Last month CBS All Access confirmed a spin-off for Captain Pike (Anson Mount). Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will not only follow Christopher Pike, but Number One (Rebecca Romijn), and Spock (Ethan Peck). As a long time Star Trek fan, I’m eager to dig deeper into Pike’s story, as well as the years during which Spock worked under his command before continuing his journey with Captain Kirk.
In a recent article, Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman made some comments about the new series, “These iconic characters have a deep history in Star Trek canon, yet so much of their stories have yet to be told. With Akiva and Henry at the helm, the Enterprise, its crew, and its fans are in for an extraordinary journey to new frontiers in the Star Trek universe.”
Gearing up for this new dive into Captain Pike’s history, here are two of our favorite Pike moments as portrayed by Anson Mount.
Retrieving the Time Crystal
One of the stand-out moments in Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery is when Captain Pike goes to the Klingon monastery. He is informed that he must go through a trial to retrieve the time crystal, and the future he sees is fixed once he takes the crystal. Through a vision, Pike sees the future for himself that viewers of the original series know awaits him.
Captain Christopher Pike. (CBS All Access)
“You’re a Starfleet captain. You believe in service, sacrifice, compassion, and love. No. I’m not going to abandon the things that made me who I am because of a future… that contains an ending I… I hadn’t foreseen for myself.”
– Star Trek: Discovery, “Through the Valley of Shadow”
It takes a person of great moral strength to look into a future so grim, and accept it for the sake of others. This ideology is clearly in line with the people he kept as his crew. Spock says in The Wrath of Khan while under command of James T. Kirk, “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” It’s easy to follow this logic when you are part of the many, but once again, Star Trek shows through Captain Pike that it is not enough to talk the talk, you must walk the walk.
Hands-On Training
In the Star Trek: Short Trek episode “Ask Not,” Captain Pike is left in the hands of a cadet to monitor. Under the guise of a prisoner, he tests the cadet’s competency and fit for service aboard the Enterprise. Throughout the short, Cadet Thira Sidhu and viewers have no idea this is a training simulation. He tries countless times to get her to release him, but she rebuts each time. Once he’s satisfied with her performance he ends the training.
Cadet Thira Sidhu and Captain Christopher Pike. (CBS All Access)
As a leader, one may not know each and every detail about the ins and outs of each team, but must trust in their abilities and be able to call on them in tough times. This is shown in Pike’s comments to her regarding the scenario:
“I know that a challenge like this might seem extreme, even inhumane; but war is both of those things. We need to know that you’ll honor your commitment to Starfleet even when those you hold dear are on the line. Even when old wounds are triggered and loopholes appear.”
– Short Trek: Ask Not
While this simulation was not originally Pike’s idea, he takes the time to push his possible crew members to the limit. When they are faced with standing against the ultimate authority on the ship, how will they react? As a character who has shown he’ll uphold his commitment to Starfleet, he will not settle for less than absolute commitment.
I’m excited to see as more information is released about this new spin-off as well as, having Anson Mount back on our screen. Until then, live long and prosper.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will be available on CBS All Access. Catch up on Seasons 1-2 of Star Trek: Discovery on CBS All Access while we wait for announcements on both shows’ release dates.
