Star Trek‘s animated series Lower Decks is currently on its fourth season and somehow, one of Star Trek’s creepiest aliens has returned. We won’t blame you if you didn’t catch it, but as always there are dedicated and extremely eagle-eyed super fans out there to spot these things for you.
In Star Trek Lower Decks season 4 episode 2, entitled I Have No Bones, Yet I Must Flee, we see Narj’s Miraculous Menagerarium. And amongst the creatures on display is a Ceti eel – which we’ll be honest, looks more like an armadillo than an eel. It’s actually the more squelchy and wriggly leech-like young of the armadillo-looking creature that you have to look out for – as discovered by Chekhov and Terrell when they encounter infamous villain Khan in the best Star Trek movie – Wrath of Khan.
In the iconic torture scene, Khan and his giant pecs lift Chekhov aloft and then he reveals that the Ceti eel killed his beloved wife. “The young enter through the ears and wrap themselves around the cerebral cortex – this has the affect of rendering the victim extremely susceptible to suggestion. Later, as they grow, follows madness and death.” Gnarly.
The ‘ear bugs’ are then dropped into Chekhov and Terrell’s helmets and worm their way into their ears – it’s horrifying stuff – comparable to the peeper beetle in the Netflix series Dark Crystal – Age of Resistance.
Star Trek Lower Decks’ last episode was called Something Borrowed, Something Green – they really know how to do episode titles. Nothing in season 4 is likely to live up to Those Old Scientists though – which was the crossover episode to a Strange New Worlds episode. Getting to see Boimler and Mariner in live-action was such a treat.
Check out our guide to the best Star Trek captains and the best Star Trek starships. For more upcoming TV series, check out our guides to House of the Dragon season 2 and Demon Slayer season 4.