4 Endings For La'an, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Most Troubled Hero
John Orquiola is a New & Classic TV Editor, Senior Writer, and Interviewer with a special focus on Star Trek. John has over 5,000 published articles at SR, and he has interviewed the biggest names in Star Trek on the red carpet and VIP events, among other beloved shows, movies, and franchises.
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Warning: SPOILERS For Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4
Most fans don't expect Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) to survive Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. One of the original characters created for Strange New Worlds, La'an's future was always in doubt because she is the descendant of Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán). But, of course, La'an is never mentioned in Star Trek: The Original Series.
La'an's fears that her inherited augment DNA will turn her into a supervillain like Khan has been central to her character throughout Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Although she yearns for normalcy and intimacy, La'an defaults to being aloof and work-oriented, lest the USS Enterprise's Security Chief lose control.
However, La'an has also made great strides in her personal relations, and she has romanced both Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) and Lt. Commander James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley). Yet, because La'an does not remain on the Starship Enterprise when Kirk becomes Captain, she is generally believed to meet a tragic fate.
While that may happen, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' fifth and final season has other, more interesting options for La'an's destiny.
La’an Dies In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 5
No one will be surprised if La'an is killed off in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 5. The Sword of Damocles has hung over La'an since she was created, and there are signs that point to her demise: In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4's finale, Captain Kirk has an ominous reaction when Lieutenant Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) asks about La'an in "Tomorrow's Enterprise's" one-year-later alternate future timeline.
La'an doesn't have to die, however. The end of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 9, "Once La'an a Time," dropped an adorable clue that maybe she doesn't: La'an gets a dog named Runa. Played by Christina Chong's real-life pet, Runa Ewok, La'an becoming a dog owner only to die and abandon Runa seems cruel. It's a thin rationale for La'an surviving season 5, but it's possible.
La’an Joins The Department Of Temporal Investigations
Instead of dying, maybe La'an simply exits Star Trek's Prime Timeline by joining the Department of Temporal Investigations. Created in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the DTI tracks and prevents temporal violations in the United Federation of Planets, as well as fighting in the Temporal Wars. La'an could become a DTI agent and become a warrior traveling throughout history to protect the Prime Timeline.
Star Trek's most prominent time soldier is Agent Daniels (Matt Winston) in Star Trek: Enterprise, whose alter ego was revealed to be Doctor Kovich (David Cronenberg) in Star Trek: Discovery.
La'an already has experience working for the Department of Temporal Investigations in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2's "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow." An elegant and fitting solution for La'an disappearing from the timeline could be joining the DTI and perhaps even faking her death, severing her ties to Captain Kirk, Spock, the USS Enterprise, and the 23rd century.
La’an Joins Division 12
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds introduced another secret Starfleet agency that could determine La'an's future: Division 12. Essentially Star Trek's version of The X-Files, Division 12 operatives investigate the multitude of strange phenomena Starfleet encounters. The USS Griffin ghost ship that La'an survived in Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 2, "The Griffin Incident", was sent to Division 12.
La'an joining Division 12 would turn her into a secret agent.
La'an seems to have unfinished business with the USS Griffin and its unexplained, malignant entity. The ghost taking the form of Commander Rose Harper (Sorika Wolf) and La'an had a final interaction as the Griffin was towed to Division 12's secret HQ. La'an joining Division 12 would turn her into a secret agent, which would be a handy way to explain why Lieutenant Noonien-Singh has no canonical record after Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
La’an Transfers To Another Starship
The simplest option for La'an to survive Star Trek: Strange New Worlds would be to transfer to another starship. Just as "Tomorrow's Enterprise" established that Lieutenant Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) left the USS Enterprise to become a Captain and flight instructor, perhaps La'an accepts a new assignment and continues her Starfleet career away from Captain Kirk and the Enterprise.
Stardate 47988.1 · Crew Assessment
The Final Frontier
Trivia Challenge
🚀ShipsEnterprise!
⭐CrewMake it so
☠EnemiesResistance is…
⚡TechWarp speed!
📖LoreLive long…
01
The USS Enterprise is the most iconic starship in science fiction. What is the registry number of Captain Kirk’s original Enterprise from The Original Series?
✓ Correct! NCC-1701 is the registry of Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise. The “-D” suffix belongs to Picard’s Galaxy-class ship, NX-01 is Archer’s Enterprise, and NCC-74656 is Voyager.
✗ Red alert! The answer is NCC-1701. Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise carried this now-legendary registry. NCC-1701-D is Picard’s Enterprise from TNG, NX-01 is Captain Archer’s, and NCC-74656 belongs to Voyager.
02
Kirk’s most trusted officer is a half-human, half-Vulcan science officer famous for his logic and iconic salute. Who is this legendary character?
✓ Correct! Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, is the half-Vulcan science officer whose “Live long and prosper” salute became a cultural icon. His struggle between logic and emotion defines the heart of the Original Series.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Spock. Data is an android from TNG, Tuvok is Voyager’s Vulcan tactical officer, and Sarek is Spock’s Vulcan father. Only Spock is the half-human, half-Vulcan first officer of Kirk’s Enterprise.
