Lower Decks Season 5 Finale Explained

Warning: this article contains spoilers for the “Star Trek: Lower Decks” series finale.

In the final episode of “Star Trek: Lower Decks,” titled “The New Next Generation,” the U.S.S. Cerritos is tasked with sealing up a massive rift in the space-time continuum. Although the ship is dated and under-equipped, they’re the only Federation vessel in range, and if the rift isn’t dealt with post-haste, it could rend the very fabric of space-time asunder. It’s all very serious, so the Cerritos bravely charges to the rescue.

As the Cerritos crew approaches the rift, however, they have to sail through waves of twisted semi-interdimensional space. Each wave is a potential cataclysm, as they change the Cerritos into various parallel universe versions of itself. The crew remains largely intact, protected by special shielding, but the ship itself changes its class and size several times within the span of a few minutes. Some of the changes are positive, as the Cerritos becomes larger and more powerful. Some of the changes are detriments, however, as the crew cannot adapt to their own ship shifting around them. It’s a fun conceit and one that allows the show’s writers to be a little clever.

It’s also a fun wink for Trekkies and yet another piece of warm fan service in a series that has been full of it. The ship classes the Cerritos becomes during its interdimensional surfing expedition are all going to be recognized by “Star Trek” starship nerds, and many will likely yell out the names of the Cerritos’ many classes as it transforms.

We here at /Film are such starship nerds, so we can openly discuss which ones show up.

In one of the ship’s more dramatic changes, the U.S.S. Cerritos transforms into a Terran war vessel outfitted with some of the most powerful weapons that security officer Shaxs (Fred Tasciatore) has ever seen. The Terran empire, Trekkies can tell you, is the “evil,” Spock-wears-a-goatee universe first seen in the original series episode “Mirror, Mirror” (October 6, 1967). The ship’s bridge becomes darker and more warlike, and the exterior becomes emblazoned with a yellow, hawk-like design. Shaxs is elated that his ship now has amazing weapons, but dismayed to see them almost immediately go offline.

Another wave passes and the Cerritos becomes lengthier and faster, a Sovereign-class vessel. The U.S.S. Enterprise-E, as it was seen in the films “Star Trek: First Contact,” “Star Trek: Insurrection,” and “Star Trek: Nemesis,” was a Sovereign-class vessel. Because of the saucer section’s oval shape, Sovereign-class vessels look fast. The Enterprise-E, because it was only seen in three movies, never had a chance to become as beloved as its predecessor from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and few Trekkies will cop to liking the Sovereign-class ship better.

Then, in a flash, the Cerritos becomes an Oberth-class vessel. Oberth-class ships were usually seen in the backgrounds of wide shots throughout “Star Trek,” looking a little bit like folded nail clippers. They are research ships that first appeared in 1984’s “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.” Oberth vessels also turned up regularly on “Next Generation,” and were still in use by the events of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes), as explained in the “Next Generation” episode “The Pegasus” (the one with Terry O’Quinn), served on board an Oberth-class ship called the U.S.S. Pegasus before his time on the U.S.S. Enterprise. They might be the least appealing-looking ships in “Star Trek.”

Another wave hits, and the Cerritos becomes a Galaxy-class starship, the same class as the Enterprise-D on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Little needs to be said about that ship, though, as even non-Trekkies know it. The Enterprise-D was in use until it crashed during the events of 1994’s “Star Trek Generations.” Galaxy-class vessels could then be seen in wide battle-fleet shots during the Dominion War story on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”

Yet another wave after that turns the Cerritos into a Miranda-class starship. The U.S.S. Reliant from “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” was a Miranda class ship, and they have shown up in many background scenes through all of “Star Trek” ever since. They were even in use during the events of “Star Trek: Picard,” which is set over a century after “Khan.” Miranda seems to be a very reliable ship model. (Reliant, you might say.) It, too, joined the battle maneuvers on “Deep Space Nine.” I imagine working on a Miranda-class vessel in the early 25th century would be like taking a job on board an 1870s-era steam locomotive.

Sadly, the Cerritos does not turn into an Olympic-class medical vessel, one of my personal favorites. Those are the ships that have the usual drive section and warp nacelles, but have a spherical fore-section instead of the more traditional saucer section. The makers of “Lower Decks,” I suppose, didn’t have the time to sprinkle in every possible ship class during the brief transformation sequence.

After that, the Cerritos goes back to normal, reverting to its usual shape as a California-class vessel. They, too, are a little dated (as reiterated by dialogue throughout the series), but it’s the ship its crew knows the best and is better equipped to pilot through a crisis. Naturally, by the end of the episode, the day is saved.

“Star Trek: Lower Decks” is currently streaming in its entirety on Paramount+.