9 Ups & 1 Down From Star Trek: Lower Decks 5.3 — The Best Exotic Nanite Hotel

"Wait. Is that an Intrepid-class?" You'd better believe it's an Intrepid-class! A microscopic one. And they're hailing! Not an alternate, teeny-tiny Voyager, but basically a synonym — the Endeavo(u)r — with Captain Tersal in command. I think it's safe to say that none of us were expecting that.

All this time, the nanite "swarm" / Glumpus was, in fact, a result of the miniature Endeavo(u)r crew's attempts to draw enough power and materials to open a dimensional gate — to set a course… for home, if you will. They'd been through "a month of hell!"

"A month?" noted Mariner to Rutherford, practically demolishing the fourth wall with classic Lower Decks' flair. That's pittance compared to The Year of… that never was on Voyager! It was also, no doubt, a nod to Captain Janeway's early underestimate in that very same two-parter: "This is turning into the Week of Hell."

Once again, Lower Decks proved its capacity to please existing fans and innovate at the same time. Here, it succeeded in creating something entirely novel from at least three bits of Trek lore. You didn't have to know the latter to the letter either to enjoy the former. In any case, as a huge Star Trek: Voyager fan, they had me at "Intrepid-class".