1. The slow descent of Fletcher
When we are first introduced to Fletcher, we see him in the best possible light, with him de-escalating a confrontation between Mariner and Dr. T’Ana, offering to finish a menial job so the two leads can go see a concert. From that point on, we see him gloriously descend into a lying, incompetent, and selfish ensign that manages to offend Mariner’s and Boimler’s sensibilities in equal measure.
Every time you learn more about Fletcher’s mistake and attempt to it cover up, Mariner and Boimler (and by extension, the audience) try and give him the benefit of the doubt since he seemed so kind and considerate at the beginning.
2. Badgey
Badgey is a rogue AI hell bent on killing its master/creator, Rutherford, who also happens to be shaped like a giant Federation badge and is voiced by Jack McBrayer. The story is somewhat typical but still quite engaging as the chipper voice we associate with Kenneth from 30 Rock acts like a sci-fi horror movie villain.
This heel turn is well earned as Rutherford seems determined to show off his programme to Tendi and admits to rushing it before ironing out all of Badgey’s bugs. This rushed showcase, resulting in harsh criticism by Rutherford, turns Badgey into a resentful, murderous, machine that is hellbent on destroying its creator.
3. The Lower Decks and the Bridge
The funnest part about the premise of Star Trek: Lower Decks is when you get to watch some low level screw-up make its way to the top of the bridge and puts the entire ship and crew at risk.
In this episode, that’s Fletcher. He didn’t finish his calibration of the isolinear cores, leaving the shields operating at half capacity and making the Federation Starship vulnerable to an attack from lowly scavengers that don’t normally pose a threat.
This raising of the stakes for the problem Mariner and Boimler are trying to solve always begins with an insignificant feeling of “don’t tell the boss” and spirals into a full on calamity that makes you all the more invested in what they’re doing.
4.Fletcher takes all the credit
Whenever this sort of trickle-up issue is resolved by Mariner and Boimler through their hard work and clever thinking, they never get the credit they actually deserve. In this instance the unfairness is even more cruel as Fletcher manages to fail up into a promotion onto another ship that just so happens to be Boimler’s dream job.
Thankfully Fletcher’s good fortune doesn’t last, as he doesn’t have Mariner and Boimler in his corner when he screws up again on the other ship. Mariner, having no interest in being promoted, is just happy that Fletcher is off the ship and screwing up elsewhere – – where she doesn’t have to deal with it.
5. Mariner and Boimler Working together
What’s also interesting about Fletcher is that he is somehow represents the worst of both Boimler and Mariner at once. He is desperate to climb rank and almost pathetically averse to getting into trouble, but also to the point that he is more than willing to break the rules. He even calls Mariner out as hypocritical since her entire personality is built around breaking the rules.
What Fletcher does is show that although both characters are very different, they do each have a strong sense of ethics. Watching someone like Fletcher made Mariner and Boimler on the same page in a way that they haven’t yet. There really is a sense that you’re watching two people who got off on the wrong foot are slowly becoming very close friends.
