Starfleet Academy once held a prestigious position at the heart of the United Federation of Planets until the catastrophic event known as The Burn, which caused a devastating subspace shockwave and resulted in millions of deaths within the “Star Trek: Discovery” timeline. Now, as the Federation embarks on a new era by reopening Starfleet Academy, the latest “Star Trek” series reveals that the past may be harder to shake off than anticipated.

In its debut season, “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” not only introduces fresh faces but also pays homage to cherished characters from the franchise’s storied history. Among them is Boothby, originally portrayed by the late Ray Walston. As the Academy’s revered gardener, Boothby influenced the careers of several iconic captains. His enduring impact is honored in the new series through the Boothby Memorial Park, prominently featured early in Season 1, Episode 2. Boothby’s tenure at the Academy spanned over five decades, during which he mentored future leaders, including the legendary Jean-Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart).

Boothby played a pivotal role in guiding Captain Picard through a significant ethical dilemma in the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” Season 5 episode, “The First Duty.” This marked Boothby’s first of three memorable appearances in the series, showcasing his innate wisdom. Ray Walston stepped into this guest role with a legacy of his own, rooted in his transformation into a sci-fi icon through the 1960s sitcom “My Favorite Martian,” which aired during the same era as “Star Trek: The Original Series.”

Prior to his tenure as Boothby, Walston captured audiences’ hearts as Uncle Martin, an alien navigating Earthly life in “My Favorite Martian.” His comedic escapades, marked by near-disasters in maintaining his human disguise, brought laughter to many. Walston drew upon this comedic prowess for his role in the “Star Trek: Voyager” Season 5 episode “In the Flesh,” where he portrayed an alien masquerading as Boothby. His ability to seamlessly shift from light-hearted banter with Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran) to revealing his character’s true intentions showcased his exceptional command of tone and body language.

Before Ray Walston was Boothby in “Star Trek,” he was Uncle Martin, an extraterrestrial who crashlands on Earth in the 1960s sitcom “My Favorite Martian.” He makes plenty of mistakes while pretending to be human but always gets away with them, just about managing to keep his identity hidden. These near-misses lead to a lot of big laughs, and Walston seemingly leaned on his experience playing Uncle Martin for the “Star Trek: Voyager” Season 5 episode “In the Flesh.” In this episode, Walston portrays an alien who is posing as Boothby during a strategic simulation. In the beginning he’s his usual self, engaging in friendly conversations with Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran), but he uses the rest of his screentime to reveal his true identity and motives. The transition is seamless thanks to Walston’s mastery of tone and body language.

Ron Surma, who helped assemble the cast of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” believes that Walston was perfect for the role of Boothby. “In some cases, for certain roles, there’d be a wish list,” he told StarTrek.com. “Most of the time that didn’t work out because they weren’t available. But the one time it worked out, for example, was with Ray Walston, who was absolutely first choice.” According to director Paul Lynch, who helmed “The First Duty,” it was a joy seeing Walston and Patrick Stewart together. “An American pro and an English pro, equal, and they were terrific together,” he told StarTrek.com. Boothby had a big impact on the people he met at Starfleet Academy, and it’s clear that Walston was just as influential on set, so it’s fitting that “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” pays tribute to him with the Boothby Memorial Park.

Uncle Martin’s spaceship doesn’t feature very prominently in “My Favorite Martian” — it’s shown in the premiere episode and only pops up on a few occasions after that. However, despite not playing a big part in the sitcom, the ship left a lasting impression of a young viewer by the name of Doug Drexler, who would go on to become an Oscar-winning makeup artist, graphic designer, illustrator, and visual effects artist known primarily for his work in the “Star Trek” franchise. It was Drexler who designed the hero ship for “Star Trek: Voyager,” and he was inspired by Uncle Martin’s vessel from “My Favorite Martian.”

When he sat down for an interview with the podcast All Access Star Trek, Drexler revealed that he was obsessed with “My Favorite Martian” growing up and that the ship from the show — which eschewed the classic flying saucer shape that was popular at the time — informed the design of the USS Voyager. “I was a big fan of ‘My Favorite Martian’ with Ray Walston,” he said. “His spaceship was like a one-man sportster almost, which was hidden in a garage. And I love that design so much. I had a model of Uncle Martin’s spaceship on my desk. I did one [USS Voyager design] that had the elongated nose. And they decided: ‘That’s it.’”