Best Easter Eggs And References In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

When Captain Pike, Spock, and Number One made their debut in the second season of "Star Trek: Discovery" aboard the original USS Enterprise, it wasn't long before fans were calling for the three classic characters to get their own spinoff series. Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, and Rebecca Romijn got rave reviews and continued their appearances in a pair of episodes of "Star Trek: Short Treks." As a result, it came as little surprise when "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" was announced as the next original streaming series on Paramount+.

Set less than a decade before "Star Trek: The Original Series," "Strange New Worlds" is set on the same Enterprise and features many of the same characters. Though it ties into the original series pilot "The Cage" by featuring Captain Pike, there's still much we don't know about this era of "Star Trek," which provides a wealth of story possibilities for the ship and its crew. It also means there are plenty of opportunities for Easter eggs, references, and connections to the wider lore. The first episode alone, simply titled "Strange New Worlds," references just about every previous series, with allusions to characters and moments from every era of "Star Trek." 

Already renewed for a second season, we're excited to see how the series takes the franchise up to the days of Captain Kirk. For now, though, we're watching every episode and are keeping our eyes peeled for all those Easter eggs, references, and connections. Scroll on to see the best ones we've found in Season 1 of "Strange New Worlds."

Called back into service by Admiral "Bob," Christopher Pike finds himself in a Starfleet uniform once again and being ferried to a space dock where the Enterprise is waiting for him. He is taken by a young Starfleet officer aboard a shuttlecraft that bears a striking resemblance to the shuttles seen on "Star Trek: The Original Series," reimagined and redesigned for the new series. The name of that shuttle provides our next Easter egg. Calling station control, the officer announces her arrival aboard the Shuttle Stamets. It doesn't take a diehard Trekkie to know the shuttle is a reference to "Star Trek: Discovery" star Anthony Rapp and his character Paul Stamets, the Federation's leading astromycologist. But why would Starfleet canonize him by naming a shuttle after an active Starfleet scientist?

Well, because technically Stamets is no longer active in this era. At the conclusion of Season 2 of "Star Trek: Discovery," the USS Discovery must travel into the far future to save billions of lives from a galactic threat. Due to the nature of the threat, the mission was classified, and Starfleet considered the vessel lost with all hands. As far as anyone on "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" is concerned, the entire crew is dead, including Stamets. It would seem that not long after the ship's "destruction," Starfleet commemorated the officer by naming one of Enterprise's shuttles after him. This is an appropriate honor, as it fits the Enterprise's theme of naming its shuttlecraft after famous scientists, with "Star Trek: The Original Series" featuring shuttles named for historic thinkers like Galileo and Einstein.

As the crew grapples with the dilemma of Kiley 279, Spock realizes the problem. It turns out that the people on the planet haven't developed warp drive — the first necessary step towards making them worthy of first contact — but instead developed a so-called warp bomb. In a briefing room, Spock discusses the problem with Captain Pike and acting first officer Noonien Singh. As he describes the normal process of first contact procedures, he notes that the Vulcans created the process, to which Pike responds with a proverbial eye roll, "as they never fail to remind us."

This attitude towards the Vulcans, and their perceived smug superiority, is a callback to "Enterprise," a prequel set nearly a hundred years before "Strange New Worlds." There we learned that ever since Vulcans made first contact with Earth in 2063 — as seen in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" era film "Star Trek: First Contact" — they have been helping to guide Earth's progress towards a larger role in the interstellar community. However, many saw the Vulcans as a limiting force on humanity's progress. Some, including Captain Archer, saw the Vulcans as arrogant and overbearing. 

In fact, Archer's mission on the Enterprise had been opposed by the Vulcans, who ultimately assigned their own officer, T'Pol, aboard the ship. Onboard, T'Pol often cited long-held Vulcan procedures, rules, and regulations, including those of first contact with pre-warp worlds, which Archer took under advisement, but often ignored.

Back aboard the Enterprise after their away mission to Kiley 279, Pike, Spock, and Noonien Singh speak again in a briefing room. There, they discuss how to proceed with a pre-warp culture that is attempting to use advanced technology — copied from scans of a Federation starship — as a weapon. At this moment, we learn about Noonien Singh's past and the traumatic childhood incident that shaped her into the woman she has become. As we saw earlier on a PADD, the incident involved the Gorn, a species we've seen in live-action "Star Trek" only twice before.

In the classic "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "Arena," Starfleet makes first contact with the Gorn, who have attacked a Federation colony on Cestus III. The Enterprise's captain, James Kirk, finds himself in a life-or-death battle with a Gorn soldier in one of that series' most iconic moments. Years later, on "Enterprise," we'd see the Gorn again, though this time it would be in the Mirror Universe, where a Gorn slave master named Slar is in charge of prisoners held aboard a futuristic starship from a parallel reality, the Defiant.

The premiere of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" explains that the Gorn have nurseries and keep human captives as food and breeding sacks, adding a gruesome new background to the lizard-like alien race. As the Gorn figure into La'An's backstory heavily, it's possible we might finally see them again in later episodes of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."

