Star Trek's Next Enigmatic Engineer Is Set to Outshine Guinan and Scotty

Commander Pelia, the new Chief Engineer in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, brings a unique dynamic to the role. Unlike Scotty from the Original Series, she shares more similarities with Guinan from The Next Generation. Pelia steps in to replace the late Lt. Hemmer, who sacrificed himself to save the USS Enterprise crew from the Gorn. While one might have expected the new Chief Engineer to follow in Hemmer's footsteps, Pelia takes the series in a surprising direction, proving to be immediately successful.

In the premiere episode of Strange New Worlds season 2, titled "The Broken Circle," Commander Pelia, as the Chief Fleet Inspector, leads her team from Starfleet Operational Support Services to overhaul the systems of the Starship Enterprise. This happens while much of the crew is on leave at Starbase One. Pelia quickly notices something suspicious when the warp core of the Enterprise suddenly experiences a meltdown. She heads to the bridge, fully aware of Lt. Spock's intentions to steal the ship. Pelia strikes a deal with Spock, offering her cooperation in exchange for the opportunity to serve as the Chief Engineer. By the end of the season 2 premiere, she cleverly secures the position permanently.

Chief Engineer Pelia Is Strange New Worlds' Guinan, Not Scotty

Casting Carol Kane as Commander Pelia in Strange New Worlds season 2 was a brilliant decision, much like when Whoopi Goldberg was brought in to play Guinan in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2. Kane, a beloved and highly acclaimed actor, possesses impeccable comedic timing and an impressive body of work, just like Goldberg. Additionally, both Pelia and Guinan come from long-lived races, with Pelia being a Lanthanite who has lived on Earth undercover for centuries, similar to how Guinan made Earth her home and established her own bar, Ten Forward.

Rather than introducing a predecessor to Scotty to replace Hemmer as the Starship Enterprise's Chief Engineer, Strange New Worlds opted for the unconventional choice of Commander Pelia. Already, Pelia has proven herself to be a formidable and eccentric Chief Engineer, easily matching wits with Spock and the rest of the Enterprise crew. Like Guinan, Pelia possesses a wealth of life experience and knowledge that she has only hinted at, making it all the more intriguing to witness her forming relationships with the much younger crew of the Enterprise. Interestingly, while Guinan had a close bond with Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the new Chief Engineer remains unknown to Captain Christopher Pike as of the end of Strange New Worlds season 2's premiere.

How Pelia Compares To Strange New Worlds' Hemmer

Commander Pelia differs greatly from Lt. Hemmer, and it was a wise decision by Strange New Worlds not to replace the gruff but wise blind Aenar with a similar character. Lt. Hemmer was a surprising breakout character in the first season of Strange New Worlds, forming a close bond with Cadet Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) who saw him as her mentor. Lt. Hemmer was undoubtedly a skilled engineer who lived by the motto of "fixing what was broken," but Commander Pelia may surpass him in expertise, considering her centuries of life and experience as an instructor at Starfleet Academy.

While Scotty will eventually become the Chief Engineer of the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek: The Original Series, this is still years away in Strange New Worlds. From a storytelling perspective, there is no rush to introduce Scotty. Instead, Strange New Worlds took a bold step by giving their Starship Enterprise their own version of Guinan, casting the beloved and award-winning comedienne Carol Kane as Commander Pelia. In doing so, Carol Kane instantly creates a unique, powerful, and endearing character. Just as Guinan became integral to Star Trek: The Next Generation, Carol Kane's Commander Pelia has the potential to have the same impact in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.