#prodigy season 2 speculation

[thelesseroftwoweevils]

It's cool people have embrace the Sito connection and the TNG Deep cut it entails and people are wondering how well Mariner knew Wesley Crusher.

Is it wrong that I think being a year or so behind Sito and Sito having graduated in TNG s7 well that makes Mariner a contemporary not of Crusher but of Harry Kim.

Not as much as a deep cut but it'd have been hilarious if Mariner were friends with him instead: "My idol was on his first mission. He never came back, lost in the badlands. I had to tell Libby! I swore as long as Harry Kim remained an ensign so would I!!!"

Just me? Okay then.

Tangentially, I kind of want Harry to be on Admiral Janeway's staff in Prodigy Season 2 and either have been promoted a hilariously excessive number of times... or still be an Ensign and barely out-rank the Prodigies.

[elephant-in-the-pride-parade]

Star Trek Prodigy Season 2 Speculation

I just gotta move from the assumption that we're gonna see it somewhere somehow after the new year bc its too damn good to just be forgotten. Am still crossing my fingers for 3 seasons and a movie.

Spoilers and speculation related to the Season 2 First Look clip here. Things I am really hoping play out in season 2.

1. Long haired Janeway

This one I full on admit is just personal preference. I love when she has it in buns and twists and would look so distinguished with that grey streak through it. But also it'd be interesting if she looked more like Hologram Janeway. Theyre very different. HJ was built to mentor whereas Kathryns focus is going to be on her mission. In the opening clip the kids are expecting her and instead meet the Doctor. I am wondering then if she'll spend part of the season at a distance - grappling with some uncertainties (It would be interesting if she and Dal have that in common.)

2. An adult mentor for each Prodigy character.

It seems like the kids are pretty spread out across the starfleet divisions. Rok in Sciences, Zero in Medical (I think). Dal in Command, Jankom in Engineering. Murf presumably in security or following Rok around. So it'd be cool if each of them had a mentor in their division. Janeway & Dal seems like the main mentor relationship being established. Maybe Zero and the Doctor are another. Could we have Jankom working with B'Elanna? Is an older jaded future Gwen going to cause the civil war timeline and get to interact with Chakotay (maybe? maybeee? please please please). Who would we get mentoring Rok (I'd like it to be Janeway i mean she was a scientist first but could have a new character too. maybe the redhead science officer from supernova.)

3. Dal learning how to be Starfleet

In the First Look he seems to be the most hesitant about this opportunity. is he nervous to live up to Janeways expectations? has he had a bad time in SF so far? whats happened to him in the time between S1 and S2 finales (it seems like at least a little time has passed).

4. Where are the other Vah Nau Kat?

100 of them entered the wormhole and we've only seen 2 so thats 98 other potential antagonists? 👀👀👀 where'd they end up?

[isagrimorie]

I asked around on Threads how I can help Star Trek Prodigy get a season 3 on Netflix, and someone who used to work for Netflix gave this advice:

It sounds so exhausting— I hate how it’s such a microcosm of late stage capitalism.

My plan is to watch 2 episodes at a time, Aaron Waltke mentioned there’s some two-parters this season (fitting for a show with Admiral Kathryn Janeway, Voyager did its best work with two parters!). But also let Netflix run in the background!

I will miss the weekly community discussions and speculations. Alas, this is the reality of Netflix streaming.

[ferrstappen]

what about a pr relationship with max? 👀

plot twist: it’s real | max verstappen

Everybody was whispering about a secret guest on the Red Bull garage. It was Brad Pitt, but you on the other side, walked freely around the paddock in Miami, just another celebrity making an appearance, no one suspected you would be his co-star, Brad Pitt’s love interest or something along those lines.

However, the public did suspect something was going on between Max and you after the GP, even official Red Bull videos of you asking him questions as he drove at an extreme speed.

You started following each other in social media, tagging him on multiple stories during the weekend. The last one sent people into a frenzy, it was simple, just Max holding the trophy, blue eyes shining as he directly smiled at you; face red and sweaty, dark blond hair sticking to his forehead and extra fluffy from humidity, even the tip of his tongue was visible from how big he was smiling.

It was calculated to the second; every post, every appearance, every smile.

Anyone who was mildly involved in gossip and celebrity drama was aware that PR relationships were a think of the past, no one having the time to do such things nowadays.

Plus, with Deuxmoi on every corner and every available information, it wasn’t a particularly smart move.

But no one said anything about hinting at something, studied long gazes, bad jokes on camera, walks on the beach, leaving clubs early with Max acting as a bodyguard of sorts. Of course people were speculating, young rising Hollywood star actress and Formula 1 prodigy, a talent so natural it was unbelievable.

A power couple.

Both you and Max were aware this was just to boost a movie while attracting more people to F1. But somewhere along the way, lines became a little blurry; hugs weren’t mechanic, laughs were real, the butterflies appeared and suddenly, you were holding hands during your beach walks.

You were wearing his cap while walking on the sunny Los Angeles streets, boarding a plane to wherever the GP was taking place, the paddock, it became part of your every day look.

Max was seen on movie premieres, not walking the red carpet but quietly inside the theatre, his jet was seen landing on LAX more often, making appearances on movie sets.

During the weekend of the Monaco GP you decided to make it official, boyfriend and girlfriend. You fell asleep on his arms, naked chest under your head as he laughed at something you said, insisting he should be sleeping for FP3 and qualifying, but he couldn’t, enjoying the way the way your breathing slowed down along the cata purring on the floor.

It was still unknown to everyone else, though. Of course, people in the paddock knew, Kym Illman photographing your arrival early in the morning sporting the Red Bull cap. Other celebrities attending the iconic GP noticing the obvious nature of your relationship, with Max’s hand not even trying to hide the fact they were resting on your ass, fingers sneaking under your blouse to caress the skin.

Then, the obvious started to happen.

subject: Motorsport and Hollywood rising stars in love.

email: everyoneknowsthis@butyoudidnthearitfrome.com

Message: I have it on good authority Hollywood’s newest sweetheart will be starring along an iconic and heartbreaker actor in a driving movie, even the actor in question attended the Miami Grand Prix a couple of weeks ago.

The surprise is that the predicted winner of this F1 season and the actress are in a committed relationship ever since they met since this winner, gives-you-wings f1 team will be sponsoring and working in the movie. A source even told me they were seen making out on his yacht during the Monaco Grand Prix, and the actress was sitting and laughing with the driver’s mom and sister 👀

user1: i bet my life this is max Emilian verstappen and (y/n), why else would max be seen in universal studios???

user 2: what about Florence Pugh and Charles Leclerc?

user3: no way, Florence attended with her bf!!!

user4: it’s giving pr for the movie💀

user5: (y/n) even comments on Victoria Verstappen’s post!!! and Max went out for drinks with Daniel Ricc, Pedro Pascal and Bradley cooper after the met, they probably met on set bc they’re filming with (y/n) They’re not even hiding at this point!!!

