Mind-Bending Clue in Strange New Worlds Season 2 Premiere Sparks Major Star Trek Khan Theory
Unveiling a possible connection to Khan, La'an's astonishing ability to outdrink Klingons raises intriguing questions in the Season 2 premiere of Strange New Worlds
In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2's premiere episode, "The Broken Circle," the character La'an Noonien-Singh, portrayed by Christina Chong, subtly displays a tolerance for alcohol that hints at her ancestor, Khan Noonien Singh. Khan, a genetically-engineered conqueror from the late 20th century, will not be revived until Star Trek: The Original Series. Although La'an, Khan's descendant, has not indicated possessing his Augment abilities, she may have revealed the truth about herself to the Klingons in this episode.
In the previous episode, "All Those Who Wander," La'an resigned from her Starfleet commission to embark on a mission of mercy. She left the USS Enterprise to reunite Oriana, a young survivor of the Gorn, with her family. The season 2 premiere of Strange New Worlds unveils that La'an successfully found Oriana's family on Cajitar IV, a planet situated in disputed Klingon territory. However, Noonien-Singh soon discovers a syndicate composed of Klingons and ex-Starfleet soldiers plotting to reignite the Klingon War for financial gain. La'an calls upon her friends aboard the Enterprise for assistance in foiling this conspiracy. Meanwhile, she must navigate a planet infested with Klingons, and it is possible that her survival is aided by abilities she may have inherited from Khan.
La’an Outdrinking Klingons Is A Subtle Khan Hint
La'an Noonien-Singh's ability to consume large quantities of blood wine without being affected by its intoxicating effects raises questions about her genetic inheritance from Khan. With Khan's superior strength, stamina, and intellect, it is plausible that La'an shares similar traits. Her exceptional tolerance for alcohol, demonstrated by her out-drinking Klingons, suggests that she may possess Khan's genetically engineered stamina. This parallel can be drawn to Marvel super-soldiers like Steve Rogers, who also struggle to become intoxicated.
Is La'an Really An Augment Like Khan In Strange New Worlds?
La'an's inability to get drunk due to her augmented genetics raises the possibility that she shares more similarities with Khan than she initially let on. In Strange New Worlds season 1, episode 3, "Ghosts of Illyria," La'an was defeated by her mentor, Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), who is also an Illyrian with enhanced genetics and superhuman strength. While this defeat initially suggested that La'an is not an Augment, it is conceivable that she deliberately held back during the fight.
The mystery of how La'an survived a Gorn abduction as a child could potentially be explained if she is a secret Augment like Khan. However, this theory fails to account for the fact that the rest of her family was killed by the Gorn. It is possible that not all of Khan's descendants inherit his genetics. La'an displayed remarkable self-confidence even in the face of Klingon adversaries on Cajitar IV, which could be attributed to her closer connection to Khan than she reveals on the USS Enterprise. It is plausible that La'an has been concealing her Augment status all along, and this revelation may finally come to light in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.
