'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAHxABAQACAQQDAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAwQFERRRISJB/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQL/xAAXEQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABABEh/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDEd1Vs6V4JyOU6IColYZO8NifAn1F9/jkZs4WzVsvXbJcrKekxjKewGX//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is gearing up for a return with Season 3, and this time, romance is taking center stage across the USS Enterprise. At a Tribeca Film Festival premiere event for the new season, cast members and co-creators shared what fans can expect when it comes to new relationships on board.
The panel, moderated by NPR TV critic Eric Deggans, brought together stars including Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Anson Mount (Captain Pike), and co-creator Akiva Goldsman.
From the complex Chapel-Spock dynamic to Uhura’s emotional evolution and Pike’s bittersweet future, Season 3 promises more layered character arcs and a surprising number of romantic subplots. As Goldsman summed up:
“We just realized that when you put a lot of hot people on a ship in outer space, sh*t happens.”
Here’s everything the cast and creators revealed about the relationships shaping the new season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Chapel and Spock: The romance takes a turn
Fans of Star Trek: The Original Series know that Christine Chapel once carried feelings for Spock that were never returned—or so it seemed. But in Strange New Worlds, the story flips. In Season 3, it’s Spock who finds himself doing most of the emotional heavy lifting.
“We all have relationships that teach us about being human,” said Ethan Peck at the event, “but Spock especially does, and I think [Christine's] one of his great teachers about his humanness.”
Peck explained that this version of Spock is on a path that will eventually lead him to Leonard Nimoy’s portrayal in the original series, which was more emotionally restrained.
“The whole goal was to explore his humanness with this version, before he transforms or transitions to Nimoy’s portrayal of the character.”
Co-creator Akiva Goldsman added that the series is about tracing Spock’s emotional journey from youth to stoic adulthood.
“We start to see that actually his whole life has been a struggle with identity, and how he sees himself and the sweet treachery of emotion.”
Things are expected to get even more tangled when Christine’s storyline introduces Roger Korby (played by Cillian O’Sullivan), a figure who, longtime fans know, becomes her ex-fiancé in The Original Series.
Uhura’s growth and a new romantic angle in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3
Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) also steps into new territory this season. According to Gooding, Uhura is evolving emotionally and gaining confidence, possibly opening the door for romance.
“Uhura is in a really turbulent time emotionally,” Gooding explained. “She’s in her early 20s. It’s a really scary time emotionally. You’re understanding what you mean to the people around you. You’re trying to figure out yourself.”
Gooding pointed to the musical episode in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 as a major shift for Uhura’s character, setting her up to embody more of the personality that Nichelle Nichols made famous.
“She’s gonna take up more space,” she said. “She’s gonna stand on her feet stronger. I love playing a more confident version of her. It’s a meal!”
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 trailer hints at Uhura growing close to a new character—reportedly the younger brother of helmsman Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia)—though further details haven’t been confirmed.
Captain Pike and the future he already knows
Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) has always known his fate. Thanks to earlier events in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Pike is aware that he will one day suffer a life-changing accident. Still, that doesn’t stop him from forming meaningful connections in the present.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 continues Pike’s relationship with Captain Marie Batel (played by Melanie Scrofano). Speaking at the Tribeca panel, Mount addressed the emotional complexity that comes with Pike’s knowledge of what’s ahead.
“The journey is the destination,” he said. “And he continues to learn that lesson as he goes along. But that doesn’t mean that there aren't gonna be questions when it comes time to trust somebody other than yourself or trust your ability to have an experience with another person when you know your time is limited.”
Whether Pike’s story will turn tragic or not isn’t clear yet. But his storyline promises to explore what it means to love and lead with limited time.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 is shaping up to be the most relationship-focused season yet. Spock and Chapel’s romance will develop in unexpected ways, setting the stage for Spock’s emotional evolution. Uhura will take on a more assertive role, both personally and possibly romantically. Captain Pike will continue to navigate his future while dealing with present attachments.
Trending
The season premieres with two new episodes on July 17 on Paramount+, with multiple returning characters, fresh dynamics, and emotional arcs that deepen the human experience in space.
And it looks like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 is ready to deliver on that premise.
Reply
