Get Ready to Beam Up: Is Scotty's Engineering Destiny Unfolding in Strange New Worlds Season 3?

Warning: SPOILER for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Finale - "Hegemony"

Summary

In the season 2 finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Lt. Montgomery Scott, also known as Scotty, unexpectedly appears. He impresses everyone with his engineering skills and ability to evade a Gorn attack. With his introduction, there is potential for Scotty to regularly appear in the series and for his character to undergo long-term development.

Although Scotty is destined to be the future Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise, he is currently a junior officer in Strange New Worlds and is unlikely to replace Pelia in this role right away. However, there is a possibility of a changing of the guard in Engineering in future seasons. Lt. Montgomery Scott (Martin Quinn) makes his debut in the finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, raising the question of whether this marks the beginning of Scotty's journey towards becoming the iconic Chief Engineer in Star Trek: The Original Series. Scotty surprises everyone by appearing on Parnassus Beta and successfully outwitting the Gorn, using his knowledge of their behavior and a Gorn transponder he built to ensure his survival after the USS Stardiver's attack.

Scotty, a renowned figure in the realm of Star Trek, stands as one of its greatest icons. Serving as the Chief Engineer under the leadership of Captain James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner) aboard the USS Enterprise, Scotty gained a well-deserved reputation as a "miracle worker" for his remarkable ability to navigate the starship out of countless life-or-death predicaments. Throughout a span of over 30 years, Scotty dedicated his service to both the Enterprise and Enterprise-A, harboring a deep affection for the Constitution Class starship that likely surpasses even that of Captain Kirk. However, it is within the timeframe of Strange New Worlds' 2260 era that we find Scotty as a young junior-grade Lieutenant, embarking on the Starship Enterprise for the very first time.

Scotty Can Join Strange New Worlds’ Enterprise In Season 3

Scotty's inclusion in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds opens the door for him to become a recurring character. With the urgent situation on Parnassus Beta demanding an Engineer to play a crucial role in unraveling the Gorn's scheme, the creative team decided to introduce Scotty instead of introducing a new character. By casting Scottish actor Martin Quinn as Scotty and bringing him to Toronto, it becomes evident that there are long-term plans for Mr. Scott beyond a simple cameo or guest appearance. Moving forward, Scotty has the potential to become a regular and familiar face aboard Captain Pike's Enterprise.

Scotty is poised to take on the role of the Enterprise's savior and dazzle everyone with his exceptional skills as a "miracle worker." Equipped with the knowledge of constructing a Gorn transponder, Scotty seeks the guidance of his former Starfleet Academy instructor, Commander Pelia (Carol Kane), who happens to be the Chief Engineer of the Enterprise. The successful deployment of a functional Gorn transponder would enable the starship to evade detection from the Gorn's sensors. This breakthrough would allow Captain Pike to defy Starfleet's orders of retreat and embark on a daring rescue mission to save Lt. La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong), Dr. Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun), Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), Lt. Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte), and the abductees from Parnassus Beta that are currently held captive by the Gorn. Furthermore, Scotty may possess the knowledge to manipulate the Gorn's behavior by utilizing coronal mass ejections, specifically sun spots.

Why Scotty Probably Won’t Replace Pelia As Chief Engineer (Yet)

Once Scotty becomes an Engineer on the Starship Enterprise, it's only a matter of time before he surpasses Pelia and becomes the Chief Engineer. Scotty is already highly skilled in managing the Enterprise's engines when Star Trek: The Original Series begins, but it will be in Strange New Worlds where we see him officially take on the role that defines his Starfleet career. However, Scotty is currently a junior officer in Strange New Worlds and still has a long way to go before he can replace Pelia as the senior Chief Engineer. Pelia, who is an incredibly long-lived Lanthanite and recently joined the Enterprise crew, is unlikely to give up her position or hand it over to Scotty, even though he is her gifted former student with a history of poor grades.

The duration of Carol Kane's contract with Strange New Worlds and the potential of Martin Quinn's character evolving beyond a guest star remain uncertain. Anything is possible in the third season of Strange New Worlds, including a potential shift in the Engineering department. Despite Scotty's established future as the Chief Engineer of the Enterprise, that milestone may not occur in season 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, as it is set years before the events of TOS. Paramount+ offers streaming of all episodes from season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.