The Mind-Blowing Powers of 'Strange New Worlds’ Enterprise Surpass Picard’s on Star Trek TNG

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 1 - "The Broken Circle," and Episode 2 - "Ad Astra Per Aspera"

In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the USS Enterprise boasts a group of crewmembers with extraordinary abilities, surpassing even the Enterprise-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation. The show follows Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his team as they embark on adventures aboard the USS Enterprise. Strange New Worlds presents a fresh take on familiar Star Trek characters while introducing new ones. Captain Pike's diverse crew consists of individuals with unique powers, such as the genetically enhanced Number One (Rebecca Romijn) and Dr. M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun), who utilizes a super serum. The characters in Strange New Worlds possess their own extraordinary capabilities.

Though Captain Picard's (Patrick Stewart) crew on the Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation was composed of talented individuals, Pike's crew possesses an advantageous edge. While Picard's crew boasted an almost indestructible android, a Klingon warrior, and an empath, Pike's crew includes a half-Vulcan, two genetically enhanced augments, and a doctor with access to a super-strength serum. Despite having fewer episodes than TNG, Strange New Worlds has already showcased the impressive abilities of Pike's crewmembers. With Number One having successfully completed her trial and returning to the Enterprise, it seems likely that Pike now commands the most formidable crew in all of Starfleet.

Strange New Worlds’ Enterprise Crew Has More Powers Than TNG’s Enterprise Crew

Captain Picard, in Star Trek: The Next Generation, commanded a formidable crew of highly skilled Starfleet officers who adeptly wielded their abilities during times of crisis. Among them was Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), an android with an extraordinary physique and a positronic brain that not only granted him immense strength but also bestowed upon him the ability to process information at a speed unparalleled by any computer. Data's myriad capabilities, coupled with his immunity to illnesses and mind manipulation, positioned him as one of the most incredibly powerful characters in the Star Trek universe. Additionally, the Enterprise-D boasted Security Chief Worf (Michael Dorn), a Klingon warrior renowned for his superior combat skills and physical prowess, as well as Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), whose half-Betazoid heritage endowed her with the uncanny ability to perceive the emotions of others.

Star Trek Isn’t A Superhero Show But Many Characters Have Extra Abilities

Captain Pike's crew on the Enterprise-D consists of remarkable individuals, but his crew on the Enterprise of Strange New Worlds takes it to another level. Among them are First Officer Una Chin-Riley and Chief of Security La'an Noonien-Singh (played by Christina Chong), who are genetically-enhanced augments. While La'an's abilities remain unexplored, Una has already proven her exceptional strength and immunity to specific infections. Spock, a half-human half-Vulcan (portrayed by Ethan Peck), is also a member of Pike's crew. With his physical prowess, intelligence, proficiency in mind-melding, and mastery of the Vulcan nerve pinch, Spock is an invaluable asset. Furthermore, Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel (played by Jess Bush) possess a temporary super serum that grants them extraordinary strength and endurance.

Star Trek, while not explicitly a superhero series, features characters with unique abilities that often drive the show's narratives. Similar to superhero shows, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds highlight the moments of triumph and display the extraordinary powers of their characters. Throughout TNG, Data emerges as a pivotal figure, saving the day on numerous occasions, just as Spock and Number One do on Strange New Worlds. Without these characters' exceptional abilities, the Enterprise might not have emerged relatively unharmed.

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In addition to its super-powered characters, Star Trek incorporates common tropes and story elements found in superhero narratives. One example is Spock's ongoing internal conflict between his human and Vulcan identities, which mirrors the struggles of many superheroes with their own powers. Additionally, Data's brother, Lore, serves as a sort of arch-nemesis for him, similar to the dynamic often seen in superhero tales. Like previous superhero stories, Star Trek often embraces and celebrates individual differences. With its impressive ensemble of formidable Enterprise crewmembers, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds possibly boasts the most powerful crew in all of Star Trek.

Catch the latest episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 as they stream on Paramount+ every Thursday.