For All Mankind’s Mars Colony Echoes Deep Space Nine In Apple TV’s Sci-Fi Series

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Warning: SPOILERS For For All Mankind Season 5

Season 5 of For All Mankind features a setting reminiscent of Star Trek‘s Deep Space Nine. With a 94% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the new season intensifies the conflict on Mars. The five thousand people living on the Red Planet are striving for independence from Earth, and a murder investigation is adding fuel to an already tense situation in Happy Valley.

Season 3 of For All Mankind focused on the intense competition to become the first to land humans on Mars, involving NASA, the Soviet Union, and the private company Helios Aerospace. By Season 4, the established Mars colony, known as Happy Valley, had grown, now including areas managed by North Korea. However, life on Mars wasn’t perfect, as Helios workers were increasingly frustrated with their risky jobs and low wages.

After Helios stole the Goldilocks asteroid, season 5 of For All Mankind begins in 2012. Happy Valley has grown significantly, now home to five thousand people, including a group known as ‘Craters.’ It’s become a lively small town, and Mars now boasts a thriving community and economy. The residents of Happy Valley gather at a central meeting place, similar to the space station in Deep Space Nine.

For All Mankind’s Mars Colony Has Its Own Deep Space Nine Promenade

Fans of Star Trek have noticed a striking similarity between the mall in season 5 of For All Mankind and the promenade on Deep Space Nine. This central gathering place in Happy Valley is a multi-level shopping and dining area, featuring familiar brands like Starbucks and Domino’s Pizza. It even includes a gift shop where visitors can buy souvenirs of their journey to Mars.

In season 4 of For All Mankind, Ilya Breshov (also known as Dimiter M. Marinov) ran an underground speakeasy and smuggling business. But ten years later, he’s turned his life around. Now, Ilya co-owns Ilya’s Bar and Restaurant with Miles and Amanda Dale. The bar has a similar vibe to Quark’s Bar from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, acting as a central gathering place within the world of For All Mankind.

The mall in Happy Valley strongly resembles the central hub of the space station from Deep Space Nine. Like the show’s promenade – which featured multiple shops and businesses – Happy Valley’s mall serves as a bustling commercial center. This isn’t a coincidence, given the show’s connection to Star Trek, with For All Mankind created by Star Trek veteran Ronald D. Moore and advised by technical experts Michael and Denise Okuda.

Deep Space Nine marked a departure for Star Trek. Unlike previous series focused on traveling the galaxy, DS9 was a fixed location visited by many different alien races. Similarly, the series For All Mankind features a growing Martian colony governed by Leonid Polivanov (played by Costa Ronin), a representative from the Soviet Union.

Developing a central gathering place similar to the promenade from Deep Space Nine feels like a natural progression for the show For All Mankind, further solidifying its ties to Star Trek.

Only 3 Star Trek Shows Exist In For All Mankind’s Alternate Reality (So Far)

A lot of Star Trek enthusiasts see For All Mankind as a sort of backstory to the original series. In season 4, For All Mankind finally addressed whether Star Trek exists within its alternate timeline, and the answer was unexpected, revealed through the eyes of dedicated Star Trek fan and commander, Danielle Poole (played by Krys Marshal).

According to Ronald D. Moore, as of 2003, the alternate history of Apple TV+’s For All Mankind includes only three Star Trek series – The Original Series, Phase II, and The Next Generation – and one movie, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. Ron Moore confirmed that this version of history skips Star Trek: The Motion Picture, making Wrath of Khan the first Star Trek film released in theaters.

By 2012 in For All Mankind season 5, it’s conceivable that another Star Trek television series – maybe even Deep Space Nine – and additional Star Trek films could have been made. However, because the show’s version of the space race is so compelling and realistic, with people actually living on Mars, the public isn’t as interested in the more fantastical elements of Star Trek compared to our world.

As a big fan of both shows, it doesn’t really shock me that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine might not exist in the world of For All Mankind. Honestly, Happy Valley feels like a real-life version of Deep Space Nine – it’s got that same lively central area, and Ilya’s Bar and Restaurant totally gives me Quark’s vibes, acting as the place for drinks, food, games, and even a little escapism.

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2026-04-06 15:19