Well, you kept hiding until it was time for the movie premier. Everyone from Red Bull was invited; Checo, Daniel and Max arriving together, Christian and Geri were naturals, but Max was waiting for you on the red carpet.

Your Versace dress was the perfect fit, Max couldn’t help but look at your ass and boobs, not caring photographers were everywhere, it was time to stop sneaking and pretending you were just friends.

His arm found its place on your waist, dedicating you his brightest smile before kissing your lips, people screaming your names, but your eyes only found his blue ones, shining under the flashes and holding his hand.

[itsmyfandomandilikeit]

What we actually know about the renewal of Star Trek: Prodigy

Ok so there's been some speculation going around that Prodigy is or is not being renewed. The fact is that there has been zero news on the topic, official or otherwise, and anyone claiming to know differently is wrong or lying.

That being said, there are some things we do know:

1. Netflix is of course notorious for canceling things. I am an Inside Job fan. I know. However, they almost never leave things ambiguous. They aren't shy. When things are canceled, they make a clear public statement saying that it's canceled. Usually within two weeks of airing.

2. All of the clear public statements we've gotten from Netflix and the Prodigy crew have been consistent: Netflix will decide when they get more data. Recently, Aaron Waltke said on a podcast that they will review the viewing numbers from the first six months after season 2 was released, which occurred on July 1. This lines up with Netflix's data release schedule, which collates viewing data from the first and second halves of the year.

3. They are also waiting on a few other things. Namely, Netflix still commissions Paramount to create seasons of Prodigy. The sale of things like DVDs, Blu-Rays, digital downloads, and those new ship models that are coming out this December, affect the price of a season of Prodigy. Merchandise sales and licensing pay for a portion of it, and Netflix has to cover the rest of the cost. I'm sure the new theme park ride affects this as well. The cost to commission a season of Prodigy is determined by a number that is very much, at the moment, in a state of flux because of the upcoming physical media and merchandise releases, which could do well or not.

4. It was announced that the Hagemans have been added to a LEGO Ninjago project, and there has been some speculation that they will be unable to work on Prodigy because of this. This is irrelevant. The Hagemans have stated repeatedly that they typically work on 2 or 3 projects at once. To my knowledge, Aaron Waltke was working on Transformers One during the production of Prodigy season 2. This is just normal. They're getting work because their work has done well.

5. Prodigy costs the least of any Star Trek project to produce, but it is also the only Star Trek project that Netflix has access to. If, say, Section 31 does extremely well, Netflix can't get any portion of that success except for through Prodigy. Netflix also knows that very few new users are actually signing up for Paramount+, and indeed many users are leaving the platform, so Prodigy remains a good investment for Netflix. No matter how well this season of Lower Decks does, Netflix can't buy it because it's not for sale.

6. Data from 2023 indicated that Prodigy outperformed all of the rest of Star Trek on Netflix (admittedly, the US is not counted in this). What's especially notable about this is that it was only available for one week in 2023. In the first half of 2024, Prodigy continued to do well on the Netflix platform, despite it effectively only playing reruns during that time. Netflix will not release numbers for the second half of 2024 until next year.

7. Prodigy has the budget and appeal of a children's show, but it also has an avid adult audience. Many adults are watching it just because it's Star Trek or because they want to keep up with the overall story. Anyone who wants to maintain Star Trek completion must watch Prodigy, which is only available through Netflix.

8. Marketing is typically the lion's share of the cost of any media, but no marketing was done for Prodigy. It relied on word of mouth and the Star Trek brand. This affects how expensive it is to Netflix.

9. Finally this is not about the show itself but I just don't think that the story is over because plotlines in Star Trek never really end. Watching TAS is like the Leo Dicaprio pointing meme of seeing how Discovery was designed from a ton of these episodes. Every detail of the older shows is spun into entire plotlines in NuTrek. Whether or not Prodigy is renewed, these characters and species have been added to the canon and more than likely it will never let them go. If there isn't a new season, there will be video games, books, comic books, theme park attractions, stupid hats (that I'll buy), sunglasses, t-shirts, board games, markers, branded blankets, posters, and anything else you can think of. I kinda don't know how I feel about this but it is what I think. No matter how many seasons of Prodigy there actually will be, I'm sure the characters and settings will be brought back thirty years from now for better or worse.

[startrekprodigyfan]

Okay yeah… I binged the whole season in one day.

It was actually surprisingly easy to do so. And while that means my planned slower recaps and speculation are basically out the window, I also now just don’t have to worry about spoilers for weeks on end.

I’m still going to keep spoilers under a cut though. Even if you block key hashtags, stuff can get through, and just making the spoilers further down a text post you have to scroll past to continue browsing tumblr doesn’t help either. Hide that content behind a cut, please!

Non-spoiler thoughts:

It was so good. It was honestly more Trek than I could’ve possibly expected. And to all those early naysayers who were confused by the Protostar and where it was supposed to be in the timeline after the first episode of season 1, all of that gets answered and put into context by the end of season 2. Thank GOD! Every single plot point people brought up and thought was a “plot hole” gets filled and explained.

It’s not as emotional as the first season, but the situations and events definitely still have a lot of weight and the stakes are so high for so long too! There’s a surprising number of dark events that happen throughout the series. Way darker than even I’m used to watching the animated shows that I do. Kudos for not skimping on the peril and stakes of the mission for the sake of kids being traumatized lol

And while there is the potential for more, if we never get a season 3 this would still be an extremely satisfying ending all the same. I am very happy there aren’t any loose ends here.

Prodigy is without a doubt the most reliably consistent Star Trek show that’s ever existed. Not a single episode feels like filler. Not a single episode wastes time or characters. Even the goofy episodes have character development and callbacks later, and I genuinely don’t think there’s a single episode that I would skip or not watch again. That’s an amazing feat in and of itself, but as a Trek fan that’s just unheard of! Kudos all around!

Now for my longer spoiler thoughts under the cut:

Okay…

How the HELL did you guys make Wesley Crusher’s time traveling arc sooo good? As a TNG fan I was always annoyed with the “traveler” storylines and with Wesley’s character in general. Even as a kid I never really liked him. But this storyline makes him interesting and gives a lot of weight to his powers. He’s almost like The Doctor from Doctor Who, someone who has so much going on in his head that he’s sort of lost it.

That honestly was the biggest surprise to me. I was convinced that Hologram Janeway (and the construct) were somehow manipulating time and events because of the wormhole. Janeway would be trying to help them, while the construct was trying to stop them. That was my working theory for the start of the series. Imagine my surprise when it turns out it’s Wesley Crusher! wtf!?

I do like that he gets to reunite with his mom finally. And that he learns he has a brother.

Incidentally that’s something else I was not expecting. How MUCH of this series was going to be timeline connected to the events of Picard and Lower Decks respectively. Like, wow… they connected the Mars Shipyard explosion and the Romulan evacuation plot points that made sense for the story. Like holy crap, then FINALLY getting into Starfleet only for the shipyards to explode and Starfleet is severely crippled. I did not expect that to happen, and it’s sadly realistic too.

