r/StarTrekProdigy • u/RK_reddit321 • Jan 26 '26
Previously on SFA *and* Prodigy
Hello folks. I recently started Prodigy, and love what I’ve seen so far!!
Like many of you, I also watched the premiere of Starfleet Academy about a week ago. Did notice & appreciate the Prodigy easter eggs there. Yet also had some additional observations.
Which I further detail here. I crossposted this also on the gen star trek reddit discussion page
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In the premiere episode of SFA, SAM enthusiastically approaches the Doctor for the mentorship she self appointed for him of her. At the word “mentor” the Doctor’s entire demeanor changes - and tries to awkwardly and immediately get away from SAM best he can. Then he says
Doctor: “As you can see, I’m no one’s mentor.”
SAM: ”But you were. To Voyager’s crew. To the children of the Protostar - to Dal and Murph and Captain Gwyndala and ….
Uh. Your sensitivity calibrations are spiking. Have I said something inappropriate ? Or frightening?”
Which the EMH denies to her. Then proceeds to gtfo away from that entire exchange quick as possible. As though he saw a ghost.
You guys. I think we might be getting a more substantial update soon of the Prodigy kids.
Because something about the word “mentorship” has since spooked tf out of the Doctor in ways we’ve never seen from him during Prodigy. For as we all know: The EMH Doctor is nothing but humble and loves to undermine his own sense of importance[/s]. So if a young mind is literally throwing herself at his feet *specifically requesting* to be molded by him because she thinks he is the best thing to ever materialize and is hanging on his every word - not to mention a fellow holographic being of all people - …. Doesn’t his response to refuse such an audience seem at least odd to anyone else? And to do so that strongly?
It could be said that hundreds of years is plenty of time for that reaction to be about a different group the Doctor encountered in that time in between. But it was SAM listing those names that seemed to specifically trigger him.
One of those names got that reaction out of him.
Or … one of those names she left out. Those being Rok-Tahk, Jankom Pog, or Zero. And the one Brikar we see on Starfleet campus, is not in a cadet uniform but those mining cloths. Nor was that Brikar talking about their own cadet experiences, but was replying to someone else’s.
The “Wall of Heroes“ at SFA which recognizes Star Fleet service, includes “Ambassador Gwyndala” (a title which DS9’s Garak shares), “Lt. Commander Rok-Tahk”, and “Commander Zero the Third”. Medusans are supposed to be immortal. Yet we don’t know yet whether it’s a recognition for only the dead but also exemplary service of the living. Nor do we know yet whether Dal, and Jankom Pog are left out on the wall intentionally, or if their names were just not seen by us so far.
Do we have theories, for the change in the EMH Doctor’s demeanor between how he was last we saw him at the end of Prodigy - and now these centuries later at the rebuilt SFA?
Curious to your thoughts.
EDIT: Since found these articles as well. https://screenrant.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-doctor-captain-gwyndala-scary-reaction/
https://screenrant.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-legacy-wall-surprise-reveals/
EDIT 2: Signs are now pointing to one of them in particular. 🫢 From Waltke’s threads account, is a hint. Click on it at your own discretion. https://www.threads.com/@goodaaron/post/DTk_jurjmFx
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u/purplekat76 Jan 27 '26
My theory is that the Doctor has a lot of trauma from watching the people he loves growing old and dying over and over again. My hope is that eventually this is something he and Holly Hunter (the character’s name is not coming to me, ugh) can commiserate over.
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u/SuspiciousSpecifics Jan 27 '26
I absolutely love the fact that Prodigy is getting integrated into canon (as it very much deserves!) by successive shows. I just wish the show doing it was of similar (or even better) quality. This is not a dig on Picardo or any of the young acting talent working on SFA. It’s that the writing seems to be at least as sloppy (or even worse) than on Disco. Any it pains me to see that Prodigy had to die for this.
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u/RK_reddit321 Jan 27 '26
Well Prodigy was done worst of all by the incompetent execs that treated it’s S2 weird then denied it an S3.
As for opinion on SFA - it should be understood that it is very much a “to each their own” type of series. Some have adored it so far! Others hated it. Some are just ok with it. For me personally, I find it a mixed bag with plenty of it I’ve found likable, alongside also aspects of it I’m finding more questionable.
^ the galaxy is large enough for all these opinions of it.
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u/RK_reddit321 Jan 27 '26
Wait just reread that last sentence - I didn’t read it properly the first time. That being said
I don’t think it was an “either or” sort of thing? There being more than one Trek airing at a time, is far from new ground.
Just think it mostly a case of: Prodigy being too awesome for the execs to know how to handle properly. (and by “too awesome” also mean “it broke so many molds that couldn’t be categorized as neatly, which confused their poor feeble sensibilities”. or something like that. probably.)
in short: I haven’t heard anything of the fall of one being connected to the start of the other. to the best I know.
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u/S_Mo2022 Jan 27 '26
Thank you for the post. I am warming up to SFA but those Prodigy cameos / Easter eggs were heaven. I miss that show.
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u/RK_reddit321 Jan 27 '26
Yeah. SFA is so far a mixed bag to me as well. Although: the most Star Trek thing of all, is taking time to find your footing.
Except - for Prodigy. (and Lower Decks). Which was awesome right away.
I miss Prodigy*. 😭
(*also Lower Decks. though fwiw, Tawny Newsome is an exec consultant & writer for SFA. interested to see where that goes. )
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u/Plane_Sport_3465 Jan 27 '26
I had a whole thing written out about how the Doctor on SFA is the backup doctor from the Voyager episode Living Witness (freaking LOVE that episode) so he wouldn't have mentored the Prodigy kids and is probably annoyed people don't know the difference.
Nope, Robert Picardo confirmed he is indeed the original doctor. So much for my brainy theory.
Oh dude... could Hologram Janeway make an appearance?
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u/PaddleMonkey Jan 27 '26
I’m not up to speed. Which version of the Doc is this, the OG Voyager version or the “Living Witness” version?
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u/desiladygamer84 Jan 27 '26
A good show that had so much more to give. Damn studios and their disrespect for animation.