Early in the premiere episode of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," we're teased with a surprising name drop when Captain Pike mentions a Starfleet officer named Lieutenant Kirk. It's an eye-popping moment: could the future Enterprise captain appear in the first episode? With Pike re-assembling his staff and personally selecting several new officers for the latest crew rotation, it seems he's asked for Kirk specifically, as Spock notes while they walk through the Enterprise's corridors. Nearer to the end of the episode, First Officer Una Chin-Riley tells Pike that Lieutenant Kirk has finally arrived on the Enterprise and is on his way to the bridge as requested. But when the officer walks through the doorway, we see it is not a yellow-shirted James T. Kirk but a blue-shirted science officer — with a surprisingly thick mustache.

Pike greets the lieutenant, shaking his hand and addressing him as Samuel Kirk. However, this is more than just a clever gag to bait-and-switch the audience, as Samuel Kirk is a character briefly seen in an episode of "Star Trek" in 1967 titled "Operation — Annihilate!" In the episode, deadly parasites attack an Earth colony on Deneva, causing mass insanity and taking many lives, including that of Captain Kirk's brother, Sam. We never see the brother of James Kirk in action, but we do get a look at his body after his death, and he's played by none other than William Shatner — who is sporting a thick Hollywood mustache. Thanks to Variety, we already know that James Kirk himself is set to appear in Season 2, so it will be interesting to see if his brother Sam figures into any future stories.

The series' second episode "Children of the Comet" begins with a log entry from Cadet Uhura, the younger version of the future Enterprise senior officer played by Nichelle Nichols. She is still getting used to life aboard the Enterprise and is about to attend a dinner in the Captain's quarters. There she meets the ship's new chief engineer, an Andorian named Hemmer. But Hemmer is no ordinary Andorian — the normally blue-skinned, antennaed aliens who debuted in "The Original Series" episode "Journey to Babel." Hemmer is a subspecies of Andorian known as Aenar, who live in the frozen wastelands on Andoria, as seen in the "Enterprise" fourth season episode appropriately titled, "The Aenar." In the 22nd century there were only a few thousand of them on the planet.

When Uhura spots Hemmer chopping vegetables she offers to assist, knowing he is visually impaired, as Aenar are all blind. But Hemmer is quick to point out that while he may be unable to see, his people are no less able — with his other senses not just compensating but making him superior to ordinary humans — and needs no help. It's also mentioned that Aenar have a form of precognition, and Spock demonstrates Hemmer's telepathic powers as well. Both of these unique abilities were showcased in the "Enterprise" three-part story that introduced a young Aenar woman named Jhamel and her brother Gareb, who until now were the only Aenar ever seen on "Star Trek." In that story, the Romulans kidnapped Gareb and used his abilities to power a deadly new drone ship in an attempt to provoke a war between galactic powers.

The episode "Children of the Comet" takes the Enterprise to the Persephone star system. A planet there is endangered by a massive comet which is due to strike its surface in a world-ending event that will leave no survivors. In his briefing, Spock says that the people on the planet are a primitive race with no way to know the threat they are facing, and no way to stop it even if they could see it coming. With the people below unable to save themselves, Pike and the crew get to work on finding a way to divert the comet from Persephone III. But this won't be the last time an Enterprise crew makes a visit to Persephone, as we have seen this planetary system before. It originally popped up in a first season episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," set nearly a century later.

Though it wasn't Persephone III, the Enterprise D visited the Persephone system in the episode "Too Short a Season." In that story, Picard and his Enterprise crew travel to Persephone V to pick up a renowned Federation negotiator (the elderly Admiral Mark Jameson) who has been called in to see to the release of prisoners taken in a terrorist hostage crisis. Things don't go as planned, of course: It's revealed that Jameson himself may be responsible for the crisis, the fallout from another incident he was involved in decades before.

Once arriving on the comet's surface and heading into the alien structure they find there, the landing party discovers a mysterious alien egg. Unable to get many readings, it's up to Uhura to decipher the inscriptions on the egg's surface and find a way to communicate with the intelligence at work in the hopes of lowering the comet's artificial shielding. If she can't, the comet may be destined to destroy Persephone III. But it's Uhura's first away mission, and the first time she's ever been responsible for something this critical. Luckily, Uhura unwittingly discovers how to communicate with the egg when she absent-mindedly begins humming an old Kenyan folk melody.

As it turns out, the comet's intelligence communicates through musical tones. It's lucky that Uhura was on the away mission rotation, because she's well known to be a talented singer. Diehard Trekkies will recall that in "The Original Series," Uhura had shown an aptitude for singing, and was seen doing so on more than one occasion. She was most fond of a song called "Beyond Antares," which she sang in two different episodes, "The Conscience of the King" and "The Changeling." They were performed by actress Nichelle Nichols herself.

Later in "Children of the Comet," Uhura and Spock sing together to communicate with the intelligence, and, as "Star Trek" fans know, this wouldn't be the last time they perform side by side. In the 1966 episode "Charlie X," Spock plays a Vulcan lute while Uhura accompanies him with her sweet voice, performing a song titled "Oh, On the Starship Enterprise."

