Summary
I hopeStar Trek: Strange New Worldsfinds a way to save Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) from his tragic fate, even if that means breakingStar Trekcanon.Star Trek: The Original Series’two-part episode, “The Menagerie,” revealed that Fleet Captain Pike (Sean Kenney, originally played by Jeffrey Hunter), who commanded the USS Enterprise before Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) took over,suffered a horrific anddebilitating injury while rescuing several Starfleet cadets, leaving the former captain confined to a wheelchair and unable to move or speak on his own.
Although Spock (Leonard Nimoy) helps ensure his former Captain has a chance at a happy ending on Talos IV,Pike’s life with Vina (Susan Oliver)is mostly an illusion.I think Captain Pike deserves a real happy ending andStar Trek: Strange New Worldshas the opportunity to give him one.InStar Trek: Discovery, Anson Mount brought new life to the character of Captain Pike, becoming so popular that fans quickly began clamoring for a spin-off.Strange New Worldshas already suggested that Pike’s tragic future is unavoidable, butStar Trekhas proven many times over that anything is possible.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 - Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 ended with an epic cliffhanger and here’s everything known about when it will be resolved in season 3.
Strange New Worlds Should Find A Way To Avoid Captain Pike’s Tragic Future
Strange New Worlds has already proven its ability to alter canon in subtle ways.
Captain Pike’s original ending inStar Trek: The Original Series'“The Menagerie” worked for the minor character he was at the time, but Anson Mount’s Pike deserves better. While I do not wantStrange New Worldsto abandon canon entirely,I think the show could and should find a way to avoid Pike’s tragic accident.Whether it involves parallel universes or time travel or something else entirely, I have no doubt that the team behindStrange New Worldscould find a creative way to save Pike.
With its depiction of the Gorn and its changes to the timeline of World War III,Star Trek: Strange New Worldshas already shown its willingness to alter the establishedStar Trekcanon.
InStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 1’s finale, “A Quality of Mercy,” Captain Pike tries to change the future by warning the cadets who will die in the accident that cripples him.A version of Admiral Pike then arrives from the future to show Captain Pike what happens if he avoids his fate— the Romulans declare war on the Federation and Spock is grievously wounded. Now that Captain Pike knows about this possible future, however, he can avoid making the same mistakes.
Captain Pike Deserves A Better Star Trek Ending
Christopher Pike should get the chance to become a decorated Admiral.
Star Trekis a celebration of free will and human ingenuity, so making Captain Pike’s fate unavoidable always seemed like an odd choice to me. Plus,Pike’s fate never made much sense — the Federation of the 23rd century should have technology that would allow a wheelchair-bound Pike to do more than trigger a light to indicate yes or no.When Pike’s fate was decided in the 1960s, the writers ofStar Trek: The Original Serieshad no idea the character would be on television in 2024. They might have given him a better ending had they known how popular the character would become.
It feels cruel to make Pike such a compelling and likable character only to lock him into such a dark, predetermined fate.
Captain Pike is one of the most compassionate andempatheticStar Trekcaptains, andhe is unequivocally good, a rare thing in today’s television landscape of antiheroes and villains.Of course, sometimes bad things happen to good people, even in theStar Trekuniverse, but it feels cruel to make Pike such a compelling and likable character only to lock him into such a dark, predetermined fate. There are many reasons whyStar Trek: Strange New Worldsshould find a way to save Captain Pike, regardless of canon, and I really hope Pike gets the chance for a brighter future.
