illyrian in star trek

Screen Rant

Strange new worlds solves a 56-year old star trek mystery.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Star Trek's New Warp Drive Breaks the Prime Directive in a Way No-One Expected

Star trek officially brands a surprising deep space nine hero as a war criminal, i’m glad voyager’s tom and b’elanna are no longer star trek's only successful romance.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 3 - "Ghosts of Illyria"

After 56-years, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has finally solved the mystery of Number One's (Rebecca Romijn) backstory. As the First Officer of the USS Enterprise, Number One AKA Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley joins Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) on a new five-year mission of galactic exploration. But Strange New Worlds episode 3 is the (very) long-awaited episode centering on Una that finally answers questions about Number One that Trekkers have wondered about for over five decades.

Number One was created by Gene Roddenberry and she was part of his original pilot for Star Trek , "The Cage." Number One was a role embodied by Gene's future wife, Majel Barrett, and, as the female First Officer of a starship, she was a revolutionary character for 1966. Too revolutionary for NBC, as it turned out, as the network requested both Number One and Spock (Leonard Nimoy), to be cut from the second Star Trek pilot NBC requested. Wanting to keep an alien on the bridge of the Enterprise, Roddenberry was forced to drop Number One and he gave her cool, logical, emotionless traits to Spock, which would come central traits of the Vulcan and his entire race. Outside of " The Cage's" footage incorporated into the Star Trek : The Original Series two-parter, "The Menagerie," which made the characters of the original pilot canon, Number One vanished for decades until she was reimagined for Star Trek: Discovery season 2, and now, Strange New Worlds.

Related: Strange New Worlds Hints Pike Can Break Canon And Avoid His TOS Fate

Number One's fascinating backstory has finally been revealed by Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Una Chin-Riley is an Illyrian, which is a brand new species. Illyrians are a race considered outcasts by the United Federation of Planets because they genetically modify themselves to enhance their bodies and adapt to their environments. Una herself possesses great physical strength, which she tries not to display. Understandably, Una keeps her true alien heritage a secret. But the events of Strange New Worlds episode 3, "Ghosts of Illyria," forced Una to come clean about who and what she is to Dr. M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) , her best friend La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong), and Captain Pike. Una was prepared to resign her Starfleet commission and admit she's Illyrian but Pike loyally insisted she remains as the best First Officer in Starfleet.

Strange New Worlds ' revelations about Number One are brand-new since Gene Roddenberry purposely never defined Number One's origins and background. Star Trek 's creator originally intended for Number One to remain mysterious and he never even wanted her real name to be known. However, had Number One been part of Star Trek going forward, Roddenberry may have found it necessary to eventually reveal those details in order for her character to evolve. Meanwhile, Majel Barrett, who played other Star Trek roles , imagined her own apocryphal backstory for Number One as  "a clone was from a different planet where they actually numbered people," hence she became Number One because of her "excellence." While an interesting idea, Strange New Worlds obviously went in a different direction for Una Chin-Riley.

Not only is Una Chin-Riley's true story out in the open, at last, but it opens up fascinating story avenues going forward. Captain Pike is conspiratorially keeping Number One's secret of being an Illyrian from Starfleet and he promises to fight for her if it comes out. Meanwhile, Una still feels guilty about lying to everyone she knows to join Starfleet, including La'an. Further, the fact that Number One is a genetically-engineered Augment puts her in similar standing as Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán) , at least in the eyes of the Federation if they learn the truth about Una. Number One's history has been one of Star Trek's biggest questions for 56 years but now that it's revealed, it smartly opens up many new possibilities for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to explore.

Next: Picard & Strange New Worlds Are Telling Khan's Origin Story Without Him

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

• SR Originals

Is Number One an alien? Strange New Worlds writer explains Illyrian canon

Illyrians have a long, and odd history with Star Trek canon. Here's what it all means.

Number One has a secret. In episode 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — “Ghost of Illyria” — Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) reveals that she’s a member of a genetically modified group called the Illyrians. While this information is a shock to Captain Pike and the crew, hardcore Trek fans have known since 1989. But which Illyrians are we talking about? Inverse checked in with Bill Wolkoff, who co-wrote “Ghosts of Illyria” alongside Akela Cooper, for all the details about Number One, the new Illyrians, and the other Illyrians who appeared back in 2004. Spoilers ahead.

Dr. M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) in “Ghosts of Illyria.”

Is Number One an alien?

Although Una’s Discovery appearance suggested she was human, what we learn in “Ghosts of Illyria” is that she’s been hiding the fact she’s genetically modified, and a secret member of the Illyrians. But what is an Illyrian?

“Una is not human,” Bill Wolkoff tells Inverse. “ She just looks human. Illyrians are an alien species. In Una’s case, she’s an Illyrian who passes as a human... She’s forced to hide that part of her identity, a part of herself.”

In the episode, we learn there are several different Illyrian colonies scattered throughout the galaxy, which makes the exact colony that Una is from still a mystery. Will that mystery be solved? Speaking to Wil Wheaton on the official Star Trek after-show, The Ready Room , Rebecca Romjin said that this storyline will continue to “play out in a pretty intense way.”

“Here’s what we know,” Wolkoff says. “After she glowed, Una researched records of Illyrian genetic modifications related to disease control, specifically files relating to the ‘original settlement’ on the Vaultera Nebula. She later told Captain Pike she is from an Illyrian colony far away. Take from that what you will.”

