
A recurring criticism of Strange New Worlds centers on its handling of established Star Trek lore. In the classic episode “Arena,” Captain Kirk and his crew had no knowledge of the Gorn. Yet, in the first two seasons of Strange New Worlds, the Gorn are a significant and ongoing threat, even appearing on screen. The season premiere seemed to resolve the Gorn storyline, with only Captain Marie Batel facing life-threatening danger – she’s implanted with a Gorn offspring. Spock and Nurse Chapel attempt a dangerous, experimental surgery to save her. The episode concludes with Pike visiting Batel, still unconscious, and quietly saying, “You win, Dad,” before reciting The Lord’s Prayer. As he prays, Batel awakens, and the couple is happily reunited. This moment is ironic, considering Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was a secular humanist who envisioned a future where religion no longer existed, though the show’s established canon isn’t strictly bound by this idea.