I still hate the Romulan evacuation storyline from Picard, but as a matter of keeping things consistent it makes sense for it here. And while I don’t like it being a canon event, it’s overall good for the consistency of “prime” trek.

I do like that Dal became a second in command. I’ve always felt like Dal was never really destined to be the captain and that he’s always been better at helping others be their best selves. So it makes sense for his character arc that he learns he doesn’t need to be in charge to make a difference and that there’s no shame in being second.

Overall I am still reeling from how much Trek happened in this season. There’s never a dull moment. Unfortunately I am not optimistic about a 3rd season. Netflix picking up a mostly completed series to broadcast on their streaming service is far FAR cheaper than paying for an entire season to be created outright. And sadly, as much as I want more Prodigy, I have a feeling it’s just not on people’s radars enough for it to do gangbuster numbers enough to convince Netflix to pick them up for a 3rd season. I hope I am proven wrong, but I will not get my desire for more season unrealistically hyped up.

I do want to rewatch the entire show now, because there were clues left in the first season that only get answered at the end of season 2. And I love closed loop time travel storylines like that! I can’t wait to go back and connect the dots knowing what I know now.

An excellent series. Probably one of Trek’s best in decades. A true love for the material and the characters and the legacy of Trek lore all rolled into an amazingly animated package.

[its-all-or-nothing94]

Formual 1 / MotoGP Fusion - Part 4

Summary: You are the first female MotoGP rider ever. You race for KTM Factory Racing, leaving Jack Miller your teammate, and one of your main sponsors is Red Bull. You grew up with most of the riders but your best friend is the multiple MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez. After your horrific crash the year before, you are ready to start the new season and probably a new love?

Pre-Story - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

A/N: Really loving the feedback from all of you! Thank you so much!

Ship: Not telling yet (Marc Marquez, Carlos Sainz or Charles Leclerc)

Warnings: none

Taglist: @laneyspaulding19, @luciaexcorvus

BREAKING NEWS: ☑️ ☑️ ☑️

🔥 Love in the Paddock? Y/N Y/L/N's Night Out with Charles Leclerc Raises Eyebrows Ahead of Miami GP! 

💑 Sparks fly as the y/country sensation enjoys a night of revelry with the Monagesque driver, leaving fans buzzing with romance rumors! 😱  You’re always welcome with us 😉

In a sizzling turn of events, y/country MotoGP star Y/N Y/L/N set tongues wagging as she stepped out for a night on the town with Monagesque racing prodigy Charles Leclerc, just days before attending the Miami GP alongside her MotoGP buddy, Marc Marquez! The unexpected rendezvous has ignited a frenzy of speculation, with fans and pundits alike speculating about potential romances in the paddock. 💃💕 

Amidst the electrifying buildup to the F1 Miami Grand Prix, Y/L/N's night out with Leclerc has become the hot topic of conversation within the racing community. The pair, both renowned for their remarkable skills on the track, were spotted enjoying each other's company in a trendy club, leaving onlookers intrigued and curious about the nature of their relationship. 🔥🌃 

As rumors spread like wildfire, fans are left to wonder if a budding romance is on the cards. Could this encounter signify the start of a love story amidst the high-octane world of motorsports? While neither Y/L/N nor Leclerc has addressed the whispers surrounding their night out, it's clear that their connection has sparked endless speculation among avid racing enthusiasts. 💑💬 

In the meantime, fans are also starting to wonder about Carlos Sainz and his role in all of this. Could he be feeling left out? Or is he totally fine with the situation? Only time will tell.  

As Y/L/N gears up to join Marquez at the Miami GP, fans will be watching closely, not only for the thrilling on-track action but also for any signs of chemistry between the Swiss star and the other racers, especially Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc and Marc Marquez. 🏍️❤️ 

With the paddock abuzz with excitement and romance rumors, the stage is set for a captivating race weekend in Miami. As the engines roar and hearts flutter, fans will be on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting any further developments in the love lives of their favorite racing icons. Buckle up, folks, for a ride filled with thrilling twists and turns on and off the track! 🌟🏁 

Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops!  

yourusername22 ☑️ Miami GP

Liked by f1, motogp, redbullmotorsports and 1’964’856 others

yourusername22 Almost time for FP1 #MiamiGP Still grateful to be here @f1 and @redbullmotorsports

View all 2'496 comments

f1 Miami 😍

motogp Don’t get too excited for F1 😜

redbullmotorsports This is gonna rock! 🤟🏼 @redbullracing

maxverstappen1 👏🏼👏🏼

marcmarquez93 ✌🏼😘 yourusername22 😏😜🥰

annie863 OMG she’s at the races!

Leclerclover Wondering if she’s rooting for @charles_leclerc carlosssssssainz Or @carlossainz55? 😏 carlossainz55 Of course, she roots for me! maxverstappen1 She’s a Red Bull girl. That’s why she roots for me! 😉 sillyf1girl Okay, why is Max now joining this?

marcmarquez93 ☑️ Miami, USA

Liked by maxverstappen1, redbullracing and 3’856’150 others

marcmarquez93 Pitstop at the @redbullracing garage to meet up with @maxverstappen1, @schecoperez and @danielricciardo Always fun to meet you guys! Oh yeah @yourusername22 was there, too 😉

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danielricciardo 🥳👏🏼

redbullracing Loved to have you guys with us! 🥳

yourusername22 Wait… YOU JUST CUT ME OUT?? marcmarquez93 😘😘 maxverstappen1 😂 yourusername22 This is not fair 🥺

charles_leclerc I would never cut you out @yourusername22 😉😜 carlossainz55 Suck up 😂 yourusername22 Thank you @charles_leclerc 😘

f1giiiiirl I can’t… I can’t believe it! They are COMMUNICATING! majustohe RIGHT?! 😲

uberoale #RacingShip is really happening?! OMG!!!!

[notallthoseinheadspace]

Thoughts/speculation on The Bad Batch:

Weirdly, I am actually more hopeful for a positive ending now than I was before Point of No Return.

(Episode spoilers, discussion, and speculation below cut)

So, this is coming from a point of being pretty sure that A) CX-2 is Tech (because who the fuck else in this series says 'domicile", literally nobody, I was on the fence until that tbh) and B) that Omega is Force-sensitive (and that they've been dropping hints about it since Season 1). Even if she's not Force-sensitive, she's incredibly intuitive and has an amazing mind for strategy, which has been repeatedly proven.

But minor things that could have been guesses on her part - identifying Cid, calling out Crosshair while they're in the brig, bonding with Batcher, and in a way never giving up on Crosshair - also could be manifestations of a minor and untrained connection to the Force. If we do see indisputable Force abilities from her, my guess is they'll manifest in minor prescience, sensing the emotions of others, and bonding with creatures, since those are all things she's already shown. (I don’t think she has Jedi potential, but it bears repeating that not every Force-sensitive is or needs to be a Jedi! [Or a Sith.])

