Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) is one ofStar Trek: Strange New Worlds' most compelling characters, and these eight episodes provide insight into the USS Enterprise’s Chief of Security. La’an is aseries regular onStar Trek: Strange New Worlds, and she’s one of the new characters introduced in the prequel toStar Trek: The Original Series. Serious and devoted to duty, there are hidden layers to La’an thatStrange New Worldshas gradually peeled back.
La’an’s surname confirms that she is a descendant of the infamous genetically engineered tyrantKhan Noonien Singh(Ricardo Montalban).La’an’s family lineagehas haunted her since childhood, as did the traumatic ordeal wherethe Gorn kidnapped La’anand her family. The Gorn allowed La’an to escape as the only survivor, and she was rescued by Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), who mentored her and inspired La’an to join Starfleet.
As the Security Chief of the USS Enterprise commanded byCaptain Christopher Pike(Anson Mount), La’an plays a significant role in many episodes ofStar Trek: Strange New Worlds. Christina Chong’s charisma, intensity, dramatic depth, and her sense of humor shining through have turned La’an into a fan-favorite character.La’an zealously guards her inner self, but her warmth, compassion, and courage are evident in these episodes ofStar Trek: Strange New Worlds.
8“Strange New Worlds”
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1, Episode 1
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' self-titled series premiere introduced Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh as the no-nonsense new Chief of Security of the USS Enterprise. La’an joins Captain Pike and Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) on a mission to rescue Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley from Kiley 279. This requires Pike, Spock, and La’an to besurgically altered into aliens by Nurse Christine Chapel(Jess Bush).
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La’an’s first mission inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsestablished her close bond with Number One and began La’an’s forging of trust with Captain Pike. Fascinatingly,La’an refuses any painkillerswhen she’s transformed into a Kiley native by Nurse Chapel, which hints at her fear of losing control and composure. Yet there are already indicators that La’an has great depth, andStrange New Worldsdoesn’t waste time delving into La’an’s past and psyche.
7“Memento Mori”
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 4
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’fourth episode, “Memento Mori,” digs into the hidden trauma of La’an’s past. When the Starship Enterprise is suddenly attacked, La’an quickly identifies that their enemy is the Gorn.La’an’s personal insight into the Gorn is invaluable,allowing Captain Pike to successfully lead the Enterprise to outmaneuver the reptilian alien predators.
“Memento Mori” introduces Starfleet Remembrance Day and reveals La’an was aboard the SS Puget Sound when the Gorn abducted her while Nurse Chapel formely served on the USS Farragut.
“Memento Mori” revealsLa’an’s backstory of being abducted by the Gorn, which consumed her family, including her older brother, Manu Noonien-Singh (Cameron Roberts). Lt. Spock also mind-melds with La’an and learns of what she endured against the Gorn as a girl. “Menento Mori” establishes theGorn as the main antagonist ofStar Trek: Strange New Worlds,placing La’an as a central figure in their future battles.
6“Spock Amok”
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 5
Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 1, episode 5, “Spock Amok,” centers on a hilarious body-swap scenario between Lt. Spock and his Vulcan fiancée, T’Pring (Gia Sandhu), but La’an and Number One feature in a humorous subplot of their own. With most of the Starship Enterprise’s crew on shore leave,Una and La’an enjoy having the run of the shipand investigating the lower deckers' game of ‘Enterprise Bingo.’
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“Spock Amok” brings out La’an’s playful side for the first timeinStar Trek: Strange New Worlds. Roaming an empty USS Enterprise with her closest friend, Una, La’an allows herself to have fun playing ‘Enterprise Bingo’ and spooking ensigns. When La’an and Una walk on the hull of the Enterprise to see ‘the scorch,’ and witness a R’ongoviansolar sail shiptake flight, La’an allows herself to bask in the wonder of it all. It’s the first time inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsthat La’an lets her hair down before snapping back to her serious self.
5“All Those Who Wander”
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 9
Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh comes face-to-face with the Gorn for the first time since her childhood inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 1’s penultimate episode, “All Those Who Wander.” When the Starship Enterprise tracks the USS Peregrine’s distress beacon to the icy world of Valeo Beta V, Captain Pike and his crew are attacked by the vicious infant Gorn. AsLt. Hemmer (Bruce Horak) sacrifices his lifeto protect his friends from the Gorn,La’an takes responsibility for Orianna (Emma Ho), a young survivor.
