Star Trek: Strange New Worlds makes two famous fights involving Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) in Star Trek: The Original Series more interesting. As a prequel set about a half dozen years before Star Trek: The Original Series, Strange New Worlds is a retcon that recontextualizes much about the voyages of Captain Kirk’s Starship Enterprise. The younger versions of many of Kirk’s Enterprise crew members – including Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) himself – are part of Strange New Worlds. However, Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) and her past directly impact Captain Kirk.

Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh officially met Lt. James T. Kirk at the end of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.” La’an fell in love with an alternate reality Captain Kirk when they traveled to 21st-century Toronto, but James died before La’an could restore Star Trek’s Prime Timeline. Although Lt. Kirk isn’t the same man La’an loved, they share a mutual attraction when Jim beams aboard the USS Enterprise. Neither Kirk nor La’an know it in Strange New Worlds, but two of Jim’s most well-known battles in Star Trek: The Original Series have ties to La’an Noonien-Singh.

Kirk Fought Khan & The Gorn After Knowing La’an In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

La’an’s two biggest traumas became famous Kirk fights

Captain James T. Kirk battled a Gorn Captain in Star Trek: The Original Series season 1, episode 22, “Arena.” Indeed, Kirk’s scrap with the Gorn might be the Captain of the Enterprise’s most famous fistfight. While Jim was fighting for his survival, Kirk outwitting and defeating the Gorn Captain can also be thought of as avenging Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh. As a child, La’an was kidnapped by the Gorn, who consumed her family before allowing her to escape. The adult La’an harbors deep trauma about the Gorn, which she must again face after they kidnapped her again in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2’s finale.

Factoring in Strange New Worlds’ La’an retcon adds a new context to Kirk’s battle with Khan.

Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh is also haunted by her ancestral connection to Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban). La’an is the descendant of the genetically engineered tyrant who conquered Earth, and she was tormented by others her whole life because of her connection to Khan. It’s fascinating to consider whether Captain Kirk remembers La’an when he meets Khan in Star Trek: The Original Series season 1, episode 22, “Space Seed.” Factoring in Strange New Worlds‘ La’an retcon adds a new context to Kirk’s battle with Khan, and whether La’an is a hidden motivation for Kirk.

Strange New Worlds Has Big Kirk & La’an Questions To Answer

Will Kirk and La’an become a Star Trek couple?

Lt. James T. Kirk and Lt. La’an Noonien Singh have emerged as one of the most compelling ‘ships’ in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Although Kirk confessed to La’an that he has a pregnant girlfriend, Carol Marcus, the mutual attraction between Kirk and La’an is palpable. Given the electric chemistry between Christina Chong and Paul Wesley, it’s not hard to believe that Strange New Worlds will pursue a romance between James and La’an, which would create new challenges and wrinkles to Kirk’s story going into Star Trek: The Original Series.

Paul Wesley’s Lt. James T. Kirk is confirmed to be part of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds seasons 3 and 4, and there’s no telling where Kirk’s potential love story with La’an will lead. Will Kirk and La’an become a couple? Is La’an the great love of Kirk’s life, and is she the reason why Jim ultimately dedicates himself to the Starship Enterprise and doesn’t want a long-term relationship after he becomes Captain?

It’s clear La’an is no longer part of the Enterprise’s crew when Kirk takes over, but what happens to her? Perhaps Strange New Worlds will create a reason why Captain Kirk never mentions La’an in Star Trek: The Original Series. Watching Captain Kirk matching wits with Khan and the Gorn in Star Trek: The Original Series becomes even more intriguing when one considers their ties to Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

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  Release Date

  May 5, 2022

  Seasons

  2

  Writers

  Akiva Goldsman , Alex Kurtzman , Jenny Lumet

  Directors

  Chris Fisher , Amanda Row

  Showrunner

  Henry Alonso Myers , Akiva Goldsman

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  Cast

  William Shatner , Leonard Nimoy , Deforest Kelley , James Doohan , George Takei , Nichelle Nichols , Walter Koenig , Frank da Vinci , Eddie Paskey , Roger Holloway , Ron Veto

  Release Date

  September 8, 1966

  Seasons

  3

  Writers

  Gene Roddenberry

  Directors

  Gene Roddenberry

  Showrunner

  Gene Roddenberry

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