And Omega - tactical prodigy who can (probably) sense the emotions/general thoughts of others, is alone in the shuttle with CX-Tech. Possibly with some form of tracker - she and Crosshair knew she’d be scanned. She gave up one comm and wasn’t scanned again. Not having fallback plans would be unlike them, even if those plans are sometimes very much by the seat of their pants.

Because the Batch had plans for everything and Tech made her learn them all.

Now, what sticks out to me about CX-2 in this episode is that he has notably, despite orders, very deliberately avoided killing any of the Batch members during the invasion of Pabu.

It would have been no trouble whatsoever for him to blow up the Marauder a moment later, when Wrecker was inside of it. And he made the decision to shoot the pilot of the gunship - in the neck, through the cockpit window - an arguably harder shot than Hunter, who was in the open bay, and easily capable of bailing out and swimming back to shore when the ship crashed.

And he's taken Omega in the shuttle with him, with no other guards, and left her unrestrained in the cockpit aside from a pair of binders. And while she’s a child, and was pressed into docility during her time on Tantiss, she’s still a clone, one who’s been trained and tested by the team that boasted a 100% success rate until Order 66.

And, if CX-2 is Tech and the storyline is mirroring itself, then let’s go back to 2x09, The Crossing, where they’re trying to extract ipsium from Cid’s mine. Omega is struggling, Tech is set against his family, and quiet heart-to-hearts are had as Tech and Omega sit together in the blue-lit dark, separated from their brothers - which leads to reunions, solutions, and escape.

So - it may not be the devastating reveal of a helmet pulled from an unconscious-or-worse body that I originally imagined - it may be quiet, knowing questions and a helmet calmly lifted off and set on the console to look at his sister with his own eyes.

...of course, whether he still knows her or not is the question.

[anotheruserwithnoname]

Some good news and some bad news regarding Season 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The good news is that now that the strikes are over, production of Season 3 is set to begin next month! This is good because there have been rumours swirling around possible cancellation in the wake of Star Trek Discovery being ended after its 5th season. But SNW continues (Lower Decks has also been renewed for Season 5). The only caveat to that is Paramount Plus still cancelled Star Trek Prodigy even with its Season 2 complete, so nothing is a guarantee anymore. (And even then, it's been reported that Prodigy S2 will at least get some sort of Netflix release).

(Further good news is Season 2, with its amazing musical and Lower Decks crossover episodes, is set for Blu-ray release before Christmas.)

The bad news - though this is likely educated speculation on Screen Rant's part - is the possibility that the 10-episode 3rd season my be split, with only 5 episodes airing in 2024 and having to wait till 2025 to see the rest. Aside from that wrecking viewer momentum, those 5 weeks will come and go very quickly. If this news is correct, though, they could be telegraphing some sort of 5-episode story arc, which should be good but I actually prefer SNW's episodic format as it better supports the type of experimentation we got with not only this past year's musical and part-animated episodes, but the episodic format is what made TOS what it was. No official word on any cast changes, though I will be surprised if S3 doesn't reintroduce Dr. McCoy in some fashion.

I haven't written much about SNW but it's my favourite of the live action modern Treks. I stopped watching Discovery and Picard but SNW has kept me. I've had songs from the musical earworming for the last week or so after I rewatched it. And I greatly appreciated the time-travel episode "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" for finally canonizing an explanation as to why the prequel series haven't always lined up with what we know as canon from TOS, TNG, etc. which as far as I'm concerned frees the writers to deviate and retroactively serves to rectify canon issues dating all the way back to some episodes of DS9, never mind Enterprise, Discovery and SNW itself. I will explain for those who don't know but I will put a spoiler break here for those who might be waiting for the Blu-ray or haven't had a chance to stream season 2 yet. If the break doesn't appear below, stop reading now if you don't want the spoiler.

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The episode reveals that due to the many time travel events over the years (including ones we haven't seen on screen by enemies of the Federation; the episode relates one involving Mary Queen of Scots (in-joke for the actress) what we have been seeing in SNW etc. is an alternate timeline. Maybe not as extreme as the Kelvin timeline of the films, but events such as the Eugenics Wars - indeed, the birth of Khan himself - were delayed by decades. This major change to the timeline - and then you fill in the blanks by factoring in even minor changes such as the guy who accidentally killed himself with McCoy's phaser in City on the Edge of Forever, Sisko replacing Gabriel Bell in the Bell Riots, the Voyager crew going back to 1996, Archer and T'Pol heading off agents of the temporal cold war in the early 2000s, etc. - and you can see how it's possible that things progressed differently resulting in SNW and Discovery being more technologically advanced than TOS-era ships should be as established in TNG, DS9 and Enterprise that used the original tech and designs. Also character differences, like Pike's crew being aware of T'Pring and Khan when Kirk's crew in TOS did now despite Spock having worked with La'an Noonien-Singh and Kirk being aware of La'an's feelings for him. Or the lack of reference to Kirk's brother, who dies in a famous TOS episode, having been former Enterprise crew. And it literally stems from two lines of dialogue. It's exhibit A of how quickly and simply a show like Doctor Who can fix things.

[thewomancallednova]

This is largely correct, but the Lower Decks creators confirmed on Twitter that everything up to 3x05 takes place in 2380 and 3x06 is the first episode in 2381. I'd also argue that only the epilogue scene of Prodigy season 2 takes place in 2385 but I think at this point that's just my speculation since we haven't figured out Erin MacDonald's stardate system yet (at least that I'm aware of!)

(Not sure if people can see Twitter anymore without account, but my link is to a post asying "Actually… this [3x06] will be the first episode to take place in 2381. All of seasons 1, 2, and 1st half of 3 are in 2380. Theres a fancy formula that I don’t understand but @drerinmac does, and that’s what matters." posted by Lower Decks co-producer Brad Winters.

I've seen some posts confused about when Prodigy takes place compared to Picard or Lower Decks or something else, so here's a very simplified timeline of Star Trek's 24th century.

[anshthinks]

The Candyland Catastrophe - A Speculative Design Story where kids are the Conquerors of Nations. (Draft 2)

In the year 2083, a scientific breakthrough accelerated the intellectual growth of children, turning them into prodigies with the mental capacity of seasoned adults. What started as a boon for humanity soon took a dark turn, as the newfound intelligence became a double-edged sword, unleashing the cunning and territorial nature that lurked within the hearts of the world's youth.

Children, once innocent and carefree, were now tainted by the manipulative tendencies of adults. The world witnessed the rise of a generation of dangerous prodigies, each vying for power and dominance. As the thirst for control intensified, nations engaged in a sinister competition to declare their youth icon — the child who would lead them to world domination.

These child rulers orchestrated intense battles and bloodshed, turning their respective countries into territories ruled by ruthless mini-monarchs. The world was on the brink of chaos as the most notorious children on the planet engineered weapons of mass destruction inspired by their beloved toys.

