Star Trek: Discovery’s Early Connections To Voyager
After Star Trek: Discovery jumped into the 32nd century, the show featured a number of references to earlier shows. This included some great references to Star Trek: Voyager that made our inner Captain Janeway feel like she just took her first sip of coffee. However, what most fans overlook is that the season 1 Discovery episode “Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad” had two big connections to Voyager, including a character dressing like Seven of Nine.
Magic To Make The Sanest Man Go Mad
Before we go any further, it’s important to recap what happened in this early Star Trek: Discovery episode. “Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad” featured the return of Harry Mudd, who is now armed with a device that catches the ship in a time loop.
His plan is to learn everything he can about the Discovery’s spore drive and then sell the ship to the Klingons, effectively allowing this warrior race to destroy the Federation.
Because of the time loop plot, it’s easy to see how this episode is an homage to The Next Generation episode “Cause and Effect.” However, it has some subtle nods to Star Trek: Voyager, starting with the wardrobe choices.
The episode has a party scene where the officers get to let their hair down and jam out to Wyclef Jean and Al Green, and everyone gets to ditch their uniforms and wear something a little flashier.
Detmer Of Nine
Out of all the Star Trek: Discovery characters partying, the one who arguably gets the coolest new clothing is Detmer. These great new outfits were designed by Gersha Phillips, and she later verified that Detmer’s outfit was specifically inspired by Seven of Nine.
Considering that both characters have prominent metal accessories over their faces, Detmer’s similarity to everyone’s favorite Star Trek: Voyager Borg Babe is especially apparent.
Discovery’s Holodeck Episode
The other way this Star Trek: Discovery episode mirrors Seven of Nine’s show is far subtler, but it was immediately caught by Harry Kim actor Garrett Wang.
On the webcast The Alpha Quadrant, this Star Trek: Voyager veteran contended that this Harry Mudd misadventure “kind of serves as Discovery‘s holodeck episode,” a type of story Voyager was famous for. Rather than arguing the point, Discovery producers Erika Lippoldt and Bo Yeon Kim agreed with the Wang’s assessment.
Badlands And Talaxians
Star Trek: Discovery fans hoping for more explicit connections to the adventures of Captain Janeway had to wait a few years, but it was worth it. After Discovery jumped to the 32nd century, we got several Easter eggs for Star Trek: Voyager, including a futuristic ship named the USS Voyager-J.
In the show’s final season, Discovery even visited The Badlands (where Voyager was originally whisked to the Delta Quadrant), and the show gave us references to the Talaxians, Neelix’s race.
Discovery Loves Voyager
Those references are just one reason why the last season of Star Trek: Discovery is so special. However, major fans of Star Trek: Voyager should know that the show was sneaking in homages to that beloved TNG spinoff long before Burnham, Saru, and the rest of the crew hit the 32nd century.
We don’t blame anyone for not catching these early homages, though–after all, these are obscure Easter eggs to make the sanest fan go mad.
