As a prequel series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has already changed or added new context to many aspects of Star Trek: The Original Series. Strange New Worlds season 1 takes place roughly 6-7 years before Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) takes command of the USS Enterprise from Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). Many key TOS players such as Spock (Ethan Peck), Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) are also already aboard the Enterprise during Strange New Worlds.
Strange New Worlds has earned raves and won over new and old fans for exemplifying the bold spirit of Star Trek: The Original Series while simultaneously updating and modernizing it. Indeed, with its serialized, genre-bending format, perfectly cast characters, and anything-goes style of space adventure, Strange New Worlds is as if the original Star Trek was made in the present day. But Strange New Worlds is a prequel that takes bold swings, and this includes examining TOS' canon with a fresh perspective. Strange New Worlds isn't remotely afraid to retcon what's previously known about TOS and its characters, and season 1 has made many significant changes to the 1960s Star Trek.
15 The Enterprise Is The Federation Flagship
Dr. M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) confirmed in Strange New Worlds episode 3 that the USS Enterprise is the flagship of the United Federation of Planets. This is a retcon that brings Strange New Worlds' Enterprise in line with the new status given to the legacy of Star Trek's most famous starship. Kirk's Enteprise in TOS wasn't the flagship of the Federation, and that accolade was given to the 24th century USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation. J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2009 made the Enterprise the flagship, and now Strange New Worlds' Enterprise holds that distinction as well.
14 Pike's Enterprise Looks Bigger And Can Do Things Kirk's Can't
Pike's Starship Enterprise appears larger and roomier than Kirk's, although this may just be because Pike's crew numbers in the 200s while Kirk's expands to 430 in TOS. The transporters on Pike's Enterprise can also do some previously unheard of and miraculous things, such as change a person's clothes in mid-transport or beam a serum directly into Spock's bloodstream. The differences hint that the Enterprise gets a refit before Kirk takes command. It is satisfying, however, that Pike's Enterprise is as much a character in Strange New Worlds as it is in Star Trek: The Original Series.
13 Pike Knows His Tragic Future (In Detail)
Star Trek: Discovery season 2 made a massive change to Pike's canon by having him learn that he'll be horribly disfigured in 2266. Strange New Worlds revealed the depth of Pike's foreknowledge; he knows the exact date of when it happens, and he even knows the names of the Cadets he saves when he's injured. Pike is a haunted man in Strange New Worlds season 1, but he comes to terms with his destiny in the finale. Pike also told Spock and Number One (Rebecca Romijn), which creates a new context to Spock's (Leonard Nimoy) mutiny to bring PIke (Sean Kenney) to Talos IV in the TOS episode, "The Menagerie."
12 Pike Plans To Groom Kirk As Enterprise Captain
In Strange New Worlds season 1's finale, Pike met the Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley) of an alternate future. Further, Pike learned that Kirk's risk-taking style of command will prevent a future war with the Romulans, whereas Chris' own decisions instigated that war. James T. Kirk is a Lieutenant on the USS Farragut in Strange New Worlds' timeframe, but Pike saw him as his potential successor as Captain of the Enterprise. Strange New Worlds season 2 will bring Lt. Kirk aboard the Enterprise, and Pike is likely to begin grooming Jim for the big chair.
11 Spock's Relationship With T'Pring & Nurse Chapel Deepens
Spock and his Vulcan fiancée, T'Pring (Gia Sandu), are still very much in love during Strange New Worlds, and their relationship has yet to disintegrate as it does in TOS. Meanwhile, Nurse Chapel's infatuation with Spock, which continues in TOS, sparks up in Strange New Worlds season 1. Spock, T'Pring, and Chapel are the show's most compelling love triangle. The chemistry between Spock and T'Pring is as electric as the growing connection Nurse Chapel and Spock share aboard the Enterprise. How close Spock and Christine will truly get in Strange New Worlds is yet to be seen.
10 Uhura's Backstory & Choice To Remain On The Enterprise
Strange New Worlds gave Cadet Nyota Uhura the canonical backstory that TOS never did for Nichelle Nichols' original version of the Communications Officer. Uhura comes from a tragic background, and she wasn't sure she wanted to remain in Starfleet. But Uhura gained a mentor in the late Chief Engineer Hemmer (Bruce Horak), and her ingenuity helped save the Enterprise more than once. By the end of Strange New Worlds season 1, Uhura made the choice to remain in Starfleet, and she earned her place aboard the Enterprise, where she will serve for the rest of her career.
