‘Star Trek: Prodigy’ “Ghost in the Machine” is an Ode to the Holodeck
In the latest episode of Star Trek: Prodigy, the Protostar crew find themselves in a real ship in a bottle situation. But who is responsible?
Previously, we found out all the backstories of all our characters. And while the biggest reveal concerns Asencia’s origins, “Ghost in the Machine” is content to let that plot mellow for a week. In fact, most of this week’s episode doesn’t involve the real world at all. That’s right – it’s holodeck time, baby!
Star Trek has a long history with the holodeck (or holosuite, if you’re nasty) and most of it is pretty sordid. The holodeck is broken and we can’t escape! Geordi made an evil holodeck program and now we’re all going to die! Quark has a naked copy of Kira but with his own head!
The holodeck is a weird place, y’all. But how weird will it get this week? Let’s find out!
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To Boldly Recap
Dal and company want to get back to Federation space. Unfortunately, if they try to leave the Neutral Zone, there’s going to be trouble. Romulans will attack. The Dauntless will attack. It’s an attack fest! So the Protostar crew runs 37 simulations on the holodeck in order to cultivate the best plan possible.
Every plan ends in destruction. Bummer. As a result, the entire crew decides to give up entirely on heading toward Federation space. Instead, they head over to the mess hall to drown their sorrow in some ice cream. Fair.
But as everyone lays their heads down to bed, things start to go wrong. For one thing, Rok finds her favorite holodeck critter (basically a 24th-century Neopet) hanging out in the hallway. Gwyn sees an old man. Everyone hears music. Conclusion? They are still on the holodeck. But why? And who tricked them into staying?
Before questions are answered, a new question arrives when the Protostar simulation turns into a foggy island with a lighthouse. Zero recognizes the location as the home of their favorite holodeck program: The Cellar Door Society! Basically, it’s a program where Zero solves weird mysteries. And when they solve those mysteries, the program ends and the exit arch appears.
Logistically if they solve the mystery, they can escape. Right?
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They Cannot Escape
As soon as the crew realizes what’s up, a host of letters fly through the mail slot. If laid one on top of the other, the combined letters reveal that the gang needs to find a skeleton key. And with that, the lights change and it’s clear so has the world outside the lighthouse.
Outside a gang of leather-clad Tellarites who all look like Doctor Noum. This is Jankom Pog’s program where he blows off steam. The squad beats up the Noums, the last of which has a skeleton key tattoo on his chest. We learn two things: one that the safety protocols are disabled and, two, that the next location in the mystery is “The Key Club”.
Suddenly we’re in black and white in a snazzy lounge where Murf takes the stage to sing like he’s Vic Fontaine. Gwyn encounters a bartender who looks like her dad while Rok and Zero notice that one of the keys on the piano accompanying Murf isn’t making a sound. A group of Tellerite gangsters appears as the crew flips open the top of the piano and leaps in.
We’re on a pirate ship! This is Dal’s program where he goes to be beloved. But, Avast, Rok’s Neopet turns giant and attacks the ship. The crew fights for their lives and eventually finds a compass as their next crew. But as the ship takes on water, Zero says this has to stop. Looking for more mysteries is a distraction and it’s time to leave the holodeck. And Zero knows how to do it.
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The Culprit Unmasked
Zero realizes that there’s an intelligent design behind this trap. The entire program is built around the crew’s interests in order to keep them away from the Protostar proper. And the only way out is to throw the game. Because the person behind the entire plot wouldn’t actually let them die.
And as the ship sinks, the program ends, and Holo Janeway enters. Because even though she doesn’t realize it, she is the one behind this whole affair. The crew realizes that Janeway’s program requires the Protostar to return to Federation space. As soon as they decided to change the mission, Janeway’s subroutines devised a way to get the ship home anyway.
In order to restart safety protocols, Dal gives Janeway his command codes, which she uses to take over the ship and set a course – for Earth. Keep in mind that the construct (the living weapon) is also part of the Protostar. And Janeway serves that master as well, unbeknownst to her. She’s sorry for her part in this, but can the crew ever trust her again? Can she trust herself?
As the crew rushes to the bridge, they realize they are too late. The Protostar is back in Federation space and face-to-face with the Dauntless.
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To Boldly Review
In the pantheon of holodeck episodes, “Ghost in the Machine” is a good one, especially if you like shout-outs to the past. In last week’s Star Trek: Prodigy we understand our crew better via their past. This week’s episode helps us understand their presence through their fantasies.
Rok just wants to hug everyone. Zero wants to solve every mystery. Jankom wants to be respected by his Tellarite peers. Gwyn aches for her father’s love. Dal wants to be the best captain. And Murf just wants to sing, baby. Some of these are obvious. That last one? I mean, hey: it’s good to know Murf a little better.
The most tricky part of “Ghost in the Machine” involves its “villain”. Does it make sense that Janeway would betray her crew without knowing it? And if she is that far gone, what would stop her program from killing the crew entirely? The final explanation doesn’t quite make sense.
It is however exciting that Dal and co. can no longer rely on Janeway. Care for them though she does, she is no longer reliable if her program can be overridden while she thinks she’s still in control. The training wheels are truly off now and at the most critical time possible.
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References – Gotta Catch ‘Em All
This entire episode of Star Trek: Prodigy is an ode to the holodeck. And, in fact, “Ghost in the Machine” makes A LOT of nods to previous Trek episodes involving the holodeck.
The crew thinks they’ve left the holodeck even though they haven’t. Picard, Data, and Barclay find themselves in that exact situation in the TNG episode “Ship in a Bottle”. When Zero says “the mystery is a feet” they are referencing the TNG episode “Elementary, Dear Data”. Most of the holodeck characters all look like Doctor Noum in much the same way that most of the holodeck characters look like Data in the TNG episode “Fistful of Datas”.
When the holodeck program turns black and white? Well, that’s a reference to Tom Paris’ holodeck series “Captain Proton”! And Murf sings just like Vic Fontaine from Deep Space Nine. Heck, even the pirate ship throws back to Worf’s promotion scene at the beginning of Star Trek: Generations.
And one non-holodeck reference: Gwyn requests jumja tea from the bar which is the favorite beverage of Major Kira Nerys.
Like last week’s Star Trek: Prodigy, this is another episode that treads water, but “Ghost in the Machine” is still a lot of fun.
3.5/5 stars
