The Secret Alliance: Romulans Urgently Pushing for Early Captain Kirk Appointment on the Enterprise - Find Out Why!

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, season 2, episode 3 - "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow." In this episode, the Romulans once again create an alternate timeline where Captain James T. Kirk takes command of the USS Enterprise earlier than expected. Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh is given the mission of preventing a disastrous change to the timeline by a dying time traveler. Rushing to the bridge, she discovers that it is indeed Captain Kirk, and not Captain Pike, who is in control.

Taking place in the year 2260, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3 occurs five years prior to Kirk's official assumption of the role of Enterprise Captain. This is not the first time that a different Star Trek universe has advanced Kirk's promotion earlier than what is established in the original canon. The 2009 Star Trek film by J.J. Abrams saw Kirk being promoted to the Captain's position of the USS Enterprise in the Kelvin Timeline in the year 2258. Both alternate timelines appear to be the product of Romulan time travelers, indicating that Kirk's promotion holds significance in their desired future.

2 Romulan Time Travelers Made Kirk Enterprise Captain Early

After the catastrophic supernova event in 2387, Nero, a grieving and revengeful Romulan miner, was mistakenly transported back to the 23rd century. Seizing an opportunity, Nero launched an assault on the USS Kelvin, resulting in a profound impact on the future of James T. Kirk. The attack claimed the life of Kirk's father, Lt. George Kirk, leaving Captain Kirk of the Kelvin Timeline burdened with unresolved father issues. Nero's act of vengeance against Spock and the Federation enabled the young Kirk to demonstrate his leadership capabilities much earlier, ultimately leading him to assume the role of the Enterprise's Captain by the film's conclusion.

In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Sera, portrayed by Adelaide Kane, embarked on a journey to alter humanity's progress, aiming to prevent the establishment of the Federation. This alteration had a significant consequence wherein the Romulans, lacking their formidable adversary, emerged as a dominant power in the galaxy. In this altered timeline, Kirk assumes the position of Captain of the Starship Enterprise within the United Earth Fleet five years ahead of his Starfleet counterpart. While this may be an unintended outcome of the disrupted timelines, there remains a possibility that the Romulans have an ulterior motive for desiring Kirk's early appointment as Captain of the Enterprise.

Why Would Romulans Want Kirk As Captain Of The Enterprise Earlier?

In order to comprehend why the Romulan Star Empire may desire Kirk to become Captain of the Enterprise earlier, it is worthwhile to examine the season 1 finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, titled "A Quality of Mercy." This episode revealed that if Kirk were not in command of the Enterprise in 2266, Captain Pike would unwittingly provoke a catastrophic war between the Federation and the Romulans. While it may appear illogical for the Romulans to appoint Kirk as the Enterprise's Captain earlier, as he would undoubtedly possess even greater self-assurance when encountering the Romulan Warbird in 2266, there is a possibility that by expediting Kirk's promotion, the Romulans are depriving him of the life experiences that shaped his critical decision in 2266. Kirk's tragic experience aboard the USS Farragut in 2257 profoundly influenced his command style aboard the Enterprise. However, due to the alterations caused by Nero's actions in Star Trek (2009) and Sera's temporal manipulation in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, it seems that the Farragut's influence has been erased from Kirk's backstory. Consequently, Kirk may emerge as a distinctly different Captain in 2266, potentially making a decision that ultimately benefits the Romulans.

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