS Voyager-A’s engineering team in Star Trek: Prodigy season 2.
2 Zero
Voiced by Angus Imrie
As a Medusan, Zero (Angus Imrie) is another member of a classic alien race first introduced in Star Trek: The Original Series. The Medusans are a genderless, non-corporeal species made of pure energy, and the sight of one could be enough to drive corporeal species mad. This is why Zero built their own containment suit at some point before Star Trek: Prodigy season 1, so that they could interact with other corporeal beings on Tars Lamora. Not every species is as severely affected by the sight of a Medusan, however. Gwyn caught sight of Zero’s reflection in Prodigy‘s mid-season finale, and briefly lost her short-term memories of the civil war on Solum and the presence of the Living Construct inside the Protostar.
Zero had telepathic powers, which enabled them to transfer Dal’s mind into the body of Admiral Janeway, creating a hilarious version of the beloved Star Trek: Voyager character. Medusans also had a natural aptitude for navigation, which is why Zero quickly settled into the role of navigator aboard the USS Protostar in Star Trek: Prodigy season 1. Zero also served as a medical officer aboard the Protostar, and tried to cure the plague that was affecting both Dal and the Enderprizians. It’s unclear whether Zero will pursue their natural aptitude for navigation, or their talents in the medical field aboard Janeway’s new USS Voyager-A.
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1 Murf
Voiced by Dee Bradley Baker
Murf (Dee Bradley Baker) became the USS Protostar’s practically indestructible security officer in the second half of Star Trek: Prodigy season 1. This was because they were a Mellanoid slime worm, first referenced in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Coming of Age.” Prodigy revealed a great deal more about the Mellanoid slime worms through Murf, and revealed that the next stage of their development allowed them to grow arms and legs. This, coupled with Murf’s indestructible gelatinous biology, made them a security officer capable of taking down Tal Shiar operatives and physically containing an actual protostar.
As well as consuming highly explosive materials and dispatching Romulans, Murf also enjoyed their downtime. The Star Trek: Prodigy episode “Ghost in the Machine” revealed that the Mellanoid slime worm was a talented dancer and jazz singer, either that or he had exceptional lip-sync abilities. Appearing in a holodeck recreation of a 1920s jazz club, Murf’s alter-ego Mr. Murfy No Shoes put on a terrific performance for the Protostar crew. It was a hilarious reveal that shows there’s still a great deal to learn about the Protostar’s most enigmatic crew member.
All episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy season 1 are streaming now on Netflix.
Star Trek: Prodigy
Star Trek: Prodigy is the first TV series in the Star Trek franchise marketed toward children, and one of the few animated series in the franchise. The story follows a group of young aliens who find a stolen Starfleet ship and use it to escape from the Tars Lamora prison colony where they are all held captive. Working together with the help of a holographic Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), the new crew of the USS Protostar must find their way back to the Alpha Quadrant to warn the Federation of the deadly threat that is pursuing them.
