The Star Dispatch

Hello fellow Trekkies! Welcome to The Star Dispatch for February first, 2022. Today I'd like to talk just a smidge about the latest episode of Star Trek Prodigy - season one, episode nine, called "A Moral Star part one."  Please be mindful that this podcast episode contains discussion of the episode, so don't let me spoil it for you if you haven't seen it yet. If you'd like to chat with me as you listen, or want to say something afterwards, tweet me @TheStarDispatch!  [Gwyn: "Penny for your thoughts?"] What I really like about Prodigy is, they're not showing kids they can trust all adults. They're showing adults as flawed people, even to the opposite end of the spectrum, showing them as selfish and morally poor. But they have Hologram Janeway as a guide, and they really take to growing into their best selves with her influence.  [Jankom Pog: "How is this even a debate? Going back for the miners is a bad idea... that Jankom couldn't be prouder to make with you dumdums!"] In this episode, the Diviner betrays their deal, and then Gwyn has to see Hologram Janeway be overridden by a more stern version who obeys the Diviner. I can't wait to see how many people cosplay as this Goth Janeway! We saw Dal have to deal with an "evil" version of Janeway on the planet that wanted to eat them, and now Gwyn will have to experience what happens when her new role model doesn't act as she expects to support her as well.  [The Diviner: "Do you have any idea what that uniform represents?" - Gwyn: "A committment to strive for a better future."] I'm curious to see what happens in the next episode, which will be the mid-season finale. Of course we'll get loads of other Star Trek in the meantime! but until then, we'll have these first ten episodes to rewatch the heck out of along with all the other 800-some episodes of Star Trek that came before.  We are just as in the dark about what the Diviner is keeping from Gwyn as she is! That mystery about the Vau N'Akat species and how they are involved with the Protostar is so compelling to me! And what do we think about Murf being indestructible to the point of being able to swallow an entire protostar? Come on! That's next level superhero powers if you ask me! Powerful AND cute? How can he get any better? And there's another mystery for the future to reveal to us as well - what the heck even is Murf?  [Majel-Computer: "That information is not available."] I'm not a parent, but I find myself being really proud of these fictional kids. Just like kids in real life, they're forced into very hard situations, and their choices are taking them in a direction they might not have if they didn't have that Starfleet influence from Janeway in their ear. It makes me appreciate how watching Star Trek has done that for me in my adult life, informing my own values so I can make better decisions to overcome hardships.  [Rok: "I never wanted to see this place again. Too many bad memories." - Jankom: "Then let's make some better ones, kid."] ANYHOW, thanks for listening! I hope you have a happy Imbolc if you celebrate this midpoint between winter and spring, and a happy new moon as well. Today's also the first day of Black History Month, so remember to listen to, and learn from, the experiences of Black people who share both their hardships and joys with the world - not just this month, but every day. Living up to the idea of "Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations" can be hard work, but it's worth it. Talk to you soon! Live long and prosper.

Hello! Welcome to The Star Dispatch, a podcast about whatever it is in the Star Trek Universe that I feel like talking about. I'm Cara Donley, and this is my self-indulgent place where I can yap on and on about new or old episodes, merch, novels, fan creations, and whatever else comes across my screen that I think other people would find interesting to chat about as well! And on that topic, please follow me on Twitter @TheStarDispatch so we can chat about all things Star Trek together! Hope to hear from you soon, as you will hear from me again soon. Live long and prosper!