A Bizarre Star Trek Fan Theory Could Answer A Strange New Worlds Mystery

A bizarre fan theory could explain what is happening to Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. At the end of Strange New Worlds season 2, Batel was attacked by the Gorn and infected with Gorn eggs. Despite a potential treatment involving the Illyrian blood of Number One (Rebecca Romijn), Batel’s Gorn infection later returned with a vengeance.

Batel’s deteriorating condition led Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and Dr. Joseph M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) to embark on an off-the-books mission to acquire a Chimera blossom that could integrate Batel’s DNA with that of the Gorn. As seen in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 5, this unorthodox treatment appears to be keeping Batel alive, but it is also transforming her into some kind of human/Gorn hybrid.

Although Marie’s transformation was hinted at in episode 4, it becomes even more apparent in episode 5, when she encounters the villainous Vezda lifeform inhabiting Ensign Gamble (Chris Myers). Batel loses herself completely, viciously attacking Gamble with surprising strength before Dr. M’Benga sedates her. Batel seems to be taking on more and more Gorn traits, and fans have proposed some interesting theories about where this storyline could be headed.

Star Trek Fan Theory About Captain Batel Turning Into the Gorn Kirk Fights In TOS Explained

Could Captain Batel Become The Gorn Captain Who Fights Captain Kirk?

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has retconned certain aspects of the Gorn, updating their appearance to appear more frightening and more distinctly alien. But this raises the question of why the Gorn Captain Pike encounters look so different from the one Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) battles in Star Trek: The Original Series season 1, episode 18, “Arena.”

The YouTube channel Sci-Finatics proposes a theory that would connect the Gorn of Strange New Worlds with the Gorn Captain in “Arena," suggesting that the Gorn Kirk fought and Captain Batel are one and the same. This could explain why the Gorn Captain in “Arena” walked on two legs and lacked a tail, and why Batel is no longer around when Pike appears in TOS' “The Menagerie.”

Even if Batel isn't the same Gorn Kirk fights, her transformation may lead to a new kind of Gorn like those seen in TOS and later series like Star Trek: Lower Decks. The timeline on this might be tricky, considering Strange New Worlds is rapidly approaching the time period of TOS, but anything is possible.

What Could Really Be Happening With Captain Batel in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

Will Strange New Worlds Really Turn Batel Into A Monster?

Captain Batel's future remains unknown, but she no longer appears to be in Pike’s life by the time of Star Trek: The Original Series, which doesn’t bode well for her. Batel attacks another Starfleet officer in “Through the Lens of Time,” and while Gamble was not himself at the time either, this still makes Batel a potential threat.

Batel even confessed to Pike that she temporarily “felt like something else,” which raises the question of how much longer she will be herself. When Batel (or rather, the Gorn DNA inside her) reacted to the Vezda possessing Gamble, Marie had no control over her actions, meaning she could have harmed Dr. M’Benga or anyone else who got in her way.

If the Gorn DNA turns Batel into an unrecognizable monster, Starfleet may decide to kill her or lock her up somewhere. Plus, Starfleet scientists would likely want to study Batel, which could lead to more Gorn/human hybrid experiments. Wherever Batel's transformation leads in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, it’s hard to imagine a positive outcome for her.