Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 will contain many exciting developments that we can't wait to see. Premiering Thursday, July 23, on Paramount+, season 4 will be the last season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to consist of 10 episodes. Expected in 2027, the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will only be 6 episodes.
As the flagship of Star Trek on Paramount+, there is extra pressure on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 to rebound from the relatively lukewarm reception Strange New Worlds season 3 received from fans. With every Star Trek TV show on Paramount+ now canceled, Strange New Worlds also has to carry the optimistic vision of Gene Roddenberry in the face of Star Trek's uncertain future.
While there will be more genre-bending "big swings" in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, the next 10 episodes also aim to restore classic Star Trek's episodic space exploration, as well as continue the prequel's rich character development. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will also begin to bridge to the show's inevitable conclusion of connecting to Star Trek: The Original Series.
Based on what's been shown in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4's trailers and publicity leading up to the premiere, here are 10 things we're excited to see when the Starship Enterprise warps back onto our screens:
10 Cowboy Pike, La’an & M’Benga
Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) has cowboy roots, and he's back in the saddle in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4. Even better, Dr. Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) and Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) ride along Captain Pike throughout what appears to be the surface of Mars.
Why Captain Pike, La'an, and Dr. M'Benga bring a Yellowstone vibe to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds remains to be seen. Strange New Worlds' Wild West reportedly happens in season 4's premiere, which will also guest star Saffron Burrows as a character named Cassel.
9 Dinosaurs In A Jurassic World
One of the big surprises in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 is the inclusion of dinosaurs, like the classic Tyrannosaurus Rex. Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) apparently leads La'an and Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) on a landing party mission to a Jurassic world.
A dragon also appears to breathe fire on the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4.
Will the Starship Enterprise visit a pre-historic world, or will Captain Pike and his crew somehow time travel? After spending three seasons fighting the Gorn, could Star Trek: Strange New Worlds possibly reveal that dinosaurs are the ancestors of the fearsome alien lizards?
8 Joe Morton Plays A Starfleet Admiral
Sci-fi legend Joe Morton is one of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4's guest stars, playing a Starfleet Admiral. Morton played Miles Bennett Dyson in one of the greatest sci-fi films ever, Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Morton also played Dr. Silas Stone in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Zack Snyder's Justice League. No stranger to TV, Joe played the devious Eli Pope in Scandal.
Nothing more is known of Morton's Admiral, not even the character's name, but Joe giving orders to Captain Pike and his USS Enterprise crew in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 is an exciting prospect.
7 A New Vulcan Starfleet Cadet Comes Aboard The USS Enterprise
Every season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds introduces new faces joining the USS Enterprise's crew. Season 4 will debut a new female Vulcan Starfleet Academy cadet (played by Bianca Nugara), who is seen interacting with Scotty (Martin Quinn) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4's teaser.
Scotty also kisses a USS Enterprise crew member in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, with fans split on whether it's the new Vulcan or Uhura.
A new Vulcan aboard should be fascinating, especially after the trouble Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) had coping with "Four-and-a-Half Vulcans" in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. The Vulcan cadet also somewhat resembles T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) from Star Trek: Enterprise. Coincidence?
6 Kirk Brothers Together
One of the promo images of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 offers the encouraging sight of Lt. Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte) with his hand on Lt. Commander James T. Kirk's (Paul Wesley) shoulder. The Kirk brothers could have a long-awaited team-up that never happened in Star Trek: The Original Series.
Older brother Sam seems to bristle whenever James Kirk beams aboard the USS Enterprise. However, the Kirk boys shared a friendly drink in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3's finale. How well Jim and Sam get along in season 4 remains to be seen.
5 Number One Leading More Away Missions
A common complaint about Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is that the prequel needs more stories about Number One (Rebecca Romijn). The USS Enterprise's First Officer often takes a back seat in favor of other characters receiving focus.
More opportunities for Rebecca Romijn to shine as Una are always welcome.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 aims to fix this by letting Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley lead more landing party missions. This is also the proper procedure for the First Officer to head up dangerous missions while the Captain remains on the ship. More opportunities for Rebecca Romijn to shine as Una are always welcome.
4 What Happens Next To Strange New Worlds' Love Stories In Outer Space?
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 spotlighted multiple love stories, from La'an and Spock's surprise pairing, Nurse Christine Chapel's (Jess Bush) canonical romance with Dr. Roger Korby (Cillian O'Sullivan), and Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) had her first canonical boyfriend of sorts in Beto Ortegas (Mynor Luken).
Thus far, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 hasn't highlighted any of those romantic pairings, but there's bound to be a follow-up. Meanwhile, we'll see how Captain Pike copes with losing his love, Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano), in season 4. In addition, will Una's Vulcan flame, Doug (Patton Oswalt), return?
3 Kirk Hugs Spock - But Why?
James T. Kirk and Spock seem to get even closer in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4. Season 3 began Star Trek's most enduring bromance in earnest, with Kirk and Spock even sharing an intimate mind-meld in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3's finale, "New Life and New Civilizations."
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has added new wrinkles to Spock and Kirk's friendship, which is still in the beginning stages in the prequel. Season 4 of Strange New Worlds will also reportedly contain a horror episode involving Kirk, so perhaps this hug is Jim coping with the aftereffects and leaning on Vulcan bestie.
2 David Marcus Will Appear
A surprise confirmed in SFX Magazine by executive producer and co-showrunner Henry Alonso Myers is that David Marcus, James T. Kirk's son, will appear in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4. David should be about two years old, as Dr. Carol Marcus was still pregnant in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2.
Kirk reunited with adult David in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, before Jim's son was tragically murdered in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Even if David is a toddler in Strange New Worlds, Star Trek has not explored Jim's feelings as a father in depth, and why he voluntarily chose to stay away from David at Carol's behest.
1 Puppet Captain Pike
Captain Pike turning into a puppet in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 was announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, and the idea has divided fans ever since. However, with the Jim Henson Company providing the Pike puppet, this could be a work of bold genius in the vein of Star Trek's first-ever musical episode.
Stardate 47988.1 · Crew Assessment
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Trivia Challenge
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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?
ANCC-1701-D BNX-01 CNCC-1701 DNCC-74656
✓ 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.
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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?
AData BSpock CTuvok DSarek
✓ 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.
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03
Starfleet’s most important regulation forbids interference with the natural development of alien civilizations. What is this guiding principle called?
AThe Temporal Accord BGeneral Order One CThe Omega Directive DThe Prime Directive
✓ 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.
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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?
AThe Borg BThe Dominion CThe Romulans DSpecies 8472
✓ 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.”
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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?
AWilliam Shatner BAvery Brooks CPatrick Stewart DScott Bakula
✓ 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.
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06
Starfleet vessels travel faster than light by bending space around them using a matter-antimatter reaction. What is this propulsion system called?
ATranswarp Drive BWarp Drive CSlipstream Drive DSpore Drive
✓ 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.
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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?
AThe Prometheus Trial BThe Omega Simulation CThe Corbomite Maneuver DThe Kobayashi Maru
✓ 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.
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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?
AKhan Noonien Singh BGeneral Chang CQ DGul Dukat
✓ 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.
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Of the "big swings" in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, puppet Captain Pike has to be the wildest of all. It could either work brilliantly, or fall flat on its face. It's hard to imagine an in-between. Yet this idea is so out there, so crazy, that even if puppet Pike is a failure, we can't wait to see Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 try it.
Release Date 2022 - 2027-00-00
Network Paramount+
Showrunner Henry Alonso Myers, Akiva Goldsman
Writers Onitra Johnson
English (US) ·