[3] Tendi often has to deal with stereotypes that cast Orions as thieves, slavers, and pirates[5] (including from her friend Beckett Mariner in the episodes "Crisis Point" and "We'll Always Have Tom Paris").

In the episode "Terminal Provocations", Tendi reveals to Rutherford that she did not complete the required course in spacewalking at Starfleet Academy, having been given a B due to a clerical error.

In the season finale, Tendi is assigned to be the orientation liaison for a new crew member (mirroring the role Boimler played for her in the premiere)—an Exocomp named "Peanut Hamper".

However, after Peanut Hamper abandons the Cerritos during a Pakled attack, Rutherford is forced to engage in a dangerous mission that leads to him losing his memories of the season's events, which Tendi sees as an opportunity "to become best friends all over again".

The third season's premiere episode features Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford, and Tendi boarding the drydocked Cerritos without authorization as they search for evidence that will exonerate their captain—Mariner's mother Carol Freeman—from the destruction of the Pakled homeworld.

Using her pirate skills, Tendi is able to take control of the Karemma ship long enough for Deep Space Nine to lock onto the vessel with a tractor beam.

Tendi is initially dismayed that her observance of regulations led to the Cerritos's defeat and the probable replacement of the California-class with the automated Texas-class, but the incident causes Captain Freeman to realize that Aledo violated the Prime Directive.

However, a transporter accident leads to Dr. T'Ana and Cerritos chief engineer Andy Billups being merged into a single individual named T'illups, similarly to the Tuvix episode from Voyager.

When T'illups learns of Captain Janeway's decision to forcibly separate a previous transporter hybrid, he begins capturing and "Tuvixing" other Cerritos crew members.

During a visit to Ferenginar, Tendi and Rutherford are assigned to pose as newlyweds to help update Starfeet's travel guide for the planet, creating a great deal of awkwardness.

A mission to study moss in a cave leads Tendi, Rutherford, Mainer, and Boimler to reminisce about past adventures and renew their friendship despite their new responsibilities as lieutenants.

The crew attempts to obtain a warship from D'Erika, who is now overseeing her family's criminal empire, but the younger Tendi is reluctant to collaborate with the Federation.

The Orion Syndicate orders the two competing factions to settle their dispute through a dangerous race using solar sail ships, but Tendi—who has learned that D'Erika is pregnant by accessing her private logs—hinders her team's performance attempting to keep her sister out of harm's way.

The two sisters reconcile, and Tendi attempts to resolve the conflict with the Blue Orions by destroying the treasure that had been the objective of the race, though this results in the Syndicate seizing the assets of both families.

Tendi attempts to compete with T'Lyn while they (along with Mariner and a version of Data from an alternate universe) experience a year on a planet experiencing time dilation, gradually descending into paranoia and resentment.

Tendi finally reconciles with T'Lyn, and upon their return to Cerritos, Captain Freeman appoints them as co-senior science officers at the suggestion of the alternate Data.

Captain Freeman is reassigned to oversee the portal, with Tendi and the crew of the Cerritos, now led by former first officer Jack Ransom, continuing on toward new adventures.

[7] Tendi's character has been praised for adding more depth to Orion culture, moving them beyond the "slave girl" trope or simply being slavers and pirates.

[7][8] Writing for Screen Rant, John Orquiola said that "with Ensign Tendi, Star Trek: Lower Decks showcases an Orion female who isn't purely an object of male sexual gratification at last".