Majel Barrett as Number One in the first Star Trek pilot episode, “The Cage.”

The origin of Illyrians

In 2017 — before Una was confirmed for Discovery Season 2 — the character was described as being an Illyrian in the first-ever tie-in Discovery novel, Desperate Hours by David Mack. But this wasn’t the first time Number One had been classified as part of the elusive Trek species. As Wolkoff confirms, the inspiration comes from even deeper Trek lore.

“ Vulcan’s Glory is the novel we talked about,” Wolkoff says. This 1989 book, which details Spock’s first mission with Captain Pike and Una, was written by one of the most influential writers on The Original Series , “the great D.C. Fontana.”

The late D.C. Fontana, a classic Star Trek writer of episodes like “This Side of Paradise.” She also wrote the 1989 novel Vulcan’s Glory , in which Number One was dubbed an Illyrian.

The notion that Illyrians are “an alien species that genetically modifies themselves,” wasn’t wholly invented by the Strange New Worlds writing team either. The 2015 Greg Cox novel Child of Two Worlds suggested that the Illyrians practiced selective breeding, which could be interpreted as genetic engineering. “It puts them at odds with Starfleet, an institution with anti-genetic alteration laws that dates back to the Eugenics Wars,” Wolkoff explains. “We thought that was a rich place to draw from to tell her big story.”

The “other” Illyrians

Although “Ghosts of Illyria” finally reconciles Una’s backstory with Star Trek books of the past, a species called Illyrians did appear in a 2004 episode of the prequel series Enterprise. “ Damage” was set in 2154, putting it 105 years before the events of Strange New Worlds . The Illyrians in “Damage” are neither human-looking like Una, nor are they the genetically modified fire ghosts who save Pike and Spock in “Ghosts of Illyria.”

Casey Biggs as an Illyrian captain in the 2004 Enterprise episode “Damage.”

So what’s the deal? Are the Illyrians in Enterprise — the people with bumpy foreheads — the same Illyrians from Strange New Worlds ? The short answer is yes. Here’s how Wolkoff says it all works:

“I think that’s consistent with what happened in the episode. There is another scene where Una researched potential Illyrian modifications, and on the viewscreen we caught a glimpse of what some of those look like. I saw one Illyrian with webbed hands and feet, another with spiky eyebrows… I’d certainly believe Illyrians could have bumpy foreheads too! And if Una had researched long enough, she might have found a file on those Illyrians.”

So there you have it. An Illyrian can look like Rebecca Romijn. An Illyrian can have webbed hands. An Illyrian can turn into a fire ghost or have a bumpy forehead. As Una tells La’an, the Illyrians genetically modify themselves to adapt to the environments of specific planets. Which means the next time a Trek alien seems to be perfect for their planet, it’s possible it could be an Illyrian.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds airs new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays.

This article was originally published on May 24, 2022

• Science Fiction

• Celebrities
• Secret Invasion
• The Marvels
• Disney Plus
• Apple TV Plus
• Dwayne Johnson
• Brie Larson
• Ryan Reynolds
• The Witcher
• About & Advertising
• Affiliate Policy
• Privacy Policy

‘Star Trek’ Illyrians, explained

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds viewers were shocked to discover that the First Officer of the Enterprise, Una Chin-Riley (a character first introduced all the way back in the original Star Trek pilot as “ Number One “), was in fact a member of an alien species, the Illyrians . But just who are these unusual people?

While the Illyrians and their fate is explained in Strange New Worlds ’ “Ghosts of Illyria,” many viewers may not know that Illyrians have shown up in Star Trek previously — namely in Enterprise . In the third season episode “Damage,” Enterprise captain Jonathan Archer encountered an Illyrian ship after his own ship was badly damaged during their desperate voyage to the Xindi homeworld. The Illyrians proved to be amiable and friendly, and were more than willing to help repair the Enterprise, but could not afford to give Archer a much-needed replacement warp coil.

With Earth’s fate resting entirely on the Enterprise’s success in reaching the Xindi, Archer made the agonizing decision to take the Illyrian’s warp coil by force, leaving them stranded in a hostile region of deep space, three years away from their home. While Archer did beam over enough supplies to last them the journey, the Illyrian crew’s fate appeared uncertain.

23rd Century

Strange New Worlds takes place around a century after Enterprise . In “Ghosts of Illyria,” we learn that the Illyrians were particularly affected by the Federation’s harsh ban on genetic engineering, as they were proponents of the idea that instead of terraforming a planet to meet their needs, they should instead alter themselves to adapt to new planets. Many thus had genetic augmentations, meaning they could not join Starfleet. Chin-Riley joined Starfleet by passing herself off as a human, hoping that her true species would not be detected.

This changed when the Enterprise reached the Illyrian colony of Hetemit IX , and found it seemingly devoid of life. While Captain Christopher Pike and his science officer Spock were trapped in the colony, Chin-Riley’s genetic augmentations allowed her to save the Enterprise by resisting a disease that threatened to consume the rest of the crew. Pike and Spock, meanwhile, learned that the Illyrian colonists had become non-corporeal from the same disease that affected the Enterprise, and now existed as electromagnetic “ghosts” trapped inside the planet’s atmosphere. These “ghosts” formed a protective barrier around Pike and Spock, saving them from a deadly storm. With Chin-Riley’s true species revealed, Pike made the decision to keep her as his First Officer — and to hide the truth from Starfleet.

