Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Quietly Broke Gene Roddenberry’s Most Sacred Rule

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Season three of Strange New Worlds has sparked the most debate among fans. The show, which tells the story of Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise before the original Star Trek series, received widespread acclaim when it first launched. While many appreciate the show’s willingness to experiment with different genres and incorporate humor, some choices have drawn criticism. However, a particular moment in the season three premiere stands out – Captain Pike is shown praying, which goes against one of the core principles established by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.

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.

The Re-Introduction of Captain Pike In Star Trek: Discovery Set the Stage for the Prayer

Many viewers overlook the fact that Strange New Worlds began as a spin-off of Star Trek: Discovery, the show that launched the latest era of Star Trek on television. Like Deep Space Nine did decades ago, the first season of Strange New Worlds intentionally broke from established Star Trek conventions. The second season introduced Captain Pike, and the crew visited a planet inhabited by humans who were originally transported from Earth. These people were survivors of a devastating World War III in 2053, and over the following century, they built a religion based on the mysterious event that brought them there. The crew of the USS Discovery then engaged in a typical Star Trek scenario, blending in with the native population and concealing their origins as space travelers.

Throughout the series, Captain Pike subtly reveals a complicated relationship with his father. Earlier in the show, while discussing Spock’s disappearance with Michael Burnham, Pike shares that his father was a science and religion professor, and they often disagreed. This hints at deeper family issues. Later, in an episode with characters from Lower Decks, Pike explains he used to spend his birthdays alone, reflecting on his difficult relationship with his father, particularly the fact that he lived longer than his father did. It’s implied their disagreements stemmed from differing beliefs, possibly regarding religion.

During the second season of Discovery, Pike saw a vision of his future, specifically the accident that would leave him paralyzed and unable to communicate except by blinking – a fate established in the classic Original Series episode “The Menagerie.” These experiences with time travel and the knowledge of what’s to come have shaken his core beliefs. When the woman he loves is near death, Pike, like countless people before him, abandons logic and appeals to a higher power, hoping for a miracle. For a time, he succeeds, as Batel unexpectedly recovers.

Gene Roddenberry Was Strongly Against Religion, but References Existed in Star Trek

When Roddenberry created Star Trek in the 1960s, he envisioned a future where humanity had overcome its flaws. He imagined a world free from nationalism, poverty, prejudice, and rigid religious beliefs – things he saw as outdated and shameful. This theme became prominent in the episode “Who Mourns for Adonais?”, where Captain Kirk and his crew meet an alien claiming to be the god Apollo. This episode, and many others in the Star Trek universe, suggest that so-called ‘gods’ are simply incredibly advanced alien beings who appear to have magical powers. Interestingly, Kirk tells Apollo that humanity doesn’t need gods, but that they find ‘the one’ – seemingly referring to a higher power – ‘quite adequate.’ The presence of a ‘chapel’ on the Enterprise, used for ceremonies like weddings and funerals, further hints at this ongoing exploration of faith and belief.

As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I’ve always found it fascinating how the show subtly explored religion. Gene Roddenberry, the creator, seemed really interested in the idea that traditional religion evolved from contact with a powerful alien race – it was a theme he kept coming back to! When he was developing The Next Generation, he intentionally created a future where humanity had largely moved past religion, and you can definitely see Captain Picard’s skepticism towards it throughout the series. It’s ironic, though, because later on, Deep Space Nine introduced the Bajoran religion, only to reveal their gods, the ‘Prophets,’ were actually non-physical aliens existing outside of our normal timeline. And even in Enterprise, the doctor, Phlox, mentions studying Earth’s religions, hinting that they hadn’t completely disappeared by the 22nd century. It’s a really consistent, thought-provoking thread throughout the whole franchise.

The show Discovery built on previous ideas by introducing a human colony founded by people who lived before first contact with the Vulcans. These survivors, fleeing a World War III attack, transported their entire church to a new planet. This event became central to their religion, but interestingly, a stained glass window within the church depicted symbols from various human faiths. Their beliefs were a mix of many traditions, combined with a new mythology surrounding the Red Angel. Despite Gene Roddenberry’s potential concerns, Captain Pike’s act of prayer doesn’t contradict established Star Trek lore.

Strange New Worlds Continues the Star Trek Trend of Religion Being Cultural not Dogmatic

As a huge Star Trek fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the way religion pops up throughout the series. In Deep Space Nine, Captain Sisko’s job was mostly about getting the Bajorans to trust him, and right away he connected with these powerful beings they called the Prophets. Even though Sisko realized they weren’t actually gods, just incredibly advanced lifeforms, it didn’t change how strongly the Bajorans believed. Looking back at the original Star Trek, and even in the later shows, it’s clear humanity never really outgrew religion. It wasn’t always about strict beliefs, though. Often, the rituals we see with Vulcans, Klingons, Bajorans, or even humans, are just ways of expressing their culture. Thinking about it, there’s a moment early in the Enterprise pilot where Captain Pike asks the crew to ‘make us shine like the sun’ to lure out the Gorn, and it totally reminded me of the Christian hymn ‘On Eagle’s Wings’ – something his father likely taught him. It’s those little details that make Star Trek so rich and thought-provoking.

Okay, so in The Final Frontier, what everyone thinks is a god turns out to be something much more complicated – a powerful alien being actually imprisoned by another even stronger species. And it’s a pattern we see throughout Star Trek. Think about Kukulkán from the animated series, or the Q Continuum – these so-called gods are consistently presented as just incredibly powerful aliens who get mistaken for deities by cultures that can’t grasp their true nature. This idea really comes to a head with the Prime Directive, first established in The Original Series. It’s not just about non-interference, it’s about recognizing that revealing ourselves to less advanced civilizations could completely derail their natural development – and even worse, it could lead to Starfleet captains and ships being worshipped as gods. It’s a fascinating commentary on religion and power, really.

A central idea in Star Trek is that even with all their advanced technology and knowledge, the Federation doesn’t have all the answers. The disagreements between Pike and his father aren’t about the literal truth of the Bible, but rather a deeper inability to fully comprehend the universe. This is suggested through the lens of comparative religion. “God” likely represents something beyond human understanding, or perhaps a way to express personal intention, similar to what people today call “manifesting.” When Pike prays for Batel, it’s not a religious conversion; it’s a cultural act that connects him to his father’s memory and represents a natural human response to feeling powerless.

You can currently find the first three seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on DVD, Blu-ray, and for digital purchase or streaming on Paramount+. Season 4 is scheduled to arrive in 2026, and filming for Season 5 is already underway.

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2025-11-02 02:07