Classic Star Trek Characters We Want To See In Season 2 Of Strange New Worlds
Season 1 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" gave us a number of new characters, but also a healthy dose of familiar faces making their return to the franchise. This included Cadet Uhura, Nurse Chapel, and Dr. M'Benga, in addition to the Enterprise's Captain Pike, Mr. Spock, and Number One. With an overwhelmingly positive response to the series' debut year, expectations are understandably high for Season 2.
Fortunately, it sounds like even more fan favorites could show up in the series' sophomore outing. Producer Henry Alonso Myers recently told Inverse as much, saying "We will be meeting some new legacy characters next season." Of course, who exactly those returning characters are remains to be seen, but there are certainly a lot of options.
So, who could potentially pop up next season? We've taken a look back over the "Star Trek" timeline and put together a list of ideas. From former Enterprise crewmen to omnipotent immortal beings and legendary scientists, this is a list of classic "Star Trek" characters we want to see in Season 2 of "Strange New Worlds."
Gary Mitchell
One of the first series villains in "Star Trek" history, Gary Mitchell was once an officer aboard the USS Enterprise and a close friend of its captain, James T. Kirk. The two had gone to Starfleet Academy together, and he came to the Enterprise at the request of Kirk when he took the captain's chair. In the 1966 episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before," the ship traverses the Galactic Barrier, which afflicts Mitchell with its strange energy fields and leaves him incapacitated. Upon his recovery, he's found to have been imbued with incredible psionic powers, and he quickly becomes a threat to the ship.
As a single episode guest star, Mitchell's past with Kirk isn't explored beyond a few bits of dialogue. A return in Season 2 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" could be a chance to show some of that history on screen, as we know that Kirk will be a recurring character (per Variety). We're not suggesting that Mitchell would be an antagonist — far from it — but perhaps we could see him as an officer aboard Kirk's USS Farragut, where the future Enterprise captain serves as a young officer. If Mitchell served with him on the ship, it would explain their close bond, which might be interesting to explore in the upcoming season.
Arex
The alien navigator of the USS Enterprise, Arex is first introduced in the short-lived "Star Trek: The Animated Series." While he would have been a challenge to bring to the live-action series due to his alien anatomy, animation proved an easy way to bring new kinds of creatures into the "Star Trek" universe. A member of the Edosian race, Arex isn't developed much in "The Animated Series," though a photo of the characteer does pop up in "Star Trek: Lower Decks."
With the larger budgets and better effects of modern "Star Trek," an appearance by Arex — or even another Edosian — would be a welcome addition to "Strange New Worlds" Season 2. Despite appearing in a number of episodes, little is actually known about Arex, which leaves a lot of room for exploration. A guest spot on "Strange New Worlds" seems like an obvious place for him to reappear, whether it's as a young ensign on the lower decks or as an officer on another starship in the fleet.
Commodore Stone
Commodore Stone makes just a single appearance on the original "Star Trek," But his role in the episode "Court Martial" is a big one. In the story, Captain Kirk is accused of getting an officer killed due to negligence in a crisis and then lying on the official record about the details of the incident. Dragged before the court to explain himself and face possible consequences for his actions, Kirk is confronted by Stone, the presiding judge in his case.
One of the biggest unanswered questions in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" Season 1 is what will happen to Number One after being arrested on charges of being an Illyrian. As a high-ranking officer serving in Starfleet's Judge Advocate General's office, Stone would be perfect for an appearance in "Strange New Worlds" Season 2 if Number One is brought before a Starfleet court. He could very well be an officer working on the case, even if he's not yet the President of the Court. Perhaps we could even see a younger version of prosecutor Areel Shaw working alongside him — a character revealed in "Court Martial" to be an old romantic partner of James Kirk.
Ben Finney
Captain Kirk's court martial in the aptly titled "Court Martial" episode of "Star Trek: The Original Series" involves the apparent death of fellow officer Ben Finney. During Kirk's trial, it's revealed that Finney had long blamed the Enterprise captain for an incident that occurred when they were both serving aboard the USS Republic, in which Finney was reprimanded thanks to a report by Kirk. The embittered officer later seeks to sabotage the Enterprise as retribution, feeling that he had been held back in his career because of Kirk.
A fascinating character study of a different kind of officer — far from the usual model Starfleet crew member we're used to seeing in "Star Trek" — Ben Finney is only seen once. However, seeing him again as a character in "Strange New Worlds" could give added background to the stalled career of one of the most interesting antagonists in "The Original Series." Whether it's a minor cameo or a serious supporting role, an appearance by Finney and his disgruntled attitude could deepen the original story in "Court Martial" while also adding a compelling new character to the modern show.
