Although Shannon Fill’s tenure as Sito Jaxa on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” was short-lived, the Starfleet ensign made a significant impact on the series. When the Bajoran made his screen debut in “The First Duty,” in 1994, he was still a cadet at the Academy. Her remarkable flying abilities land her a place on Nova Squadron, a talented group of trainees led by Nick Locerno (Robert Duncan McNeill) and Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton), while she studies to daringly go where no one has gone before.
But when they try to hide a terrible death that happened while the group was practicing the Kolvoord Starburst maneuver, everything changes. Even Nova Squadron cannot elude Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), who ultimately persuades Wesley to tell the truth. Although Locarno wins, Sito’s illegal activities will always be a black mark on her career.
The character, seeking retribution for her past, makes a comeback in the episode “Lower Decks” where she is assigned to Enterprise-D by Picard and works in security under Worf’s (Michael Dorn) guidance. However, her quest for atonement is dashed when she goes undercover as a terrorist to help a Federation informant get to Cardassian space. Sito was meant to return after the job, but sadly, nothing is ever discovered of her except the wreckage of her escape pod.
She was the best example of a Starfleet officer, and Picard, reacting to the loss, praises her courage and strength. Everyone who knew her will be deeply saddened by her passing.” When the Starfleet captain says that sincere thing, he probably doesn’t realize how correct he is.
Sito’s legacy and death heavily influenced Beckett Mariner
Fans found Sito Jaxa’s death to be particularly upsetting, despite the fact that many characters from “The Next Generation” pass away during the show. This was something that the cast and crew weren’t blind to. One of the show’s writers, Rene Echevarria, stated in the book “Star Trek: The Next Generation 365,” “There was a lot of talk about bringing her back, but we never got around to it.” Author Robert Hewitt Wolfe of “Deep Space Nine” also revealed that he was working on an episode that was going to reveal Sito’s true story, but it was ultimately rewritten. Not until “Star Trek: Lower Decks” did Sito make a triumphant return to the series.
Sito’s passing had an impact on more people than just his fans. At the Academy, she was looked up to by the rebellious ensign from the animated series, Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome). It’s revealed in Season 4, Episode 9 (“The Inner Fight”) that Mariner’s reckless behavior is a result of her loss after learning that Sito was killed during a spy mission. In addition, it makes Mariner unhappy about her promotion; she wishes she could remain an ensign instead of having to send her friends to the same fate at some point, but in the end, she accepts that she will not be getting her. Driven by Sito’s unwavering commitment to Starfleet once more, Mariner is able to prevent Nick Locarno (Robert Duncan McNeil) and the Nova Fleet from posing any further threats.
The character makes a triumphant comeback earlier in the Season 4 finale, and some Star Trek fans might have noticed that she sounds a little familiar.
They Found The Right Person To Fill The Role
Sure, Shannon Fill sounds a lot like the live-action character from “The Next Generation,” but the voice actor portraying Sito Jaxa in the animated series “Lower Decks” isn’t a transporter clone. When Fill returned to Star Trek in what was perhaps her most memorable part, she immediately became a favorite among all involved, even after taking a 35-year hiatus from acting. The creator of “Lower Decks,” Mike McMahan, stated in an interview with StarTrek.com, “she was the nicest, sweetest human being.” “To witness her record, she brought her daughter along. It was a huge joy. She and my producer are still texting. We adore her. She must attend conventions so she can witness the ardor with which the fans greet Sito.”
It was a satisfying experience for the team to have Fill back with the Bajoran ensign for “Lower Decks” after her extended hiatus from acting. “It was like we’re trying to recapture a performance that she gave that makes you feel like there’s one more,” McMahan explained. “I enjoy discovering shows that make me say, ‘Whoa, this is real?’ This character has a brief moment left to shine. Getting to accomplish it was incredibly cool.” Sito and Fill’s return to the franchise seems to have gone smoothly behind the scenes, and fans haven’t held back when it comes to sharing their opinions about the ensign’s return on “Lower Decks.”
Fans Were Psyched About Sito’s Surprise Return
In the Season 4 conclusion of “Star Trek: Lower Decks,” Sito Jaxa made a memorable casting choice that delighted many “Star Trek” fans who haven’t forgotten about the slain ensign.”Shannon Fill coming back for a brief time to reprise Sito was a delightful surprise,” wrote Redditor u/AeroPilaf.
Some, like u/jjj585, expressed relief at seeing another glimpse of her academy days but expressed hope that she would live. They stated, “I thought we were going to have a redeemed Locarno team up with Becket[t] to rescue not-dead Sito Jaxa.” The episode was fantastic, but I was hoping for help.”
However, not everyone agreed with that; some, like u/MaskedMagi1, expressed gratitude that a similar path wasn’t chosen and wrote, “I loved that they found a way to bring Sito back without invalidating the significance of her death.”
A lot of people expressed their thoughts, but some fans went a little farther in explaining why they thought it was important that Sito returned for “Lower Decks”. In an emotional post, Redditor u/Stingra87 best expressed how important the characters are to us: “Ensign Sito was one of the original Lower Deckers of the franchise, and having her still matter, after all these years, is just a love letter to how important those characters are to us.” Fans will always remember the sacrifices and hard work done by the brave men and women who serve on the lowest decks of Starfleet, because of the esteemed heritage of legendary ensigns like Sito Jaxa.