With season two of Strange New Worlds on the way this June, we can expect more of Una and perhaps more glimpses into the story of the Illyrians.

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Memory Beta articles sourced from games
• Memory Beta articles sourced from comics
• Races and cultures
• Alpha and Beta Quadrant races and cultures
• Humanoid species
• 1 History and specifics
• 3 Notable Illyrians
• 4.1.1 Appearance
• 4.1.2 References
• 4.2 External link

History and specifics [ ]

Illyrians were known to practice selective breeding of a type that bordered on genetic engineering . ( TOS novel : Child of Two Worlds )

By the 23rd century they used actual genetic augmentations to enhance their capabilities and to adapt to new environments as an alternative to terraforming . ( SNW episode : " Ghosts of Illyria ")

Their government was a meritocracy, with aptitude testing used to select its officials. Illyrian citizens highly valued excellence, both mentally and physically. ( TOS novel : Child of Two Worlds )

Set in the 14th century , the backstory of the Boralian fantasy holonovel The Skull and the Sword involved Illyrian, Thracian and Thuringian soldiers at the Battle of Greystone Dales . ( Last Unicorn RPG module : Holodeck Adventures )

In 2154 , the Earth Starfleet vessel Enterprise encountered an Illyrian starship in the Delphic Expanse . Captain Jonathan Archer hoped to trade with its crew for a warp coil , but the Illyrians couldn't spare one. Desperate to stop the Xindi threat to Earth , Archer took their coil anyway, stranding them with food and some trellium in compensation. ( ENT episode : " Damage ", ENT - Rise of the Federation novel : Uncertain Logic )

In 2255 , Saru was familiar with Illyrians and described them generally as vegetarian, pacifist and non-predatory. ( DSC novel : Desperate Hours )

Number One claimed to be a Human raised on Illyria and became known for her Illyrian mental conditioning. ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory , DSC novel : Desperate Hours )

In reality, Una was an Illyrian who outwardly appeared Human and hid her real origin due to the Federation ban on genetic augmentations. Several other Illyrians also appeared as humans.( SNW episode : " Ghosts of Illyria "; SNW - The Illyrian Enigma comics : " Issue 1 ", " Issue 2 ")

Biology [ ]

Illyrians were avid practitioners of genetic engineering; they believed in adapting their bodies to the new planets they settled, rather than changing the planet to suit themselves. As a result, Illyrians varied widely in appearance as well as in capabilities. Some Illyrians were externally indistinguishable from Humans. ( SNW episode : " Ghosts of Illyria ")

Other Illyrians exhibited differing traits such as cranial ridges. ( ENT episode : " Damage ")

Besides the cranial difference, ther traits include webbed hands, pointed ears, and differently structured eyes.

Some Illyrians, like Una Chin-Riley, were also modified with enhanced strength and an immune system that could literally burn out infectious agents from the body rather than rely on antibodies. ( SNW episode : " Ghosts of Illyria ")

Notable Illyrians [ ]

• Ivan Ketoul
• Neera Ketoul

Appendices [ ]

Appearances and references [ ], appearance [ ].

• ENT episode : " Damage "
• Short Treks episode : " Q&A "
• Short Treks episode : " Ask Not "
• TOS episode : " The Cage "
• DSC episode : " An Obol for Charon "
• DSC episode : " Such Sweet Sorrow "
• SNW episode : " Strange New Worlds "
• SNW episode : " Children of the Comet "
• SNW episode : " Ghosts of Illyria "
• SNW episode : " Memento Mori "
• SNW episode : " Spock Amok "
• SNW episode : " Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach "
• SNW episode : " The Serene Squall "
• SNW novel : The High Country
• SNW episode : " The Elysian Kingdom "
• SNW episode : " All Those Who Wander "
• SNW episode : " A Quality of Mercy "
• SNW episode : " The Broken Circle "
• SNW episode : " Ad Astra Per Aspera "

References [ ]

• TOS novel : Vulcan's Glory
• TOS novel : The Children of Kings
• Last Unicorn RPG module : Holodeck Adventures
• TOS - Starfleet Academy novel : The Assassination Game
• ENT - Rise of the Federation novel : Uncertain Logic
• TOS - Legacies novel : Captain to Captain
• TOS novel : Child of Two Worlds
• DSC novel : Desperate Hours
• SNW - The Illyrian Enigma comics : " Issue 1 ", " Issue 2 "

External link [ ]

• Illyrian article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 Odyssey class
• 3 Star Trek: Destiny

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Augments, Illyrians and the Eugenics Wars

Why first officer Una Chin-Riley was on trial, and how it links all the way back to Khan Noonien Singh.

Warning: Spoilers ahead if you haven't watched "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" season 2, episode 2, " Ad Astra per Aspera ".

From original series two-parter "The Menagerie" to "The Next Generation" classic "The Measure of a Man", "Star Trek" has always loved a courtroom drama. "Ad Astra per Aspera" continues the tradition, as USS Enterprise first officer Una Chin-Riley (aka Number One) goes on trial.

Her crime? Nothing more than being an Illyrian, a species whose penchant for genetic modification puts them at odds with Federation laws preventing anyone from tinkering around with their DNA.

Una's predicament has its roots in the story of the infamously wrathful Khan Noonien Singh, and also ties into plotlines explored in "Deep Space Nine", "Enterprise" and "Picard". It's also certain to have further implications for "Strange New Worlds," so here's everything you need to know about Augments, Illyrians and the Eugenics Wars. 

