Star Trek: Prodigy 2×13 “A Tribble Called Quest” teaches us a good lesson about making and learning from our mistakes. We meet a Klingon, and we also encounter the cutest tribble in Star Trek history. We’ve got a lot to take in, so let’s roll into my review of Star Trek: Prodigy 2×13 “A Tribble Called Quest.”
For the Kids
Star Trek: Prodigy 2×13 “A Tribble Called Quest” has a wonderful lesson about failure. It’s a good lesson for the kids in the room; it’s a lesson I need as an adult, too. We can all be so hard on ourselves when we make mistakes, kids and adults alike. No one is harder on Rok-Tahk than Rok-Tahk. Her disappointment in herself feels all too real, and frankly, all too familiar. Watching her learn to work through her mistakes, and focusing on the real priorities at hand, is encouraging. Reminding us that we shouldn’t hang our heads when we fail, but instead wear it like a badge of honor, is a great lesson for all of us. Failing means we tried, and those failures can lead to new possibilities, like an insanely cute Bribble.
For the Adults
Something adults in the room can latch onto in Star Trek: Prodigy 2×13 “A Tribble Called Quest” is what Jankom says to Zero. Zero is mourning the degradation of their physical body (aren’t we all?). Jankom says, “When Jankom finds something he can’t fix, he makes something even better,” and offers his mechanical hand to Zero. Yes, some things are outside our capacity to repair, and there’s a certain grief that comes with that. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t find or make something better. We all need that reminder.
Final Thoughts
Star Trek: Prodigy 2×13 “A Tribble Called Quest” has a lot of heart for such a short episode. Aside from so many cute tribbles, a Klingon scientist, and perhaps a horrifying tribble hideout for anyone suffering from trypophobia, the heart of the story is about perseverance. Gwyn’s conversation with Maj’el is poignant. She says, “Life’s not always logical, but neither is hope.” Hope can come in defiance of logic. That doesn’t mean it isn’t fruitful or helpful. If we continue to act on hope, our attitude changes, even if we do not get the desired results. We persist in hope, and it changes us for the better. Hope is not necessarily in vain either. Sometimes, things work out like we hope for, and sometimes, it works out even better. That’s a good word for all of us in the audience, fans old and new alike.
Finally, our crew is successful in their mission, even if it does not go how they originally planned. As Maj’el calls them, the unexpected variables actually contribute to the success of their mission. Unexpected variables happen every day, in every situation. It’s not possible to anticipate all of them, but we can learn to roll with them. That’s a good word for everyone in the room. Would that we all take it to heart. And on a completely silly note, “A Tribble Called Quest” is the best Star Trek episode name I’ve heard in ages.
What did you think of Star Trek: Prodigy 2×13 “A Tribble Called Quest”? Leave me a comment, and let’s talk Trek.
All episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 are streaming now on Netflix.
