The series premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds sets the stage for the episodic Star Trek show that Star Trek: Discovery season 2 all but promised. In SNW season 1, episode 1, “Strange New Worlds” Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) cuts his sabbatical short following his stint on the USS Discovery and returns to the Starship Enterprise’s center seat to rescue his First Officer, Commander Una “Number One” Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romjin) from captivity by a pre-warp society on Kiley 279 after a botched First Contact mission. Pike’s mission helps put his troubling knowledge of his future into perspective and gives him a reason to remain on the Enterprise.

The premiere emphasizes that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ characters are its beating heart. Ethan Peck’s Lt. Spock returns, seen for the first time with his fiancée T’Pring (Gia Sandhu). Legacy characters Cadet Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), and Dr. Joseph M’Benga (Babs Olasunmokun) receive spotlight introductions promising updated characterization that’s since made them fan-favorites. Security Chief Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) features heavily in Number One’s rescue, with a B-plot that seeds La’an’s SNW season 2 character arc early on. And Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) flies the ship with snark to spare.

Pike’s Actions On Kiley 279 Renames General Order One Into The Prime Directive

The Kileys Observed Discovery, Which Starfleet Can’t Acknowledge

Captain Pike learns that the warp technology on Kiley 279 isn’t a warp drive, as originally suspected when Number One attempted to make First Contact, but a warp bomb. After Number One is rescued from captivity, she explains the Kileys were able to reverse engineer warp technology after observing the USS Discovery’s final stand at Xahea in Star Trek: Discovery season 2’s finale, as Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) led Discovery into the future to escape Control. Multiple warp signatures could be observed from Kiley 279, between Starfleet ships, the Klingons, and Ba’ul fighters, giving the Kileys enough information to construct their own warp reactor.

Pike, naturally, feels responsible for warp technology being in the Kileys’ hands, and wants to do something to keep them from blowing themselves up thanks to technology that’s intended for exploration, not annihilation. Pike’s vision of his tragic and dark future has already shown him he has about a decade left before his catastrophic accident, so to make the best of his remaining time, Pike decides to forego General Order One, which dictates a policy of non-interference with pre-warp civilizations. The Kileys are in a grey area, Pike reasons, given that they technically have warp technology, and their civilization has already been contaminated by observing Starfleet activity.

Admiral Robert April (Adrian Holmes) meets with Pike and Commander Chin-Riley near the end of “Strange New Worlds” in a debriefing session colored by April’s frustration with Pike’s actions on Kiley 279. Pike is only kept from a serious court-martial because Starfleet can’t acknowledge the existence of Discovery at all, and thus can’t acknowledge that Kiley 279 got warp technology from observing Discovery’s actions. It’s a loophole that saves Pike’s skin, even as April is none too pleased by it. April remarks that Starfleet is considering renaming General Order One to the Prime Directive, to which Pike replies, “That’ll never stick.”

It does, of course, stick. Pike may not face direct consequences for his open-handed revelation to the Kileys, but he’s the reason General Order One faces an overhaul. While it remains known as General Order One throughout Star Trek: The Original Series, the evolution of the order into the Prime Directive by the time of Star Trek: The Next Generation emphasizes its importance in Starfleet’s mission of exploration. The Prime Directive becomes the foundation for many a captain’s moral quandary in Star Trek, often centering the dilemma of whether one ought to help where needed or follow the rule designed to protect everyone.

Strange New Worlds Subtly Retconned Star Trek’s Timeline (& No One Noticed)

Key Star Trek timeline events have been moved forward.

In order to show the Kileys their own potential future, Captain Pike shows them a video of Earth’s past from the historical record. It’s a collage of moments across time and around the globe, with painfully recent sights of unrest and conflict among humanity playing out onscreen. Pike explains that civil strife led to the Eugenics Wars, America’s second Civil War, and finally, World War III. Star Trek: The Original Series establishes the dates of the Eugenics Wars in the 1990s, but Pike’s video shows them happening in the 21st century. This is corroborated by Khan’s appearance as a child in La’an’s visit to the early 21st century in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”.

In Star Trek‘s timeline, these bloody events must happen for humanity to unite, but as reality encroaches on and surpasses the dates predicted by Star Trek: The Original Series, the history of the future must also shift forward. Sera (Adelaide Kane), the time-traveling Romulan bent on killing young Khan in “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”, explains the altered timeline is the result of the Temporal Wars, a background conflict promised by Star Trek: Enterprise and referenced again in Star Trek: Discovery as the reason for a 32nd-century time travel ban. The Temporal Wars’ retcons of time mean Strange New Worlds has now altered Star Trek‘s Prime Timeline.