Why is Una on trial in "Strange New Worlds" season 2? 

Simply because of who she is and where she comes from.

In season 1 episode "Ghosts of Illyria " confirmed that the USS Enterprise's highly respected first officer is an Illyrian, a species whose use of genetic modifications contravenes long-standing Federation laws. These rules would have prevented her from serving in Starfleet, so she's kept her heritage hidden throughout her career.

Although Captain Pike opted to keep Number One's secret when he learned the truth about her origins origins, someone else spilled the beans, leading to Una's arrest in season 1 finale 'A Quality of Mercy '. 

During the trial, it was revealed that it was actually Una who'd reported herself to the authorities in the hope that her case might help the blinkered Starfleet authorities understand Illyrians a better. She also wanted her crew to know her for who she really was, and to finally feel safe. Her counsel, Neera Ketoul (a fellow Illyrian), successfully argued that Pike was effectively granting Una asylum from persecution by allowing her to remain on the Enterprise, and the charges against her were dropped.

Watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+:

Essential (ads) - $4.99/mo or $49.99/yr

Premium (no ads) - $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr

What is an Illyrian?

Although Una looks human, Illyrians are a different species entirely, hailing from the Delphic Expanse that was also home to "Star Trek: Enterprise" antagonists the Xindi. 

Rather than trying to adapt new worlds to suit their needs, the Illyrians use genetic modification techniques to adapt their bodies to new, often hostile environments – Una's augmentations give her superhuman healing abilities, as well as the ability to literally light up a room. 

This penchant for fiddling around with DNA means that their appearance can vary greatly, ranging from the human-like Una, to subtly webbed hands and feet, and the sort of lumpy-foreheaded alien look that's a mainstay of the franchise. 

Have we always known that Una is an Illyrian?

Number One’s first appearance in original "Star Trek" pilot "The Cage" (made in 1965) didn't tell us much (if anything) about her backstory, and there was little to make us suspect she was an alien – indeed, back then the ship's extra-terrestrial quotient effectively consisted of Mr Spock. 

However, legendary "Trek" writer DC Fontana did allude to Number One's origins in non-canonical 1989 novel "Vulcan's Glory", where Pike explained that, "Some officers have a difficult time dealing with the fact that she is a genetically perfect being. On her planet, Illyria, excellence is the only criterion that is accepted."

This relatively obscure piece of "Trek" lore has subsequently been reinvented and retconned into official canon.

Why does Starfleet have an issue with Illyrians?

It's not so much the Illyrian people as their penchant for genetic modification, a practice that was made illegal in the wake of the Eugenics Wars that ravaged Earth in the late 20th century and early 21st century.  

What were the Eugenics Wars?

When a group of 20th century scientists successfully engineered a group of men and women who were stronger, faster and more intelligent than your average human, they didn't account for one important detail – these so-called Augments had a massive superiority complex that resulted in an unstoppable desire to conquer and subjugate ordinary homo sapiens. The most famous/infamous of these superhumans, a certain Khan Noonien Singh, came to rule a quarter of the Earth, across Asia and the Middle East. 

"Trek" history is a little fuzzy on the subject of whether the subsequent Eugenics Wars were fought between the Augments themselves, or by ordinary humans looking to overthrow their GM overlords. Either way, we do know that millions of people died, and that much of the planet was laid to waste in a conflict that subsequently escalated into a fully blown World War III. 

With Augments blamed and ostracized for the near-destruction of Earth, the authorities moved to ban all genetic engineering on humans – a resolution that remained in place for centuries.

When exactly did the Eugenics Wars take place? 

That's a good question. While various "Star Trek" movies and TV shows have alluded to the 21st century being a post-apocalyptic wasteland – and Khan's first appearance in original series episode "Space Seed" dated the Eugenics Wars between 1992-96 – this doesn't tally with "Star Trek: Picard" season 2's extended stay in a very normal 2024 or, indeed, the real world. 

But we wonder if the "Trek" chronology might be going through a bit of subtle retconning to make the timeline a little more plausible. Data's "ancestor" Adam Soong pulling out a file labelled "Project Khan" (dated 1996) in the "Picard" season 2 finale certainly suggests Khan could have been born later than we originally thought – unless, of course, the file refers to a plan to replicate a whole new generation of superbeings from Khan's "superior" DNA.

And tweaks like this seem entirely justified as the franchise evolves – as regular ’90s scripter Ronald D Moore put it to Cinefantastique, "What looked like the distant future in 1967 [when 'Space Seed' was broadcast'] is not so distant any more. I don't blame them for not having the foresight to see that in 30 years this would be important in the series."

Are there any other Augments in "Star Trek" lore?

"Trek" has explored the implications of genetic manipulation on several occasions. The most famous example was arguably "Deep Space Nine" medic Dr Julian Bashir, who was shocked to learn that his father had played around with his DNA when he was a kid, with the aim of making him less of a disappointment. While Bashir Sr was never going to win dad of the year, the augmentations to his boy resulted in enhanced mental agility, super-fast reflexes and improved hearing. Despite the Federation's ban on such modifications, Bashir was allowed to remain in Starfleet when his dad agreed to go to prison for his crimes.

Related: Best Star Trek Deep Space Nine Episodes

"Enterprise" also ventured into GM territory, with a plot line about another of Data's ancestors, Arik Soong, set out to prove that Augments wouldn't automatically grow up to be bad 'uns like Khan. 

