WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for the Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4 finale, "Old Friends, New Planets."
Summary
- Star Trek: Lower Decks chooses not to resurrect Ensign Sito Jaxa, honoring her noble sacrifice and keeping her memory as a part of Mariner's story arc.
- Sito Jaxa's death plays a significant role in Mariner's character development, as it reinforces her values and prevents her from falling for Nick Locarno's lies.
- The finale of Lower Decks confirms that Sito Jaxa's sacrifice is remembered and appreciated, showcasing her lasting impact on the next generation of Starfleet officers.
Although it was an enticing prospect, Star Trek: Lower Decks made the right call not to bring Star Trek: The Next Generation's Ensign Sito Jaxa (Shannon Fill) back from the dead. Lower Decks previously revealed that the ill-fated Bajoran Ensign was a Starfleet Academy contemporary of a young Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome), potentially teasing a comeback for the character. Ultimately, the Lower Decks season 4 finale doesn't bring Sito back from the dead, but instead honors the importance of her Star Trek legacy.
Star Trek: The Next Generation's Ensign Sito Jaxa died in the episode "Lower Decks", which had a huge influence on Mike McMahan's animated comedy series. The influence of the classic TNG episode on Star Trek: Lower Decks is embodied by the connection between Mariner and Sito. As a former member of Nova Squadron, Sito was also close with Nick Locarno (Robert Duncan McNeill), the main villain of Lower Decks season 4. Because of this, Sito comes up during Mariner and Locarno's final confrontation, as they argue over the meaning of her TNG sacrifice.
