How Star Trek: SNW Season 2 Is Honoring Nichelle Nichols' Legacy
Contains spoilers for "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," Season 2, Episode 6 — "Lost in Translation"
Boldly exploring the adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise a few years before the adventures of "Star Trek: The Original Series." That's the premise of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," the prequel series that expands on several classic characters like James Kirk (William Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols). And "Strange New Worlds" is using Season 2 to pay tribute to Nichols' legacy as the strong lieutenant.
Nichols, who played Uhura throughout "The Original Series" and its spin-off films, as well as "The Animated Series," was one of the first Black women to be cast in a leading role on a network series. On "The Original Series," she could usually be spotted in her iconic long-sleeve red dress, similar to the dress worn by Celia Rose Gooding in her role as Uhura in "Strange New Worlds" Season 2, Episode 1, "The Broken Circle," an episode that ends with a written tribute that reads, "For Nichelle, who was first through the door and showed us the stars." Nichols died in July 2022 at the age of 89.
Uhura and Kirk (Paul Wesley) meet for the first time in "Strange New Worlds" Season 2, Episode 6, "Lost in Translation." It's a big moment for "Star Trek" since the two characters later share one of TV's first interracial kisses, in "The Original Series" Season 3, Episode 10, "Plato's Stepchildren," which premiered in 1968.
Gooding was excited for fans to see Kirk meet Uhura and Spock
As Kirk and Uhura chat at the end of "Lost in Translation," Spock (Ethan Peck) walks over to introduce himself to Kirk. The final moments of the episode should bring plenty of excitement to fans of "The Original Series." It's a scene even Celia Rose Gooding was excited to film, telling Trekmovie.com, "When the cameras come on and we realize that we are now Kirk, Spock, and Uhura at our fancy little Enterprise space bar having a talk about what we've all just experienced, it's incredible. ... It's essential Trek history. ... It's like one of those things you get so excited about because you know how much it means to people."
Although the last original "Star Trek" movie, "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," was released in 1991, Nichelle Nichols continued to reprise her role as Uhura in various "Star Trek"-related media, including video games, fan-made content, and even a podcast series. She also helped promote real-life space exploration by encouraging women and people of color to become astronauts in NASA. Upon the news of Nichols' death, Gooding wrong on Twitter, "She made room for so many of us. She was the reminder that not only can we reach the stars, but our influence is essential to their survival."