Massive Beyblades were crafted, capable of slicing through multiple buildings with a single spin. Action figures were endowed with strength that could move mountains and uproot grand castles. So many harmless toys were being weaponised beyond imagination. The race for supremacy was fueled by the treacherous minds of children who saw Candyland as the ultimate prize, an enchanted world of sweets and delights. A place where rivers flowed with molten chocolate, marshmallow mountains reached the clouds, and gummy forests sparkled with enchantment. The once joyous and carefree concept of Candyland became the battleground for a global conflict, with armies marching toward its borders. The nations, now led by their juvenile warlords, sought to claim dominion over this sugary paradise, each considering themselves the rightful rulers. As the armies of child rulers, armed with an arsenal of weaponized toys, descended upon the once-sweet landscape of Candyland, the air crackled with a surreal tension. The vibrant colors of candy cane forests and gumdrop hills now served as the backdrop for a war that would determine the fate of this enchanted realm.

The Massive Beyblades, adorned with razor-sharp edges, spun with a deafening roar, slicing through cotton candy clouds and leaving trails of destruction in their wake. Gigantic Action figures clashed in epic battles, their colossal forms toppling chocolate castles and candy towers.

The ground trembled beneath the weight of Transformer Tanks, shifting seamlessly from action figures to armoured war machines. Lego Landmines lay hidden in the sugary landscapes, waiting to explode upon contact, turning once joyous paths into perilous traps. RC Car Bombers zipped through the battlefield, their explosive payloads wreaking havoc on both sides.

The child rulers, once innocent and carefree, now led their armies with a ferocity born of their newfound intelligence. Crazy Ball Grenades detonated in bursts of chaos. The clash for control over Candyland unfolded like a fevered dream, with each child ruler vying for supremacy over the sugary paradise. The sweet aroma that once permeated the air now mixed with the acrid scent of war, and the once-joyous laughter of children turned into battle cries that echoed through the chocolate valleys and licorice forests. The end of the world had arrived.

[startrekprodigyfan]

I am trying so hard not to be negative about Netflix getting Prodigy.

I am extremely happy that Netflix got it and that more people are going to be able to access and watch the show now… and of course I’m extremely happy I’ll get to see season 2 of Prodigy.

But I’m still so burned out from the precarious nature of the industry. Netflix is a shitty company and they are notorious for doing shitty things to even the properties they supposedly have saved from cancellation. I remember what they did to Bertie and Tucca…

With the way things have been going lately, with the writers snd actors strikes, with the collapsing of a lot of streaming services due to them not making any money compared to standard cable, and with the carelessness in which shows and movies are treated lately… I’m struggling to be positive about any of this.

We will get a season 2, but there’s no guarantee that there will be a season 3 or 4. Prodigy is on loan to Netflix right now. Which means eventually Paramount will come to their senses and yank them back to Paramount+ someday. Meaning in a year or two time we’ll likely have to deal with this situation all over again. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years it’s that constantly shuffling a series around to different time slots/networks makes it incredibly hard to keep the series profitable and watchable. With every shift there’s a loss in viewership. With a show like Prodigy where viewership is already sorta precarious… that’s not good news.

I’m sorry. I’ll try not to look ahead do much and speculate on how quickly things can go awry. I’ve just not seen much evidence from the big corporations to trust them to do the right thing.

[ammonitetheseaserpent]

Okay. So. Uh. I wanna talk about the Collector and where I think their character could go based on what we’ve seen so far, and I’m… conflicted on that topic. Part of me wants them to stay all Evil Skrunkly who Causes Problems On Purpose and eventually gets defeated along with Belos, but another part of me wants something that I’m willing to go out on a limb to say is just as likely.

So, let’s consider some details from the couple of episodes they’ve “officially” shown up in. Back in Hollow Mind, they wax poetic about being trapped and alone, and about some sort revenge he’s looking forward to getting. Then, in Edge of the World, there’s the cloth that King gets flung onto him that depicts the Collector. The moon side of their face is happy and smiley, but the sun side is… not. The mouth on that side is frowning, and the eye has a tear underneath it.

Okay, so, something happened to this kid. Something tragic, by the sounds of it.

I might be a little biased, but all the times I’ve seen a child spirit/immortal child who underwent some sort of tragedy and had no/a limited experience with love and care, leaving them vengeful (Spinel, Agatha Prenderghast, Freedom), they have a little something else in common: they’re each “defeated” by being talked down and having unfiltered understanding and compassion extended to them for the first time. Maybe there’ll be some sort of scenario where Luz finds out the Collector’s backstory and talks them out of revenge, saying that all’s not lost, and that he can still get to experience what he’s been missing this whole time (this could be in a mindscape, if the “Collector possessing/merging with Luz” theory ends up correct - in which case I kinda wanna see them get a hug while they have a physical form). Or maybe they successfully complete some sort of revenge action, only to find that it isn’t nearly as cathartic for him as he was expecting.

All this about the shadow goblin completely turning a new leaf may not seem likely, since they don’t really seem all that sympathetic so far, but there’s still a lot we don’t know about him - and hey, a gal can hope, y’know?

[elephant-in-the-pride-parade]

Oh I do love that half my speculation was correct 🥳

Adding in parallels I've noticed from Season 2 because squeeeeeee (i am feasting on this shippy stuff ���🥰🥰)

S2 Ship Parallels

Kathryn's laser focus on finding Chakotay from last season and half of this one, same energy as Dal's laser focus on saving Gwyn

Dal's log after the ships reunite, where he says "Home isn't a place; it's [the people youre with]" while we have Gwyn and Dal having dinner together, framing Janeway and Chakotay holding hands at a similar dinner for two across the messhall (and then both ships sail off into the stars side by side with the music swelling. [mggg 🥰🥰🥰 all the sappy goodness)

Janeway's log in the finale where she says going boldly "isnt only for the young" and the flashback transitions from Gwyn/Dal's first tentative hand hold in the academy planetarium to J/C gazing curiously and adoringly at eachother during their reunion.

The two seats on the Prodigy for the captain and her number one. (Side note: Number One/First Officer must be the most loaded words in Starfleet. Is it a position or a euphemism? Is "Number One" professional as a form of address and NSFW with a possessive pronou ? (i.e. my/your number one). Are there grammatical debates about this in HQ?

Dal / Gwyn and Janeway/Chakotay are each forced to serve on different ships during the battle with Asencia's first huge warship

I'll add more to this as I find them

Dal/Gwyn, Janeway/Chakotay parallels

I've been mulling this over for a while so I just wanna put all of these down. I really have been enjoying the parallels between these four, and there's a bunch. Will add to this as I think of more.

Dal and Janeway:

They're both on a quest to find home. Janeway back to Earth. Dal back to his family.

