Unlocking New Horizons: How Strange New Worlds Breathes Fresh Life into Star Trek Canon

Summary

The musical episode of Strange New Worlds validates the impossibility of a romance between Kirk and La'an in the Prime Timeline, owing to their contrasting natures and Kirk's current commitment to Carol.

Kirk's confession deeply wounds La'an, yet it ultimately brings closure for both her and the audience. It serves as a poignant reminder that the Kirk she once knew has vanished, providing her the space to express her emotions as she moves forward.

The dissolution of Kirk and La'an's romance was a crucial decision to uphold the integrity of Star Trek: TOS canon. It was essential in preventing any disruption to Kirk's connection with Khan and his character development alongside Carol Marcus.

In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 9 titled "Subspace Rhapsody," a major revelation occurs regarding the potential romance between James T. Kirk and La'an Noonien-Singh. This episode marks the first-ever musical episode in Star Trek history, as Captain Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise find themselves singing due to the effects of a malfunctioning subspace rift. These musical interludes bring out deep emotions and truths for the characters, including La'an.

Since the events of episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," La'an has been wrestling with her feelings for Lieutenant James Kirk. In a different timeline, she had developed romantic feelings for an alternate version of Kirk. However, due to the Temporal Prime Directive, La'an was unable to disclose the details of their experiences. In "Subspace Rhapsody," she decides to be honest with Kirk, realizing that their shared work environment may inadvertently cause their secrets to be revealed through song. Unfortunately, Kirk's response to her confession indicates that their romance is unlikely to progress any further.

Strange New Worlds’ Kirk & La’an Romance Can’t Happen In Star Trek’s Prime Timeline

It has been confirmed in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds that Kirk and La'an cannot engage in a romantic relationship in the Prime Timeline. The main reason being that Prime Kirk differs too much from the version that La'an fell in love with. One of these differences is Prime Kirk's preconceived notions about La'an's last name. La'an was initially drawn to an alternate version of Kirk because he came from a reality where nobody knew about Khan Noonien-Singh, La'an's ancestor and a brutal genetically enhanced dictator from the 20th century in Star Trek. However, in the Prime Timeline, Khan and his group of genetically enhanced individuals are widely known, and Kirk would be aware of the background of La'an's name.

Furthermore, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' musical episode revealed that Kirk is already in a relationship with Carol Marcus, who is his love interest from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Additionally, Carol is currently pregnant with their son, David, which further complicates their relationship and Kirk's availability. Although both La'an and Kirk acknowledged their undeniable attraction, Kirk made it clear that he was not seeking a romantic relationship due to his complex situation with Carol.

Kirk's confession took La'an by surprise and caused her emotional pain. However, it did offer closure for both her and the audience regarding the events of "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow". La'an's conversation with Kirk in "Subspace Rhapsody" brought her to the realization that the version of him she once knew was truly gone. This realization also provided her with the confidence to express her emotions in future situations. Ultimately, the discussion between La'an and Kirk proved to be a clever solution for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, allowing them to resolve a previous storyline without contradicting the broader franchise canon.

How No Kirk & La’an Romance Saves Star Trek: TOS Canon

To maintain the integrity of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and align it with Star Trek: The Original Series canon, the heartbreaking scene featuring Kirk and La'an in "Subspace Rhapsody" was imperative. This scene effectively put an end to any potential romance between them. The reason behind this crucial decision lies in the introduction of La'an's ancestor, Khan (portrayed by Ricardo Montalbán), who eventually emerged as Kirk's formidable adversary in the TOS movies. A genuine romantic involvement between Kirk and La'an, albeit brief, would have significantly altered Kirk's dynamic with Khan in the future. It would have also raised perplexing queries regarding La'an's absence during Khan's resurgence and consequential confrontations with Kirk.

In the Star Trek: TOS movies, Kirk's romantic involvement with Carol Marcus and their son played a significant role in his character development. Despite the mutual interest between Kirk and La'an, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds wisely focused on prioritizing the relationship between Kirk and Carol. By mentioning Carol in Strange New Worlds, the show remains faithful to the franchise's timeline and opens up the potential for exploring her early relationship with Kirk in the future, offering audiences new and unseen material.

While the idea of a romance between Kirk and La'an was undoubtedly intriguing, taking the relationship any further would have challenged the boundaries of Star Trek canon, which Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been cautious about. Although the show has made necessary retcons and chosen to do so for the sake of a more captivating storyline, it has refrained from completely altering established future events. Having Kirk and La'an as a couple would have pushed the boundaries too far in that regard.

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