For those who have been able to see it, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been a throwback in the best possible way. A marriage of classic Trek – far-off adventures, a fizzing bridge, a charismatic captain – and modern-day story sensibilities, the spin-off from Star Trek Discovery has comfortably found its niche in the sprawling franchise.
That niche, of course, doesn’t exist on its own. The show’s timeline sees it edge towards the events of the Original Series. The second season is even set to put Anson Mount’s Captain Pike on a collision course with a younger James T. Kirk, set to be played by The Vampire Diaries’ Paul Wesley.
Speaking to SFX magazine for its new issue, Strange New Worlds’ cast have opened up about Kirk’s imminent arrival – and what it could mean for their characters.
"It’s very exciting," Rebecca Romijn, who plays Number One, tells SFX. "We’re actually shooting an episode right now and the very last thing that happens in that episode… I mean certain things happen and you just read it on the page and you burst into tears. That involves Jim Kirk…"
Ethan Peck, who has portrayed Spock across both Star Trek Discovery and Strange New Worlds, is similarly excited.
"It’s hard to wrap my head around that. It’s already so amazing to be part of this as Spock, so to bring him into the picture is its own kind of Bizarro World for me," he says. "But yeah, I’m thrilled, and trepidatious. I hope that they really handle it again with due diligence and great care. I’m sure that they will."
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And what of a certain Captain Pike? Up to this point, Pike and Kirk – despite a later shared history – haven’t met. That’s something that will play into season 2’s dynamic.
"Pike himself is not even aware of the significance of Kirk, right? He’s going to be discovering this character in real time, hopefully at the same time that we’re discovering what a young Kirk was like," Anson Mount, who plays Pike, teases.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is heading to Paramount Plus in the UK on June 22. For more from the crew, be sure to pick up the new issue of SFX Magazine from June 15, which you can order through that link.
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