Star Trek's Most Famous Villain Will Factor In Strange New Worlds

Like the universe all around us, the "Star Trek" franchise is ever-expanding in new, exciting ways. While it may still be a while until we get another installment on the big screen, the series has branched out on the T.V. side of things, initially starting with "Star Trek: Discovery" before venturing forth with the likes of "Star Trek: Picard" and "Star Trek: Lower Decks." It looks like this franchise is about to get a little bigger with the announcement that "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" is set to air on Paramount+ starting on May 5, 2022. 

The new series will follow Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his team as they lead the U.S.S. Enterprise into the farthest reaches of space to explore — you guessed it — strange new worlds. He'll lead a new team on this voyage, which takes place before the events of "Star Trek: The Original Series," so it's a safe bet that the show will tie into that show in more ways than one. Fans could already suspect that, thanks to the addition of Christina Chong in the cast as La'an Noonien-Singh (via TrekMovie.com).

That last name should sound familiar to fans of the franchise, as the biggest villain the series has ever had, namely Khan, had the last name Noonien-Singh, too. It's only natural for fans to wonder if Khan himself, originally played by Ricardo Montalbán, will factor into the show, and co-showrunner Akiva Goldsman isn't ruling it out.

Seeing how "Strange New World" predates the events of "The Original Series," it's entirely possible for Khan to make an appearance at some point. He may have suffered a mortal wound at the end of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," but he should be alive and well for the events of the upcoming series. The topic of Khan's presence in the show came up during a recent Television Critics Association panel where Akiva Goldsman was asked if fans should anticipate Khan showing up in the series eventually (via The Hollywood Reporter).

Goldsman didn't confirm or deny Khan's role in the upcoming series, saying, "[La'an is] related to Khan, for sure, and, uh, and the deal will unfold ... We don't want to bring folks into the show to be splashy. We want to dig deeply into characters that are part of our ensemble, and then, obviously, we're open to getting our arms ... but right now, what you see is what you get."

By the sound of it, it would seem that Goldsman wants to establish this new crew first before delving further into "Star Trek" lore. If anything, it would make sense for Khan to appear properly during the Season 1 finale or something as a big surprise for viewers. It wouldn't be unlike the Season 1 finale of "Star Trek: Discovery" when the U.S.S. Discovery received a transmission from Captain Pike of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Regardless of when big character reveals happen, "Star Trek" enthusiasts should prepare for more exciting excursions when "Strange New Worlds" lands on Paramount+ later this year.