Soong's work was later adapted by Klingons looking to make Augments of their own. Their plan backfired, however, proving lethal until Dr. Phlox engineered a cure that – conveniently for overall continuity – gave a group of Klingons the smooth-foreheaded appearance they had in the era of the original series. When Worf told his confused DS9 crewmates "We do not discuss it with outsiders" in classic flashback episode "Trials and Tribble-ations", this anomaly was what he was talking about.

And Una's shipmate, La'an Noonien Singh, is a descendant of Khan. She lives in fear that genetic modifications may suddenly manifest themselves, making her a danger to the Enterprise crew.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Get the Space.com Newsletter

Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!

Richard's love affair with outer space started when he saw the original "Star Wars" on TV aged four, and he spent much of the ’90s watching "Star Trek”, "Babylon 5” and “The X-Files" with his mum. After studying physics at university, he became a journalist, swapped science fact for science fiction, and hit the jackpot when he joined the team at SFX, the UK's biggest sci-fi and fantasy magazine. He liked it so much he stayed there for 12 years, four of them as editor. 

He's since gone freelance and passes his time writing about "Star Wars", "Star Trek" and superheroes for the likes of SFX, Total Film, TechRadar and GamesRadar+. He has met five Doctors, two Starfleet captains and one Luke Skywalker, and once sat in the cockpit of "Red Dwarf"'s Starbug.  

This Week In Space podcast: Episode 126 — Danger! Rogue Planets!

The best 50s sci-fi movies

Best Alien comic books of all time

• Atlan0001 Star trek's 'Augmentee' territory = Star Wars' 'Jedi / Sith' territory. Reply
• View All 1 Comment

Most Popular

• 2 Weird mystery waves that baffle scientists may be 'everywhere' inside Earth's mantle
• 3 Astrophotographer captures Comet 13P/Olbers and the Black Eye Galaxy M64 in stunning detail (photo)
• 4 SpaceX launches back-to-back Falcon 9 rockets within 65 minutes and aces 2 landings days after a failed booster touchdown (video)
• 5 Rocket Lab's Mars probes reach launch site ahead of 1st flight on Blue Origin New Glenn rocket (photos)

Star Trek: Who Are The Illyrians?

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

LOTR: It Makes More Sense For The Rings of Power's Stranger To Be Saruman

5 marvel heroes who deserve r-rated movies, 8 best dark fantasy movies, ranked.

One of Star Trek ’s defining features is its ability to create moral dilemmas for its characters, usually by introducing them to diverse civilizations and belief systems. In Star Trek: The Original Series , Captain Kirk and his crew come into contact with many peoples that have ways of life incomprehensible to us: the populations of Eminiar VII and Vendikar go to war virtually; the people of Beta III engage in a festival of destruction at the end of every day; and the Klingons celebrate death in battle. Diplomacy is the Enterprise crew’s most important tool, but in certain Star Trek stories, it’s clear that the Federation doesn’t negotiate with everyone.

The Illyrian people were first introduced in Star Trek: Enterprise , where they had a brief but brutal encounter with Captain Archer. Since this initial appearance, the Illyrians have been mostly absent from following series, only showing up recently in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Pike’s first officer Una Chin-Riley is revealed to be an Illyrian, and her identity must be kept secret in order to protect her career and citizenship within the Federation. The Illyrians are a race of people whose reliance on genetic augmentation always been shunned by the Federation, but modern Star Trek has begun to question whether this perspective is bigotry instead of caution.

RELATED: Star Trek: The Biggest Problem With The Portrayal Of Alien Species

The Illyrians were first shown in Star Trek: Enterprise , season 3, episode 19, “Damage,” in which they had a contentious first contact with Starfleet. In this episode, the Illyrians are portrayed as unfortunate bystanders in the aftermath of a battle between the Xindi and Captain Archer’s Enterprise crew . With a nearly sundered ship and an injured crew, Archer makes the decision to plunder the Illyrian ship for its warp coil, stranding the alien people in deadly space. The Illyrians are left with some trellium-D and a few crates of food, while the Enterprise makes its escape. There wasn't much negotiation during their first meeting, and practically no exchange of information about their beliefs. The Illyrians are presented as people who were in the wrong place at the right time, but not as a threat to anyone. This changes as the Federation becomes more familiar with Illyrian culture.

During the events of Star Trek: Enterprise , there is not yet any formal version of the Federation, but its ethos is being built (and occasionally transgressed). Earth was riddled with eugenics wars and unethical human augmentation in the 20th century, as revealed in Star Trek: The Original Series , season 1, episode 24, “Space Seed,” leaving most humans wary of genetic manipulation. Earth becomes one of the founding members of the Federation, and forms its basic values, including disbarring of any form of eugenics. This zero-tolerance policy doesn’t allow for special cases, and results in the generalization and exclusion of the Illyrians, which proves to be short-sighted.

In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , season 1, episode 3 , “Ghosts of Illyria,” the Federation’s ban on Illyrian membership is first put into question. The episode depicts the Enterprise crew’s arrival on Hetemit IX, the home of an abandoned Illyrian colony, and the resulting crisis. Una Chin-Riley, Pike’s Number One, is the only crew member resistant to a disease that spreads through the Enterprise, and as a consequence must reckon with her identity as a genetically modified Illyrian. The Federation’s opposition to genetic engineering meant Chin-Riley had to lie about her race to enlist in Starfleet, and in this episode, she wonders if the Federation was the one at fault. There is significant bias towards the belief systems of the founding members of the Federation , and this may be impeding other cultures’ development.

