12 Streaming Era Star Trek Episodes We're Adding To 'The Classics'

7. Last Flight Of The Protostar

Star Trek Prodigy Last Flight of the Protostar Part I Adreek
CBS Media Ventures

Last Flight Of The Protostar serves as a mid-season reset for the second season of Star Trek: Prodigy. The young cadets, having been deposited there by Wesley Crusher, find themselves on Ysida. There, rather shocked by their sudden arrival, are Captain Chakotay and Hologram Janeway, along with a battered version of the USS Protostar.

Over the course of the two-parter, Chakotay goes from a broken man to a capable commander once again, while Dal comes to accept his fears. It is a perfect example of what Prodigy does best - growth. 

Turning the Protostar into a sailing ship makes for a riotous burst of energy in the second part, yet it is also about how the crew interact with Chakotay, a legacy character from Star Trek: Voyager, and how they do not all immediately get along. The audience is used to seeing certain characters a certain way, only for this to end up flipped on its head before they can figure out the problem together. 

The second part of the story also sees Gates McFadden reprise her role as Dr Beverly Crusher, returning to Prodigy after her cameo in the first season's Kobayashi. It is more poignant here as she and Admiral Janeway discuss her son, Wesley. 

While Prodigy is one of the more serialised Star Treks to come along since 2017, making it a little harder to pick specific episodes to add to the classics, this story of redemption, renewal, and faith makes a compelling case for classic status.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"