4 major Star Trek: Strange New Worlds teases I feel season 3 must address

The gentle approach to emotional depth and storytelling, blended with the nostalgia of classic Trek, has captured audiences’ hearts ever since the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds series premiered in 2022.

The show is famous for its bold experimentation with different genres like musicals and psychological thrillers, while adhering to the episodic format pioneered by The Original Series. But even as fans have enjoyed the epic character development and captivating adventures, some crucial plot lines remain unfinished.

Strange New Worlds must resolve these loose ends, as the buzz and excitement are at an all-time high with the anticipated Season 3 premiere set for July 17, 2025, at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Personally, I have four significant storylines from Seasons 1 and 2 that I believe are essential to the narrative. These possibilities are not mere details—rather, they hold immense potential to dramatically alter the series' narrative trajectory.

Now, let’s discuss the loose ends waiting to be solved.

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1. The Sybok tease that vanished too soon

In Season 1, Episode 7 (“The Serene Squall”), we got a surprise reveal: Spock’s half-brother, Sybok, is alive, imprisoned on Vulcan under the name Xaverius. Even more compelling, he is romantically involved with the enigmatic pirate Captain Angel, who nearly took control of the USS Enterprise to liberate him.

But then… silence. Sybok or Angel had not been referenced again in Season 2.

That is disappointing because Sybok is not just any background character – he is a highly polarizing character in Star Trek history, first introduced in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier as an emotionally compromised rogue Vulcan.

His character provides ample reason for the show to delve into issues such as the structure of Vulcan society, family feuds, and the blurring of lines between right and wrong. Captain Angel and Sybok need to be at the forefront in Season 3; the promise of what they could bring is far too great to overlook.

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2. La’an’s time travel confession: a ticking clock?

The amount of drama in Season 2, Episode 3 (“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”) is extreme. Time traveling with Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh made her fall for a different version of James T. Kirk, and she romantically saved the timeline. After her time-hopping escapades, she did receive the infamous order from the Department of Temporal Investigations to never tell anyone about it.

Sure, La’an broke that rule.

In Episode 9, she shares this story with the ‘real Kirk,’ which has the potential to split the space-time continuum. It was a tender, human moment, yet the amount of potential consequences lingers heavily. Did this change anything, and will the timeline face cracks again?

The storyline and premise surrounding Season 3 have some heavy loads to bear. It's crystal clear that time travel within Star Trek is never void of consequences, so to overlook this opportunity would be a dire mistake.

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3. Dr. M’Benga’s secret could blow up everything

The death of Klingon Ambassador Dak’Rah, a former war criminal who turned peace ambassador, came with a most tangled narrative in Season 2, Episode 8 (‘Under the Cloak of War’). It featured Dr. Joseph M'Benga committing murder. M'Benga, with the assistance of Nurse Chapel, even constructed a false narrative of self-defense.

But was it really self-defense?

Captain Pike is skeptical about the self-defense angle, and so are many viewers. This isn’t something that can just be brushed aside. M’Benga killed a high-ranking diplomat on the Enterprise. Arbitrary choice made by Starfleet to investigate aside, something like this cannot exist without resolution.

The ethical implications, if there are any, need to be present in Season 3, and that is something the show cannot avoid. It is needed for the character and the fans who seek resolution.

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4. Carol Marcus: More than just a name drop

In Episode 9 (“Subspace Rhapsody”), Kirk stunned everyone by announcing that his girlfriend, Carol, is expecting a baby.

For the long-time fan of the Star Trek movie, it wasn't just a name - Dr. Carol Marcus was a wonderful scientist behind Project Genesis and was Kirk's son, David Marcus' mother in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Carol had been absent from Strange New Worlds till now.

By bringing Carol into the storyline, a lot can be told about Kirk as a character, and it is also the means to show the emotional tension between his duties and his personal life.

Moreover, it is the perfect time to bring her into the picture, which leads to a situation or a sequence of events that would make it memorable to the already existing fans as well as the new ones. How she may be involved in future storylines is relevant to both groups.

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Conclusion: Time to follow through

The inclusion of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been applauded by many for its skillful blending of the old and the new. However, a significant part of a good story is that it should be consistent from the beginning to the end, and if these four open questions are not answered, it would be a big loss.

Regardless of the cause—emotionally intense complex time travels, the main characters' hiding acts of violence, or the repetition of the character of Sybok and Carol Marcus, each plot is full of potential that can transform Season 3 from merely exciting to epic.

If the show manages to unveil the truth or even add some unexpected events along the way, it will not only give the fans what they want but also let the series Strange New Worlds remain one of the most appealing Star Trek products today.