Both captain a nontraditional crew and bring them under the Starfleet banner. Dal captains his crew of escaped prisoners from Tars Lamora and Janeway the combined members of her original crew and the Maquis in each case this is born of expediency. They need the crew numbers to get the ship running. And for both part of their journey becomes learning to be a better captain to their unique crews.

Both explore and grapple with their relationship to starfleet ideals. In Dal's case learning Starfleet ideals and laws from scratch and putting them into practice. In Janeway's having her existing ideals tested by an environment where they are difficult to hold to. She and Dal both experience obstacles that test their commitment to these ideals and face consequences of straying from them.

Stars: Dal's window of dreams. Janeway's love of nebulas. The stars mean different things to these two: freedom to Dal and discovery to Janeway but both are seen to have a particular affinity for them.

Learning to lean on their crew: Both in one way or another return to themes of accepting help rather than depending only on themselves. For Dal, this comes from a past of self-preservation and survival. For Janeway, from guilt-driven instinct to put her crew before herself. Both see some of their greatest successes and moments of growth when they set aside those tendencies and accept help from their crew.

Gwyn and Chakotay

Both leave their home for Starfleet, and later return to it when it is in trouble. Chakotay leaves Dorvan/Trebus at 15 against the wishes of his father in order to pursue Starfleet Academy. and only returns when it attacked by the Cardassians. Gwyn idealizes Starfleet her whole life on Tars Lamora only to decide to try to save Solum rather than join her friends as warrant officers.

Both have complicated relationships with their dead fathers. Both of their fathers disagreed with their pursuit of Starfleet, and wanted them to embrace a future that more directly benefited their homeworld. Both were in conflict with them before their deaths and Both of their fathers were killed violently, spurring a shift in their thinking.

Both love exploring other cultures. Gwyn has a love of languages. Chakotay of archeology/anthropology. Both enjoy learning about new people and places and making connections.

Both of their homeworlds are abandoned by the Federation for political reasons - a treaty with the Cardassians in one case and a commitment to non-interference in the other. In Chakotay's case this leads him to turn against starfleet for a time, feeling that it had abandoned its ideals. I'm curious if Gwyn's mission to Solum will lead her down a similar path.

Both act the first officer to an equal. Chakotay was a captain of his own ship before agreeing to be Janeway's second in command. Gwyn has more technical expertise about the Protostar's systems than Dal, and more familiarity with the Federation.

Dal/Gwyn &. Chakotay/Janeway

Both pairs begin their relationship at odds in similar ways. Janeway is seeking to arrest Chakotay. Dal is first Gwyn's prisoner and then takes her as a captive.

The Moral Star/Coda parallels. I just enjoy a good "You might be dying in my arms and I never told you how I felt moment" okay. I am a sucker for it.

Gwyn and Dal ending Season 1 in a similar place to where Janeway and Chakotay were at the start of it. Chakotay winds up trapped on Alt!Future Solum after accepting a mission to complete some of the unfinished work/fix some of the mistakes Voyager had when it first traversed the Delta Quadrant. Gwyn ends Season one going to fix some of the mistakes made between Solum and Starfleet in the alternate future. Janeway and Dal, meanwhile, are at HQ with their own Starfleet-focused duties.

Speculations:

All of the above have me wondering if both couples are in a similar place romantically. Dal and Gwyn are just beginning a romantic relationship when they separate. Is that where Janeway and Chakotay are as well?

And will this mean that Gwyn will also need a rescue? Will her mission go sideways like Chakotay's did?

[sepublic]

The Golden Guard: Eda’s Dark Parallel?

           Does anyone else think that the Golden Guard actually reminds Lilith a LOT of Eda, specifically Eda as a kid, during the good old days before she got cursed?

           Think about it… They’re both sassy, hot-headed teen prodigies with an owl motif and yellow attire. And the way Lilith angrily talks about the Golden Guard, it seems her feelings of resentment mirror how she felt towards Eda back when they were kids? Lilith, who was by-the-book and traditional, worked so hard… And then there’s this younger person with an Owl motif who just swoops in out of nowhere and through talent, completely outclasses her!

           If you go with the idea that Lilith wanted Gwendolyn’s approval and had to compete with Eda over that… Then for all we know, maybe Lilith lowkey wanted Belos’ approval as well, but felt like she was being cheated out of that with the Golden Guard, who kept stealing the spotlight from her! 

          Like she was afraid he’d take her spot as head of the Emperor’s Coven, the way Lilith feared that Eda would win the initiation duel back when they were kids… And lo and behold, the Golden Guard DID take that! Granted Lilith left an obvious vacancy from her own betrayal of Belos so of course he took that spot, but still; It’s quite a sore spot.

           In some ways, perhaps Lilith is aware of this, deep-down or not; She might see the Golden Guard as just Young Eda, but without any of the emotional connection, nor any redeeming qualities; If he does have them, again, it’s not like Lilith knows the Golden Guard well enough to know these traits, much less take them into account.

           LOTS of text and speculation and analyses below!!!

           The Golden Guard is even sixteen years old… Which, is very likely EDA’s age, back when her and Lilith competed for the Emperor’s Coven! That can take on a whole new, dark meaning for her… 

          Perhaps Lilith is low-key disturbed by the Golden Guard’s existence, because he reminds her too much of Young Eda? Eda, before she was cursed- So it’s like the memory of her is coming back to haunt Lilith, in the form of someone who has no concern for Lilith whatsoever to hold him back, unlike the actual Eda.

           And in a way, it’s a horrible reminder that some things never change, that some things stay the same and Lilith can’t get past them, she can’t outgrow it like she thought she did; Because even now, even as head of the Emperor’s Coven, there’s still a 16-year-old prodigy with an owl motif and yellow attire, who is sassy and playful and mischievous, who threatens to upstage Lilith’s self-esteem and sense of power. Somebody Lilith is afraid of; Thirty years later, and she STILL has to deal with this kind of person in her life, but it’s worse because she’s actually older and should be better, yet somehow isn’t…

           Who knows? Maybe Lilith even recognized the similarities to Eda, enough to actually be sympathetic to the Golden Guard at first? Perhaps she, on some level, saw the Golden Guard as a way to vicariously redo her past with Eda, but without the mistakes… Maybe she tried to be nice to the Golden Guard, but then he quickly turned out to be a snob, he’s not REALLY Eda; So Lilith settled on never cursing him like she did Eda, but then otherwise decided that she didn’t owe him any love and could just quietly loathe his guts.

          Lilith failed Eda in part because she was an older sister who abandoned her in a time of need, but there’s not really that expectation with the Golden Guard, so why bother? She’s got enough on her plate as is, and an ACTUAL Eda to worry about, to look after, to be concerned for and patch things up with.

           I’ve even seen people make the very good point that in a lot of ways… The Golden Guard is like a Dark Eda? In the sense that, he’s Eda, had she joined the Emperor’s Coven as a kid. He’s a look at Young Eda, if she didn’t reject the Coven System, and joined Belos- Reveling in her own talent and power as granting her ‘special treatment’ over the rest, so any downsides to the coven system weren’t HER problem anyway!

