Star Trek has a roster of seemingly all-powerful space gods, like the Greek god Apollo (Michael Forest) and the Metrons. Famously, John de Lancie plays the omnipotent Q from Star Trek: The Next Generation to Star Trek: Picard. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a 23rd century prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series. With that in mind, I shouldn't be surprised to realize that Strange New Worlds has already introduced two types of beings that could be considered space gods like Trelane.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 Introduced A Space God Named Debra
Debra Saved The Doctor's Daughter And Created Another God
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1 introduced the first space god of the prequel series. When Dr. Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) struggled to cure his sick daughter, Rukiya (Sage Arrindell & Makambe Simamba), of cygnokemia, he kept her in transporter stasis. But, in Strange New Worlds season 1, episode 8, "The Elysian Kingdom," it was a space god named Debra that finally cured Rukiya. When the USS Enterprise passed through the Jonsian Nebula, Debra sensed Rukiya and transformed the Enterprise into the Elysian Kingdom from Rukiya's storybook.
In the process, Debra changed and overwrote the memories of every member of the Enterprise's crew, grew a forest on the ship, and, eventually, transformed Rukiya into a being like her. Ultimately, the only limits to Debra's power appeared to be rewriting the memories of a few characters from Strange New Worlds. Ultimately, the Starship Enterprise departed, leaving Rukiya and Debra together as entities in the Jonsian Nubula.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Introduced The Kerkhovians
They're Non-Corporeal Beings That Can Rewrite DNA
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5, "Charades," introduced more aliens who could be considered space gods, the Kerkhovians. After Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) was injured while on a shuttlecraft survey mission, the Kerkhovians healed him while fully erasing his Vulcan DNA. The closest technological version of the Kerhovians' power came in the Star Trek: Voyager episode, "Faces," when half-human, half-Klingon Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) is split into two separate beings, one fully human, one fully Klingon, by the Videans. The Kerkhovians split Lt. Spock not with complex medical technology, but with a single beam of light.
The Kerkhovians exist as non-physical beings who no longer have the patience to interact with more traditional lifeforms and can apparently manipulate life down to its most basic building blocks. However, "Charades" only shows the Kerkhovians' abilities to redesign humanoid beings, so the exact limits of the aliens' abilities are unknown. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 will touch upon what Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) learned from the Kerkhovians when she turns her USS Enterprise crewmates and herself into Vulcans.
Will Rhys Darby Play Trelane In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3?
Fans Theorize Trelane Will Be In Strange New Worlds Season 3
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3's teaser shows guest star Rhys Darby as a yet unnamed character. In his brief appearance on screen, Darby dramatically snaps his finger. While Darby's heavily embroidered jacket is reminiscent of Trelane's Napoleonic military uniform, his snap is more reminiscent of Q's iconic gesture of power.
Right now, we just don't know who Rhys Darby will play in Strange New Worlds season 3.