Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' co-showrunners, Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers, have referred to their series as "love stories in outer space." While Strange New Worlds returns to the episodic format of Star Trek: The Original Series, the prequel's character arcs are serialized. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' characters evolve as the show progresses, growing, learning, sometimes dying in the case of Lt. Hemmer (Bruce Horak), and yes, falling in love.
While Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been liberally pairing up its attractive cast in various couples (and triangles), these love stories can't last into Star Trek: The Original Series. Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his USS Enterprise crew do not have permanent romantic relationships, especially the Star Trek characters TOS shares with Strange New Worlds. As entertaining as Star Trek; Strange New Worlds' romances are, they all, sadly, have a shelf life.
5Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh & Lt. James T. Kirk
La'an Is Never Mentioned In Star Trek: The Original Series
Emotionally distant from her childhood trauma of surviving a Gorn abduction, Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) fell in love with an alternate reality Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow." Kirk died in La'an's arms after being shot by a Romulan time agent named Sera (Adelaide Kane). La'an quickly learned she is similarly attracted to Lieutenant James T. Kirk, her Jim's Prime Timeline doppelgänger.
Lieutenants Kirk and Noonien-Singh confessed their mutual attraction in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 9, "Subspace Rhapsody." However, Kirk shot down pursuing a romance with La'an because he has a girlfriend, Carol Marcus, who is pregnant. Even if Star Trek: Strange New Worlds seasons 3 and 4 bring Kirk and La'an's love story into full bloom, there is no future for them. La'an is never mentioned in Star Trek: The Original Series since she was created for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
4Lt. Spock & T’Pring
T'Pring & Spock Have Already Taken A Break
Perhaps Mr. Spock's (Leonard Nimoy) most famous episode of Star Trek: The Original Series is season 2's "Amok Time," which introduced his estranged fiancée, T'Pring (Arlene Martel). Utilizing the Vulcan ritual of kal-if-fee, T'Pring manipulates a 'divorce' from Spock so she can marry a different Vulcan. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1 springs back nearly a decade to show Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) and T'Pring (Gia Sandhu) in happier times, but this also didn't last.
Spock's insecurities about not being "Vulcan enough" for T'Pring drove a wedge in their relationship even before the USS Enterprise's Science Officer acted on his growing feelings toward Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush). In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5, "Charades," T'Pring and Spock decided to take "a break" from their relationship. It's unclear if T'Pring will return in Strange New Worlds season 3 or if this is it for Spock and T'Pring until they see each other again in Star Trek: The Original Series.
3Lt. Spock & Nurse Christine Chapel
Chapel Has Unrequited Love For Spock In Star Trek: The Original Series
Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry) had a famously unrequited love for Mr. Spock in Star Trek: The Original Series, but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds turned it on its ear, revealing that Chapel and Lieutenant Spock were a couple, albeit briefly. Christine and Spock were attracted to each other from the onset of Strange New Worlds, and it quickly grew into a full-blown romance, with Spock enjoying expressing his human side with Christine.
In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, Spock and Nurse Chapel became a couple, but it soon ended when Christine was accepted for a fellowship in archaeological medicine. Chapel chose her career ambitions and leaving the Starship Enterprise over Spock, and the Vulcan was heartbroken by their public breakup. Although Spock saved Chapel from the Gorn in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2's finale, their romantic status remains unclear. Regardless, Chapel has a different beau en route in Strange New Worlds season 3.
2Nurse Christine Chapel & Dr. Roger Korby
Korby & Chapel's Engagement Doesn't Last
Dr. Roger Korby (Michael Strong) was introduced in Star Trek: The Original Series season 1, episode 9, "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" Described as "the Louis Pasteur of archeological medicine," Korby was also the former fiancée of Nurse Christine Chapel. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 reintroduces Dr. Roger Korby (Cillian O'Sullivan), and will show his love story with Chapel that was long over in 1960s Star Trek.
1Captain Christopher Pike & Captain Marie Batel
Pike's Destiny Isn't Happily Ever After With Batel
Captain Christopher Pike bucks the classic Captain of the Enterprise mold by not being 'married to his starship.' Since Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' series premiere, Pike has been in a relationship with his peer, Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano). Admirably, Pike and Batel have weathered the challenges and distance of commanding their own starships to make their love story work.
However, Captain Pike is destined to be horribly disfigured by delta rays in a tragic accident in Star Trek: The Original Series. Pike will spend the remainder of his life on Talos IV in an illusion with Vina (Susan Oliver, Melissa George). Meanwhile, Captain Batel is on death's door after being infected by Gorn eggs in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2's finale. Whether or not Marie dies in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, there is, sadly, no future for Captains Pike and Batel.
