Tear Jerker / Star Trek: Prodigy

As a Moments subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.

Star Trek: Prodigy

Season 1

"Lost and Found"

• The fact that orphaned children (including an adorable, terrified Caitian kitten) are sometimes enslaved at Tars Lamora and the Diviner refers to the workers as the unwanted.

"Starstruck"

• Rok's introduction to the food replicators is heartbreaking. After Hologram Janeway tells them they can order whatever they want, for free, Pog seizes the opportunity to order a huge plate of his favorite food... but Rok gets uncomfortable and just mutters "I'll have what he's having." Janeway, sensing something amiss, gently encourages her to order whatever she wants... so Rok orders a plate of Nutri-Goop, the same stuff they were fed at Tars Lamora. She doesn't have a favorite food, because she's never eaten anything else.
• Dal's first impulse after learning about The Federation is to run like hell in the other direction. To him, a powerful society dedicated to peace and freedom is simply too good to be true.
• In the previous episode, the Diviner reacted warmly to Gwyn being protective of the young Caitian. We now learn that as soon as Gwyn was gone, the kitten was put to work doing manual labor in the mines, showing how little respect Gwyn's father actually has for her decisions.

"Dreamcatcher"

• Dal desperately wants to be united with his parents but can't remember what they look like.
• The reason Gwyn sees through the illusion/replica of her father? It tells her "I'm proud of you", something Gwyn doesn't think her father would ever actually say to her.
• At the end, the kids are stranded on an alien world with killer vines, separated from the ship, and have the Diviner coming straight to their location. And Dal does not hesitate to let Gwyn know that it’s her fault.
  • There's also the look on her face. It's the first time that she's genuinely seemed like a kid, in her complete, absolute fear and uncertainty, out of control of things happening.

"Terror Firma"

• Rok-Tahk saying that the cute animal illusions weren't afraid of her appearance suggests that she's always wanted friends who aren't afraid of her but has never had any. However, it's also heartwarming because now she has such a group of friends.
• Dal and Gwyn bond over their illusions. Dal wants something he can never get back, and Gwyn wants something her father will never give her.
• Though Dal has been flippant about being an unknown species before, here he reveals that it does bother him that he doesn't really know what he is, and would give anything for someone to tell him what he is rather than being asked that question by others.
• The minute he arrives, the Diviner is met with a Friend-or-Idol Decision between claiming the Protostar or rescuing Gwyn from the vines. He chooses the former, albeit with some remorse. Whatever he wants the ship for, it is apparently worth more to him than his own daughter’s life.

"First Con-tact"

• Nandi, the woman who took in and raised a young Dal, willingly sold him to the Diviner for a profit and to toughen him up. The poor boy is CRUSHED to learn this.
• As holo-Janeway points out, their actions have taught the peaceful, welcoming inhabitants of that world to fear outsiders. Worse yet, since Dal left his combadge with the recovered crystal, if Starfleet ever makes contact with that race, they will immediately be suspicious of them.

"Time Amok"

• Being stuck in the slowest time, poor Rok was alone for who knows how long, with only holodeck footage of her friends to keep her company. It took her 276 tries to repair Holo-Janeway, plus however long she spent teaching herself the skills to do that. When Gwyn asks Janeway how long Rok was alone, all Janeway says is, "Too long".
  • Extra tears earlier when Rok is doing the repair and tells Holo Janeway she wishes she could hug her. Did we mention that Rok is only 8?!
• Dal nearly crossing the Despair Event Horizon when he realizes he’s missing a crucial part, and Janeway comforting him as the warp core explodes.
  Dal: I told you I'd mess it up.
  Janeway: You didn't. You added a piece to the puzzle. It may not be finished but you're all in this together.

"A Moral Star, Part One"

• Gwyn was teaching the Caitian captive who was brought in the first episode some linguistic programs before she left. When the Protostar returns to Tars Lemora, the Caitian is among the miners. Whatever Gwyn might have meant to do for the poor girl, the Diviner and Dreadnok had no intention of treating her as anything but one of the mass of "the Unwanted."

