Star Trek Strange New Worlds: Unveiling Kirk's Enigmatic Pregnant Girlfriend, Carol

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 9, "Subspace Rhapsody"

Summary

Lt. Kirk discloses that he is involved with Carol, his pregnant girlfriend, which creates difficulties in his bond with Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh.

Carol Marcus, a remarkable scientist who developed Project Genesis and shares a son named David with Kirk, was introduced in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Although La'an and Kirk could potentially have a romantic relationship, it is unlikely due to Kirk's current relationship status and the complications it would cause within the show's canon. In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' musical episode, Lt. James T. Kirk (played by Paul Wesley) shares with Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (played by Christina Chong) that he is in a committed relationship with a pregnant woman named Carol. La'an musters the courage to reveal her own experience with Kirk's alternate universe counterpart in season 2, episode 3, titled "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow." However, when La'an confesses her complicated emotions for the Prime Universe Kirk, James informs her that he is already involved with a woman named Carol. Although he acknowledges the connection between them, Kirk kindly explains that they cannot pursue a relationship.

Kirk’s Pregnant Girlfriend Carol Marcus Explained

Star Trek enthusiasts may be familiar with the moniker Carol from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan or Star Trek Into Darkness, both of which depicted varying iterations of the character Dr. Carol Marcus. Dr. Marcus (portrayed by Bibi Besch) was first introduced in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan as a prominent scientist within the Federation and a former romantic interest of Admiral James Kirk (played by William Shatner). Carol shared a son with Kirk named David (portrayed by Merritt Butrick), yet she ultimately made the decision to exclude Kirk from their lives. While Kirk roamed the cosmos, Carol dedicated her existence to her scientific studies and the upbringing of their child.

Dr. Carol Marcus, a brilliant scientist of the Federation, had ambitions beyond simply accompanying Jim Kirk on his galactic escapades. Her ambition led her to create Project Genesis, an audacious initiative aimed at rapidly transforming uninhabitable planets to alleviate the issues of overpopulation and hunger in the galaxy. Following in his mother's footsteps, David collaborated with her on the development of the Genesis Device. In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, David, who was in his early twenties by then, highlighted that Kirk and Carol had been together for over twenty years. Although the exact year of David's birth remains unknown, it has been revealed in Strange New Worlds that Carol was pregnant with David while Kirk served as the First Officer aboard the USS Farragut.

Can Kirk & La’an Romance Still Happen In Strange New Worlds?

In J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness, the alternate Kelvin Timeline's Carol Marcus (Alice Eve) made an appearance. Throughout the film, she and Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) engaged in flirtation but never pursued a romantic relationship. As a member of Starfleet's science division, Carol infiltrated the USS Enterprise under a false identity to uncover information about mysterious weapons onboard the ship. Her primary conflict revolved around her tumultuous relationship with her father, Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller), who met his demise at the hands of Khan Noonien-Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch). Despite joining the USS Enterprise crew by the conclusion of Star Trek Into Darkness, Carol did not make an appearance in its sequel, Star Trek Beyond.

In the second season of Strange New Worlds, episode three, Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh finds herself developing feelings for an alternate version of Captain James T. Kirk from a parallel universe. Unfortunately, this Kirk meets his demise at the hands of a hidden Romulan agent. Despite this loss, La'an's emotions remain entangled with the Prime Universe iteration of Jim Kirk. In "Subspace Rhapsody," James characterizes his connection with Carol as intricate and sporadic, implying the potential conclusion of their romance and the start of a new one. By the time Star Trek: The Original Series rolls around, Kirk and Carol have already moved on from their romantic involvement, and James has earned himself a reputation as a charismatic individual with the ladies.

There is a slim chance of a romantic relationship between La'an and James Kirk, as the Prime Universe Kirk has changed and it could disrupt the Star Trek canon regarding Kirk's feelings towards Khan Noonien-Singh. However, anything is possible as seen on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Watch the season 2 finale on Paramount+ this Thursday, August 10th.