Robert Beltran confirms return to Star Trek with Prodigy

Robert Beltran is returning to Star Trek with Prodigy appearance.

Star Trek: Prodigy is getting yet another Voyager star to return to the series. Robert Beltran, who famously played Commander Chakotay, formerly of the Maquis, will reprise his character for the upcoming animated series debuting on Paramount+. Speaking at the 5-Year Mission Star Trek convention, Beltran revealed that he’s recording lines for the show (via TrekMovie);

"I don’t know if I’m supposed to say this or not yet. …I’m working on this voiceover/animation thing that Kate [Mulgrew] is doing, Star Trek: Prodigy."

Beltran’s return is coinciding with Mulgrew’s, who as he stated was returning to Star Trek as well. Mulgrew, who played Captain Kathryn Janeway was announced to be returning to the series around the time the series was announced. She’ll be voicing a computerized version of herself, a ship’s Emergency Training Hologram, that will help the young crew of the ship navigates through the galaxy.

Likewise, another crew member of Voyager is returning to Star Trek with Robert Duncan McNeill serving as a cameo on Star Trek: Lower Decks, where he’ll reprise role as Tom Paris.

Robert Beltran returning to Star Trek is a little surprising

More from Star Trek: Prodigy

• Kate Mulgrew is thrilled Netflix picked up Star Trek: Prodigy
• Star Trek: Prodigy’s first season releases on the perfect date for Netflix
• Have a Merry little Chrismas with Star Trek: Prodigy
• When is Star Trek: Prodigy season two expected to air on Netflix?
• The fans are being given all the credit for saving Star Trek: Prodigy

To say it’s a surprise that Beltran is returning to Star Trek would be fair. He’s been arguably the most vocal critic of his time on Star Trek: Voyager and has slammed some of the writing. Granted, most of it is a fair criticism, some of the fans even share his views. He’s also not that enthralled with things like the Prime Directive, calling it “fascist crap”. Beltran does do the convention circuit, after all, it’s the writing he had issues with, not the fans.

That isn’t to say it won’t be great to have Beltran back, we just never expected it. Beltran’s turn as Chakotay was a treat for many fans and while most agree that there were plenty of unique and interesting ideas left on the table that we never got to see his character explore, that doesn’t mean his time on the show was wasted in any way.

His return to Trek through Prodigy, even if only as a cameo, will be something worth checking out for any long-time fan.