Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Lower Decks Sesaon 3 Episode 6.The new legion of Star Trek television shows has perfected the art of incorporating throwbacks while delicately balancing the amount of nostalgia needed for the story. None more so than Star Trek: Lower Decks, the animated series created by Mike McMahan. Because of the animated nature of the show, it has featured elements from the furthest corners of the franchise. But in Season 3, the show goes further by docking at a beloved space station.

Season 3, Episode 6 Introduces Deep Space Nine Nostalgia

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Image via Paramount+

In “Hear All, Trust Nothing”, the sixth episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 3, the USS Cerritos is ordered to rendezvous at Deep Space 9 for negotiations with a Gamma Quadrant species, the Karemma. The main cast of characters, Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), D'Vana Tendi (Noël Wells), and Sam Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) are beside themselves with excitement about the impending arrival. And so are the fans. Despite the nostalgia-fest that is modern pop culture, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has been conspicuously missing among the Easter Eggs in New Trek. Star Trek: Picard Season 2 included a couple of nods, and there was that rumor about Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), but none of the cast members have reprised their roles. That changes with “Hear All, Trust Nothing”.

Nana Visitor returns as Commander Kira Nerys and her voice-acting adds a layer of levity that echoes the passage of time since the end of Deep Space Nine and her reappearance on Star Trek: Lower Decks. Armin Shimerman also returns as Quark, and we learn that Quark’s, his bar, has now become a popular franchise across the Alpha Quadrant. Quark has made a few updates to his bar, including a Gift Shop, and an inventive new machine that replicates his signature drinks.

The Episode Is More of an Homage to Deep Space Nine

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The episode is more an homage to the beloved show, and it’s evident that the writers and artists behind it know that this tribute has been a long time coming. Within the pantheon of shows, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s absence has not gone unnoticed. This is a much-loved and acclaimed show — unlike Star Trek: Enterprise, which has its fans, but not that much acclaim—so this episode is a small way to right a wrong.

From the moment the Cerritos docks at the station, the nostalgia hits you like a photon torpedo. The artists and animators have outdone themselves in recreating the exterior and interior of the station. It starts with the familiar pylons and grungy look of the station-formerly-known-as-Terok Nor, but the true beauty lies within. The Promenade, where so many adventures, relationships, loves, and losses took place will give every Trekkie the warm and fuzzies. Perfectly rendered with a few Star Trek: Lower Decks-esque comic elements thrown in (Bat’leths R’ Us anyone?), one can hardly blame the Cerritos crew for being distracted by their historic surroundings.

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The nods to Deep Space Nine are endless—Morn is, yes, still sitting at the end of Quark’s bar. D’Abo remains a popular game, and only Brad ‘Bold’ Boimler is able to best Quark’s rigged machine. There is mention of a tailor working in the Promenade, which is probably a reference to Garak (Andrew Robinson), a fan-favorite character from the series. Rutherford is overjoyed at spotting Chief O’Brien’s (Colm Meaney) dartboard and successfully dangles his legs from the second floor. Funnily enough, Rutherford is desperate to meet the junior reporter at the station, not realizing he’s sitting in the exact spot said reporter, aka Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton), used to occupy when he was younger.

Beyond the Promenade, the corridors, the negotiation room, the bridge, and the captain’s office are also perfect replicas of the show. There is an essence of melancholy as we enter the captain’s office since Benjamin Sisko never returned to his seat. Nerys is seen playing with the baseball that Sisko had permanently positioned on his table—it looks like she’s become used to her new surroundings.

Even the wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant looks like an exact duplicate from the live-action show. The creators lovingly transform Deep Space Nine into animation in this episode, so it feels like no time has passed since the show’s end.

Lower Decks Adds New Flavor to Deep Space Nine

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All this is simply set-dressing though. Star Trek: Lower Decks brings its own unique twist to the proceedings. Captain Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) is unprepared to attend the negotiations with the Karemma, so when the Cerritos arrives at the station, she asks for extra time before they dock. So, Commander Ransom (Jerry O'Connell) orders the helm to circle the pylons over and over again, all while the familiar theme from Deep Space Nine begins to play, and play… and play some more. This is a clear dig at the opening credits of the show where the visuals were primarily a 360-degree look at the station. But oh that theme tune does hit you right in the feels.

Also, it turns out Nerys and Shaxs (Fred Tatasciore) go back aways, all the way to the Bajoran Resistance. The running gag for the episode is that neither wants to owe the other for saving their life. It’s hilarious, but more than anything, it’s great to see Nerys laughing and letting her hair down.

Quark's Appearance Is a Surprising Delight

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Image via Paramount+

Quark is central to the episode’s story. The Karemma were originally introduced on Deep Space Nine when they became embroiled in a grand scheme with the Ferengi. Since the Karemma are back, a Ferengi plotline isn’t far behind. Quark has always been a tough character to love, but the scrapes he got into on Deep Space Nine often added much-needed humor to the tense arcs and seasons. In “Hear All, Trust Nothing”, he fits right in with the tone of Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Quark begins acting suspiciously when Freeman and Nerys offer him a chance a expand his franchise with the Karemma. Instead of jumping at the opportunity to make more profit (like he usually would), Quark claims to suddenly have principles. Would you have guessed he stole Karemma technology to make his franchise? In the end, Quark is kidnaped, apologetic, arrested, and has to give up 76% of all his franchise profits to the Karemma to remain out of prison! Who doesn’t love seeing that scheming Ferengi get his comeuppance?

What works in this episode is that it remains as irreverent as the rest of Star Trek: Lower Decks, but it also continues the story of Deep Space Nine, which has been missing from our screens since 1999. We’ve waited a long time for the show to be celebrated, and “Hear All, Trust Nothing” does that so well.