           Again, this adds another layer to the Golden Guard being very reminiscent of Young Eda, and even current Eda as well… Except, he never lost his magic and was never cursed. Maybe that’s another thing he unknowingly haunts Lilith over; He’s lowkey a reminder of what Eda could’ve been, had Lilith not been selfish and a coward, or had she communicated better. Yet at the same time, he’s frustrating- Because the Golden Guard is like the worst parts of Eda, the parts that Lilith hated and made her resentful…

           And this constant reminder of the past, of her own issues with Eda back then that culminated in the curse- It could’ve made it a LOT harder for Lilith to really resolve things with Eda, because this kid keeps reminding her why she was so angry, and it’s impossible for her to move on because the Golden Guard isn’t some distant memory, but an actual person who continues to threaten her, the way Eda had…

          And of course, the Golden Guard reminds Lilith of the Eda she lost; The happy, carefree Eda who wasn’t cursed, the Eda she could’ve had in a sense. The Eda that Lilith in some ways wanted, yet is forced to confront and acknowledge is a very obnoxious and terrible person that makes her unhappy…

          And this kind of rude reminder that the Eda that Lilith wanted would’ve continued to make her miserable, if not moreso, is not something she appreciates shattering her dreams and low-key denial, of a world where things had just been a little different.

          The person you’re trying to get, maybe get BACK, wasn’t so great after all- So you just have to move on, and be glad for the Eda who IS happier with her life and more mature, despite being older and more cursed. You gotta move past your guilt Lilith, and realize that Eda is in a better place- Not that she ever needed the curse, but she doesn’t quite need saving from the parts of her life she actually chose for herself, in part to be kind to Lilith no less! Because I bet Lilith believes that deep down, she didn’t deserve Eda’s kindness, so she wishes to reverse that compassionate decision of Eda’s that only resulted in Eda suffering because of how terrible Lily secretly is.

           But, back to the subject; There’s more similarities to Eda and the Golden Guard, especially at the end of Separate Tides; How he makes an ominous warning before casually, happily yelling “BYYEEEE!!!”, just like Eda when she warns Luz about trying to have a Moonlight Conjuring in Hooty’s Moving Hassle, before heading off to the Night Market. His widow’s peak even bears a decent resemblance to Eda’s, doesn’t it? Which…

           Combined with all of the talk about bird motifs being a Clawthorne thing, it DOES raise many questions about the Golden Guard’s potential connection to Eda. Is he some long-lost son? A third child that Gwendolyn had later in life, because witch biology might allow them to do that? Some homunculus, crafted from bits of DNA from Eda, and maybe even Belos? Belos does seem weirdly fond and trusting of him, the two are placed together in the Season 2 outro when nobody else, not even Kikimora, is there; And of course, the Golden Guard wields a staff, red magic, and fleshy creations, VERY similar to Belos…

           I can’t say for sure- But the idea of the Golden Guard as an alternate Eda is fascinating. An Eda who became completely arrogant, and didn’t stop to care about others; Her cockiness and mischief becoming cruel and obnoxious, essentially the worst parts of Eda, down the path she’d always dreaded. A look into another life, a different choice in such a pivotal part of her past… Personally, I LOVE this kind of dark parallel of a character, so I’m hoping these similarities are commented upon in-universe, assuming they’re not outright literal!

           In a way, the Golden Guard could haunt Eda, because he reminds her of herself… Of her carefree youth, but what she could’ve had… But also, the terrible things she’d done. And obviously Eda despises the coven system too much to really change her mind, and it’s safe to say that the Golden Guard is not at all what she wanted to ever become… But still, it’s a neat bit of character writing and parallelism. If Belos is like a Dark Luz, what Luz could’ve been had she not grown… And the same could apply between King and Kikimora;

           Then who knows? The Golden Guard could be a Dark Eda, who got by talent and continued to take things for granted. An Eda who swore loyalty to Belos and was embraced by the emperor for her skill and ability. Jovial and cheery, but without any of the actual compassion that makes this genuine with Eda. An immature brat who never grew up (granted he’s only sixteen and hasn’t gotten the chance), unlike Eda. And if the Golden Guard is an alternate Eda;

           It’s fascinating how his roles are reversed with his alternate Luz… The Eda parallel is younger than the Luz parallel, learning from them, and taking after their motifs as well! But I guess it’s not all too surprising, with how Eda and Luz both learn from one another, though I suspect Belos and the Golden Guard aren’t as mutual, but who knows? 

          It does make you wonder about Kikimora and King as potential mediators between these duos, whose placement remains consistent… How does Kikimora, the King parallel, interact with her Luz and Eda? Did she become close friends with HER Luz, while, as Dana’s art suggests, she seems somewhat irritated by and resentful of her own Eda? So it’s like Eda and King never grew to be friends and conquer differences… As well as if King never grew to respect Luz and saw her as just a “f*cking nerd”?

           With how Luz is taking after Eda, and possibly getting a Cardinal palisman to complete the Clawthorne motif as a new member of the family… Who knows? The Golden Guard could be an intriguing character for her to bounce off of narratively, maybe as someone Luz might have, in another universe, learned to look up to and admire? How well Luz’s relationship be with the Golden Guard, if they are a Dark Eda? And how can this indirectly show us about how Luz and Young Eda would’ve interacted, what Young Eda was like, what Lilith went through as a kid…

           And, for all we know- The Golden Guard’s owl motif doesn’t hint at a pre-existing connection to the Clawthornes, but rather a future one… Maybe he’ll end up being adopted by Eda, the way Luz was? I’d love to see the Golden Guard become an evil older sibling who’s protective of Luz… 

          I ADORE that trope to death; Evil older brother with bright, younger sister, whom he cares about, and the sister cares for him too, even if it’s complicated because the sister believes in the brother to be better, while the brother doesn’t want to be better, or is at least reluctant about having to change…

           I’d love to see another Hugo and Kipo dynamic, and actually… If the Golden Guard parallels Eda, then who’s his Lilith? Could it be Luz herself? I’ve talked before the similarities between Luz and Lilith, as kids who were bullied and struggled with a lack of talent, but made up for it with hard work and ingenuity; They’ll give you a lot of trouble for doing the right thing, but then happily leap at the opportunity if they think someone is improving.

           And, as Separate Tides has also shown us; They both grapple with guilt over making Eda suffer, unintentionally to varying degrees. Luz and Lilith both learn that they’re not a burden and that it’s okay to ask for help, and come to terms with their guilt with Eda… If Belos and the Golden Guard are Luz and Eda reversed, then could Luz and the Golden Guard also be Lilith and Luz, reversed?

          With the Eda parallel being the older sibling in this scenario… An alternate timeline where Eda and Lilith were the same people, but switched places in birth, and it was EDA who ended up being the cruel and toxic sibling who left the younger feeling demeaned and worthless. I imagine if that were the case, the Golden Guard’s toxicity would occur largely in the beginning, as he acts adversarial to Luz and mocks her, taunts her over Eda’s loss of magic, and her own glyphs no doubt; The Golden Guard doesn’t seem to acknowledge glyphs as a valid form of magic himself.

