Lieutenant James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) offers a philosophy on death in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 that sets up feelings as Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) decades later in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Kirk has a recurring role aboard the USS Enterprise commanded by Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) in Strange New Worlds season 2. The trailer for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 highlights Kirk's interactions with Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) and Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding).
In Strange New Worlds season 2, Lt. Kirk is still an officer aboard the USS Farragut. Captain Pike takes an interest in the young Kirk after meeting an older version of Captain Kirk from a now-deleted alternate future in Strange New Worlds' season 1's finale. Pike, who is aware of his own "death" as he knows he will be grotesquely disfigured in a few short years, apparently considers Kirk as his potential replacement as Captain of the Enterprise. Interestingly, Lt. Kirk comes aboard the Enterprise no stranger to death already, as the Farragut had a fatal encounter that likely compelled Jim to hone his feelings on facing death.
Strange New Worlds Sets Up Kirk’s “Death” Philosophy In Wrath Of Khan
In Strange New Worlds' season 2 trailer, Lt. Kirk tells La'an Noonien-Singh, “Our job puts us up against death. We may not like it, but we do have to face it.” Kirk's words seem to be juxtaposed against an explosion he and La'an witness during an away mission in a city. Jim espousing about death echoes what Admiral Kirk says to Lt. Saavik in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan when he preaches, “How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life, wouldn't you say?" Admiral Kirk's belief must be honed from his past experiences, including in Strange New Worlds season 2.
The fact that Lt. Kirk has thought a great deal about death is likely a reflection of a tragedy he experienced aboard the USS Farragut. In 2257, about 3 years before Strange New Worlds season 2, the Farragut encountered a dikironium cloud creature on Tycho IV that killed half of the crew. Kirk survived the ordeal, and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) was possibly serving on the Farragut at that time as well since she wore a pin of that starship on Starfleet Remembrance Day. In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Captain Kirk would lament to Spock (Leonard Nimoy): "I'm a great one for rushing in where angels fear to tread," Jim is keenly aware at that point in his career of how many brushes with death he has faced.
Does Wrath Of Khan Kirk Follow His Own Advice From Strange New Worlds?
Admiral Kirk was accused by his son, David Marcus (Merritt Butrick), of never facing death in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Jim agreed that he's cheated death multiple times and laughed about it. But Kirk was forced to face death when Spock sacrificed his life to save the USS Enterprise from Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban) detonating the Genesis Device. Kirk did heed the words of his younger self in Strange New Worlds as he faced Spock's death, and he certainly did not like it. In fact, in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Admiral Kirk risked his career to bring Spock back to life.
It's also interesting that Lt. Kirk lectures La'an about death in Strange New Worlds season 2. La'an is no stranger to death herself; as a child, she was the sole survivor of a Gorn abduction, and the alien reptiles consumed her entire family. La'an has faced death, i.e. the Gorn, a handful of times already in Strange New Worlds season 1. Perhaps Lt. Kirk is being high and mighty and a bit presumptuous with La'an, but Jim's feelings on facing death are a fascinating link between Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 premieres Thursday, June 15, on Paramount+