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“All Those Who Wander” turns from the comedy of La’an tasting Captain Pike’s"delicious"waffles to the frozen horror of battling the Gorn in close quarters. La’an and her Enterprise crewmates go into desperation action hero mode battling the baby Gorn, and La’an seeing her younger self in Orianna leads her to decide to take a leave of absence to reunite Orianna with her family.The respect Captain Pike has for La’an is evidentas she leaves the Enterprise for her errand of mercy.
4“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 3
Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 2, episode 3, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” isone of the greatStar Trektime travel love stories.WhenStar Trek’s Prime timeline is altered, La’an teams up with an alternate universe Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley). In 21st-century Toronto, La’an and Kirk uncover a Romulan temporal saboteur named Sera (Adelaide Kane), and La’an saves her ancestor, Khan Noonien Singh (Desmond Sivan), when he’s just a boy. Tragically, La’an falls in love with and loses Kirk, who is murdered by Sera.
This is La’an’s definitive Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode… so far.
“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” is a prime showcase forChristina Chong’s layered performance as La’an, and it’s a winning two-hander with Paul Wesley’s charming and roguish Kirk. In this alt-reality James, La’an meets someone who doesn’t judge her by her surname, andLa’an begins to see a path beyond her self-imposed isolation and loneliness. La’an losing Kirk and immediately seeking out James' Prime universe counterpart is a heartbreaking double-punch after she’s sworn to secrecy about her time travel. This is La’an’s definitiveStar Trek: Strange New Worldsepisode… so far.
3“Among The Lotus Eaters”
Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh plays support inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 2, episode 4, “Among the Lotus Eaters,” butit’s a low-key pivotal hour for the Starship Enterprise’s Security Chief. “Among the Lotus Eaters” brings Captain Pike back to Rigel VII where he learns his former yeoman, Ensign Zac Nguyen (David Huynh) conquered the planet. The episode also centers onLt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia),who saves the Enterprise despite her amnesia.
La’an and M’Benga are veterans of the Klingon War, and they share a secret code.
However, “Among the Lotus Eaters” also reveals new shades to La’an. When La’an is seriously injured on Rigel VII and fights for her life, we learn about her connection to Dr. Joseph M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun). Both La’an and M’Benga are veterans of the Klingon War, and they share a secret code of running a finger down their cheek. AsStrange New Worldsseason 2 progresses,La’an becomes M’Benga’s sparring partner, deepening their relationship.
2“Subspace Rhapsody”
Star Trek’s first-ever musical episodeused its songs to bring forth the buried feelings, hopes, and dreams of the USS Enterprise’s crew, and La’an is at the center of it all. When Lt. James T. Kirk beams aboard the Enterprise, La’an is smitten with Kirk all over again.La’an is inspired to tell Jim how she feels about himafter her showstopping number, “Change My Paradigm.” Although Kirk confesses he’s already in a relationship, La’an finds herself in a better place emotionally than perhaps she ever has before.
Christina Chong, who is also a recording artist, played a large role in pushing forStar Trek: Strange New Worldsto have a musical episode.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' musical episode, “Subspace Rhapsody,” is a breakthrough for La’an, paying off her emotional growth and journey since the series began. Through song,La’an finds confidence in asserting her true feelingsthat she wouldn’t have otherwise. La’an broke out of her self-imposed shell and is on her way to being a more emotionally present person.Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3will explore just how much La’an’s paradigm will change.
1“Hegemony”
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 10
Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 2’s finalebrings the Gorn back to menace Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh and the crew of the USS Enterprise. When the Gorn attack Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano) and the USS Cayuga on Parnassus Beta, La’an joins Captain Pike’s rescue mission.La’an’s worst nightmare comes true when she is once again abducted by the Gornalong with Lt. Erica Ortegas, Lt. Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte), and Dr. Joseph M’Benga.
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“Hegemony” is a stark and harrowing reminder that La’an cannot yet escape her Gorn tormentors.La’an’s hard-won personal growth and hope for the future are now at the mercy of the cannibalistic alien reptiles. The Gorn are the boogeymen that La’an has to lay to rest, and it will require surviving them once more inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3. La’an’s journey, and the powerful emotional range Christina Chong brings to her signature role, have only just begun.
