Strange New Worlds S2E4 Just Filled In A Major Gap In The Star Trek Timeline

Contains spoilers for "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" Season 2, Episode 4: "Among the Lotus Eaters"

With every episode that comes and goes in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," there's still an inevitability in the Trek timeline that both the audience and Pike (Anson Mount) are fully aware of — Pike will eventually be left tragically disfigured and paralyzed following a noble sacrifice, lining up with his second appearance in the original series. His first, however, was in the pilot episode of the original "Star Trek" show, "The Cage" (which has already been referenced in the show). Played by Jeffrey Hunter, Pike was a man filled with regret after following a failed mission to a planet where three crew members were killed in action, including his yeoman. The very same planet that he returned to this week.

Rigel VII is the unique rock in space that homes, in Pike's eyes, his biggest failure, and by touching down on it in Season 2, Episode 4, it confirms one thing we were never made aware of. Captain Pike actually went back to it following the events of "The Cage" and discovered something he never expected. Pike's yeoman, whom he struggled to overcome the loss of, was still alive but had turned to darker tactics to ensure his survival. Not only is this yet another example of "Strange New Worlds" boldly going where no "Star Trek" show has gone before, but it highlights yet again just how much time we have left with Pike and what this could mean for him in the future.

It's confirmed by Number One (Rebecca-Romijn) during her initial briefing in this week's episode that it's been five years since the mission to Rigel VII. If we've got our star dates in check, this means we still have another eight years to go before Pike's inevitable defeat with some delta rays in "Star Trek: TOS" (Season 1, Episode 16 "The Menagerie Part I"). That's a long time before his fateful heroic act for more significant encounters to occur. Ones that could vary between another reunion with his forgotten yeoman and more time to bond with Mr. Spock (Ethan Peck).

While Pike expresses his sorrow for his forgotten yeoman, Nguyen, he does acknowledge that it doesn't condone his former shipmates' actions and that Starfleet will decide on Zack's future. What that could be is anyone's guess, but it'd be interesting to see if the inevitably disgraced officer returns somewhere down the line. Doing so could highlight a pivotal part of Pike's past just as it did with his future and, in turn, lead to the inevitable friendship that Pike builds with Spock that canonically was held as highly by the Vulcan as was his eventual bond with Kirk. We'll be sure to keep our channels open as "Strange New Worlds" continue to deliver the goods next week.