In the third episode, "Ghosts of Illyria," the Enterprise visits an Illyrian colony on an alien world. According to Number One's log entry, which opens the episode, the colony has been abandoned with no explanation, and they are there to discover why. She also describes Illyrians as a race of people who use genetic modifications to "enhance their capabilities and levels of function." But the Illyrians are not a new species to "Star Trek," having appeared once before in a third season episode of "Enterprise" titled "Damage."

That episode took place in the midst of the season's Xindi War arc and saw Captain Archer encounter an Illyrian vessel while his ship was badly damaged. The Illyrians were also in distress, so Archer offered to help, but he wanted a warp coil in return. The Enterprise's warp drive had been rendered non-functional, and without a new one they would be unable to stop the Xindi from completing their mission to wipe out Earth. Denied by the Illyrians (who can't afford to go without a warp drive either), the story sees Archer grapple with the moral decision of whether or not to steal it in order to save billions of lives.

In "Ghosts of Illyria," the one Illyrian we do see is identical to a human, while the Illyrians in "Damage" had a series of unusual cranial ridges. Of course, given their practice of genetic modifications, it's anyone's guess what Illyrians look like naturally.

When the names of the Enterprise's crew on "Strange New Worlds" were revealed to the public, fans immediately suspected a big backstory reveal for the ship's chief of security. The character, La'an Noonien Singh, shares a well-known last name with one of the biggest baddies in "Star Trek" history, Khan Noonien Singh. Best known as the nemesis of Captain Kirk in the film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," this famous villain first appeared in "The Original Series" episode "Space Seed," where it's revealed that he was one of the genetically engineered tyrants who plunged Earth into chaos during the Eugenics Wars of the 1990s. Put in suspended animation, he was brought back in the 23rd century, where he battled Kirk in the aforementioned episode and again in the second "Star Trek" film following his first defeat.

In "Ghosts of Illyria," it's revealed that La'an is indeed a descendent of Khan, though it's heavily implied that she has none of the genetic superiority of her ancestor. It's also not revealed exactly how the two are related, but we know she and others are well aware of her family tree. She seems to harbor at least some resentment over her heritage, having been bullied in her youth by those who learned that she was related to one of Earth's worst historical madmen. It seems that "Augment" was a common playground insult used against her, a nod to Khan.

A deadly virus is sweeping through the ship in "Ghosts of Illyria," which is why Number One feels compelled to reveal her genetic origins. The Illyrian believes her genetically modified blood could provide a cure, but Dr. M'Benga explains that he's not allowed to use Illyrian blood for medical purposes. When the doctor catches the virus and prepares himself for sedation, he has a heart-to-heart with Number One regarding the blood ban and how intolerance throughout history has held back medical science.

In classic "Star Trek" fashion, they talk of prejudice and bigotry, of how fear of those who are different has never gone away. Even after humans had put aside their differences on Earth, they simply found new neighbors on different planets to hate. He cites the reaction towards the mixing of human and Vulcan blood, a direct reference to the events of "Star Trek: Enterprise."

In a two-part story spread across the episodes "Demons" and "Terra Prime," we met a group of humans on Earth around a century before "Strange New Worlds" who feared the mixing of human and Vulcan DNA. They were willing to kill to prevent the two races from inter-mingling. While humanity has gotten past that hatred by the time of "Strange New Worlds," their shunning of Illyrians proves they still have a long way to go.

After the crisis aboard the ship has been solved in "Ghosts of Illyria," Number One arrives in the sickbay to confront Doctor M'Benga about the cause. It seems that the emergency transporters in the ship's sickbay weren't updated in spacedock at M'Benga's insistence. This resulted in a malfunction that allowed an infectious disease to get past the system's biofilters, which normally screen out foreign toxins, viruses, and dangerous bacteria. Number One realizes why when she analyzes Hemmer's diagnostic report of the sickbay transporters: Dr. M'Benga is keeping someone — or something — alive in the transporter buffer.

This is when we learn M'Benga's secret. His daughter was diagnosed with a devastating terminal illness, and he soon realized that the only way to save her was to keep her pattern circulating within the transporter buffer. "Did you know there's no limit on how long you can store someone's pattern in the buffer?" Well, Trekkies do know, because they've seen it before. In "The Next Generation" episode "Relics," the Enterprise-D crew meets the original Enterprise's chief engineer, Scotty, who did the same thing to stay alive for more than 70 years. We know Scotty and M'Benga will eventually serve together in the years that follow this episode — perhaps Scotty learned the trick from the savvy physician.

"Memento Mori" is a tense thriller, a ship-based episode that sees the Enterprise encounter a dangerous new foe — but one that won't be unfamiliar to fans. Known as the Gorn, these bipedal reptiles were featured in the classic "The Original Series" episode "Arena." We later saw them in an episode of "Star Trek: Enterprise." But here, in the fourth episode of "Strange New Worlds" Season 1, the Gorn are more like boogeymen, a nefarious, nightmarish enemy who are ruthless, violent, and seemingly unstoppable. They cannot be reasoned or bargained with, and as Lieutenant Erica Ortegas notes, "Nobody has even seen one."