"A Moral Star, Part Two"

• Zero is horrified when Gwyn catches a glimpse of their true form and is rendered catatonic. They never leave her side in Sickbay until she recovers. They're also the loudest and most excited when Dal walks her on to the Bridge—clearly they're still not over what happened, even though it was a complete accident.

"All the World's a Stage"

• In the end, Ensign Garrovick was never rescued by his shipmates. Red Shirt jokes aside, Captain Kirk took the responsibility of keeping his crew alive incredibly seriously. Losing Garrovick, especially after the events of "Obsession" would have crushed him.
• Seeing the iconic Galileo shuttlecraft rusted out and abandoned is heartbreaking. The fact that it's leaking pollution and poisoning innocent locals makes it even worse.

"Masquerade"

• Dal finally learns who and what he is: a genetic experiment. He has no family, no species, no heritage outside of illegal augment research. No surprise that he's badly shaken and unsure of himself.

"Mindwalk"

• Gwyn and company, absent Dal, get to finally meet Vice Admiral Janeway, due to the problem of the week. While they're talking, Gwyn brings up that maybe Janeway could put in a good word for them with the Federation, not just in general, but specifically for Starfleet membership or the Academy when the time comes, and mentions that Dal would be particularly thrilled. The Admiral has the unfortunate task to then break the news... Dal, due to Federation law regulating genetic augmentation, will, barring a major change in the law, be barred from ever serving in Starfleet. The fact that he's over on the Dauntless, blissfully clueless, just makes the kids' reveal more depressing.

"Supernova, Pt. 1"

• There's no need for Dal to find out about the rejection as Gwyn is forced to reveal the truth as the Protostar is under attack and may be boarded. This is after Dal unwittingly kisses Gwyn, believing she was going to say something about them. He's devastated by the news and is greatly depressed, the only thing he can do is make sure that his friends can get in if he can't.
• Dozens of ships are infected when the Living Construct activates, including fan favorites like the Defiant, the Thunderchild, and even (maybe) the Enterprise-E.^note There is one Sovereign class ship at the start of the battle with conflicting information. The saucer says it is the Sovereign but the registry on the nacelle reads "1701-E", and the Sovereign is later seen warping into the situation at the end.
• The crew successfully calls non-Federation aligned ships for help, only for Starfleet ships to keep coming and getting infected thanks to automatic distress signal. Kids can only watch as the Federation ships keep destroying each other.
• The death of the Diviner is surprisingly heart-wrenching. Though Ascencia insulted him as she escaped, the fact that he did manage to protect Gwyen allows him to at least die happily.
  Diviner: (weakly) There is no barrier we cannot overcome, for you are my daughter, my spirits some, my Gwyndala... (dies, then fades away into blue dust)

"Supernova, Pt. 2"

• Holo Janeway sacrifices herself and the Protostar to save the prodigies and Starfleet itself. The kids are clearly heartbroken to lose the closest thing they've had to a mother, especially since she had just assured them that she duplicated her program so that she could still escape with them.
  • Her final speech to the prodigies is particularly moving.
  Janeway: There was no way for me to leave. Over the course of my time with you, I've grown. Literally. My program has become too large, too rich, and too complex for some tiny little chip. It just wasn't possible to remove me from the computers in time.
  Dal: (tearing up) She... stayed on the ship, Rok.
  Jankom: No!
  Rok: Janeway...
  Janeway: And knowing how stubborn you all are - especially you, Jankom - I did what I had to, so you could fulfill your potential. I'm truly proud to see how far you've all come. My only regret is not being there when you arrive at the steps of Starfleet Academy.
  Rok: (openly crying) But we don't have navigation!
  Janeway: You may think you need me to get there. But after seeing everything you've accomplished. I have full confidence; you'll find your way. Because together, your potential is infinite. Now, go boldly...
• Dal is saddened to learn that Gwyn is leaving for Solum instead of joining Starfleet with the others. This leads to them sharing a genuine farewell kiss.
• Everyone gets something of a makeover in this episode, but of particular note is Zero, who gets a shiny new body made with Federation engineering rather than something makeshift based on whatever spare parts were available. The tearjerker here is Zero's gentle cry of wonder upon looking at the result, like someone finding themselves in a body that they can be comfortable with for the first time.

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