‘Star Trek: Prodigy’ 2×11 Review: “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1”

An ion worm in Star Trek: Prodigy 2x11 "The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1."

Star Trek: Prodigy 2×11 “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1” finally brings us to Chakotay. But is he the Chakotay we once knew? We look for hope in the face of despair, hold the course, and learn a few lessons about persistence. Let’s jump into my review of Star Trek: Prodigy 2×11 “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1.”

Robert Beltran as Chakotay in Star Trek: Prodigy 2x11 "The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1." — CBS Studios

For the Kids

There are some good lessons for the kids in Star Trek: Prodigy 2×11 “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1” about letting people feel their feelings. The Chakotay they meet in this episode is not the same Chakotay they met previously. He’s grown bitter, tired, and mostly just sad and lonely. And the thing is, Chakotay has every right to feel that way. His circumstances are far from ideal and his first officer is gone.

But Chakotay taking his emotions out on our young crew is not okay. Dal calls him on it, calling him a “…broken old man who gives up when things get tough.” Chakotay needed to be called on his crap to get knocked out of his negativity spiral. Star Trek: Prodigy 2×11 “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1” illustrates the importance of feeling your feelings, but learning to move past them too. When we feel those feelings, only then can we truly begin to move forward with hope. That’s a good word for kids, and for the adults in the room too.

Ella Purnell as Gwyndala in Star Trek: Prodigy 2x11 "The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1." — CBS Studios

For the Adults

Star Trek: Prodigy 2×11 “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1” is surprisingly dark. Not only are we digging into Chakotay’s darkened emotional state, but we’re also dealing with the loss of Adreek. For poor Dal to find Adreek’s skeleton after being on the run from what is effectively an ion version of a Dune sandworm, is horror poured upon horror. It’s a traumatic experience that no one should have to undergo. I’m glad that Chakotay gets some closure on Adreek. I’m just sorry that it’s like this. Chakotay sees the hope he should have had in Adreek’s persistence. Adreek is a badass for choosing to hope. That’s the most badass thing anyone can do. Star Trek: Prodigy 2×11 “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1” reminds the adults that to persist in hope is its own reward. Adreek may not have seen the fruits of his hope, but his sacrifice gives Chakotay and our young crew the tools they need to escape. I think he would say that was worth it.

Ella Purnell as Gwyndala and Robert Beltran as Chakotay in Star Trek: Prodigy 2x11 "The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1." — CBS Studios

Final Thoughts

Star Trek: Prodigy 2×11 “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1” is a great episode. It deals with heavier subject matter than most shows targeting children would be willing to tackle. It deals with death, despair, and hopelessness. But by the end, we persevere through these negative things to life, optimism, and hope. It doesn’t mean we are blind to the former; we persist in spite of them. Star Trek: Prodigy 2×11 “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1” tackles this concept with much greater nuance than I’ve seen many adult-oriented shows do.

Finally, the best part of Star Trek: Prodigy 2×11 “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1” is that we at last have a way to get off the planet! With the last line and those solar panels Gwyn and Maj’el were placing, I think we’re converting the Protostar into a solar-sailor. I’m no ship head, but I am looking forward to seeing what that is like.

What did you think of Star Trek: Prodigy 2×11 “The Last Flight of the Protostar, Part 1”? Leave me a comment, and let’s talk Trek.

All episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 are streaming now on Netflix.

The Nerdy Blogger

Ashley Thomas is The Nerdy Blogger. She holds a B. A. in English Literature from Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee (c/o 2007) and completed her M. A. in Literature and Language, concentrating in Imaginative Literature at Signum University in Summer 2017. Ashley blogs, reads, writes (for fun and for hire), and spends time with her husband, Ryan, and their two cat-monsters, Oliver and Nynaeve. She and Ryan reside in Charlotte, North Carolina with a large quantity of board games, comic books, and polyhedral dice. She would like to be Brienne of Tarth, Leslie Knope, and Sylvia Tilly when she grows up.