Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 9 - "Subspace Rhapsody"

Summary

  • Strange New Worlds' musical episode changed 6 characters and set them on new paths for season 3 and beyond.
  • The musical numbers in "Subspace Rhapsody" allowed the characters to express their innermost feelings and confront their issues.
  • Captain Pike and Captain Batel reconciled, Spock abandoned his pursuit of human emotions, and Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh learned to take chances.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' musical episode changed 6 characters and set them on new paths for season 3 and beyond. Star Trek's first-ever musical, Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 9, "Subspace Rhapsody," was directed by Dermot Downs, written by Dana Horgan and Bill Wolkoff, and featured songs and lyrics by Letters to Cleo's Kay Hanley and Tom Polce. Strange New Worlds' musical is a game-changer in more ways than one, especially for a slew of the characters on the USS Enterprise.

Strange New Worlds' "Subspace Rhapsody" used its musical numbers not just as an electrifying and entertaining gimmick, but to illuminate the innermost feelings of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew of the Starship Enterprise. Many of the Enterprise's crew are secretly tortured souls harboring deep-seated pain and regret. But thanks to the (unwanted) gift of song via a subspace rift, Strange New Worlds' characters were able to say (and sing) out loud things they've needed to admit or face since the series began. As a result of music freeing them of their inner torment, Pike and his Enterprise crew members are free to explore new possibilities, though perhaps not always for the better, in Strange New Worlds season 3.

6 Captain Christopher Pike

Captain Pike Musical

"Status Report" hilariously ended the first song of Strange New Worlds' musical with Captain Pike asking, "Why are we singing?" Being forced to break out into melody became a massive source of embarrassment for Pike when his personal romantic issues with his girlfriend, Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano), were broadcast to both crews of the USS Enterprise and the USS Cayuga in the song, "Private Conversation." But this ultimately benefited Pike and Batel as Chris' confession that he was unhappy with Marie's choice of vacation destination allowed them to confront their issues. Primarily Pike's tendency to cut himself off and run when he gets nervous about their relationship.

Captain Pike and Captain Batel reconciled at the end of Strange New Worlds' musical, and they seem on a better path moving forward. However, Marie's tidbit that she has been assigned a Priority One mission is ominous, because the final episode of Strange New Worlds season 2 is titled "Hegemony" and will be about the Gorn. This could put Batel's life in danger. However, Strange New Worlds' season 2 finale shakes out, either Pike and Batel can continue to explore their relationship in season 3, or Pike may enter the third season mourning the loss of Marie.

5 Lt. Spock

Spock A Cloak Of War

Spock's big number in Strange New Worlds' musical, "I'm the X," was a painful one for the Vulcan, and also for Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), who witnessed the Vulcan admit his anguish over his paramour, Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush). Spock and Chapel made a go of a relationship, but it quickly grew cold, and they had been distanced from each other. Spock was obviously hurt when he learned that Chapel was accepted into a 3-month fellowship with Dr. Roger Korby, a fact Christine didn't immediately tell Spock.

The end result of "I'm the X," is Spock now regrets pursuing a relationship with Christine and exploring his human side, which also alienated his fiancée, T'Pring (Gia Sandhu). At the end of Strange New Worlds' musical, Spock did not celebrate the Enterprise's win over the subspace anomaly, and he gave Chapel the cold shoulder. Spock's experiments with his human emotions may now be at an end, and the Vuilcan may begin focusing on pure logic, bringing the young Lieutenant closer to the Spock Leonard Nimoy portrayed in Star Trek: The Original Series.

4 Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh

La'an Bar musical

Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) endured a new heartbreak in Strange New Worlds' musical when she confessed her feelings for Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) and told Jim about the alternate universe Captain Kirk she time traveled with and fell for in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow." La'an enviously spied on Kirk and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) joyously singing "Connect To Your Truth" together, and she retreated to her quarters to sing. "How Would That Feel" was La'an's lamenting her inability to be free to take chances.

However, after Number One sang "Keeping Secrets" to her, La'an realized Una was right, and it was time to show others, namely Kirk, her true feelings. Sadly, Kirk had a confession of his own: he's in a relationship with Carol Marcus, who is pregnant. As painful as it was for La'an to accept that she can't have with the Prime Timeline Kirk what she briefly had and lost with her James, La'an also realized it was time for her to become a person to "takes chances." La'an could become a more open person who maybe can find some happiness in Strange New Worlds season 3.

3 Nurse Christine Chapel

Nurse Chapel Musical

Nurse Chapel received the good news she was waiting for when she was accepted into a 3-month fellowship to study archeological medicine with the legendary Dr. Robert Korby. Christine suffered a previous disappointment by being turned down by the Vulcan Science Academy while meeting time traveler Ensign Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), who accidentally revealed that Chapel doesn't significantly factor into Spock's future, made her doubt she had a romantic future with the Vulcan Science Officer. Chapel further pushed Spock away when her Klingon War PTSD was re-ignited by Ambassador Dak'Rah (Robert Wisdom) coming aboard the Enterprise in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 8, "Under the Cloak of War."

As Christine sang and danced in "I'm Ready," what she truly dreams of is to be able to stand on her own and pursue her destiny. Unfortunately, a grim-faced Spock witnessed Chapel's musical number about her own emancipation, and he essentially decided it was over between them. Chapel will soon depart the Enterprise for her fellowship, and Star Trek: The Original Series canon establishes that Christine and Korby will get engaged. This will be a big change for both Chapel and Spock to come to terms with in Strange New Worlds season 3.

2 Ensign Nyota Uhura

Uhura Musical

Ensign Nyota Uhura had to face death in Strange New Worlds season 2 and reconcile her past tragedies as well as the death of her mentor, Lt. Hemmer (Bruce Horak). This resulted in Uhura becoming a workaholic who took no time to enjoy her life. It was partially Uhura's mistake that resulted in the subspace rift forcing the galaxy to live by the rules of musicals, and Nyota successfully came up with the solution. But Uhura's power ballad, "Keep Us Connected," lets her come to terms with who she is and who she can also become.

Uhura was the key to the USS Enterprise solving the subspace rift, and only she could inspire the entire crew to sing and dance in a grand finale that reversed the rift's effects. The experience of Strange New Worlds' musical made Nyota see her true worth and instilled a newfound confidence in her. Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) idolized Uhura and called her a "badass," and now Nyota sees it within herself and can begin to become the Lt. Uhura embodied by Nichelle Nichols in Strange New Worlds season 3.

1 Lt. James T. Kirk

Kirk Musical

Lt. James T. Kirk came aboard the USS Enterprise for the second time in Strange New Worlds' musical, and it sets up his growth into becoming the Captain Kirk (William Shatner) who became a legend in Star Trek: The Original Series. Kirk's task was to shadow Captain Pike to learn the finer points of command, but he was also schooled on being a Number One by Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley. Number One's song "Connect To Your Truth" urged Kirk to listen to his crew but always be true to himself, and by the end of Strange New Worlds' musical, Kirk sang about how if he makes Captain, it'll be thanks to the Enterprise crew in "We Are One."

It's not yet confirmed if Kirk will be back in Strange New Worlds season 3, but he has already taken great strides toward his future as Captain of the Enterprise. Even without a romance with La'an Noonien-Singh, a friendship with her has fascinating potential, and Kirk also still has much he can learn from Captain Pike. Jim also took the time to poke fun at Lt. Spock, joking that he "almost understood" the Vulcan's explanation of the subspace rift, which sets up their future eternal friendship. Lt. Kirk may be Commander Kirk, First Officer of the USS Farragut, if he returns in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.