Annotations for *Star Trek: Lower Decks* 4x04: ā€œSomething Borrowed, Something Greenā€ (SPOILERS) - eviltoast

The title is a play on the wedding rhyme/tradition, dating back to 19th Century England, of the bride wearing ā€œsomething old, something new, something borrowed, something blue (and a sixpence in her shoe),ā€ for good luck. The green, of course, refers to the pigmentation of Orions.

The ship seems to be a new class of Orion Interceptor with some extra added bits, the original design of which dates back to the 22nd Century (ENT: ā€œBorderlandā€). The female Orion plays with a TOS style phaser pistol and then tosses it in the trash. They talk about body modification, specifically ā€œbolts in the headā€, which we saw on the Orion privateer Harrad-Sar (ENT: ā€œBoundā€).

Mariner calls Tendi ā€œDā€, which is a reminder that her full name is Dā€™vana Tendi. Tendi refers to Orion ā€œbelly dancer outfitsā€ (TOS: ā€œThe Cageā€, ā€œWhom Gods Destroyā€, ENT: ā€œBoundā€). Mariner says she has put her foot in her mouth about Orion culture enough times (LD: ā€œCrisis Pointā€, and Boimler did the same in SNW: ā€œThose Old Scientistsā€, when both assumed all Orions were pirates).

This is the first time weā€™ve heard of Andorian linen, but Andorian silk was also prized as a fabric (DS9: ā€œQ-Lessā€). On the shelves we see Boimlerā€™s plate of the Cerritos, his figures of Mirror Archer, Spock in his monster maroons and Data holding a phaser rifle (LD: ā€œI Have No Bones and I Must Fleeā€) and his ā€œBoimler Effectā€ plaque (LD: ā€œTemporal Edictā€). On Rutherfordā€™s side we see his DS9 model (and box) from LD: ā€œHear All, Trust Nothingā€ and a replica of Wesley Crusherā€™s tractor beam emitter model from TNG: ā€œThe Naked Nowā€ (also seen in ā€œI Have No Bonesā€¦ā€)

Grandmama Boimler said, ā€œA cool duvet keeps the raisin rats away.ā€ The Boimler family owns a raisin vineyard on Earth (LD: ā€œGroundedā€). ā€œLil Boneyā€ the bonsai belongs to Boimler, who acquired it reluctantly in LD: ā€œWeā€™ll Always Have Tom Parisā€.

As the Yosemite II shuttle approaches Orion, we see a space station in orbit and also an Orion barge, resembling that piloted by Harrad-Sar in ā€œBoundā€. In Star Trek Online the 25th Century version is known as a Blackguard-class Flight Deck Assault Cruiser. We see an Orion riding a purple rhino with two horns and two tusks.

Mariner references Chief Engineer Billupsā€™ background as a prince of Hysperia when she remarks that Tendi also grew up in a castle (LD: ā€œWhere Pleasant Fountains Lieā€).

One of Tendiā€™s titles is ā€œMistress of the Winter Constellationsā€ (ā€œWeā€™ll Always Have Tom Parisā€). We learn that Tendiā€™s parents are the Warrior Queen Shona and Bā€™Rt. Harrad-Sar alleged in ā€œBoundā€ that while most of the galaxy harbors the misconception that Orion women are slaves, it is actually the females who dominate the males via their pheromones.

Symbolic bridal kidnappings (as opposed to actual ones, which are considered sex crimes) are still part of some cultures on Earth. In the case of Orions, the kidnapping is done by a rival family between the save the date and the issuing of the invitations. Tendi is Prime Daughter.

The real Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain) appeared in TNG: ā€œTimeā€™s Arrowā€.

Comparing the lettering with the name of the bar (ā€œSlit Throatā€), the Orion alphabet is a straight one-for-one substitution with English (like Gorn script in SNW).

New Seattle is located on Penthara IV (TNG: ā€œA Matter of Timeā€).

Tā€™Lyn observes the Orion males in the ā€œscentuaryā€ are under the influence of chemicals, possibly pheromones. Mariner claims that Starfleet made that up to explain why a starship captain could be taken down by ā€œshow girlsā€, referring to the events of ā€œBoundā€, but is proven wrong. Tendi clarifies that only some Orions control others through pheromones, but not her. Ingreeta later claims Tendi doesnā€™t have the pheromones (but didnā€™t need it).

Coqqor is a Chalnoth (TNG: ā€œAllegianceā€) and claims to be from South Chalnoth, although the name of the planet is Chalna. Coqqor could be referring to a region or a city on Chalna.

The ship that Tendi says was one her and Dā€™Erikaā€™s favorites appears to be of the same class as the SS Raven owned by Seven of Nineā€™s family (VOY: ā€œThe Ravenā€). Tendi was raised as a Syndicate assassin, a ā€œprimeā€, to be the Tip of the Moonlit Blade.

If weā€™re keeping score, I think Mariner gets stabbed four times in the shoulder (at the Slit Throat, the scentuary, by Dā€™Erika and at the daughter-daddy dagger dance).

While Mozart has never appeared on Star Trek, many of his works have been heard over the course of the series in episodes.