Star Trek: Lower Decks dropped an insult against Jadzia Dax
In the season finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks, when Ensign D’Vana Tendi learns that Dr. T’Ana wants her to train as a senior science officer, she is thrilled and immediately asks “like Jadzia Dax?” T’Ana’s response is like a slap in the face to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fans.
"“Who the [bleep] is that? I don’t know who that is. No, like Spock!”"
Screenrant writer John Orquiola writes that it’s understandable that Dr. T’Ana wouldn’t know who Jadzia is.
"Star Trek’s Caitian Dr. T’Ana is the chief medical officer of a California-class starship and it’s logical that she wouldn’t know who the science officer of Deep Space Nine was."
And while that is true, the insult didn’t have to be included in the script.
Star Trek: Lower Decks didn’t have to insult Jadzia Dax
Whether or not Dr. T’Ana would or wouldn’t know about Jadzia isn’t the issue. It’s simply a matter of respect for another Star Trek property and character. What was intended to be a joke came across as demeaning, especially for a character that Terry Farrell played for six seasons.
Some fans might say this isn’t that big of a deal, but it goes to an overall bigger issue. So far, none of the regular actors from Deep Space Nine have shown up on any of the new Star Trek series, and it’s making fans wonder what is going on. And having Dr. T’Ana dismiss one of the most popular characters on Deep Space Nine seems like a set-up to dismiss all of them.
All of the series have always treated characters from previous series with respect (unless it was those that didn’t deserve it like Khan). This is one time that the ball was dropped. Hard. And agree or not, it’s simply not cool to be so dismissive of a beloved character.