“Lost in Translation” sees the return of Hemmer and the first prime-universe appearance of James T. Kirk, each of which give Ken and Bri the opportunity to reflect on how we process love and loss.

It’s then a tonal shift — but a pitch-perfect one — as we see Boimler and Mariner from Lower Decks cross over onto the U.S.S. Enterprise. The physical manifestation of our animated characters, the self-aware humor, and the touching moments of Pike’s and Una’s futures make this unlikely union one of the best episodes of Trek ever.

Stream the audio edition of Transporter Lock above or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, Pandora, Pocket Casts, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Podchaser, or the Internet Archive.