As the Federation hangs in the balance, the crew must make the ultimate sacrifice to save Starfleet’s future.

The previous episode felt like a TNG season-closer with the sort of cliffhanger that the writers had to spend the summer writing their way out of, meaning that this episode feels like an opener. In many ways it represents a beginning and an end, as the threat is resolved and futures are set out.

The only way to stop the Construct signal is to destroy the Protostar, which in itself would create a supernova and cause untold damage. But what if that damage could be minimised by stretching the explosion across space to dampen it? And who would remain behind to detonate it?

With the main threat resolved in the first half of the episode, the last fifteen minutes sets up some tasty prospects for a second season. And what a great first year this has been. Far more sophisticated and adult than we suspected it would be, Prodigy has defied expectations by being the best animated Star Trek show – and certainly not just for kids.

Verdict: An exciting conclusion to an exemplary year. 9/10

Nick Joy