"You will see more of the Gorn" - Star Trek: Strange New Worlds showrunners share key details about how things will unfold in Season 3 

The highly popular American science fiction franchise premiered Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 on Paramount+.

On July 17, 2025, the series premiered with its highly anticipated episode "Hegemony, Part II", which concluded the two-part finale that began with "Hegemony", the Season 2 finale in August 2023.

The two-parter is certainly one of the most intriguing storylines from the show, which saw the Gorn attack on the Parnassus Beta colony. Fans of The Original Series might remember them as the antagonists from episode 'Arena', who were also the primary antagonists in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Seasons 1 and 2.

While it looked like the Gorn had taken full charge over Captain Pike and his crew, Pike remembered Una and Uhura’s research into Gorn hibernation/hunting patterns, and with the perfect use of science and technology, he managed to send the enemy into a deep sleep/hibernation and stop their invasion.

While the Gorns seem to be asleep for now, co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers teased their return in Season 3 (via TrekMovie):

''You will see more of the Gorn. The Gorn are not gone, but the Gorn are not the primary adversary for season 3.''

More on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 in our story.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds showrunners tease the Gorn's return in Season 3

While fans have been enjoying the storytelling in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the reinvention of the Gorn, one of the most menacing antagonists from the Original Series, has certainly been one of the most exciting aspects of the show.

These bloody, gory, and killer alien species were back in the highly anticipated Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, which has already premiered its first two episodes on July 17, 2025.

Discussing the end of Gorn's rule in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, Akiva Goldsman discussed with TrekMovie:

''Whenever possible we try to really dovetail with canon. I mean, there are certain things that were just out the window, like the canonical dates of World War III and things like that. But yeah, we’ll chase an idea that “Arena” could feel brand new by the time we get to “Arena.”

While many fans felt that Pike and his crew putting the Gorn to sleep was anticlimactic in a way, the showrunners wanted some conclusion to the tale and the latest season will now move on to other aspects of the story. Discussing that key decision, Henry Alonso Myers added:

''The real goal was that we wanted to say “And now the conclusion,” meaning we didn’t want to leave the episode feeling like there’s so much story that we’ve left open and we barely get out of there alive, and what’s going to happen next? We want to set up the stories for the season, but very much conclude those two parts of that episode. We wanted to get to that end.''

While the Gorn seem to have gone into the shadows in Season 3, the latest episode teased a map of Cestus III in Captain Pike’s office. Eagle-eyed viewers were quick to notice that Cestus III is the original Gorn planet from TOS, suggesting that the bloody species will surely return in the latter half of the season, as confirmed by Myers, who said:

“We don’t do accidents.” referring to the map in Pike's office

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Episode 3 will premiere on July 24, 2025.

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