Captain Pike and Spock have a new perspective on the Illyrian people towards the end of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , season 1, episode 3, “Ghosts of Illyria,” one that aligns more closely with that of Chin-Riley. Pike and Spock are protected from an ion storm by the remains of the Illyrians on the Hetemit IX colony, people who have been reduced to energy spirits. The Illyrians would have survived the storm if they had not reversed their own genetic modifications, a “good-faith gesture” that would have permitted them entry to the Federation. The Federation has never been perfect , but this episode puts its shortcomings in a new light, especially for Pike and Chin-Riley. Pike dispels some of the prejudices he learned, and Chin-Riley is left to wonder whether Pike would have shown the same kindness to her if she wasn’t the ‘ideal’ Illyrian.

The Illyrians are first presented as some of the many victims of a war, caught in the crossfire between Starfleet and the Xindi. After almost a century, it’s clear that Starfleet (and the Federation) is still jumping the gun when it comes to dealing with Illyrians, indulging biases before extending the arm of diplomacy. Captain Pike and his crew are the ideal group to rally for the rights of the Illyrians within the Federation, but they may have a fight on their hands. Chin-Riley is arrested for her deception in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , season 1, episode 10, “A Quality of Mercy,” and it doesn’t look like she will be receiving a lot of sympathy for hiding her identity.

The Federation has shunned the Illyrian people for their way of life for up to a century, but modern Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is allowing its characters to analyze the reason. Star Trek has always welcomed conversations on ethics , philosophy, politics and more, and there will surely be more on the topic of Illyrian rights. Chin-Riley believes they have a place in the Federation. She states:

“My people were never motivated by domination. Illyrians seek collaboration with nature. By bioengineering our bodies, we adapt to naturally-existing habitats […] we modify ourselves. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

MORE: Star Trek: Important Moments In The Federation's History

How Starfleet Has Evolved Over The Centuries

Game rant's ultimate sci-fi guide, how strange new worlds handles continuity within the franchise.

• Movies & TV
• GR Originals

Una Chin-Riley

Lieutenant Commander Una Chin-Riley , commonly known professionally as Number One , was a female Illyrian Starfleet command division officer who lived during the mid- 23rd century . Through the 2250s , she served aboard the USS Enterprise as Christopher Pike 's executive officer and helmsman . ( TOS : " The Cage "; DIS : " An Obol for Charon ")

• 1 Early life
• 2.1 Starfleet Academy
• 2.2 Early postings and assignments
• 3.1 Hobbies
• 4.1 La'an Noonien-Singh
• 4.2 Christopher Pike
• 5 Alternate timelines
• 6 Awards and honors
• 7 Key dates
• 8.1 Appearances
• 8.2 Background information
• 8.3 Apocrypha
• 8.4 External links

Early life [ ]

Una and her parents in their youth

Chin-Riley was born on Illyria in the early 23rd century. As a member of the Illyrian species, Chin-Riley was genetically-engineered before birth , as it was part of her family tradition and heritage. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ") Her physical strength was greatly improved, allowing her to carry a grown person with no visible effort, while her immune system would also glow , and as well, could burn out infectious agents from her body without having to rely on antibodies . ( SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ", " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

Chin-Riley grew up on a Federation colony in the Vaultera Nebula . She had one brother . ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

In her personnel file, Chin-Riley was said to have been born on Illyria or on Colony 9-A. However, a notation to her file stated that verification of her being born on this colony was pending and that the information came from an unreliable source.

Additional notations to her file state that Chin-Riley's parents and brother were possibly deceased. Like her dob (date-of-birth), the verification of this information was pending and that the information came from unreliable sources.

When she was five or six years old, encountered Starfleet crew that visited her planet. According to her, " They were all so... different from one another. So many crew members from so many planets. It was beautiful. I thought if all those people from all those worlds can work together, side by side, maybe I could, too. Maybe I could be a part of something bigger than myself. " ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ") Her dream of joining Starfleet, however, due to the Federation ban on genetic engineering, she had to hide her true nature and history. ( SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ")

Later, she fractured her leg after she attempted to stop a fight at school, which had broken out after one boy had accused another of being an Illyrian. In spite of the break being a simple fix with modern medicine , her parents wouldn't take her to a hospital out of fear of being arrested. In spite of her modifications, the leg became infected , and she nearly died, until she was able to be treated by a Illyrian doctor who visited her family in the middle of the night. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

Starfleet career [ ]

Starfleet academy [ ].

Captain Robert April sponsored Chin-Riley's application to Starfleet Academy . ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

She first met Christopher Pike following an inspiring speech he gave at the Academy. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

She had Pelia for an Instructor for Starship Maintenance 307 and was given a "C" on her final paper, a "C" Pelia felt was sloppy but well deserved. ( SNW : " Lost in Translation ")

Early postings and assignments [ ]

In 2234 , Chin-Riley began her Starfleet career. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

In her personnel file, it was stated that she was a member of the graduating class of 2335.