This is a reference to the fact that in the aforementioned "The Original Series" episode "Arena," it is suggested that Kirk's encounter was Starfleet's first contact with the alien menace. La'an notes in "Memento Mori," however, that this is not quite true: Plenty of people have seen the Gorn, but no one has ever lived to talk about them. The fact that the Federation is seemingly at war with an enemy they've never seen is nothing new to canon. Both Starfleet — and the Federation after its founding — had fought for nearly a century with the Romulans before they even got a glimpse at them.

While aboard the Galileo, Spock and La'an discover two Gorn destroyers waiting for them, but they're able to hide from their sensors. They see a curious pattern of lights emitted between them, and La'an appears to recognize them from her traumatic experience with the aliens as a child. But her memories are spotty, and so she asks Spock to perform a mind meld to help them resurface. Reluctant, Spock proceeds and they enter her mind, reliving her horrific encounter with the Gorn. We learn that La'an lost her older brother, who sacrificed himself so that she could live, something she still carries with her. La'an gets a fleeting glimpse of Spock's thoughts as well, hearing a voice calling to him.

La'an realizes that Spock has also lost someone close to him, someone who gave their life so he could live. Connected via the mind meld, she understands this was his sister, but she is confused because Starfleet records show he has no sister. This is a direct reference to the ending of "Star Trek: Discovery," where the ship's captain, Michael Burnham, led them into the far-off future to save the galaxy from the villain called Control. It seems that in addition to classifying the Discovery's final mission, Starfleet has erased all records of Burnham being Spock's foster sister, and even Spock is unwilling to discuss the matter with others.

While La'an refuses to wear the badge of the Puget Sound due to the trauma she experienced, the other officers proudly wear badges to honor the lives lost on ships that either they or friends they had lost had previously served on. This includes Dr. M'Benga, whose badge commemorates the USS Cuyahoga. Based on its name, it would seem to be the ancestor ship of the 32nd-century Starfleet vessel mentioned multiple times on "Star Trek: Discovery." Like the Enterprise, Voyager, and others, it would appear that the Cuyahoga's namesake will survive more than a thousand years.

Number One, meanwhile, wears a badge referencing the USS Antares. This could very well be the same Antares from "The Original Series" episode "Charlie X" that carried Charlie Evans, a telepath who mistakenly destroys the ship with his incredible powers in that 1966 episode. However, "Star Trek: Discovery" revealed that Captain Pike served on a ship called the Antares at some point prior to his service on the Enterprise (as seen in his service record shown on screen). This could also indicate that Captain Pike and his Number One, Una Chin-Riley, served together on the vessel at some point earlier in their careers.

Following Spock's nightmare, he wakes to announce in a log entry that the Enterprise has docked at Starbase 1 for repairs following their devastating encounter with the Gorn. He mentions that Starbase 1 is one of the earliest Starfleet outposts — evident by its name — and that it has recently been rebuilt following the Klingon War. This, of course, is a reference to the events of the first two seasons of "Star Trek: Discovery," which see the Federation at war with the Klingons.

Starbase 1 played a part in the first season of "Star Trek: Discovery," specifically in the episode "The War Without, The War Within." There, the crew of the Discovery is taking the Mirror Universe's Philippa Georgiou back to the starbase to be held until they can figure out what to do with her. However, when they approach the base, they find the symbol for the Klingon House of D'Ghor painted across the facade of the space-based outpost. It is explained that the Klingons had attacked and overtaken the base, slaughtering more than 80,000 souls aboard.

Two years later, the outpost is rebuilt and back in action as Starfleet's command center. There have been some notable changes to its design since we've last seen it, with large bio-sphere habitats encircling it — though the episode suggests that these domed habitats may have been intended as a retcon rather than part of the rebuild.

The B-story in "Spock Amok" begins when Pike, Spock, and Uhura are debriefed from Starfleet on some upcoming diplomatic negotiations with a new potential alien ally, the R'ongovians. The R'ongovian territory is situated in an important region just between Klingon and Romulan space, which means they may form an alliance with one of those two rival galactic powers if a treaty cannot be reached. Starfleet sends Admiral April to meet with Pike about engaging in negotiations, and he brings up a star chart of Romulan and Klingon territory that is once again filled with Easter eggs from the history of "Star Trek."

Many memorable locations from "The Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine" are featured on the star chart. One prominent location is the Narendra System, where a battle between Klingons and Romulans takes place in the landmark "The Next Generation" episode "Yesterday's Enterprise." We also see Gamma Eridon and Beta Lankal from "Redemption," along with the Klingon homeworld Qo'NoS. Rura Penthe, the penal colony from "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," gets a notation, as does B'Moth — the name of a Klingon starship on "Deep Space Nine" — and Khitomer, where the Federation and Klingon will one day meet for a peace conference. 

