Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Set to Rewrite Original Series Lore with Exciting Plot Twist

Highlights

In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the timeline of The Eugenics War is changed, pushing it off for a few more decades, which makes creative sense.

The creators of Strange New Worlds aim to reimagine Star Trek canon, bringing emotional depth to Kirk's connection with La'an.

Paramount Plus' Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, has the ability to address and rectify certain elements that previously raised concerns among fans. One such concern involves the character of Khan.

In Star Trek: The Original Series, Khan, portrayed by Ricardo Montalban, was introduced as a staunch advocate of eugenics who sought to dominate the world. His actions ultimately led to The Eugenics War, which was originally depicted as taking place in the 1990s. However, a recent episode of Strange New Worlds reveals a change in the timeline.

During an encounter in contemporary Toronto with a young Kirk, played by Paul Wesley, La'an, portrayed by Christina Chong, discovers that her ancestor once resided there as a young boy. This revelation indicates that The Eugenics War would not occur for quite some time. Later in the episode, a Romulan time-traveler explains that the constant manipulation of the timeline has postponed the inevitable by a few more decades. This creative alteration not only makes logical sense but also serves as a tribute to The Original Series.

While interviewing Chong for The Ready Room, Star Trek alum Wil Wheaton pointed out that Strange New Worlds adds more relevance and significance to events in canon. He specifically speculated about the potential repercussions of the romantic tension between La'an and Kirk. "After re-watching the episode 'Space Seed' from The Original Series, I jokingly mentioned to my wife that even though Khan is a eugenicist who has caused countless deaths, Kirk seems to think it's perfectly fine to just drop him off on Ceti Alpha V. He believes it won't come back to haunt us in the '80s," Wheaton commented.

Fans will always remember The Wrath of Khan as the ultimate Star Trek film, where Khan made his return and Kirk could have prevented it. However, Wheaton had an intriguing thought while watching the episode. He speculated, "Could it be possible that Kirk's connection to La'an influenced his decision to offer her ancestor a chance at redemption through exile?"

Chong immediately embraced Wheaton's idea. Throughout the episode, La'an develops romantic feelings for Kirk, which becomes even more heartbreaking when he sacrifices himself for the greater good. La'an must come to terms with her emotions, particularly because it was an alternate version of Kirk. When she encounters Kirk Prime upon returning to the Enterprise, she must confront those feelings. Nevertheless, love always finds a way, and their relationship could have the potential to become one of the greatest Star Trek romances.

The Strange New Worlds creatives demonstrate their expertise and should consider this factor for future episodes. They have already stated their intent to reframe the Star Trek canon for emotional impact. Moving the timeline of The Eugenics War forward was done to inspire viewers, as anticipating a war that happened 30 years ago is difficult. This same approach applies to Kirk's relationship with La'an. Bringing back Wesley to portray one of Star Trek's iconic roles would be meaningless if the creators don't offer a fresh take on it.

Stream seasons 1 and 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds now on Paramount Plus.

Source: The Ready Room