10 Most Messed Up Deaths In Star Trek: Lower Decks
4. Decapitation By Mugato
It's quite a thing to see a cheerful Tellarite, yet Patingi was exactly that when Ensigns Boimler and Rutherford encountered him on the surface of Frylon IV in 2381. He claimed to be a biologist of some reknown, with five whole books on Mugatos.
Boimler and Rutherford had just encountered several such Mugatos, herded by Ferengi in an illegal trading mission, and had watched them break free. Mugatos, not well known for their calm nature, escaped into the forest, full of rage at having been captured.
Patingi, bursting with confidence, assured the young men that he knew enough to keep everyone safe. Something about his story began to confuse the boys. Though he had implied that he had written five books, he had, in fact, read five books on the wild animals. Adding to this, he didn't seem entirely sure what they were called. Were they Mugatos, or moo-goes?
Brushing any uncertainty aside, he stepped out of their hiding place, confident that he had learned how to communicate with an angry Mugato, looming overhead. Before he had a chance to do anything about it, the Mugato lifted him up, opened its mouth, and chomped down on the Tellarite's head. He was decapitated, leaving only his ponytail behind.
Perhaps he should have read a sixth book after all.