Did Carol Kane Just Exit Star Trek: Strange New Worlds? Commander Pelia’s Fate Explained

Published Sep 18, 2026, 10:30 AM EDT

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.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, Episode 9 - "Once La'an a Time"

Did Commander Pelia (Carol Kane) make a surprise exit from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds? Directed by Sydney Freeland and written by Onitra Johnson, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 9 returns to the fantasy Kingdom of Elysian, which was first seen in a Strange New Worlds season 1 episode also penned by Johnson.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 9, "Once La'an a Time" reveals that the Kingdom of Elysian somehow became real and is now a planetoid hurtling through space, populated by fairy tale doppelgängers of the USS Enterprise's crew. The Boltzmann Brain that created the original fantasy land made the Elysian world to help Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) face her inner demons.

When Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) are captured by the evil Queen Neve (Celia Rose Gooding), Commander Pelia is spared by posing as "Duchess Benny Russell," the author of "The Kingdom of Elysian," a children's novel. Pelia pretends to write Queen Neve's story while indulging in the medieval cuisine of Queen Neve's chef, Max.

What Happened To Carol Kane’s Pelia In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

After La'an, her fairy tale counterpart, Princess Thalia, and the USS Enterprise defeat Queen Neve, who was magically transformed into a fire-breathing dragon, everyone is sent back to the Kingdom of Elysian. Captain Pike reveals that Pelia remained in Elysian to "guide" the fantasy world "home," although she also wanted to pursue a romance with Max.

There is no official confirmation from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds or Paramount+ that Carol Kane has, indeed, exited the series.

Pelia staying in the Elysian Kingdom gave audiences the impression that Carol Kane and her eccentric Lanthanite Chief Engineer were written out of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. However, there is no official confirmation from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds or Paramount+ and CBS Studios that Carol Kane has, indeed, exited the series.

Pelia may be simply performing a mission to bring the Elysian planet to its final destination, and then she will return to the USS Enterprise to resume her duties as Chief Engineer. After all, there is still one more episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, and Pelia could be back in the finale, "Tomorrow's Enterprise."

Even if Pelia isn't in "Tomorrow's Enterprise," the five-thousand-year-old Lanthanite could still reappear in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 5. Further, other characters have temporarily left the USS Enterprise, only to return. La'an left the Enterprise at the end of season 1 and returned in season 2, and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) took leave to attend an archaeological medicine fellowship and was back in season 3.

However, fans also remember that Pelia's predecessor as Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Hemmer (Bruce Horak), was killed off in Strange New Worlds season 1's penultimate episode. It's natural to wonder if Captain Pike's Enterprise lost another Chief Engineer in the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4.

Scotty Officially Becomes Chief Engineer In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 5

Even if Commander Pelia and Carol Kane have not exited Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Pelia's time as Chief Engineer has a time limit. Pelia's successor, Lieutenant Montgomery Scott (Martin Quinn), is in place to slide into the role of Chief Engineer. Indeed, Pelia has mentored and trained Scotty to become a "miracle worker," with an eye on her protégé replacing her as the next Chief.

Commander Pelia is one of the handful of characters, including La'an, Lieutenant Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), and Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), who don't remain aboard the USS Enterprise when James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) becomes the new Captain. Understandably, some fans assume that Pelia has already been written out of Strange New Worlds at this point in season 4.

Even if Pelia comes back, or never really left), she will inevitably pass the torch to Scotty. Whether Mr. Scott becomes Chief Engineer sooner than later, or in the series finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, when Dr. Leonard McCoy (Thomas Jane) and Hikaru Sulu (Kai Murakami) come aboard, it's Scotty's destiny to spend roughly the next 30 years in his beloved USS Enterprise's engine room.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 is streaming on Paramount+

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  Captain Christopher Pike

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  Spock