03
Starfleet’s most important regulation forbids interference with the natural development of alien civilizations. What is this guiding principle called?
✓ Correct! The Prime Directive (also known as General Order 1) is Starfleet’s most sacred law. It prohibits interfering with less-developed civilizations — though Kirk, Picard, and Janeway have all famously bent or broken it when lives were at stake.
✗ Red alert! The answer is the Prime Directive. While “General Order One” is technically another name for it, the Prime Directive is the universally known term. The Omega Directive and Temporal Accord are separate, more specialized Starfleet protocols.
04
“Resistance is futile.” This chilling declaration belongs to a cybernetic collective that assimilates entire civilizations into its hive mind. What is this fearsome species called?
✓ Correct! The Borg are Star Trek’s most terrifying villains — a hive-mind collective that forcibly assimilates species and technology. Captain Picard was famously assimilated and transformed into Locutus in the landmark TNG episode “The Best of Both Worlds.”
✗ Red alert! The answer is the Borg. The Dominion is the Gamma Quadrant empire from DS9, the Romulans are a rival empire, and Species 8472 is actually one of the few species that the Borg themselves fear. Only the Borg declare “Resistance is futile.”
05
Captain Jean-Luc Picard commands the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation and later received his own series, Star Trek: Picard. Which acclaimed actor portrays him?
✓ Correct! Sir Patrick Stewart brought gravitas, Shakespeare, and Earl Grey tea to the captain’s chair for seven seasons of TNG, four films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. His “Make it so” is one of TV’s most iconic catchphrases.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Patrick Stewart. William Shatner plays Captain Kirk, Avery Brooks is Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine, and Scott Bakula captains the NX-01 Enterprise. Only Sir Patrick Stewart portrays the legendary Jean-Luc Picard.
06
Starfleet vessels travel faster than light by bending space around them using a matter-antimatter reaction. What is this propulsion system called?
✓ Correct! Warp Drive is the standard faster-than-light propulsion in Star Trek, powered by dilithium-regulated matter-antimatter reactions. Zefram Cochrane invented it in 2063, which led to humanity’s first contact with the Vulcans.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Warp Drive. Transwarp is an advanced Borg technology, Slipstream is an experimental quantum drive, and the Spore Drive uses mycelial network navigation (from Discovery). Standard Starfleet vessels use Warp Drive.
07
At Starfleet Academy, cadets face a notorious no-win scenario designed to test their character under impossible circumstances. James Kirk is the only cadet who ever beat it — by cheating. What is this test called?
✓ Correct! The Kobayashi Maru is an unwinnable rescue simulation that tests how cadets handle certain death. Kirk reprogrammed it so he could win — earning a commendation for original thinking. It was memorably featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
✗ Red alert! The answer is the Kobayashi Maru. The Corbomite Maneuver is a TOS episode, not an Academy test. The Kobayashi Maru is the famous no-win scenario that Kirk defeated by reprogramming the simulation — because he doesn’t believe in the no-win scenario.
08
In the widely regarded greatest Star Trek film, a genetically enhanced superhuman from Earth’s past seeks revenge against Captain Kirk. “KHAAAAN!” Who is this iconic villain?
✓ Correct! Khan Noonien Singh, played by Ricardo Montalbán, is Star Trek’s greatest villain. First appearing in the TOS episode “Space Seed,” he returned in The Wrath of Khan (1982) for a devastating revenge plot that cost Spock his life.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Khan Noonien Singh. General Chang is a Klingon from Star Trek VI, Q is TNG’s omnipotent trickster, and Gul Dukat is DS9’s Cardassian antagonist. Only Khan inspired Kirk’s legendary scream across the cosmos.
Mission Complete Your Starfleet Record
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Are you an Admiral — or still a cadet on deck-scrubbing duty?
La'an surviving Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 5 could be tied to her best friend, Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), since Una also doesn't remain aboard Kirk's Enterprise. If Una becomes Captain Chin-Riley and takes command of her own starship, La'an could easily transfer there, leaving behind her complicated romances with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock.
Captain Kirk's distress at La'an being name-dropped in "Tomorrow's Enterprise" could merely be because she broke his heart. If La'an is a sore subject and becomes someone Kirk would rather forget, that also explains why neither he nor Spock mention her when Khan boards the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Original Series' "Space Seed."
The countdown is on to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' fifth and final season and discovering Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh's ultimate fate, and it may be something no one can predict.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 is streaming on Paramount+
- Release Date
- 2022 - 2027-00-00
- Network
- Paramount+
- Showrunner
- Henry Alonso Myers, Akiva Goldsman
- Directors
- Dan Liu, Amanda Row, Maja Vrvilo, Akiva Goldsman, Dermott Downs, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jonathan Frakes, Jordan Canning, Leslie Hope, Valerie Weiss, Sydney Freeland, Christopher J. Byrne, Rachel Leiterman
- Writers
- Onitra Johnson
-
Captain Christopher Pike
-
Spock
- Franchise(s)
- Star Trek
- Creator(s)
- Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet
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