Also seen is a reference to the planet H'Atoria, where Worf served as governor in an alternate future timeline in the "The Next Generation" finale "All Good Things..."

Now that they know about the ensigns' "Enterprise Bingo," the game that tasks young officers with pulling off a variety of rule-breaking stunts aboard the ship, Number One and Noonien-Singh get a hold of a PADD that contains the rules. Though they could crack down on the childish behavior, the two officers — who've been previously accused of not knowing how to have a good time — instead choose to try the game for themselves.

One such task is to sneak a Tribble into the transporter buffer, a reference to the classic furball from "The Original Series." These rarely seen fan-favorite aliens first appeared in "The Trouble with Tribbles" and re-appeared in a "Deep Space Nine" episode set during that same adventure. While they turned up again in a "Short Trek" titled "The Trouble with Edward," this appearance in Enterprise Bingo makes it clear that Tribbles are well known to Starfleet officers. Though, alas, the little critters don't show up in "Spock Amok," perhaps a young ensign will get ahold of one to complete his bingo at some point in "Strange New Worlds."

While Number One and La'an are attempting their quest to fill Enterprise Bingo, they take a stab at the "turbolift two-floor shout challenge." It seems the job here is for two officers to order the turbolift to separate locations and see which one the computer recognizes. However, what's interesting here is that the turbolifts do not operate strictly by voice control — as they do on most "Star Trek" shows — but just like on "The Original Series," it's required that officers hold a special handle while doing so. 

This is seen throughout "The Original Series" and revisited in the "Deep Space Nine" throwback episode "Trials and Tribble-ations," where Chief O'Brien is confused about how to operate the turbolifts, not realizing he has to hold the handle to make his request. While one episode of "Short Treks" in 2019 showed them only needing to hold the handle after ordering the turbolift to its location, here "Strange New Worlds" seems to go back to classic "Star Trek" rules. La'an and Number One grab the handle and shout out their destination. Ultimately, it's Number One who wins the challenge.

As an episode centered on Spock and T'Pring, you can bet the episode is littered with several Easter eggs pertaining to Vulcans and their many unusual habits. When they first meet, the two Vulcans exchange the same greeting they did in the "The Original Series" episode "Amok Time," with T'Pring saying, "Spock, parted from me and never parted, never and always touching and touched. We meet at the appointed place." 

Later during a misadventure where their bodies get swapped during a Vulcan ritual, Spock and T'Pring are forced into unfortunate hijinks, as their souls — or katras, as they are called by the Doctor — are unable or unwilling to return on their own. Dr. M'Benga refers to the ritual as a "katra transfer," which is something we've seen before. At the end of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," Spock shifts his katra into Dr. McCoy's body. Later, in the sequel "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," Kirk takes McCoy to Vulcan, where T'Pau oversees the return of Spock's katra to a newly born body from the Genesis planet. 

During M'Benga's attempt to return their katras to the correct bodies, Nurse Chapel fears they might get the "nerve pinch" if they mess it up, a reference to the stun move used by Spock and other Vulcans throughout "Star Trek" history.

Season 1 of "Strange New Worlds" excels at dropping Easter eggs referencing random worlds seen on other "Star Trek" shows, whether through a star chart or in a bit of dialogue. These are the perfect references that don't confuse new viewers but still serve as a delightful nod to longtime fans. We get another in "Spock Amock" when Nurse Chapel and Ortegas are getting ready to socialize on Starbase 1. While talking about her past dalliances, Ortegas mentions a girl that Chapel once had a romantic encounter with on Argelius II, recalling the planet seen in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "Wolf in the Fold."

In what may be no coincidence, "The Wolf in the Fold" was also a shore leave episode, although it was far from the light-hearted affair of "Spock Amock." In that 1967 episode, Scotty is accused of murder while spending time on Argelius II. After investigating, Kirk and Spock discover many eerily similar killings around the galaxy. They are able to pinpoint the real killer, a non-corporeal alien entity named Redjac, who feeds off of the emotion created by his own mass murders.

Episode 7, "The Serene Squall," introduces us to a new alien visitor, a non-binary scientist named Dr. Aspen, played by "Big Sky" actor Jesse James Keitel. When we meet Aspen, it's in Captain Pike's quarters as the senior staff treats them to a meal, including a thorough debriefing of their mission. Captain Pike notes that Aspen used to serve as a counselor aboard Starbase 12, a location well known to Trek fans who've been paying attention over the years.

In the original "Star Trek" series, Starbase 12 was twice mentioned in the episodes "Space Seed" and "Who Mourns For Adonais." Later, in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Conspiracy," it's a strange occurrence at Starbase 12 that alerts a handful of fleet captains to a conspiracy involving an alien intelligence. In "Captain's Holiday," it's said that Picard's Enterprise underwent a minor refit at the starbase as well. Meanwhile, the Season 5 episode "Power Play" tells us that Starbase 12 was around more than 200 years earlier and may in fact be one of the earliest starbases, as it was mentioned by the aliens impersonating the crew of the USS Essex, which was originally launched in 2167. 

