Right now, one of the biggest questions amongStar Trekviewers is whenStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3 will be released on Paramount+. It’s been more than a year and a half since season 2 ended with an incredibly intense cliffhanger, with several members of the USS Enterprise crew captive on a Gorn ship and Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano) infected with Gorn larvae. However, the combined WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes meant filming for season 3 didn’t finish until May 2024. So, we knowStrange New Worldsseason 3 will have a huge cast, but that’s about all.
Because of that massive cliffhanger, it is reasonable to assume thatStrange New Worldsseason 3will start off with a confrontation with the Gorn. Starfleet has ordered Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) to avoid war with the Gorn, so seeing how Captain Pike will manage to save his friends and crew without kicking off a massive conflict should be gripping. But, after the past 2 seasons, I have to admit thatI am starting to get tired of the Gorn asStrange New Worlds' principal antagonists- I think it’s time for something new in season 3.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Needs To Move Beyond The Gorn
The Gorn Are More Monsters Than Antagonists
With so many strange new worlds and corresponding species for the Enterprise to encounter, I think Captain Pike is ready to face a new antagonist inStrange New Worldsseason 3.The Gorn have beenStrange New Worlds’main enemy since season 1, episode 4“Memento Mori,” and they have been incredibly effective in that role. Indeed, some of the most intense scenes in the series have come from Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) grappling with her traumatic childhood on a Gorn breeding planet. So far, the Gorn have been a compelling antagonist, but Captain Pike is capable of more.
Several episodes ofStar Trek: Lower Deckshave shown that, by the 2380s, Federation-Gorn relationships had stablized to the point of having Gorn restaurants on Federation space stations.
The Gorn are more horror movie monsters than antagonists inStrange New Worlds. Gorn breeding planets are functionally torture chambers, and the Gorn process of breeding is the most horrific death inthe entire Star Trek franchise. Captain Pike is a diplomat with decades of Starfleet experience, butthe sheer monstrosity of the Gorn means, most of the time, the Captain of the Enterprise does not get to show off his greatest talents. A new antagonist would give Captain Pike a chance to shine rather than just reacting to monsters.
Why The Klingons Should Be The New Enemy Of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Enterprise
They Can Push Captain Pike Better Than Any Other Enemy
The Klingons would be the perfect new enemy for Captain Pike to face inStrange New Worldsseason 3.Michael Dorn’s character, Captain Worf, has shown time and time again the rich depths of Klingon culture, and that complex society would be a perfect proving ground for Captain Pike’s diplomatic abilities. Furthermore, despite Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) drinking with Klingons in an earlier episode of season 2, the Klingon Empire is still an enemy of the Federation, making the Klingons a natural adversary for the early 2260s.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 Has Started Filming With First BTS Photo
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 has started filming as the first behind-the-scenes photo of the upcoming episodes of the show gets released.
Star Trek: The Original Serieshas already established that conflicts between the Federation and the Klingon Empire will continue, so there is plenty of space to explore that conflict. But even beyondThe Original Series,the currentStrange New Worldscrew of the Enterprise has a lot of reasons to conflict with the Klingons.Dr. Joseph M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun), Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), and Lt. Noonien-Singh all fought in the Klingon war and actively mistrust Klingons to this day. Furthermore, Dr. M’Bengakilled a Klingon Ambassador in season 2, episode 8, “Under the Cloak of War.” Tensions are high.
The Klingons inStrange New Worldsare able to push Captain Pike to the next level in a way that the Gorn are simply incapable of.
Captain Pike is already poised to be forced to choose between protecting his crew and Starfleet loyalty, and throwing a direct conflict with the Klingons into the mix could push the Captain to the breaking point. To put things very simply,the Klingons inStrange New Worldsare able to push Captain Pike to the next level in a way that the Gorn are simply incapable of. As such, I really hope thatStar Trek: Strange New Worldsmoves in a new direction for season 3 and replaces the Gorn as primary antagonists.