9 Starfleet Knows More About The Gorn
The Gorn is one of Strange New Worlds' most significant retcons. The lizard aliens emerged as a major threat to the Federation, and Strange New Worlds revealed new information about Gorn society, culture, and violent methodology that not only completely recontextualizes the Gorn in TOS, but also how much Starfleet knows about them. Further, Lt. La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong) is a survivor of a Gorn abduction as a child, and she owns a wealth of knowledge about the reptilian villains. A violent encounter with the Gorn led to the death of Hemmer, and the aliens will be back in Strange New Worlds season 2.
8 Why Number One Doesn't Stay On Kirk's Enterprise
It's canonical that Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley doesn't remain on the Starship Enterprise when Captain Kirk takes over. While Strange New Worlds has yet to indicate why, season 1 revealed Number One to be a genetically engineered Illyrian. Una was arrested for lying to Starfleet about being an Augment at the end of Strange New Worlds season 1. However Una's plight is resolved, it could also be a hint as to why Number One eventually vacates the First Officer role to Spock in TOS.
7 Dr. M'Benga Met An Early Star Trek Space God
Dr. Joseph M'Benga served as the USS Enterprise's Chief Medical Officer before Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley). M'Benga is also a legacy character who appears in two episodes of TOS where he's played by Booker Bradshaw, and he works closely with Nurse Chapel in Strange New Worlds. Joseph tried to cure her terminally ill young daughter, Rukiya (Sage Arrindell), and he gave her up to a sentient non-corporeal life form that predates the many cosmic deities and all-powerful entities Kirk's Enterprise encounters in TOS.
6 Nurse Chapel Innovated A Key Starfleet Technology
Thanks to Strange New Worlds' retcon, Christine Chapel is far more than a nurse. She joined the Enterprise as a civilian exchange from the Stanford Morehouse Epigenetic Project where Chapel helped develop the technology Starfleet uses to alter human DNA and turn them into aliens. Chapel only messed with her crew mates' genomes once in Strange New Worlds season 1, but her essential new skill recontextualizes the version of Nurse Chapel Majel Barrett-Roddenberry created in TOS.
5 Lower Deckers Played Enterprise Bingo
Strange New Worlds revealed that Cadets and Ensigns on Pike's Enterprise unwind with an embargoed game called Enterprise Bingo, which is essentially a scavenger hunt throughout the ship. This practice was apparently discontinued on Kirk's Enterprise. Curiously, one of the tasks in Enterprise Bingo involves a Tribble, which means there's an awareness of the furry aliens years before Kirk's Enterprise encounters them in TOS. Another goal in Enterprise Bingo is to "Sign the Scorch," which is the Enterprise's oldest piece of hull. The Scorch may have finally been removed when Kirk takes command of the Enterprise.
4 Strange New Worlds Reintroduced Sybok
One of Strange New Worlds season 1's biggest shocks was the introduction of Sybok. Spock's older half-brother hadn't been seen since his lone appearance in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, which takes place nearly 30 years after Strange New Worlds. Along with Sybok's return is the revelation that he's married to a space pirate named Captain Angel (Jesse James Keitel) and that he's a prisoner in the Ankeshtan K'Til Vulcan Criminal Rehabilitation Center overseen by T'Pring and her aide, Stonn (Roderick McNeil). Sybok will hopefully appear alongside Captain Angel in Strange New Worlds season 2.
3 Pike Has More Girlfriends Than Previously Known
Captain Pike can boast he has a love life worthy of a 23rd century Starfleet Captain. Strange New Worlds season 1 revealed Pike has a girlfriend in Captain Batel (Melanie Scrofano), who commands her own starship and even has a higher security level. Strange New Worlds season 1 later introduced Pike's ex, Alora (Lindy Booth), the Minister of Majalis, a non-Federation world with a disturbing secret at the heart of its technolgically advanced society. Pike's romantic past adds context to his TOS appearance in "The Menagerie" and his apparent true love, Vina (Melissa George), on Talos IV.
2 Strange New Worlds Revealed Another Former Enterprise Captain
Strange New Worlds season 1 featured the live-action debut of another Star Trek legacy character, Admiral Robert April (Adrian Holmes). April was the Captain of the Enterprise before Pike, and he appeared in Star Trek: The Animated Series. Admiral April retcons the character to be Black, and his appearance in Strange New Worlds' premiere leads to the Federation renaming General Order 1 as the Prime Directive.
1 Strange New Worlds Sheds New Light On Khan
Strange New Worlds season 1 happens a half-dozen years before Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán) is revived by Kirk's Enterprise, but new context is revealed about the genetically engineered warlord. His descendant, La'an Noonien Singh, serves aboard Pike's Enterprise. Further, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1 deals head-on with how Khan's legacy of evil still determines how the Federation treats Augments such as Una Chin-Riley. This also adds a fascinating new perspective on how Kirk and Spock react to Khan when he appears in Star Trek: The Original Series.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 premieres in 2023 on Paramount+.