WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 1, Episode 10, "No Small Parts," now streaming on CBS All Access.
Throughout the first season of Star Trek: Lower Decks, Ensign Mariner showed how much she thrived as a crew member of the U.S.S. Cerritos. Since the character wasn't a member of the ship's primary command circle, she often disobeyed orders and bent Starfleet rules in order to get results. She may not be good at following protocol, but Mariner has proven that she gets results, time and time again.
Unfortunately, this insubordinate attitude has often lead to clashes between Mariner and her mother, Captain Freeman. Now, in the Season 1 finale, this dispute between mother and daughter once again bubbles to the surface, but it takes an unexpected turn when the Captain gives Mariner a new mission for Season 2.
The Season 1 finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks highlights Starfleet's weakness. At the start of the episode, the natives of the planet Beta III, which were previously saved from a computer overlord in Star Trek: The Original Series, revert to following their artificial deity. Then, later on, the crew of the Cerritos is attacked by the Pakleds, an enemy once deemed ridiculous. Their assault ends up not only killing the crew of the Solvang but also results in the death of Lieutenant Shaxs.
The Pakleds' attack is devastating, but it's Mariner's insubordination that leads to their defeat. The Cerritos is left without options, but thankfully, Mariner bends and breaks a few rules to ensure the crew's survival. Captain Freeman used to be infuriated with her daughter's antics, but now, she understands their value. Without Mariner, the ship and the crew would have been lost. The recent adventure on Beta III and the Pakled attack shows that Starfleet isn't good at maintaining the peace when it leaves. The Captain realizes the dangers in this weakness, especially following the tragic death of the Solvang crew and Shaxs.
Therefore, in order to prevent similar events from happening on their watch, Captain Freeman calls a truce with her daughter, and she officially orders her to operate outside of Starfleet rules going forward. As a result, the status quo aboard the Cerritos will change in Season 2. Before, mother and daughter couldn't agree on anything, but now, they are finally on the same side. When the series returns, Mariner will be working from the fringes, doing the right thing no matter what.
Streaming on CBS All Access, Star Trek: Lower Decks stars Tawny Newsome as Ensign Beckett Mariner, Eugene Cordero as Ensign Rutherford, Jack Quaid as Ensign Brad Boimler, Noël Wells as Ensign Tendi, Dawnn Lewis as Captain Carol Freeman, Jerry O'Connell as Commander Jack Ransom, Gillian Vigman as Doctor T'Ana and Fred Tatasciore as Lieutenant Shaxs.