Warning: SPOILERS For Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3’s Finale – “New Life And New Civilizations”Something about Captain Christopher Pike’s (Anson Mount) ending in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 bothers me. Pike and Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano) received a bittersweet parting of ways that resolved their romance in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Pike could only look on helplessly as Batel accepted her destiny as the Beholder, the eternal warden imprisoning the ancient evil of the Vezda, in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3’s finale.

However, before Batel became the Beholder, she shared a future with Pike where Marie and Chris married and lived happily together with a daughter until Batel’s death. It was the future both Pike and Batel’s separate destinies denied them in real life.

Yet Star Trek fans also know how Captain Pike’s story ends, thanks to Star Trek: The Original Series‘ “The Menagerie” and who Chris will ultimately end up with. Does Pike’s ultimate fate make sense after Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3’s finale?

Captain Pike’s Star Trek: TOS Ending Doesn’t Make Sense After Strange New Worlds Season 3

Star Trek: The Original Series‘ “The Menagerie” establishes that the Talosians will conspire with Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) to deliver the critically injured Fleet Captain Pike (Sean Kenney) to Talos IV.

Christopher Pike’s final destination is to live in a lifelike illusion created for him by the telepathic aliens, and Chris will be with Vina (Susan Oliver) for the rest of his life.

In hindsight, given the deep and complex, years-long romance between Captain Pike and Captain Batel, it feels odd now that Chris’ destiny is to end up with Vina. After all, he barely knows Vina compared to Marie.

Captain Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) was captured by the Talosians as a prospective mate for Vina in Star Trek’s original pilot, “The Cage.” Since so little was known about Pike until he returned in Star Trek: Discovery, it was understandable that Vina was regarded as his true love and endgame.

But Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has changed this with Pike and Batel’s love story. It seems wrong now that Pike would accept living with Vina, whom he technically only knew for a few hours or a day at most, rather than Batel.

What Captain Pike Doesn’t Know About His Star Trek: TOS Future

It’s important to remember that the vision Captain Pike saw of his future in Star Trek: Discovery covers the full details of the accident that disfigures him. He also knows he ends up paralyzed in a wheelchair.

However, Pike doesn’t know what happens after. Chris doesn’t have the future knowledge that Spock will risk mutiny and hijack the USS Enterprise to bring Pike to Talos IV, or the Talosians plan to reunite him with Vina.

As for why Captain Pike accepts Vina and the Talosians’ illusion, it’s logical that Pike feels he has already lived the rest of his life and said goodbye to Marie Batel in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3’s finale.

Rather than disturb his poignant ending with Marie, Pike accepts an illusion of life with Vina, and the surprises and new experiences that come with it. Hopefully, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ final two seasons can line up Pike’s destiny to be with Vina after Batel.

Release Date

May 5, 2022

Network

Paramount+

Showrunner

Henry Alonso Myers, Akiva Goldsman

Directors

Dan Liu, Amanda Row, Maja Vrvilo, Akiva Goldsman, Dermott Downs, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jonathan Frakes, Jordan Canning, Leslie Hope, Valerie Weiss, Sydney Freeland, Christopher J. Byrne, Rachel Leiterman

Writers

Onitra Johnson