“Strange New Worlds” exists in a canon sandwich, bookended by the events of “Star Trek: Discovery” and Captain James T Kirk’s legendary five-year mission. As a result, many of the Starfleet officers (and a few antagonists) who make their mark in the Original Series are already on active duty in the prequel show “Strange New Worlds”.
So, as Captain Pike and co’s third season warps onto Paramount+, we’ve assembled a roster of every character from the Original Series (along with a few from the Animated Series and the Kirk era movies) whose younger selves have shown up in “Strange New Worlds”.
Hit it!
On the Enterprise
Captain Christopher Pike
- Original actor: Jeffrey Hunter/Sean Kenney
- Strange New Worlds actor: Anson Mount
The USS Enterprise’s captain debuted in the original unaired pilot, “The Cage” (set several years before “Strange New Worlds”), but later turned up in Original Series two-parter “The Menagerie”.
Critically injured in a delta radiation leak, that iteration of Pike was played by Sean Kenney in that episode, but original actor Jeffrey Hunter appeared in flashback.
Lieutenant Spock
- Original actor: Leonard Nimoy
- Strange New Worlds actor: Ethan Peck
The only character from “The Cage” to remain a permanent crew member in the Original Series.
Spock has, of course, gone on to become one of the most iconic characters in sci-fi history, with a glittering career as both a Starfleet officer and an ambassador. He’ll also return from the dead.
Commander Una Chin-Riley
- Original actor: Majel Barrett
- Strange New Worlds actor: Rebecca Romijn
As she only appeared in the Original Series in flashbacks to “The Cage”, “Number One” is the only legacy character whose post-“Strange New Worlds” fate remains unknown.
We wouldn’t mind betting that her Illyrian heritage has a part to play in her destiny, though in the meantime, she should probably check if she and Nurse Chapel are related. (They were both played by Majel Barrett in the ’60s.)
Ensign Nyota Uhura
- Original actor: Nichelle Nichols
- Strange New Worlds actor: Celia Rose Gooding
“Strange New Worlds” confirmed that the Enterprise’s long-serving communications officer pre-dated most of her Original Series colleagues on the bridge.
She was arguably underserved by both the TV show and the film series, so this is a good opportunity to give an iconic character some backstory, such as the death of her parents in a shuttle accident.
Nurse Christine Chapel
- Original actor: Majel Barrett
- Strange New Worlds actor: Jess Bush
Number One’s doppelganger always carried a torch for Mr Spock in the Original Series, and “Strange New Worlds” has revealed that their relationship went way deeper than stolen glances.
Christine’s fiancé, Roger Korby (see below), has also entered “Strange New Worlds”‘ orbit, though we know she’ll remain on the Enterprise until “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” at the very least.
Dr Joseph M’Benga
- Original actor: Booker Bradshaw
- Strange New Worlds actor: Babs Olusanmokun
Dr Joseph M’Benga filled in for Dr McCoy during the Enterprise’s famous five-year mission (he appeared in two episodes of “The Original Series”), but he was also chief medical officer (and a close friend of Captain Pike) before Bones took over in Sickbay.
“Strange New Worlds” has greatly expanded his biography, including the tragic story of his terminally ill daughter, Rukiya.
Lieutenant Montgomery Scott
- Original actor: James Doohan
- Strange New Worlds actor: Martin Quinn
A late addition to Pike’s Enterprise crew, legendary breaker of the laws of physics Scotty came aboard after crashing his shuttlecraft in “Strange New Worlds” season 2 finale “Hegemony” — though we did hear an engineer with a Scottish accent (voiced by Matthew Wolf) in season 1 denouement “A Quality of Mercy“.
Scotty’s currently learning the ropes from chief engineer Pelia, and — unlike original actor James Doohan — Martin Quinn is actually Scottish.
Lt Sam Kirk
- Original actor: William Shatner
- Strange New Worlds actor: Dan Jeannotte
The Original Series didn’t even bother to find a new actor to play Jim Kirk’s big brother, with William Shatner pulling double duty (in a moustache) to play Sam’s corpse in season 1 episode “Operation — Annihilate!”.
In “Strange New Worlds”, Sam’s a xenoanthropologist, and he’s already testing out that facial hair.
Chief Kyle
- Original actor: John Winston
- Strange New Worlds actor: André Dae Kim
The poshest member of the Original Series crew shows up as the Enterprise’s transporter chief in “Strange New Worlds”‘ first season. His whereabouts are currently unknown, but he will find his way to the USS Reliant in time for “The Wrath of Khan”.
Other Starfleet officers
Lt Cmdr James T Kirk
- Original actor: William Shatner
- Strange New Worlds actor: Paul Wesley
Kirk is still the first officer of the USS Farragut (the youngest number one in Starfleet history) when he shows up in “Strange New Worlds” — and his subsequent career is a matter of record.
We’ve also met a couple of parallel universe versions of the Enterprise’s most famous captain, in “A Quality of Mercy” and “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow“.
Admiral Robert April
- Original actor: James Doohan (voice only)
- Strange New Worlds actor: Adrian Holmes
The first captain of the Enterprise (and Pike’s boss in “Strange New Worlds”) appeared as a commodore in the Animated Series, where he was voiced by none other than Scotty actor James Doohan.
