Published Feb 15, 2026, 10:00 PM EST
Shaun Corley is a Staff Writer for ScreenRant, a position he has held for five years. While he enjoys many types of comics and graphic novels, he has a particular interest in the licensed Star Trek titles.
Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Lower Decks #16!
Star Trek finally closes a 59-year-old plot hole dating back to The Original Series’ second season. Given the classic Star Trek’s episodic nature, viewers were denied follow-up on many of the fascinating alien species and locations Kirk and his crew encountered. That changes with Star Trek: Lower Decks #16, which reveals the next chapter in Harry Mudd’s life.
Star Trek: Lower Decks #16 was written by Tim Sheridan and drawn by Vernon Smith. The USS Cerritos encounters the androids from The Original Series episode “I, Mudd.”
After that episode, Harry Mudd opened a chain of retail stores which offered the androids in a “Norma” or “Norman” model to people around the galaxy.
Harry Mudd Was One of Star Trek's Earliest Reoccurring Characters
Harry Mudd Would Also Appear on Star Trek:Discovery
“I, Mudd” aired during Star Trek’s second season, and marked the return of the titular “Mudd” to the franchise. Harry Mudd had been introduced early in the show’s first season as an unscrupulous and opportunistic merchant. His first Star Trek outing saw Mudd try to swindle miners on a distant planet. He would have been successful if not for Kirk.
Mudd proved popular enough to bring back for another get-rich-quick scheme. This time, Mudd was the leader of a group of androids he happened to stumble upon. During the episode, it came to light that these androids had been built eons prior by a race from outside the galaxy. That race had since gone extinct, but the androids lived on.
“I, Mudd” ended with another crushing defeat for Harry, and this would be his last live-action appearance until 2017. Harry Mudd would appear one more time, in an episode of Star Trek: The Animated Series. Rainn Wilson played a younger, seemingly darker version of the character on Star Trek: Discovery.
Star Trek Is Highly Episodic, Which Has its Pros and Cons
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Bucked This Trend
Each week, Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise meet danger head-on, be it from a supercomputer gone amuck to god-like alien beings. At the end of each episode, with the danger vanquished, the Enterprise would warp off to its next destination, never bothering to explore the fallout of its actions.
While this may seem to be a weakness of The Original Series, this criticism can also be leveled at other Star Trek shows, except for perhaps Deep Space Nine. By and large, Star Trek is episodic. Character arcs are not uncommon in Star Trek, but there is very little serialization.
The episodic approach has both its positives and its drawbacks. In theory, it allows viewers to “jump in” at any point and makes for more casual viewing. However, it also does not allow viewers to see the consequences of Kirk, Picard or Janeway’s actions. In some episodes, the crew would overthrow entire social orders, but fans never saw the aftermath.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Gave Follow-Up to a Lot of Dropped Plot Lines
"I, Mudd" Had Some Fascinating Implications for the Star Trek Universe
Star Trek Lower Decks made a point to revisit many classic stories from The Original Series. Early in the show’s run, the Cerritos visited the planet Beta III, from the first season episode “Return of the Archons.” Viewers were stunned to learn the planet quickly returned to its oppressive ways after Kirk left.
“I, Mudd” may not have exactly been screaming for a follow-up story, but Lower Decks delivered one nonetheless. The episode was peppered with fascinating tidbits, such as the androids’ makers originating from outside the galaxy. Furthermore, the final fate of the androids themselves was left vague: did Starfleet dissect them for study? Did they impact the development of Data and Lore?
The Return of Mudd's Androids Raises Some Ethical and Moral Questions
Mudd Himself Seems to be a Contradiction: He Craves Money in a Society Without It
Star Trek: Lower Decks #16 shows fans the truth: the androids were mass merchandised. They are sold for “companionship,” but the issue glosses over the ins and outs of such arrangements. It also does not reveal whether these androids are considered sentient in the same way Data is. As they are sold as merchandise, it can be assumed the answer is “no.”
While the issue does not reveal anymore about the androids’ creators, it does say what happened to the guy who found them: Harry Mudd. After the encounter with the robots, Mudd would open a chain of retail stores bearing his name. How retail stores work in a society with no money is not discussed either.
At Last, Star Trek Fans Know What Happened to Harry Mudd
Will Lower Decks Close Out More Long Lost Star Trek Plot Lines?
The Star Trek universe is big, with adventure waiting around every corner. Unfortunately, plot lines are left dangling, depriving fans of follow-up to the fascinating aliens and planets introduced along the way. The Original Series left a lot unsaid, but the final fate of Harry Mudd and his androids will not be one of them.
Star Trek: Lower Decks #16 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!
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