Number One's (Rebecca Romijn) backstory on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds seems partly inspired by a backstory conceived by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry 60 years ago. Majel was the original actor to portray Number One in Star Trek's 1964 pilot, "The Cage," which was rejected by NBC. Number One was the First Officer of the USS Enterprise commanded by Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter), and she was cool, logical, and emotionless - traits that would be given to Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) when Gene Roddenberry revamped "The Cage" into Star Trek: The Original Series.
60 years later, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is essentially the show "The Cage" would have been, but updated for the 21st century. Number One is part of Strange New Worlds' main cast and leadership triumvirate along with Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck). Strange New Worlds also gave Number One her name - Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley - and revealed that Una is an Illyrian, a species that practices genetic engineering, which is illegal in the United Federation of Planets. Una's history bears a striking resemblance to the backstory Majel Barrett-Roddenberry created for Number One in 1964.
Majel Barrett-Roddenberry Partly Invented Number One’s Star Trek Backstory
It sounds very similar to Una's history on Strange New Worlds
In Nana Visitor's new book, Star Trek: Open A Channel: A Woman's Trek, the actor who portrayed Major Kira Nerys on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine delves into the history of Number One in Star Trek, which includes Majel Barrett-Roddenberry's disappointment when NBC demanded Gene Roddenberry drop both Number One and Majel from Star Trek. Visitor describes the backstory Majel wrote for Number One to enrich her character beyond what was in Star Trek's "The Cage," and it amazingly hews closely to what Star Trek: Strange New Worlds established for Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley. Read Nana's quote below:
Majel even developed a backstory for her, which explained that she had been genetically engineered to have as much intelligence as possible and that she was called Number One not because she was the first officer but because she was the best her people had to offer.
It's quite possible that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' executive producers and co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers were aware of Majel's Number One backstory and incorporated it into Rebecca Romjin's Una, perhaps as a secret way to honor the original Number One actor. Another of Majel's ideas for Number One was that her planet numbered people, but Star Trek has long since established "Number One" as a nickname starship Captains give to their First Officers, which is likely inspired by Una's excellence aboard the USS Enterprise.
Strange New Worlds Made Number One The Star Trek Character Majel Barett-Roddenberry Wanted To Play
Number One is crucial to Strange New Worlds
It's no secret that Majel Barrett-Roddenberry was crushed when NBC forced Gene Roddenberry to drop Number One and her from Star Trek. Majel settled for portraying Nurse Christine Chapel, who is also now on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, reconceived and played by Jess Bush. Majel is undoubtedly the First Lady of Star Trek, and she has voiced Starfleet's computers in many Star Trek series, as well as embodied the effervescent Lwaxana Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. But Number One was the character that got away from Majel because NBC and audiences weren't ready for her in the 1960s.
Majel Barrett-Roddenberry passed away in 2008, and, tragically, she never got to see Rebecca Romijn as Number One on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley is the character Majel hoped for - Una is cool and authoritative, but she is also kind, has a keen sense of fun, and has the strength of her convictions. Number One's genetically engineered physical strength is exceeded by her heart and desire to be the best First Officer in Starfleet. Further, Una is a good friend who has earned the loyalty of her crew on the Starship Enterprise. Number One in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds would make Majel Barrett-Roddenberry proud.
