Why is Captain Kirk a Lieutenant in Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 3? Spoilers ahead for the new episdoe.
Star Trek loves to play around with timelines, and the Star Trek series Strange New Worlds is no different. At the end of Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 3, La’an FaceTimes James T. Kirk in the fixed timeline to check if he’s OK after an alternate version of the Star Trek captain died in the past. It’s not as confusing as it sounds.
However, when La’an manages to get through to Kirk, he answers as, “Lieutenant Kirk.” But why does Kirk hold the rank of Lieutenant at the end of the new episode?
Why is Kirk a Lieutenant in Strange New Worlds?
Star Trek Strange New Worlds is a prequel to Captain Kirk’s adventures in the Original Series, and takes place around five years before Kirk is promoted to a captain in 2265. Therefore, when La’an calls him at the end of Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 3, he is still a Lieutenant because he hasn’t yet risen through the ranks.
If Strange New Worlds continues on for many more seasons with Paul Wesley continuing to play a supporting role, we could see his promotion as part of the plot of a future season. We know from the season 1 finale that Kirk commands the USS Farragut before taking over from Pike and starting his five year mission aboard the Enterprise.
That’s it on why Kirk is a Lieutenant in Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 3. Simple, really.
For more on the latest of Star Trek, find out which Star Trek captains would survive in a zombie apocalypse, and check out our Star Trek Strange New Worlds season 2 review, as well as our explainers on the Crossfield class, Pelia, and Lanthanites. You can also find out how we celebrated Captain Picard Day, before learning how Patrick Stewart’s pride nearly killed Picard season 3.