Abstract
- Because the first season of Star Trek: Decrease Decks, D’Vana Tendi and Samanthan Rutherford appeared primed for love.
- Over the previous three seasons, Tendi and Rutherford have grown extremely shut, however their relationship remained platonic.
- An odd new obligation on Ferengar forces the 2 newly-promoted lieutenants to confront their emotions for one another in a traditional Decrease Decks manner.
The next comprises spoilers from Star Trek: Decrease Decks, Season 4, Episode 6, “Parth Ferengi’s Coronary heart Place,” now streaming on Paramount+.
Star Trek: Decrease Decks lastly addressed a personality relationship followers have been desperate to see. In “Parth Ferengi’s Coronary heart Place,” the crew of the USS Cerritos will get a legendary obligation task on Ferengar, the homeworld of the originally-hated The Subsequent Technology aliens. They’re assigned to go to bars, eat at eating places and do different leisure actions for the Starfleet journey information. This obligation forces Lieutenants D’vana Tendi and Samanthan Rutherford to lastly face their emotions for one another.
It was clear from the sequence debut that Star Trek: Decrease Decks storytellers need followers to ship Tendi and Rutherford. Tendi and Rutherford shippers have solely had fanfiction to maintain them. Episode 6 appears to acknowledge this by pairing the characters in a “pressured relationship,” a standard premise in fanfic. It is a clear signal from the writers that the shippers aren’t forgotten. The character of an animated office comedy means the “established order” is an integral a part of the method. It is one factor to pair Beckett Mariner with a love curiosity who is not a part of the core group. If Tendi and Rutherford started an intimate, romantic relationship, it must change the dynamic of the present. So, the arcs these characters are on unfold slowly and, as this episode proves, should not with out moments of regression.
Episode 6 Regresses the Decrease Decks Characters Again to Season 1
“Parth Ferengi’s Coronary heart Place” already feels a bit like a Season 1 episode of Decrease Decks. It includes simply the core 4 characters being despatched on a wacky Starfleet mission that hardly issues. Solely as a substitute of the everyday grunt work given to Ensigns, the Decrease Decks characters’ promotions enable for a plum gig as a substitute. It is principally unofficial shore depart. The characters, nonetheless, react similar to they’d as Ensigns. Nevertheless, for the reason that Cerritos are “statistically the horniest and least romantically dedicated crew in Starfleet,” Tendi and Rutherford must faux to be a pair.
Boimler, as he typically did within the first season, over-prepares for the mission after which fully falls aside. As an alternative of visiting extra areas than the others, he will get sucked into Ferengi tv. Mariner, however, is again on her self-sabotage kick. Earlier than, she did it as a result of she resented her mom, Captain Freeman, chopping her slack. Now, she appears bothered that Commander Ransom is treating her properly. Regardless of all of Boimler’s and Mariner’s development as characters, they are not absolutely freed from their base character flaws.
Tendi and Rutherford, nonetheless, have been principally the identical individuals, simply much less comfy with one another. As pals on Ferengar, they’d have had a good time. But, since they wanted to faux to be romantically concerned, they reverted to that previous awkwardness. In Season 1, they did not know that a lot about one another. Now, neither of them can deny simply how shut their friendship is to romance.
Commander Ransom Could Have Set Rutherford and Tendi Up Deliberately
A part of what sends Mariner spiraling is the information Ransom pulled some strings to get them this task. It is each a favor to them and a part of his unorthodox coaching routine for the bridge crew. He is attempting to loosen them up, and he might have supposed to place Tendi and Rutherford right into a scenario the place they may hook up. This seems like a really “Ransom” factor to do since he’s an exaggeration of Star Trek‘s smiling warrior archetype that was popularized by Captain Kirk and Captain Riker.
Nevertheless, one factor Decrease Decks has made very clear is these characters do not match into any typical Starfleet mould. Forcing Tendi and Rutherford to confront their romantic emotions may very well be step one on the trail to “endgame.” Nevertheless, this episode might additionally function a rebuttal to shippers. They’re completely pleased of their relationship as it’s. “Pretending” to be in love was out of their consolation zone as a result of they have been clearly in love with one another.
If snuggling up in a Jefferies Tube platonically works for them, they should not must cross that romantic line. Decrease Decks leaves them as pals on the finish of the episode, returning to the established order. On this case, it feels inherently genuine to what the characters would do, even when this was a extra serialized story. But, Tendi and Rutherford can longer deny why this task made them so uncomfortable.
Ought to Decrease Decks Put Tendi and Rutherford Collectively Romantically?
Regardless of its fame for affairs in house, Star Trek exhibits are likely to keep away from placing their characters in lasting relationships. Riker and Deanna Troi are so shut they will communicate telepathically, but the Star Trek: TNG finale paired her with Worf. In Star Trek: Voyager, regardless of teasing a romance between Captain Janeway and her first officer just some episodes prior, it paired Commander Chakotay with Seven of 9. The one married sequence regulars in its historical past are Worf and Jadzia Dax on DS9 and Paul Stamets and Hugh Culber on Discovery. This makes it unlikely Sam Rutherford and D’vana Tendi will couple up.
Nevertheless, if Decrease Decks goes past its fifth season, pairing the 2 of them romantically is likely to be the most effective factor for the story. It could signify emotional development for each Tendi and Rutherford whereas including contemporary battle and challenges. If the present ends, they may start their relationship, permitting fan artists and writers to inform the story of their love. One factor shippers dread greater than not getting their “one true pairing” is that if they do and the storytellers mess all of it up. On a present like Decrease Decks, a romance between two core characters could not be easygoing and pleased.
Actually, “Parth Ferengi’s Coronary heart Palace” exhibits Tendi and Rutherford concern the results of admitting their emotions. They’re pleased with what they’ve collectively. As long as the connection fulfills them each, that may be sufficient. On some other sequence, Episode 6 can be a declaration a Tendi and Rutherford romance won’t ever occur. Nevertheless, Decrease Decks is ready to be each a foolish office comedy and a correct Star Trek present. If any group might discover that romantic storytelling candy spot, it is them.
Star Trek: Decrease Decks debuts new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.