Why La’an & Number One Knowing Each Other Is Important

La’an Noonien-Singh and Una Chin-Riley are Reflections of Each Other

When the away team comes to Una Chin-Riley’s rescue on Kiley 279, she and La’an Noonien-Singh reveal that they know each other. Captain Pike isn’t aware of this connection, but it’s an important one for both Una and La’an. Near the end of “Strange New Worlds”, La’an reluctantly reveals to Pike that she’s the lone survivor of a Gorn attack, rescued by Commander Chin-Riley, who became La’an’s mentor and inspiration to join Starfleet. La’an goes on to confess that “people are difficult” for her, implying Una might be the only person she feels comfortable around, but this conversation with Pike is, in and of itself, a small step towards La’an opening up emotionally.

La’an’s character arc in Strange New Worlds season 2 focuses on her inability to connect with people and how she starts to overcome the standoffish demeanor that masks her anxiety. La’an doesn’t let other people in, despite the deep longing for connection confessed in her “Subspace Rhapsody” solo. Number One can relate to La’an’s guardedness, being someone who kept her own cards close to her chest, but Una does what she can to help La’an open up, like in SNW season 1, episode 5, “Spock Amok”, where they both partake in the junior officers’ tradition of Enterprise Bingo. Around each other, they can be more comfortable, but it takes time for them to build trust with others.

Number One rescuing La’an is only the start of this relationship, though it brings Una’s own story full circle. Una finds some release in SNW season 2, episode 2, “Ad Astra Per Aspera”, in relating the story of the Starfleet officers who saved her, the same as La’an was inspired by Number One as her rescuer in La’an’s backstory. Una’s status as a genetically-modified Illyrian also echoes La’an being a descendant of genetically-modified Khan, when Augments are outlawed in the Federation. Number One is an image of someone who La’an could become, reflecting Strange New Worlds‘ season 1 theme of seeing your own future and deciding whether to embrace or act to change it.

Spock & T’Pring’s Relationship Is More Than Star Trek: TOS Suggested

T’Pring and Spock tried to make their relationship work.

Star Trek: The Original Series introduces Spock’s (Leonard Nimoy) wife T’Pring (Arlene Martel), in season 2, episode 1, “Amok Time,” as a secret love that no one on the Enterprise knows about, as Spock underwent his pon farr. T’Pring divorces Spock to the tune of great ceremony, in the kal-if-ee ritual combat, and she’s never seen again, implying that Spock’s betrothal to T’Pring was merely an arranged obligation that Spock had no true feelings for.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds counters with the reveal that Spock and T’Pring’s relationship, while arranged, is a genuine romantic connection. “Strange New Worlds” sees a discussion of Spock and T’Pring’s relationship obstacles that lie before their pending marriage. They’re trying to make it work, despite Spock’s commitment to Starfleet keeping him away from Vulcan, and Spock’s human side drawing disdain from T’Pring’s family, which plays out in real-time when Spock’s humanity is on full display in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5 “Charades”. Spock’s feelings for Nurse Christine Chapel later on throw an additional wrench into their relationship, even if it’s clear Spock truly cares for T’Pring.

Strange New Worlds Is The Start Of Uhura’s Legendary Enterprise Career

Nyota Uhura didn’t know if she wanted to remain in Starfleet.

Cadet Nyota Uhura is one of Strange New Worlds‘ legacy characters, reimagined for the prequel series as a young cadet uncertain of her place in Starfleet. It’s a sharp contrast to the playful confidence associated with Nichelle Nichols’ older Lieutenant Uhura, a difference also pointed out by Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) in Strange New Worlds’ season 2 crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks, “Those Old Scientists”. Mariner knows the Uhura of legend, just like viewers do, but she’s just one voice among many who see Uhura’s true, staggering potential. Pike, of course, shepherds Uhura’s career, but it’s Lt. Hemmer (Bruce Horak), seen at the very end of “Strange New Worlds”, who will become Uhura’s mentor and strongest supporter.

When Cadet Nyota Uhura is first seen at the communications console, it’s assumed that’s where she’ll stay, since that’s where she winds up in Star Trek: The Original Series. In fact, Strange New Worlds sees Uhura visit other Enterprise departments, to figure out for herself what the shape of her Starfleet career might look like if she even decides to pursue it. However, when the Kiley alien escapes sickbay in “Strange New Worlds”, Uhura’s already researched their culture enough to calm him with an unexpected discussion about tagball. It’s just a snippet of Uhura’s passion for connecting to others through culture and language, which SNW confirms with Uhura’s solo in the Strange New Worlds musical, “Keep Us Connected”.

Nurse Chapel Invented Starfleet Tech To Turn Humans Into Aliens

Chapel redefines Majel Barrett’s Nurse from Star Trek: TOS.

