Prodigy Season 2: A Deeper Dive into the Star Trek Universe

The second season of *Star Trek: Prodigy

has landed on Netflix, and fans are buzzing about the new adventures of the young crew of the USS Protostar. TrekMovie recently sat down with co-creators and executive producers Kevin and Dan Hageman for a spoiler-filled interview, discussing the return of Wesley Crusher, the show's connections to Star Trek canon, and what's in store for the future.

A School-Like Setting for Growing Characters

The season begins with the gang attending Starfleet Academy, a change that provides a more grounded setting for the target audience. "We felt like it would be kind of boring if they were just on a Starfleet ship," Dan Hageman explained. "They wouldn't have much to do. And how do we bring their shenanigans in?"

Kevin Hageman added, "It would be just like *Lower Decks

all of a sudden. I love how Dal, as exciting as it is to be on the new Voyager, they're yearning for the old days of having their own ship and flying by the seat of their pants and being in charge."

Connecting with the Expanding Star Trek Universe

*Prodigy

takes place within the same timeline as *Lower Decks* and *Picard*, and the Hagemans wanted their show to feel like a part of this new Star Trek Universe. "We wanted to be at the adult table," Kevin Hageman said. "We knew we were in the same timeline window as these other shows."

This connection is evident in the introduction of Wesley Crusher, a character who was already planned for *Prodigy

before his appearance on *Picard*. "We had already written the character of Wesley Crusher into our series, and then with *Picard*, Terry [Matalas] and Akiva [Goldsman] reached out to us because they wanted to do something with him," Kevin Hageman explained. "We were already in the pipeline with him and so we got in sync on how we can each serve each other's shows."

Reclaiming Wesley Crusher's Story

Dan Hageman, however, doesn't shy away from criticizing the way Wesley's story was concluded in *The Next Generation*. "I would say they did Wesley Crusher wrong — how they finished Wesley Crusher on TNG — and we are making up for it," he said. "TNG just had him like stop the frame and walk off and never gave him any closure. We're taking that baton and doing something with it."

Celebrating the Legacy of Star Trek

While *Prodigy

is not a direct sequel to *Voyager*, the Hagemans embrace the show's connection to the original series. "Our show is not just a *Voyager* sequel. We are celebrating and introducing new people to everything about Star Trek," Kevin Hageman said. "So yeah, there should be some *Lower Decks*, there should be some TOS in there. We wanted Tribbles in an episode, Klingons, The Mirror Universe — all these things that make Trek wonderful."

Exploring Personal Arcs

The season also focuses on the personal journeys of the individual characters. "We knew right off the bat that Rok would be a bookworm, she would know everything. Straight As," Dan Hageman said. "We knew Dal would not be doing the reading, he would be very bored, struggling in school. We knew Jankom, he would see his cantankerous Tellarite ways would rub people the wrong way, so we'd love the idea of the combed-down nerd just trying to fit in. And Zero would see young love and what does that feel like?"

Introducing New Characters

The arrival of Maj’el, a young Vulcan, adds a new dynamic to the crew. "Imagine you're someone who's never seen Star Trek and this is your first experience. Who represents it more than Vulcans?" Dan Hageman explained. "So we really wanted to introduce a Vulcan character. Plus, even a Klingon, which is why there is an episode with a Klingon."

A Future Full of Possibilities

With season 2 concluding and season 3 on the horizon, the Hagemans are excited about the future of *Prodigy*. "We want to be able to grow this group because I feel like at season 6 they may have a full crew," Dan Hageman said. "Let's see what's the whole swath of what Gwyn's crew looks like."

As *Prodigy

continues to explore the vastness of the Star Trek universe, one thing is certain: these young explorers are ready to make their mark.