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Why Star Trek's new series is such a big deal

Strange New Worlds will follow the Enterprise under Anson Mount's Captain Pike

By Bryana FernPublished 4 years ago 4 min read
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Jeffrey Hunter and Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike

Ever since seeing Anson Mount (Hell on Wheels) step up as Captain Pike on the second season of Star Trek: Discovery, fans have been petitioning for his own spin-off series. Pike is a character little seen in Star Trek besides his appearance in the original pilot, "The Cage," filmed for Star Trek which wasn't even aired on television until 1988. Before Discovery, we actually knew more about Pike from Bruce Greenwood's portrayal alongside Chris Pine's Kirk in Star Trek and Star Trek: Into Darkness. So why did fans want more Pike that badly?

Anson Mount.

A Trekkie himself, Mount knew the immense amount of pressure involved in taking the chair. He knew all eyes would be on him. With the struggle of Discovery's first season to gain praise from critics, it was a very real possibility that if he failed to deliver with Pike, then the entire series could have been in jeopardy.

In an early interview, he describes his reaction and approach:

It’s this incredible legacy character that we have all known about and cared about and of all the characters we would consider have major stakes in the ground of canon for Star Trek, I think we know the least about Pike. So, it was such an honor to get asked to come on board to help flesh that out. And I just like the character, and that is not always the case. I think he is a good leader. I like the way the writers found that his specific leadership style is unlike any other captain that we have seen, as it should be.

That last line there is important. His leadership style is not one we're familiar with. We haven't really seen it on screen. We know characteristics about him, but we never really got to see him in action as Captain on the bridge. Mount took this opportunity and ran with it.

Imagine the best qualities of Kirk and Picard merged together. Pike is confident and loyal and incredibly determined. He is strong and yet compassionate--both a tactician and a philosopher. He is wise, with a great sense of humor. His presence is both intimidating and impressive, yet he is transparent and humble and takes time to assess the strengths of each officer. Within no time at all once taking control of the Discovery, he knows each bridge officer's name and commands them as a team. You know that he has your back.

Consider some of his lines:

"Wherever our mission take us, we'll try to have a little fun along the way, too, huh? Make a little noise? Ruffle a few feathers."

"I'm not going to abandon the things that made me what I am because of a future… that contains an ending I hadn't foreseen for myself."

"Starfleet… is a promise. I give my life for you; you give your life for me. And nobody gets left behind."

You could go into Pike's office and trust that he would know who you are and what you need and speak to you as if you were the only person on the ship that mattered there in that moment. You're valuable. An equal.

You feel like you'd be humiliated to let him down in any way because of his standards, but yet he's also approachable enough to encourage you, even humor you. His confidence and optimism become yours.

One of the most important aspects about Pike is that we know what ultimately becomes of him. Some time after Kirk takes over the Enterprise, Pike is involved in a ship accident where he is horribly wounded with radiation while saving the ship's occupants. Horribly disfigured and robbed of speech, he becomes bound to a life-support wheelchair that leaves only his head exposed, his brainwaves used only to send two words of communication when queried: affirmative and negative.

During season 2 of Discovery, Pike learns of this future...and chooses it anyway. His bravery and selflessness are empowering. Just the kind of leadership qualities we desperately need right now.

And with the criticism that Trek as a whole (including the recent first season of Picard) has become so dark and heavy lately (a reflection of times, in part), Pike promises to return to the optimism and curiosity that Trek really is. "To explore strange new worlds..."

This new series promises a return to exploration that opens endless possibilities. Chances to make first contacts with new civilizations and build bridges that strengthen. To show what the Federation is all about, what Gene Roddenberry envisioned so long ago now it seems.

And if that's not enough...an equestrian like Kirk's William Shatner, Mount has the excuse to bring in those riding skills (gained largely from his filming in Hell on Wheels) since Pike loves his horses the way Archer loved that beagle Porthos.

So will we get Pike on horseback in any of the episodes? One can hope.

Pike with his horse Tango in "The Cage"

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About the Creator

Bryana Fern

English major who never left college. Lover of Victorian novels, Ravenclaw, and Rivendell. Teaching applications at Hogwarts and Starfleet Academy still pending. Find me on Instagram @coffeenerd.writer and Twitter @bryanafern

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