It turns out Nurse Christine Chapel is responsible for the medical technology that lets all those away teams blend in among alien populations. In Star Trek, it’s common for humans to become indistinguishable from aliens with a quick doctor’s visit, but the specifics of these visits are never addressed. When Pike, Spock, and La’an need to blend in on Kiley 279, Strange New Worlds finally explains how it’s done: with Nurse Chapel’s DNA-altering treatment. Chapel manages to downplay the gravity of the procedure even as she administers it with a kind of mad scientist delight, marking her as far more exciting than the future TOS Nurse Chapel (Majel Barrett) and wholly deserving of the fellowship she accepts in SNW season 2.

The process is experimental, making it dangerous and necessarily painful, but La’an Noonien-Singh refuses a sedative prior to receiving it; she wants to know what’s happening to her as it happens. It’s unclear yet whether this is because La’an feels she deserves the pain as a survivor of the Gorn’s attack on her colony ship, but it’s also possible a procedure that targets and alters her DNA gives her additional pause due to her infamous Augment ancestor Khan. La’an fears becoming like Khan in SNW season 2, worried she’s carrying something awful in her genetic code, so staying conscious while it’s altered, even temporarily, might mean she retains control of herself.

Strange New Worlds Introduces 3 Key Pike Relationships

Captain Marie Batel, Admiral Robert April, and Commander Una Chin-Riley

Three of Captain Christopher Pike’s key relationships are introduced in “Strange New Worlds”. The episode finds him in his Montana cabin, on leave from the world after Discovery vanishes into the future. Pike contemplates what his vision of his own future means, with The Day the Earth Stood Still playing in the background as he makes breakfast for his girlfriend, Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano). Batel becomes an anchor for Pike’s memories in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 4 “Among the Lotus Eaters”, the topic of his song in SNW season 2, episode 9 “Subspace Rhapsody”, and the emotional heart of the SNW season 2 cliffhanger, which sees Captain Batel’s ship, the Cayuga, captured by the Gorn.

Pike’s conversations with Admiral Robert April bookend “Strange New Worlds”, with April convincing Pike to command the Enterprise to find Commander Chin-Riley, and April’s frustrated warning to Pike closing the episode. April preceded Pike as the USS Enterprise’s captain, and Pike’s service during April’s command lends their friendship an air of familiarity. Admiral April returns later to represent Starfleet’s best interests throughout this season and next, though he tries to help when he can, being Pike’s sounding board for R’ongovian negotiations in SNW season 1, episode 5 “Spock Amok” or giving testimony in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 2 “Ad Astra Per Aspera” during Una’s trial.

Pike’s friendship with Una Chin-Riley is strong enough to prematurely pull him out of his self-imposed sabbatical. Strange New Worlds consistently proves that Christopher Pike and Number One will go to bat for each other when the chips are down. Number One trusts Pike with her secret as an Illyrian in SNW season 1, episode 3, “Ghosts of Illyria”, knowing the truth could get both of them drummed out of Starfleet. When her secret is discovered, Pike risks his own skin to help Una in “Ad Astra Per Aspera”, when he gets an Illyrian lawyer to take her case against Starfleet. Pike, likewise, trusts Una with his own secret: the knowledge of his future accident that irrevocably changes him.

Strange New Worlds Premiere Set Up Pike Dealing With His Dark Future

This is SNW’s Mission Statement & Theme for the Whole Season.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1 tells ten individual stories linked by the common themes of inevitability and whether someone can escape it. At the center of the season is Captain Christopher Pike, a man who is well aware of the debilitating fate awaiting him, and also questioning whether he should accept it or do what he can to avoid it. The episodes push and pull Pike between these options, never really landing on a definitive path so much as letting Pike decide for himself how to proceed. With a wink at the audience, Strange New Worlds says Pike knows he can’t die yet, just as the viewers do, but if he can change his fate, maybe SNW can be a different kind of prequel.

In “Strange New Worlds”, Spock prompts Pike to reflect on how his knowledge of the future could help others, which Pike takes as a cue to show the Kileans their own potential future, with 21st century Earth providing an analog to the Kileans’ present. This, he tells them, is what their world will be if they continue on this trajectory of animosity and violence. This, Star Trek tells its 21st century audience, is what reality will be, unless humanity is able to put aside its differences before it gets that bad. The Kileans are modern America, asked to reflect on their ability to take the steps to make a Star Trek future without having to go through such heavy bloodshed to get there.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds boldly tosses out General Order One in favor of letting everyone in on the real secret: the future is not so inevitable as it may seem, but a potentially malleable concept capable of shifting to accommodate its present. The timeline isn’t that rigid. Characters’ personalities and relationships are richer. Technology looks more advanced. There’s more to the story than Star Trek: The Original Series let on. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is classic Star Trek changing with the times to deliver a promise of the future that a modern audience can — and should — put its stock in.