Suffice to say, Starbase 12 has been a hub of activity for the fleet, and if Aspen was there as a counselor she may have served a great number of officers passing through.

Heading into an asteroid field on a mission to aid a group of colonists, the Enterprise is ensnared in a trap set by dreaded rogue pirates. Captain Pike, La'An, and later the rest of the bridge crew are taken prisoner by the pirates aboard their ship, the Serene Squall. While it's not said directly whether this group is the deadly Orion Syndicate — an interstellar criminal organization in "Star Trek" — their leader is most certainly one of the notorious green-skinned Orions. 

The syndicate itself was first mentioned in "Journey To Babel," though one of the infamous Orion Slave Girls was seen earlier, in the original series pilot, "The Cage." The Orion Syndicate itself played a bigger role on "Deep Space Nine" and was the focus of several episodes, most notably the Season 6 episode "Honor Among Thieves" that sees Chief O'Brien infiltrate the organization.

 The syndicate turned up again, this time a hundred years before Kirk and Spock, in the prequel series "Star Trek: Enterprise," in several episodes where we saw them running a diabolical — and well-organized — slave trade.

Held captive aboard the Serene Squall with Number One, La'An, Ortegas, and others, Captain Pike isn't having much luck convincing the Orion pirate leader to let them go. Upon being returned to his cell alongside his fellow officers, though, Pike tells his crew that he has a plan based on information he's gleaned from the pirate crew. It seems there's a lot of discontent among them, and Number One knows exactly what he's thinking: Alpha Braga IV.

Pike's plan is to spark a mutiny among the pirate crew, which it's suggested he's done before alongside Number One on a previous mission, apparently on a world called Alpha Braga IV. If that name rings a bell, it's because it's named for longtime "Star Trek" producer Brannon Braga, who worked on "The Next Generation" and co-created "Star Trek: Voyager" and "Enterprise." In fact, it's not even the first time that star system has been referenced; another planet, Alpha Braga VII, was noted on a computer readout in the "TNG" Season 7 episode "Inheritance."

"The Serene Squall" is loaded with Easter eggs and references to "Trek" past, but the biggest comes in the episode's final scene. Earlier we learn that the villain is Dr. Aspen, who isn't who they claimed to be. Instead, they're attempting to use the Enterprise to pressure T'Pring into releasing one of her Vulcan prisoners at the criminal rehabilitation complex. At one point, Mr. Spock notes that he has deduced the identity of the Vulcan in question, but it's not until the end of the episode that he tells Nurse Chapel who he suspects it to be.

In a shocking twist, Spock says it's a man he's been told to avoid at all costs — the son of Ambassador Sarek, half brother to Spock. His name is Sybok, a character Trek fans never thought they'd see again. We first learned of his existence in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier," where he is the film's primary villain. In that movie, Sybok leads a cult of followers on a mission to find nothing less than God himself, who he believes resides on a planet at the center of the galaxy.

"Star Trek" has rarely referenced the events of "The Final Frontier," and Sybok's appearance here is the first we've heard of him in more than 30 years. Fans have wondered since "Discovery" — which starred Sybok's adopted sister Michael Burnham — where the rogue Vulcan might be. "The Serene Squall" gives us our answer.

The penultimate episode of the first season, "All Those Who Wander" opens with Cadet Uhura's log, where we learn this will be the final mission for the young officer-in-training. Ready to depart after her full round of Academy assignments aboard the Enterprise, her last task is to assist in the delivery of power cells to Deep Space Station K-7. The mention of this Federation installation should ring quite a few bells for fans of "Star Trek," as it was at the center of two of the most beloved episodes in the franchise.

It made its first appearance in the original "Star Trek" episode "The Trouble With Tribbles," where the Enterprise stops off at the station to serve as an escort for a shipment of grain. But once there, the station becomes overrun with Tribbles, a race of small, squirrelly — and always pregnant — balls of fluff. It would also be the Tribbles' aversion to Klingons that helped Kirk and Spock ferret out an enemy, the Klingon disguised as a human called Arne Darvin.

Some 30 years later, Darvin would travel back in time to assassinate Kirk, and it would be the crew of Deep Space Nine who would follow him to the past and try to stop him. Mixing new and old footage, Captain Sisko, Lt. Dax, Dr. Bashir, and others interacted with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy in the wonderfully charming and delightful 1996 throwback episode "Trials and Tribble-ations."

Once the crew have successfully hunted and killed the remaining young Gorn aboard the Enterprise, they quickly realize that the danger is far from over. The venomous spray that struck engineer Hemmer is also part of their reproductive cycle, and it will soon see him erupt with more Gorn young. Hemmer knows he has only one choice — to sacrifice himself to save the rest of his crew.

Pike objects, and M'Benga insists they can find a medical solution. "But captain, my sacrifice will save the lives I care most about," Hemmer says. "For me there is no other choice." We see Cadet Uhura in pain over his decision, as the two had grown close during their time together on the Enterprise. But it's Spock whose words in response resonate the most, saying "a logical conclusion." Hemmer even acknowledges him with a Vulcan salute and the age-old wisdom of "live long and prosper."

Though it is still many years away in the timeline, Spock too will ultimately make a similar choice in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." With the ship's system's failing, he enters the ship's warp core, which gives him a lethal does of radiation. As he notes in that film, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Now, in a retroactive bit of continuity, his sacrifice in "The Wrath of Khan" might even be seen in a new light, as a spiritual callback to his old friend and the chief engineer's own noble deed.

Some of the best Easter eggs in "Strange New Worlds" are deep cuts hidden in the various star charts shown in the Enterprise briefing room. The bigger screens aboard the reimagined Enterprise (coupled with HD screens in the real world) mean Trekkies can now get a better look at every planet referenced. In the season finale "A Quality of Mercy," we get our best look yet at the region of Federation space bordering the Romulan Empire. We also get what appears to be the first clear reference to Memory Alpha, the inhabited planet that's home to the Federation's central database and library, one of the quadrant's largest collections of knowledge.

Memory Alpha also happens to be the inspiration for the real-world "Star Trek" website that has cataloged franchise canon for nearly 20 years. Started long before wikis were popular, it is the central repository for all "Star Trek" knowledge and has even been used as a resource for "Star Trek" writers while working on new projects. "Star Trek Beyond" scribe and actor Simon Pegg praised it during an interview with the New York Daily News. "If you need to know what's inside of a photon torpedo, there it is online, because there are so many dedicated fans out there who have such a vast knowledge of the universe and the minutia of it," he said.

We also get a look at the Romulan homeworlds Romulus and Romii, an interesting note for Trekkies as it resolves a long-held dispute following an on-screen typo in the original series. Here, Romulus itself is given the name "Romulus/Remus," indicating that perhaps Romulus is actually twin planets, while Romii is a third, distinct planetoid.

Following his meeting with Hansen, Pike realizes that the commander's son, Maat Al-Salah, is among the young cadets destined to die in a botched Starfleet training exercise sometime in the future. Having received a vision of his future in "Star Trek: Discovery," Pike knows that it's his fate to rescue some — but not all — of the cadets, and he knows that he will be badly disfigured in the process.

Pike decides to alter his destiny by writing to the cadets, urging them to avoid the ill-fated exercise. But, as he writes his warning, he gets a strange visitor: himself. This alternate, older version of Pike is wearing a "Star Trek" movie era uniform, indicating he is from at least 15-20 years into some alternate future. The uniform he wears was first seen in "The Wrath of Khan" and is a fan favorite. It also hasn't been seen in live-action since a 1996 episode of "Star Trek: Voyager." This future version of Pike also appears to be an Admiral, as his shoulder stripe sports the familiar insignia of that rank from this era of uniform.

Admiral Pike tells his younger self that changing his destiny will have disastrous consequences. To prove it, he uses a Klingon time crystal to throw the captain into the future — his own, darker future — to show him just what will happen if he remakes his fate.

Transported into what is the turning point in a dark alternate future, Pike discovers he is seven years forward in time. He is still captain of the Enterprise, but Spock is his first officer, and Uhura is a full lieutenant. He's also been contacted by Outpost 4, with Hansen telling him that an unidentified vessel has just used a powerful plasma weapon, crippling his facility. It's here that fans will realize that the season finale is shaping up to be a remake of "Balance of Terror." Not just a similar story, but a literal retelling of the events of that classic episode, with a new twist: In this alternate parallel reality, Kirk is not the captain of the Enterprise — Pike is.

Filled with enough Easter eggs to fill a basket the size of a shuttlecraft, the finale follows "Balance of Terror" closely, almost beat for beat. Uhura is shown sporting her classic open-collared tunic; we see the original Romulan Bird of Prey; and we once again get the stunning revelation that Romulans are related to Vulcans. We even get several key lines of dialogue from the original episode, including an iconic exchange between Pike and a Romulan commander.

Perhaps the most fun Easter egg is the title of the episode itself. While "Balance of Terror" was derived from a line in William Shakespeare's "Macbeth," the "SNW" season finale's title, "A Quality of Mercy," is derived from another work of Shakespeare, "The Merchant of Venice." It is also the name of a "Twilight Zone" episode that starred Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy.

Had it not been for the surprise announcement ahead of the series premiere that actor Paul Wesley had been added to the cast of "Strange New Worlds" as the franchise's most iconic character, this might have been one of the biggest shocks in "Star Trek" history. Approaching the Romulan Neutral Zone after the attack on Outpost 4, the Enterprise is hailed by the nearby U.S.S. Farragut. On the screen comes the ship's captain, none other than James T. Kirk, played by Wesley, now the third actor to play Captain Kirk after William Shatner and Chris Pine.

But Kirk's captaincy of the Farragut is not random: In the "TOS" episode "Obsession," we learned that Kirk had once served aboard the U.S.S. Farragut as a young lieutenant under Captain Garrovick. In this new timeline, with Pike remaining aboard the Enterprise as its captain, it seems Kirk was elevated to the captain of the Farragut on Garrovick's departure.