As an ensign , was assigned to the USS Martin Luther King Jr. During her assignment aboard the " King Junior ", she was involved in the rescue of La'an Noonien-Singh . ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

While questioning Ensign Zier , Chin-Riley sympathized, saying that she, too, was once an ensign, and understood being nervous. ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

At some point in her early career, Chin-Riley served aboard the USS Antares , the USS Chatelet , and the USS Aryabhatta , all ships that her future commanding officer Christopher Pike also served on. ( DIS : " Brother "; SNW : " Memento Mori ", " Ad Astra per Aspera "; display graphic )

According to Pike, Chin-Riley had a habit of jumping from department to department, although she claimed that it only happened once. ( SNW : " Children of the Comet ")

On her personnel file, the name of one of her postings is redacted, with the information about it being restricted.

Service aboard the Enterprise [ ]

Number One on the bridge of the USS Enterprise

Upon her assignment as science officer to the USS Enterprise under the command of Captain April, she witnessed a triple-mode high-amplitude Delta Scuti star on her first deep-space cruise that took her within a half light year of 99 Pegasi . ( ST : " Q&A "; SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera "; display graphic )

In 2248 , Captain April recommended to Starfleet Command that Una Chin-Riley receive the Starfleet Medal of Gallantry for her actions during the Marcel disaster . ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

In 2250 , Chin-Riley was assigned as the first officer of Enterprise under the command of Captain Pike, also serving as the ship's helmsman . She went professionally by the name "Number One". ( TOS : " The Cage "; ST : " Q&A "; SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera " display graphic ) Before she took up her new position, Chin-Riley spent a week shadowing Pike, a week she later believed made all the difference in her performance as first officer. ( SNW : " Subspace Rhapsody ")

Lieutenant Una Chin-Riley and Ensign Spock in 2253

In 2253 , Number One greeted Ensign Spock on his first day aboard the Enterprise after departing from Starbase 40 . She encouraged him to barrage her with questions, which he returned in kind. While talking, however, the two were trapped in a turbolift , where they bonded and Una gave advice to the young officer before they were rescued by Lieutenant Amin . ( ST : " Q&A "; SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ", " Among the Lotus Eaters " display graphic )

By 2254 , she was considered one of the most experienced members of the crew. According to the Talosian magistrate known as The Keeper , she had "the superior mind and would produce highly intelligent children", adding that, " Although she seems to lack emotion, this is largely a pretense. She has often had fantasies involving [Pike]. " ( TOS : " The Cage ")

Number One with the captives on Talos IV

With Pike kidnapped by the Talosians, Number One led the effort to rescue him, first by unsuccessfully attempting to use a laser cannon to blast open an entry to a Talosian underground lair where Pike was being held, and then by using the transporter in an attempt to infiltrate this lair. Number One was subsequently kidnapped, along with Yeoman Colt , for the purpose of providing Pike with a mate with whom he could procreate. In response to this, Una set her laser pistol to overload, telling the Talosian Keeper that it was wrong to keep a colony of Humans as slaves, and that they would rather die. This, combined with an examination of the Enterprise 's historical records, convinced the Talosians that Humans' unique hatred of captivity made them nonviable subjects, and they were subsequently allowed to return to the Enterprise . ( TOS : " The Cage ")

Footage of her experience aboard the Enterprise under Captain Pike during the original visit to Talos IV, from thirteen years prior, was transmitted from that planet during Spock's fictional court martial aboard the same ship in 2267 . ( TOS : " The Menagerie, Part I ", " The Menagerie, Part II ")

Like most of the Enterprise crew, Number One sat out the Klingon War which, like it did to everyone else aboard the Enterprise , took its toll on her. ( DIS : " Brother ")

Una lends a hand to Pike aboard Discovery

In 2257 , Chin-Riley remained with the ship while it underwent major repairs, only briefly visited Pike aboard the USS Discovery to provide him with information on Spock's recent escape from Starbase 5 . The two officers sat and talked briefly in the mess hall. During their conversation, Una admitted that she went through unofficial channels to obtain the information, noting that the entire situation was extremely odd. Una stated plainly that she was not going to let Spock go without a fight and Pike noted that as usual they both were in agreement. Before they parted she warned Pike to be careful and Pike told her the same. She returned to the Enterprise shortly thereafter. ( DIS : " An Obol for Charon ")

Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley in 2258

In 2258 , following the mission to get a time crystal from the monastery on Boreth , Captain Pike asked Lt. R.A. Bryce to send a message to Chin-Riley, to have the Enterprise rendezvous with the Discovery to take on the Discovery 's crew. ( DIS : " Through the Valley of Shadows ")

During the Battle near Xahea , Chin-Riley manned the helm of the Enterprise , and later worked with Admiral Katrina Cornwell in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to disarm an undetonated photon torpedo that had lodged in the saucer section 's hull .

After the disappearance of the Discovery , Pike, Ash Tyler , and Chin-Riley were debriefed at Starfleet Command in San Francisco . Following the debriefing, Number One and the others who knew of the Discovery 's fate were sworn to never speak of the Discovery or its crew again.

After a hundred and twenty four days of repair, Commander Chin-Riley was still aboard the Enterprise as it traveled to Edrin II . ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 ")

In 2259 , the Enterprise returned to Earth for scheduled maintenance. Because she did not deal well with downtime, Chin-Riley was assigned to command the USS Archer to initiate a first contact mission to Kiley 279 after Starfleet detected signs of warp drive on the planet. However, the Kiley had in fact developed a warp bomb based on observations made from the battle near Xahea . The Kiley reacted negatively towards the first contact overtures and Number One, as well as the two other members of the Archer 's crew, were wounded and captured by the Kiley.