Montgomery Scott
Montgomery "Scotty" Scott needs little introduction. He serves as the chief engineer of Kirk's USS Enterprise through all three seasons of "Star Trek: The Original Series" and all six feature film, played by the iconic James Doohan. Scotty's even resurrected in an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Season 6 entitled "Relics." In that story, it's discovered that Scotty had kept himself alive for more than seven decades inside a transporter buffer, a trick used more recently in Season 1 of "Strange New Worlds" by Dr. M'Benga to sustain his ailing daughter.
At the tail end of "Strange New Worlds" Season 1, Captain Pike's chief engineer — the Aenar Lt. Hemmer — leaves the series in tragic fashion, sacrificing himself to save his shipmates from a deadly alien infestation. That leaves the Enterprise in need of a new chief engineer, perfectly setting up the introduction of Scotty. If he does appear in "Strange New Worlds" Season 2, though, it technically won't be his first credit on the show. The voice of Scotty can be heard in the Season 1 finale, "A Quality of Mercy," assisting Spock in repairs of the ship in an alternate future.
As for who could play Scotty, that's another matter entirely. The field is wide open, though the actor who voiced him already, journeyman Matthew Wolf, isn't a bad place to start. But since his face isn't seen in Season 1, anything is possible.
Kor
First appearing in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" Season 1 episode "Errand of Mercy," the Klingon called Kor goes toe-to-toe with Captain Kirk and the USS Enterprise. Played by actor John Colicos, who would go on to play Baltar in the original "Battlestar Galactica," Kor returns in the "Animated Series" episode "The Time Trap" in 1973. But an even more surprising return was in store for the character more than two decades later when Colicos reprised the role in several episodes of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," alongside fellow "Original Series" Klingons Kang and Koloth.
Since "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" is set less than a decade before "The Original Series," the time frame is perfect to show a younger Kor. Whether portrayed as one of the smooth-headed Klingons of "Errand of Mercy" or one of the more vicious ridged Klingons of "Star Trek: Discovery," it would be fun to see him serving on a Klingon ship engaged in a conflict with Christopher Pike's Enterprise. If Kor were brought back, it might also be interesting to see James Callis — the actor who plays Baltar in the rebooted "Battlestar Galactica" — as the new version of Kor. Sure, he's already appeared recently in "Star Trek: Picard," but playing multiple characters in "Star Trek" has never been a problem before.
Carol Marcus
Outside of series regular Scotty, Carol Marcus is the only character on this list to appear in both the "Star Trek" Prime universe and the Kelvin Timeline seen in the J.J. Abrams feature films. In "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," she's introduced as a former lover of James T. Kirk and a research scientist responsible for the Genesis Device sought by Khan Noonien Singh. In "Star Trek: Into Darkness," we meet a younger Carol Marcus — a weapons expert whose father is part of a clandestine organization preparing for war with the Klingons.
Between Marcus' history with Kirk in the Prime universe and her service on the Enterprise in the Kelvin Timeline, it might make perfect sense for Marcus to show up in "Strange New Worlds" Season 2. A possible love interest for the returning Kirk, Marcus could even be involved in another top-secret research project, which would make for an intriguing episode of the upcoming season. It could also help flesh out one of Kirk's most important historical romances, and one that we've never actually seen play out on screen.
Richard Daystrom
Introduced in the "Star Trek: The Original Series" episode "The Ultimate Computer," Dr. Richard Daystrom is described as one of the Federation's leading minds. Considered a prodigy, a 24-year-old Daystrom created the duotronic computer system that became the core of every ship in Starfleet. But with such a monumental achievement so early on in his career, Daystrom struggled to live up to his own legacy, ultimately leading to a risky project called the M-5 — an artificially intelligent computer system — that causes problems for the Enterprise. Eventually, Daystrom becomes unstable and is entered into a rehab facility. Later on, the Federation's most prestigious scientific research center — the Daystrom Institute — is named in his honor.
"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" Season 2 could be an opportunity for us to see Daystrom in more of his prime, before he suffers from the issues that plague him later in his career. It would be a chance for us to see his brilliance at work — perhaps helping in a crisis or creating a new innovation to assist the Enterprise. Daystrom is an incredibly important person in the grand history of Starfleet, and it would be nice to see some kind of tribute to him in "Strange New Worlds."
Q and Guinan
An appearance by Q and Guinan, both of whom are around in the era of "Strange New Worlds," could help answer a number of burning "Star Trek" questions. For starters, the immortal Q has long been thought to be somehow related to the "Original Series" villain Trelane, and an appearance from John de Lancie's trickster could finally put that debate to rest. But more than that, there has always been some question as to the history between Q and Guinan, who've mentioned having dealings with each other in the past. While the era of "Strange New Worlds" doesn't exactly line up with the time frame referenced in the "TNG" episode "Q Who," there's no reason a little retconning couldn't take place.