In the "Strange New Worlds" finale, Kirk is depicted as a smart and skilled commander, but still every bit the ambitious and risk-taking wild card he was on "The Original Series." He proposes the same ingenious maneuver he used in "Balance of Terror" to avoid being detected by the Romulans while coming up with an entirely new and daring plan at the climax of the episode, showing his tactical savvy isn't limited to his service on the Enterprise.

"Star Trek" is known throughout pop culture for its many trademarks, from its iconic characters to its props. There's the Enterprise — arguably the most recognizable starship in science fiction — and there are the likes of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. McCoy. There are phasers, photon torpedoes, warp drives — things that even casual fans of the series are familiar with. But in addition to visual hallmarks and famous lines of dialogue like "live long and prosper," the franchise is also known for its memorable music.

From the classic chimes of "The Original Series" to the unmistakable march of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," this sci-fi staple has made its mark on television score history. In the "Strange New Worlds" Season 1 finale, we get a reprise of one of the best and perhaps most underrated "Star Trek" musical themes. The return of one of the Federation's most famous foes came with the unmistakable, tension-riddled tones of the Romulan theme.

Firing up when a Romulan transmission comes on-screen, the ominous tone underscores the revelation that the Romulans share ancestry with Vulcans, and the Enterprise's own science officer, Spock. The theme sets an appropriately spooky atmosphere as the bridge crew — Pike included — turns to the science officer in suspicion, while Spock simply raises a curious eyebrow.

Set aboard the Enterprise during the first season of the original "Star Trek" series, you might expect that "A Quality of Mercy" would give us a glimpse of familiar faces. But, aside from Ethan Peck's Spock and Celia Rose Gooding's Uhura, the only return we are gifted with is Paul Wesley taking on the role of James T. Kirk. There is no sighting or mention of Dr. McCoy, who might never have become chief medical officer in this timeline, as M'Benga seems to still be in charge. But, while we don't see any other familiar faces, we do get to hear the unmistakable voice of one beloved character.

In the climax of the final episode, Mr. Spock is in the bowels of the ship attempting to repair the phaser array. Communicating with his ship's engineer, Spock is forced to remind him that they have less than two hours — the duration of their cease-fire with the Romulans — to restore phaser control. Though we don't see him respond, a recognizable Scottish accent answers him, saying, "I'm an engineer, not a miracle worker, Mr. Spock." Of course, this is Montgomery Scott — better known as Scotty — of "The Original Series" and his line is particularly ironic as he eventually became famous for being just that: a miracle worker.

While it remains to be seen if the series will have Scotty replace the Aenar Lt. Hemmer in Season 2, this brief tease is surely enough to delight fans of the cantankerous engineer.

Forced to discover just what makes this alternate future so dark, and where in the timeline the crucial moment is, Pike plays out the situation with the Romulans to its conclusion. Unfortunately, all does not go well as it did in "The Original Series" episode "Balance of Terror." While Kirk in the Prime Timeline was able to narrowly avert disaster along the Romulan Neutral Zone, Pike inadvertently sparks a war with the Romulans. Attacking with an entire fleet at her back, the Romulan Praetor declares war on the Federation, and the Enterprise is badly damaged in the melee.

In the aftermath, it's revealed that Mr. Spock is gravely wounded, meaning war is not the only price that Pike must pay for saving the lives of the young cadets in a future training accident. But what is most interesting is that Nurse Chapel notes his injuries: Massive cerebral trauma, extensive spinal fractures, and radiation burns over 40% of his body. This is eerily similar to the fate that will befall Captain Pike in the training accident, leaving him crippled, mute, and in need of a specially designed mobility unit.

Spock's injuries in the attack suggest that in this reality, it is he, not Pike, who winds up disfigured, mute, and unable to walk — a callback to the events of "The Original Series" episode "The Menagerie," the first on-air appearance of Captain Pike himself.

In the penultimate scene aboard the Enterprise in the "present," Captain Pike contemplates the alternate future he has just witnessed. In particular, he ponders the fate of his fellow starship captain in that reality, a man who in his present is just a young officer aboard the Farragut — James T. Kirk. Reviewing his service record he sees he is currently a lieutenant. But the file is also filled with a number of references that call back to previous episodes of "Star Trek" that explored Captain Kirk's extensive backstory.

We have references to his parents, George and Winona (both seen in the 2009 film), but we also see a commendation, the Palm Leaf of Axinar [sic] Peace Mission, and a note of his survival of the massacre on Tarsus IV. Both of these are callbacks to previous episodes of "The Original Series," with the Axanar Peace Mission noted in "Court Martial" as having occurred when Kirk was a fresh-faced cadet. Tarsus IV, meanwhile, was the site of a brutal massacre by a warlord named Kodos, who exterminated half the population to save valuable resources when Kirk was a small child. Kirk was one of just three survivors who knew what Kodos looked like, making him instrumental in bringing him to justice years later in the episode "The Conscience of the King."