Strange New Worlds’ Newest Promotion Officially Starts A New Era For A Star Trek Icon
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, Episode 8 - "Orders of Magnitude"
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' newest promotion officially starts a new era for one of the USS Enterprise's greatest icons. Directed by Sharon Lewis and directed by Alan B. McElroy, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 8, "Orders of Magnitude," sees Admiral Simon Reeger (Joe Morton) take command of the Starship Enterprise, with Lt. Commander James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) risking his Starfleet career to oppose him.
While Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) leads a landing party off-ship, Admiral Reeger leads the USS Enterprise on a mission to hunt down an unidentified cloaked vessel that killed five million United Federation of Planets citizens. Reeger is legendary as a Klingon War hero, and he's initially welcomed with open arms by the Enterprise's crew. However, Reeger's dark ambitions call his Klingon War record into question.
Named First Officer by Admiral Reeger, Lt. Commander James T. Kirk goes rogue to stop Simon's plan to murder Argus II's five thousand inhabitants to destroy the enemy ship. Kirk mutinies to prove that Reeger is medically unfit to command, and his plan ultimately works. However, while Kirk barely escapes losing his Starfleet career, another Enterprise crew member is equally heroic and is rewarded by Captain Pike.
Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) receives a battlefield promotion to Lieutenant, junior grade, at the end of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 8. This bump up in rank brings Nyota ever closer to becoming the iconic Lieutenant Uhura played by Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek: The Original Series.
Lieutenant Uhura singlehandedly saved Captain Pike's landing party after they were taken prisoner by Andorian mercenaries on an M-class moon. Uhura took action after her protégé, Cadet A'Sha (Bianca Nugara), was mortally wounded by the Andorians' leader. After Nyota feigned repairing the blue, antennaed pirates' communications equipment, she incredibly managed to stun and disable every Andorian before securing a medkit so that Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) could save A'Sha's life.
Uhura's rise to Lieutenant, j.g, is her second promotion in four seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Like A'Sha, Uhura came aboard the USS Enterprise as a Starfleet cadet. Nyota learned every department and was mentored by the late Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Hemmer (Bruce Horak), before finding her purpose as Communications Officer. Uhura was promoted to Ensign at the start of Strange New Worlds season 2.
Becoming a Lieutenant took the sting out of A'Sha's decision to leave Starfleet. Nearly being murdered by Andorians, who were longtime enemies of the Vulcans, made A'Sha realize she doesn't belong in Starfleet. Uhura, having been in A'Sha's shoes, tried to be a mentor to her, but the Vulcan coldly rebuffed her friendly attempts to bond. Still, Nyota proved her mettle against the Andorians and deserves to be Lieutenant Uhura.
Celia Rose Gooding Will Play Nichelle Nichols’ Uhura In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 Finale
Uhura will be central to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4's finale, "Tomorrow's Enterprise." As revealed in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4's San Diego Comic-Con sizzle reel, Uhura will somehow meet her future self, and even trade places with the Lieutenant Uhura from Star Trek: The Original Series.
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?
Celia Rose Gooding undergoes a makeover to uncannily resemble Nichelle Nichols' 1960s hairstyle, makeup, and Star Trek: The Original Series uniform. Logically, since they are the same person, the younger Uhura must change her look when she gets older, and she gets a new uniform after James T. Kirk becomes Captain of the Enterprise.
"Tomorrow's Enterprise" may be proof of concept, and possibly even a backdoor pilot for Star Trek: Year One. The proposed spinoff of Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Year One would tell new stories about Captain Kirk's first year in command of the Starship Enterprise. Lieutenant Uhura would, of course, be on the bridge along with Mr. Spock (Ethan Peck) and Lt. Hikaru Sulu (Kai Murakami).
No one in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has rocketed up the ranks as quickly as Uhura. Nyota is a shining example of Starfleet excellence, and fans know that Lieutenant Uhura dedicates the rest of her career to the USS Enterprise and to Captain Kirk. Now, Lieutenant Uhura truly begins in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' "Orders of Magnitude."
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4's new episodes premiere Thursdays 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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