When asked about potentially crossing over with "Picard" in an interview with Deadline, "Strange New Worlds" co-creator Akiva Goldsman hinted that such a plan could be in the works. One way to start might be a soft introduction of some recurring side characters like Guinan and Q. Whether Guinan is played by Whoopi Goldberg or "Picard" actress Ito Aghayere — and whether de Lancie reprises his part or is recast — there's no doubt the inclusion of the two fan favorites would be met with much fanfare. Perhaps the self-contained episodic nature of "Strange New Worlds" could also help deliver a story that makes those critical of "Picard" a bit happier.
Dr. Roger Korby
First appearing in "Star Trek: The Original Series" Season 1, Dr. Roger Korby may be the most likely character on this list to actually feature in "Strange New Worlds." The subject of the episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?," Korby is brought into "Trek" lore as a prominent archaeologist who goes missing for years. In the episode, he's discovered living underground on the planet Exo III after finding an ancient civilization of androids dwelling there. But Korby's more than just a missing doctor — he's also Nurse Christine Chapel's fiance.
When "Strange New Worlds" debuted and Nurse Chapel was among the principal cast, it was easy to wonder if we'd get a mention of Korby as well. When some fans began questioning the producers about the characterization of Nurse Chapel in Season 1, commenting on the notable absence of her partner Korby, producer Akiva Goldsman responded on Twitter with two simple words: "Stand by."
Considering that the classic episode notes Chapel's deep affection for her lost love, it could make a lot of sense for him to enter the story in Season 2.
Captain Jonathan Archer
Before you call this pick far-fetched, let's not forget that "Star Trek" has brought back characters from by-gone eras before. Spock, Scotty, McCoy, and even Captain Kirk himself appear alongside the crew of "The Next Generation," and Sulu appears in an episode of "Star Trek: Voyager." We've also seen the likes of Jean-Luc Picard come back to the franchise and former "Voyager" star Kate Mulgrew return as Captain Janeway in "Star Trek: Prodigy," but there hasn't been so much as a peep about a return for Captain Archer and the crew of the NX-01 Enterprise.
Actor Scott Bakula has continued his prolific TV career with shows like "NCIS: New Orleans," and he's still in prime shape to return as the gung-ho Jonathan Archer. Whether it's a simulated reality, a time-travel adventure, a dream sequence, or an alien taking Archer's form, it would be fun to see Bakula back in the blue jumpsuit and saving the galaxy one more time. Fans have campaigned for Archer's return for years, with some fans evening pushing Netflix to revive the whole "Enterprise" series in 2013 (per IGN). Season 2 of "Strange New Worlds" seems like the perfect place for Archer's return to finally happen.
Janice Rand
Though Yoeman Janice Rand only appears in Season 1 of "Star Trek: The Original Series," she later proves to be one of the longest-lived supporting characters in the franchise. Played by actress Grace Lee Whitney, she returns in the feature film series, appearing as the Enterprise's transporter chief in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," as an officer at Starfleet Command in "The Voyage Home," and as a communications officer under Captain Sulu aboard the Excelsior in "The Undiscovered Country." That last appearance eventually leads to her returning again in a 1996 episode of "Star Trek: Voyager" titled "Flashback," which revisits the events of the film.
Rand was written out of "The Original Series" after only a few episodes — an unfortunate development that Whitney later attributed to an executive connected to the series sexually assaulting her (per The Washington Post). Bringing the character back in "Strange New Worlds" Season 2 could be a chance for "Star Trek" to finally remedy Rand's early departure and more fully develop her character. Whether that means having Rand appear as a fellow officer alongside Kirk on the USS Farragut or as a non-commissioned crewman aboard the Enterprise, there are a lot of interesting ways she could be reintroduced.
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Commodore Matthew Decker
A fabled Starfleet flag officer, Commodore Matt Decker commands the USS Constellation in the 1967 "Original Series" episode "The Doomsday Machine." In that story, his ship is lost following an attack from an entity called the Planet Killer, leaving him the only survivor. Brought aboard the Enterprise, Decker is driven mad with grief over the loss of his ship and crew. He eventually steals a shuttlecraft and sacrifices himself to destroy the creature before it can reach a densely populated sector of space.
Decades later, in an episode of "Star Trek: Discovery," Decker is noted as one of Starfleet's most decorated captains alongside Robert April, Jonathan Archer, and Christopher Pike. It would be interesting to see more of why Decker is considered such a venerated commander via a return in "Strange New Worlds" Season 2. An episode centered on Decker in his prime, in command of the USS Constellation, would add new dimension and background to his time before "The Original Series." And by giving Trekkies an on-screen portrayal of Decker at his best, it could even help deepen the tragedy seen in "The Doomsday Machine."
Additionally, we wouldn't mind a mention of his son Will Decker, who appears in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture."