Perhaps surprisingly, Star Trek's two greatest crossovers would not work without Star Trek: Lower Decks' Lieutenant Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Lieutenat Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome). With its premiere in 2020, Star Trek: Lower Decks brought the world of adult animation to Star Trek with a series focused on the lowest-ranked crew aboard Starfleet's USS Cerritos. With its niche references and classic Trek stories, Lower Decks acts as a love letter to the entire franchise, while also being good Star Trek in and of itself.

Like most Star Trek shows, Star Trek: Lower Decks features an ensemble cast, in this case, comprising the various crew of the USS Cerritos. Still, Boimler and Mariner act as the show's main characters, and the pair have become two of the most essential in modern Star Trek. Through their voice performances, Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome bring such personality to their Star Trek characters, making them feel larger than life and surprisingly realistic at the same time.

Why Star Trek's 2 Greatest Crossovers Don't Work Without Jack Quaid's Boimler & Tawny Newsome's Mariner

Boimler & Mariner's Friendship Transcends Universes & Timelines

In the first major Star Trek: Lower Decks, Ensigns Boimler and Mariner made the jump to live-action in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 7, "Those Old Scientists." When the crew of the USS Cerritos finds a portal on the planet Krulmuth, Boimler and then Mariner get pulled through and find themselves aboard the 23rd century USS Enterprise of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). Boimler cannot hide his excitement about meeting so many of his heroes, and even Mariner cannot help but feel wonder at the prospect of spending time with Starfleet greats.

Boimler and Mariner prove to be equally important in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5, episode 9, "Fissure Quest," which involves characters from multiple Star Trek timelines. Boimler and Mariner discover that their friendship transcends universes when an alternate universe Mariner (who's an engineer) helps Captain William Boimler discover the cause of the quantum fissures that have been appearing all over the galaxy. Boimler and Mariner make a great team in any universe, and they have helped save the galaxy together more than once.

Mariner & Boimler Might Be Star Trek On Paramount Plus' Most Important Characters

Star Trek Needs To Find Some Way To Continue Boimler & Mariner's Story

Modern Star Trek has made Brad Boimler and Beckett Mariner two of its most important characters. Not only have they both helped save the galaxy multiple times, but they have also made significant contributions to the Star Trek universe in other ways. Both Boimler and Mariner have had incredibly strong character arcs throughout Star Trek: Lower Decks' five seasons, as they learn more about themselves and each other. They have both come to embody the ideals of Starfleet, and it would be a shame for their stories to end without seeing how high they can climb.

Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover with Strange New Worlds has already proven that both actors can carry their characters over to live-action.

As Star Trek: Lower Decks comes to an end on Paramount+, fans can only hope that this does not mean the end of Boimler and Mariner as characters. Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover with Strange New Worlds has already proven that both actors can carry their characters over to live-action, but another animated show or movie could also continue their story. It remains to be seen how Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 will wrap up its story, but here's hoping the franchise finds a way to ensure Boimler and Mariner live on.