Star Trek: Discovery Finale’s Saucer Separation Was An Awesome TNG Tribute

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 10, "Life, Itself"

Summary Star Trek: Discovery's finale pays tribute to TNG with an epic saucer separation.

Discovery's saucer separation scene honors TNG while adding a unique Discovery twist with the spore drive.

The USS Discovery survived its series without destruction, unlike the USS Enterprise-D.

Star Trek: Discovery's series finale included a great tribute to Star Trek: The Next Generation with its saucer separation scene. The series wrapped up its run with an action-packed episode and flash-forward coda that wonderfully paid tribute to Discovery's cast of characters. Before its heartfelt ending, however, Discovery resolved its season-long conflict with the Breen and the search for the Progenitor's technology by depicting one final fight between the USS Discovery and a Breen Dreadnaught.

During the fight, Discovery performed a saucer separation in order to facilitate the crew's coup de grâce against the Breen. Saucer separation was first introduced in Star Trek: TNG's pilot episode, "Encounter at Farpoint," when the crew of the USS Enterprise-D used it in their fight against Q (John de Lancie). Since then, saucer separation has been used sparingly in Star Trek TV shows and movies, but Discovery's use of it in the finale paid the perfect tribute to TNG first introducing the concept.

2:39 Related Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Finale Ending & Shocking Epilogue Explained Star Trek: Discovery comes to an end with season 5's finale wrapping up the Progenitors treasure hunt and an epilogue concluding the entire series.

USS Discovery’s Saucer Separation Was An Awesome Star Trek: TNG Tribute

Discovery's season finale really did the saucer separation justice

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In a season full of references to TNG, Discovery's saucer separation was a wonderful final tribute to the show. Discovery's use of the maneuver mirrored TNG's first use in terms of stakes and drama and even included a further TNG reference by having Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) be the one in charge during separation, something that echoed Commander William Riker's (Jonathan Frakes) involvement in TNG's pilot. However, Discovery made saucer separation uniquely its own with its use of the spore drive. The maneuver in the finale was truly epic, much like the first on-screen instance of it in TNG.

Discovery's saucer separation scene was both a more subtle and bigger tribute to TNG, bringing everything full circle.

Discovery season 5 has included many references to TNG throughout its 10-episode run. The entire premise of the show's final season was based on the episode "The Chase," re-introducing the Progenitors and expanding on their lore in a way that made both shows feel like they had a clear throughline. Additionally, the finale included some further TNG Easter eggs with Geordi La Forge's (LeVar Burton) VISOR and a bottle of Château Picard wine in Dr. Kovich's (David Cronenberg) office. Discovery's saucer separation scene was both a more subtle and bigger tribute to TNG, bringing everything full circle.

Discovery’s Finale Proved Captain Burnham’s Ship Beat Picard’s TNG Enterprise

The USS Discovery has an edge over the Enterprise-D

The finale also proved that Discovery beat the USS Enterprise-D in one particular area: it was never destroyed. Although it gained a place as one of the most iconic ships in the franchise, the Enterprise-D continued a Star Trek: The Original Series tradition of destruction when it was damaged beyond repair in Star Trek Generations. The Enterprise-D made some surprising returns, mainly in Star Trek: Picard season 3 for one final mission, but its crash in Generations cemented its mostly permanent decommission and the end of its service.

In contrast, and despite immense odds, the USS Discovery made it through five seasons without being permanently destroyed, and Star Trek: Discovery's finale made it clear that the ship would never be truly decommissioned. Thanks to the existence of Zora (Annabelle Wallis) the ship could never be completely brought out of service, as this would be harmful to a sentient life form. Although Zora and Discovery may have to wait decades for the events of the Star Trek: Short Treks "Calypso" to take place, as long as Zora is alive, Discovery will continue to function.

All episodes of Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: The Next Generation are available to stream on Paramount+.