5 "Star Trek Lower Decks" Easter Eggs That Even Die-Hard Fans May Have Missed

Ahead of the premiere of Season 2, a look back at the most obscure in-universe references of the first season.

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Star Trek Lower Decks is the long-running sci-fi franchise’s second animated series and first-ever situation comedy. The popular CBS All Access offering draws heavily on Star Trek’s 55 years of prior history to set up jokes and support sight gags. With the second season kicking off on August 12th, here are the five most obscure Easter eggs from the first season that even die-hard Trekkies might have missed.

5. Landru

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In the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Return of the Archons,” Kirk and company visit Beta III, a planet in which the inhabitants worship a computer named Landru. By the end of the episode, Kirk has outsmarted and seemingly destroyed Landru. Yet, in Lower Decks’ Season 1 entry, “No Small Parts,” Captain Freeman finds the sentient computer alive and well and once again controlling the people of Beta III.

4. Exocomps

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Exocomps first appear in the Next Generation episode, “The Quality of Life.” Data discovers that these artificial worker drones have, like Landru, become sentient beings and lobbies that they be studied instead of exploited. Thus, it only stands to reason that one of these living machines might apply to and be accepted into Starfleet. This is revealed to be the case in Lower Decks when an Exocomp named Peanut Hamper joins the crew of the USS Ceritos.

3. Vulcan Shuttle

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At the beginning of Star Trek: The Motion Picture it is revealed that Spock has quit Starfleet in order to stay on Vulcan and study logic. After the tragic death of replacement science officer, Commander Sonak, Spock returns to the Enterprise on a Vulcan shuttle. Even true Trek fans might have missed that Jax, Rutherford, and Philips fly the same model shuttle on their secret mission to Vulcan in the Lower Decks episode, “Veritas.”

2. Vasquez Rocks

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Agua Dulce, California, boasts Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, a scenic rock formation that has been repeatedly utilized as a filming location for various Star Trek incarnations, including a recent installment of Star Trek: Picard. Most notably, the park served as the arena in which Kirk battled the deadly Gorn in the Original Series. The Lower Decks episode, “Envoys,” pays homage to Vasquez Rocks with a legion of similar-looking formations appearing in a park on Tulgana IV.

1. Star Trek Space Fun Helmet

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One of the most shameless, and hilarious, pieces of Star Trek merchandise is the oft-maligned Remco Star Trek Space Fun Helmet. The toy helmet hit stores in the 1970s at the height of Trek’s syndicated popularity even though nothing remotely resembling the headwear ever appears in any Original Series episode. Yet, thanks to Star Trek Lower Decks finale, “No Small Parts,” the helmet has officially entered Star Trek canon as it is revealed to be an item in one of Mariner’s secret contraband caches.

Are there any other Easter eggs you noticed on Star Trek: Lower Decks that others should know about? Drop them in the comments below!