Commander Hansen Al-Salah
- Original actor: Garry Walberg
- Strange New Worlds actor: Ali Hassan
As the events of classic Original Series episode “Balance of Terror” play out in the alternative timeline of “A Quality of Mercy”, Ali Hansen brings back the Outpost 4 commander role originally played by Garry Wahlberg.
Non Starfleet characters
Amanda Grayson
- Original actor: Jane Wyatt
- Strange New Worlds actor: Mia Kirshner
Mia Kirshner had previously played Spock’s human mom, Amanda, in “Star Trek: Discovery”, and returned in “Strange New Worlds”‘ answer to “Meet the Parents”, season 2 episode “Charades“.
T’Pring
- Original actor: Arlene Martel
- Strange New Worlds actor: Gia Sandhu
In “Strange New Worlds”, Spock is already engaged to T’Pring — though they’re “on a break” while he’s exploring his options with Christine Chapel.
In classic Original Series episode “Amok Time”, T’Pring forced Spock (in the midst of the pon farr mating frenzy) to fight for her hand in marriage, but she always wanted…
Stonn
- Original actor: Lawrence Montaigne
- Strange New Worlds actor: Roderick McNeil
The object of T’Pring’s affection is already on the scene in “Strange New Worlds” — he’s a colleague at the Ankeshtan K’til criminal rehabilitation facility in “The Serene Squall“.
Sybok
- Original actor: Laurence Luckinbill
- Strange New Worlds actor: Unknown
We’ve only seen the back of his head so far, but Spock’s rebellious half-brother is a prisoner at Ankeshtan K’til in “The Serene Squall”.
He’s also the boyfriend of the piratical Captain Angel (Jesse James Keitel), and will one day steal the Enterprise in an effort to meet God (“Star Trek V: The Final Frontier“).
Romulan commander
- Original actor: Mark Lenard
- Strange New Worlds actor: Matthew MacFadzean
Mark Lenard also played a Klingon and (most famously) Spock’s dad, Sarek, during his long “Trek” career, and Matthew MacFadzean had the honor of playing the same noble Romulan commander in the alternative timeline of “A Quality of Mercy”. Recast versions of his Romulan underlings also appear on the bridge of his Bird of Prey.
Khan Noonien Singh
- Original actor: Ricardo Montalban
- Strange New Worlds actor: Desmond Sivan
Even the most iconic villain in “Star Trek” history had to start somewhere. In season 2 episode “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”, La’An Noonien Singh meets her infamous ancestor, Khan, when he was a child in 2022 Toronto.
It’s worth noting that the dates don’t quite add up — in the original “Star Trek” timeline, the genetically augmented tyrant ruled a sizeable portion of Earth in the late 1990s.
Dr Roger Korby
- Original actor: Michael Strong
- Strange New Worlds actor: Cillian O’Sullivan
Christine Chapel’s fiancé, who transferred his essence into an android body in the Original Series episode “What are Little Girls Made Of?”, has beamed onto the Enterprise in time for the new season of “Strange New Worlds”.
Trelane
- Original actor: William Campbell
- Strange New Worlds actor: Rhys Darby
Q’s mischievous son (a mere whippersnapper at 8,020 years old) isn’t given a name in “Strange New Worlds” episode “Wedding Bell Blues”, but showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers have now confirmed what many had already deduced — he’s the very same trickster who appeared as Trelane in Original Series episode “The Squire of Gothos”.
Carol Marcus
- Original actor: Bibi Besch
- Strange New Worlds actor: Mention only
Carol Marcus has yet to appear in the show, but Jim Kirk does make reference to a pregnant girlfriend called Carol in season 2’s musical episode, “Subspace Rhapsody“.
Kirk won’t meet his son, David, until he’s grown up in “The Wrath of Khan”, the best of the “Star Trek” movies.
Characters with fates unknown
Lieutenant La’An Noonien Singh (Christina Chong), Lieutenant Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), Lieutenant Jenna Mitchell (Rong Fu), Commander Pelia (Carol Kane), and Lieutenant Hemmer (Bruce Horak) are all new characters created for “Strange New Worlds”. As such, their fates beyond the current tour of duty are all unknown — aside from unfortunate Aenar engineer Hemmer, who died in season 1 episode “All Those Who Wander“.
Hopefully, their non-appearance in the Original Series is down to redeployment instead of something more sinister. That said, the fact that they all wear red uniforms doesn’t bode well for their futures.
Major Original Series characters yet to appear
It’s surely only a matter of time before Dr Leonard McCoy (originally played by DeForest Kelley) and helmsman Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) make an appearance — though the latter will presumably only show up on the bridge after Lt Ortegas has departed, seeing as they perform the same role on the bridge.
Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) is arguably less likely to cameo, seeing as a) the character would still be pretty young during the “Strange New Worlds” era, and b) he doesn’t become a regular on the Enterprise until season 2 of the Original Series. Yeoman Janice Rand (played by Grace Lee Whitney in TOS and three movies) could also make an appearance.
James Frain played Spock’s dad, Sarek, in “Star Trek: Discovery”, but is yet to reprise the role in “Strange New Worlds”.
New episodes of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” debut on Paramount+ on Thursdays. The Original Series and the Animated Series are available on Paramount+ in the US and UK, and Netflix in the UK.
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