The main story of Star Trek's "The Cage" focuses on Captain Pike's trip to Talos IV, where he and the Starship Enterprise crew encounter the powerful, telepathic Talosians. Early in the episode, Pike mentions a mission on Rigel VII that ended badly. He blames himself for the deaths of three Enterprise crew members, including his yeoman, and the injuries of seven others. "The Cage" only offers a brief glimpse of Rigel VII via an illusion the Talosians show Pike, but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds revisited the planet decades later.
Why Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Return To Rigel VII Was Disappointing
Star Trek's Return To Rigel VII Failed To Deliver
In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' season 2, episode 4, "Among the Lotus Eaters," Captain Pike's Enterprise returns to Rigel VII after scans show a Starfleet insignia on the planet. Pike soon learns that his yeoman, Zac Nguyen (David Huynh), survived, and declared himself ruler. Because of radiation emitted by asteroids orbiting Rigel VII, everyone on the planet's surface loses their memories each day. Nguyen and his guards remain inside a castle-like structure that protects them from this effect. Pike eventually loses his memories as well, but he retains enough of himself to continue his search for answers.
While I enjoyed seeing Strange New Worlds revisit a planet mentioned in "The Cage," "Among the Lotus Eaters" wasn't a particularly strong episode. There was nothing glaringly bad about the story, but it all left me wanting more. I didn't need to see Pike forget his memories to understand how much he cares about his crew and Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano). Plus, Pike's burst of anger at Zac doesn't really match up with his character, nor does his assertion that Rigel VII "shows you who you really are." Nothing else in Strange New Worlds has indicated that Pike is holding onto that much anger.
“Among The Lotus Eaters” Was The Weakest Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Episode
Strange New Worlds Season 2 Delivered Some Great Star Trek Stories
With only 10 episodes, every story needs to deliver.
Most previous Star Trek shows delivered over 20 episodes per season, giving the writers more room to experiment and allowing for filler episodes. With only 10 episodes per season, Strange New Worlds doesn't have that luxury. An episode like "Among the Lotus Eaters" wouldn't be so disappointing if there were 19 other episodes to make up for it, but when there are only 9, well, I can't help wishing for something better. I would love for Strange New Worlds to have longer seasons, but with only 10 episodes, every story needs to deliver.
Lt. Erica Ortegas Deserves A Better Episode In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3
All Of Strange New Worlds' Other Main Characters Have Gotten More Development
While Captain Pike faces off against his former yeoman on the planet's surface, the Enterprise crew members aboard the ship get an even weaker storyline. Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck), Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), and the rest of the crew begin losing their memories, as well, until they have no clue who they are. "Among the Lotus Eaters" tries to give Lt. Ortegas a chance to shine, but the episode doesn't reveal anything new about her, boiling her character down to the person who flies the ship. Again, we already knew that Ortegas loved being a pilot; there must be more to her than that.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds revealed that Lt. Ortegas served in the Klingon War, but has told us nothing about her experience. Almost every other storyline involving Ortegas has revolved around her job as a pilot. She rarely gets to go on away missions because she's the best pilot on the Enterprise, and we have seen her expertly fly the ship during battles and other tricky situations. Hopefully, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 will dive into Ortegas' backstory, giving her more of a personality than simply being the hotshot pilot.
