Lower Decks crew tease Garrett Wang and other legacy Star Trek cameos for final season

"I made sure to ask some of my favorites to be in the show," creator Mike McMahan says.

Usually when the crew of Star Trek: Lower Decks say "go big or go home," it means some kind of accidental mass implosion that causes all kinds of ripples across the galaxy and really ticks off their superiors. Full disclosure, that will still very much happen when the animated comedy returns for its fifth and final season, but it will also mean a few legacy Trek characters are coming along for the ride.

Some of the key figures behind Lower Decks — series creator Mike McMahon and stars Tawny Newsome (Mariner), Noël Wells (Tendi), and Eugene Cordero (Rutherford) — tease some of those star-studded cameos, including one that has already been revealed.

"When I learned this was going to be our final season, I made sure to ask some of my favorites to be in the show," McMahon says in an interview with Entertainment Weekly and PEOPLE. Beyond that, "You’ll have to wait and see," he adds. "Every episode of season 5 builds on inspiration from classic Trek. We have some fun legacy Trek characters who make an appearance — we've already let slip that Harry Kim, played by Garrett Wang, has a really funny episode where he has to deal with the multiple versions of himself."

Harry Kim on 'Star Trek: Lower Decks,' voiced by Garrett Wang
Garrett Wang from 'Star Trek: Voyager' returns as Harry Kim in 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' season 5.

Tommaso Boddi/WireImage; Star Trek/YouTube

Wang first appeared as Harry Kim, the seemingly eternal ensign aboard the U.S.S. Voyager, on 1995's Star Trek: Voyager. (The Voyager ship made a notable appearance on the previous season.) The actor now voices the character in animated form on Lower Decks season 5, and he's been fully promoted to lieutenant this time. Plus, there are multiples of Harry.

"What I can tell you is that Garrett Wang has so much personality and energy, and he is such a vibe as Harry Kim that we couldn't have just one," Newsome says. "So we had to find a way to have multiple Garretts, multiple Harrys because [of] the fans and we've been waiting for so long to see Harry."

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"The payoff of it is amazing that it's worth the wait," Cordero adds, calling Wang's return "an unbelievable cameo" that "feels like more than a cameo."

Multiple Harry Kims on 'Star Trek: Lower Decks,' voiced by Garrett Wang
There are multiple Harry Kims in 'Star Trek: Lower Decks' season 5.

Star Trek/YouTube

Previous seasons of Lower Decks featured the likes of Jonathan Frakes as William Riker, Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi, John de Lancie as Q, Nana Visitor as Kira Nerys, and Armin Shimerman as Quark, among others. "There might be other cameos. Who knows?" Newsome says, playfully, of season 5. In other words, there will be others.

Beyond that, the actress confirms there are "definitely more explosions" coming our way. "It's not Lower Decks if something's not blowing up," she says. "You can put that on a billboard."

"Yes, season 5 is supposed to be called Lower Decks Season 5: Explosions," Cordero jokes.

Star Trek: Lower Decks season 5 premieres two episodes on Paramount+ today, followed by new episodes on the platform every Thursday. The series finale is scheduled to drop Dec. 19.

—Reporting by JP Mangalindan

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