           But then, if he were to get a redemption, the Golden Guard’s tune might change as he matures and learns to treat Luz more kindly… In a way mimicking how Eda really grew to care for Luz, but also the way Eda has begun to reconnect with Lilith, except with the Golden Guard as the one with the baggage and guilt.

           And, a redemption might not be too implausible, because… He is literally only sixteen, the same age as Emira and Edric, and likely the same age as Eda when SHE was cursed. Younger than Lilith, when she made the worst mistake of her life, because she didn’t understand the coven system for what it truly was –and who could blame her?- and was grappling with a likely terrible mother in Gwendolyn… The Golden Guard is literally a minor, and possibly an overworked teen prodigy.

           After all, the first glimpse of his personality Dana gave us, way back in 2020, was of the Golden Guard admitting that he was tired; And despite his usually cheery personality, all of our glimpses at his face behind the mask (symbolism!) have had him look likely serious and glum… But then again, we don’t see the lower half of his face, so who knows? 

          Perhaps the Golden Guard is abused and overworked by Belos, kind of like Amity with her parents… The Golden Guard is a child dealing with a very toxic influence, and a huge burden of responsibility no less. And with all the potential connections to Belos as maybe even a literal father, or at least a parental figure, it’s not hard to see why the Golden Guard would turn out so messed up. And the Golden Guard being ‘tired’ could be a connection to how Eda is left exhausted from her curse, too.

           So, who knows? Because of his age, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect, or at least hope, for a redemption for this kiddo. But a recent sister show to The Owl House has taught me anything, kids aren’t free from death, and Infinity Train made it clear that you can humanize and sympathize and mourn someone who deserved better, yet ultimately dug their grave and was condemned to a sudden death because of that; All because they didn’t know any better, and really couldn’t have.

           And on another note- Maybe the Golden Guard has owl motifs like Eda… Because in a lot of ways, he actually admires her? He admires the Owl Lady, or at least the certain ‘past’ version that others such as Lilith may have brought up… Maybe the Golden Guard seeks to supplant Eda the Owl Lady as The Most Powerful Witch in the Boiling Isles. Maybe he sees himself as Eda, but better, and this rebellious, hot-headed kid feels the need to prove himself by defeating someone he sees himself in.

           Maybe the Golden Guard is like Lilith, as someone who wishes Eda could’ve joined the coven system, and he’s disappointed in how all her talent was ‘wasted’ on other things. Maybe the Golden Guard was disappointed in Eda losing her magic, losing further respect for his ‘problematic idol’, and/or he felt some validation and vindication in being a successor to Eda. 

          Does he hold some grudge? Did the Owl Lady’s power excite him, give the Golden Guard a goal to recklessly challenge and defeat, so he can experience the thrill of victory and add to this feeling of invincibility that teenagers, especially the talented ones, have?

           Eda as a kid, and even now, has always been fond of spiting what others say she can’t do, or setting new precedents and accomplishments to prove herself. Maybe the Golden Guard is like that, and hopes to take on the onus of outdoing the Owl Lady; Perhaps he admires Eda, and wishes she could’ve joined a coven like him. As an outside admirer, he mourns Eda’s ‘potential’ in a way similar to Lilith, but different; Because he’s a kid who looks up to her, and not an older sibling that has an actual childhood with Eda. If so, then that’s another dark parallel to Luz;

           After all, Luz got frustrated by Eda in Adventures in the Elements. So maybe the Golden Guard is someone who grew resentful of Eda for not living up to the legend he hoped, the image he wanted, sort of like Lilith! I’ll go out on a limb and even suggest him as a past apprentice, who unlike Luz, never learned to be patient and appreciate Eda’s teachings, so he turned to the coven system and Belos for easy gratification. He didn’t want to be challenged… And in that way, the Golden Guard could parallel my speculation on Belos, as also a Dark Luz.

          So of course, it makes sense that Belos would recognize this same dilemma in the Golden Guard, and perhaps be sympathetic and take him under his wing for it. Eda might not recognize the Golden Guard because he’s changed a bit himself, is hiding his own identity –Lilith doesn’t seem to know much about the witch beneath the mask either, just the public image and façade- and Eda’s been having memory issues. Maybe this will add to the Golden Guard’s resentment, who knows? He really might just be a rebellious teen who Eda failed, unlike with Luz… And that could add to more envy, perhaps.

           At the very least; Dana’s fondness for the Golden Guard takes on a whole new meaning… What with how Eda is pretty much one of, if not THE most favorite character of hers, the one who really jumpstarted this entire show and world to begin with… Having this other character she likes essentially be a canon AU version of that beloved creation, would certainly make a lot of sense! Dana likes Eda, she likes to show us about Young Eda; So a character who IS Young Eda, just on a different path, would likely appeal to her. We’ll see…

           I think it’s worth noting that in her art of the Golden Guard, it depicts him as essentially a normal, lazy teenager who’s asking someone else to do his chore for him, while he lounges around to do something else. I could see a young Eda as occasionally fulfilling that role and asking her older sister Lily for a favor- And maybe this could allude to the Golden Guard being frequently exhausted from being overworked himself, hence “I’m tired” and wanting to extend his breaks as much as possible. We’ll just have to wait and see…

[commandermeg]

Star Trek Prodigy speculations

Since it's been about eighty years since we heard anything about it, I'm going to fill in the gap with some speculations regarding the next chunk of Star Trek Prodigy

1 - Captain Dal R'el being a source of pure chaos is going to give Admiral Janeway a run for the money. Seeing what he and the crew have accomplished so far it'd be pretty darn amusing if the Dauntless crew are just "Oh, it's just some kids." only to have the Protostar crew do something like 'Divert protostar power to the phasers' and one-shot-no-scope a Borg Cube.

2 - If Chakotay is stuck in the pattern buffer, it is probably not healthy for the poor guy. We have already been promised a second season and it very much looks like we could get even more - so plot-wise I don't think Chakotay would be able to Captain immediately.

"We got him out of the pattern buffer, but he's been in the holodeck singing 'Country Roads' for six hours straight."

3 - More exploring weird planets, please.

4 - since Janeway is taking on a more 'antagonistic' role in this part of the series, I'm predicting an episode starring the Dauntless crew. This episode would be our introduction to these characters, and give us a first-hand look at how Janeway has evolved.

5 - the Over-arching mystery of what Dal's species is. I don't think we'll learn outright what he is in this season, but we'll get hints that lead to more reveals in the next season.

6 - 'The Order' is going to learn of Gwyn's existence and this is not going to be a good thing.

I just realized this last thing as I was writing it - Gwyn is a frightening good vocal mimic and she heard Chakotay's recorded voice for his passcode. She could override his passcodes if she ever needed to by simply mimicking him.