Difference Between DS9's Red Squad & TNG's Nova Squadron Explained By Star Trek Executive Producer

Star Trek: Prodigy

admonition : This Article Contains spoiler for Star Trek : Prodigy Season 2

Summary

Star Trek : Prodigyco - executive manufacturer Aaron J. Waltke reveal down the difference between Nova Squadron fromStar Trek : The Next Generationand Red Squad fromStar Trek : Deep Space Nine . Star Trek : Prodigyseason 2 introduces Maj’el ( Michaela Dietz ) , a Vulcan Starfleet Academy plebe who is part of a new generation of Nova Squadron . Maj’el and Nova Squadron begin as rivals of Dal R’El ( Brett Gray ) and the young Starfleet hopefuls of the USS Protostar before the Vulcan becomes part of their crew .

Aaron J. Waltke joinedScreen Rantfor a deep dive into theStar Trek : traditional knowledge inStar Trek : Prodigyseason 2 , and he explainedwhy Starfleet Academy has both a Nova Squadron and a Red Squad , compare the elite cadets toTop Gun . Waltke also confirms the accurate status of Maj’el withinStarfleet Academy ’s Nova Squadronand why they begin with animosity towards Dal R’El and his friends aboard the USS Voyager - A. Read Aaron ’s quote below :

So this is something that has kind of been alluded to in TNG , specially in “ The First Duty , ” and you see a little bit of it in Lower deck of cards . And then also , there ’s Deep Space Nine episode like “ Valiant ” that deal with [ Starfleet Academy ] squads and that sort of thing . And I think the mode that we viewed it was we likened it to be a little bit like Top Gun . Like , there ’s a lilliputian flake of a rivalry ab initio , between Iceman and Maverick . And you detest Iceman . But then , as the show goes on , you ’re like , ‘ Oh , they ’re just pushing each other to be better . ’ And in the end of Top Gun , Iceman comes around , and they help each other because at long last , even though there ’s a friendly contention , they ’re all part of the same formation attempt to make the world a estimable place . And that ’s how we wrapped our heads around how you’re able to have that kind of competitiveness in the utopian society .

In term of Maj’el , and Grom , and Zeph ’s office in [ Nova Squadron ] , in the orifice , you take heed them referred to as Nova Squadron nominee . So I do n’t mean this has ever been enlighten fully in Star Trek lore , but we kind of visualize them as a little bit like fraternities with specialized training . Nova Squadron be given to be more about sort of aid conn officers become their best selves , whereas Red Squad , I think , is more specifically about command or something to that effect . So in this case , they ’re candidates , so we viewed them a short number as like toast in a tentative period to bring together Nova Squadron . They want to prove themselves on this mission with Voyager for get fully take into it . And you ’re right , they do have the pips , the Academy pips , which means that they are , in fact , in Starfleet Academy , which kind of further solidifies in some ways that contention [ with the Protostar kids ] . They snuff it the traditional road , they pass old age training , receive into the Academy , and I think Maj’el even has four blip . So she ’s pretty well along and is excelling . And then here come Janeway ’s troublemakers who have hardly any experience beyond a little bit of prep training . And now they get to be on the ship and are sort of treat as instructor ’s pets .

And so , you empathise there ’s a footling snatch of ‘ How did they get in there ? ’ And I retrieve we even had a scene that unfortunately was cut for time in the airplane pilot , where they are playing Parrises squares against each other , and Nova Squadron just dominate , And then [ Dal ’s friends are ] like,’You’re being unjust ’ . And Maj’el say , ‘ You are correct . This is unjust . Why did you get to jump to the front of the occupation when there are clearly far more certified candidates to be on this mission ? ’ So it all comes from a place of logical system wrap up up with the pressure to do , and ego . But ultimately , as you see , as the season goes on , they kind of get together , and Dal gets to sub in for Grom in Nova Squadron . And they ’re like , ‘ we all have something to learn each other . ’ And that was where we want to go with that .

Star Trek : Prodigy season 2 set in motion a new Protostar Class starship with a new gang , and their mission wo n’t stop up the way DS9 ’s Red Squad did .

Custom image by Yailin Chacon

Star Trek: TNG’s Nova Squadron & DS9’s Red Squad Explained

Starfleet’s elite cadets have caused a lot of trouble

Debuting inStar Trek : The Next Generationseason 5 ( and seen again inStar Trek : Lower Decksseason 4),Nova Squadron was already in disgraceas they covered up the death of one of their classmates in an illegal flight play . The concept ofelite Starfleet cadets who behave badlycontinued inStar Trek : Deep SpaceNine time of year 4 , which usher in Red Squad . This new group of elect cadet joined Admiral Layton ’s ( Robert Foxworth ) coup d’etat attempt to take control of Earth . InDS9season 7 , Red Squad crew the USS Valiant on a foolhardy mission against the Dominion that get nearly all of the cadets kill .

Wesley Crusher ( Wil Wheaton ) was part of Nova Squadron while Ensign Nog ( Aron Eisenberg ) briefly joined Red Squad , and both determine the folly of each elect group of cadets .

Themistakes made by Nova Squadron and Red Squadhappened many years originally , andStar Trek : Prodigyseason 2 goes a tenacious mode toward pay off Nova Squadron . As Aaron J. Waltke explicate it , Maj’el and her Nova Squadron squad had a logical ground to resent Dal R’El and the USS Protostar ’s bunch . Butworking together foster savvy , friendship , and bowelless loyalty - exhibiting the best traits of a Starfleet Officer . At the end ofStar Trek : Prodigyseason 2 , Maj’el officially joins the bunch of the new USS Prodigy , create a new course of elite Starfleet cadet as a beacon of light to the galaxy .