After Number One and the Archer crew were rescued by Pike and an Enterprise away team, Number One returned to her post as first officer of the Enterprise . ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

When the Enterprise was infected by a light virus , Una proved to be the only person immune to it, due to her undisclosed status as a genetically modified Illyrian . With Captain Pike trapped on the surface of a former Illyrian colony , Una assumed command and initiated a ship-wide lockdown . While she could not pass antibodies on directly to the crew to cure the contagion , she was able to engineer a situation where she could induce the same antibodies in La'an Noonien-Singh , which could then be used to save the others. When the crisis had passed Una disclosed her genetic identity to Pike and offered her resignation, but he refused to accept it as he considered Una 'the best first officer in the fleet'. ( SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ")

Una was seriously injured during a surprise attack by the Gorn , sustaining shrapnel wounds to her abdomen that could not be treated conventionally due to battle damage. With dwindling medical supplies available, Una ordered that the last remaining supply of blood plasma be given to another injured crewmember that needed it. Christine Chapel was able to treat her wounds with her knowledge of archaeological medicine , and Joseph M'Benga donated his own blood to aid Una's recovery, ignoring the stigma that existed at the time regarding Humans and Illyrians sharing blood. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ")

When an alien consciousness from the Jonisian Nebula brought the fairy tale The Kingdom of Elysian to life on the Enterprise , Una was used for the character of Z'ymira the Huntress. Una had no memory of the events after the ship was returned to normal. ( SNW : " The Elysian Kingdom ")

While Captain Pike resolved to protect her from Starfleet, Una was arrested a few months later when her illegal genetic status was revealed. When a team of officers from the USS Cayuga arrived to arrest Una, Pike physically intervened on her behalf. Una warned him not to fight back, as she had known that such an outcome was likely. As she was beamed away, Captain Pike vowed that he would fight on her behalf. ( SNW : " A Quality of Mercy ")

Una's commendations, by the time of her arrest, included Starfleet Award of Valor , Medal of Excellence , Order of Tactics , Legion of Honor , and Medal of Commendation . ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera " display graphic )

Una remained in Starfleet custody pending trial for concealing her genetic heritage, while Captain Pike attempted to secure her a good lawyer. ( SNW : " The Broken Circle ")

Before her court martial , Una was offered a deal by Captain Marie Batel where Una would go free in exchange for a dishonorable discharge , but she refused the deal. Subsequently and in retaliation, two sedition charges were added (falsifying her records and violating Starfleet's code against genetic engineering ), leaving Una facing twenty years in a Federation penal colony .

Pike was able to secure Una the help of her former best friend Neera Ketoul , who used Una's trial as a platform to overturn the genetic modification law, and to broadcast her hatred of Federation policies regarding Illyrians. Katoul had Una retell the history of discrimination and persecution that she had faced, eventually admitting that she had turned herself in, as she was tired of living a lie. Katoul argued that, in essence, Una had sought asylum with Starfleet from the hardships she faced for being an Illyrian, and that Pike had exercised his judgement and granted it to Una after she had revealed herself to him .

Although the Federation wasn't willing to change their laws regarding genetic engineering for the time being, Una was acquitted, officially granted asylum and allowed to return to duty as first officer of the Enterprise . Una reconciled with Katoul, who saw Una's exoneration (and being allowed to openly serve as an Illyrian commander on a Federation starship) as a first step towards change. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

A Starfleet recruitment poster featuring Una Chin-Riley

Despite Starfleet's attempt to use Una as a scapegoat for their anti-Augment stance, Una would go on to be remembered as one of the finest first officers in Federation history. By 2381 , recruitment posters featuring Una were widely distributed, with Ensign Brad Boimler keeping one in his bunk onboard the USS Cerritos , citing it and her as his inspiration for joining Starfleet. Una was initially horrified to learn of her status as a 'pin-up' from Beckett Mariner , but was deeply moved upon learning the full context, particularly due to the poster's use of Starfleet's "Ad Astra per Aspera" motto. ( SNW : " Those Old Scientists ")

Personal interests [ ]

Hobbies [ ].

Chin-Riley secretly enjoyed the music of Gilbert and Sullivan . When trapped in a turbolift with Spock on his first day on the Enterprise , she sang " I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General ", but ordered Spock to forget it. ( ST : " Q&A "; SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

She also enjoyed spicy food. When she met Pike on Discovery , she ordered a cheeseburger and french fries with habanero sauce . ( DIS : " An Obol for Charon ") Her comfort food, however, was strawberries . ( SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ")

Relationships [ ]

La'an noonien-singh [ ].

Una and La'an met when Chin-Riley met when she was an Ensign aboard the USS Martin King, Jr. . The two would strike up a friendship that would last for a long time. La'an would affectionally call Una "Chief", and Una would come to act as a mentor for her. ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

Christopher Pike [ ]

Pike and Una hugging

Una and Christopher Pike first met when he gave a speech to her Academy class about a test mission he had flown. Following Pike's speech, Chin-Riley approached him and pointed out a flaw he had made during reentry. He found it bold and annoying but recognized that she was correct. Over the years, the two would be assigned to several vessels including the USS Enterprise . When Pike was made captain of the Enterprise he promoted Chin-Riley to First officer. ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ", " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

When Pike learned of Chin-Riley's Illyrian heritage, he told her that he didn't care and that he would deal with fallout with Starfleet. ( SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ")

Una would keep a photograph of the two of them in her quarters aboard the Enterprise . Upon her return to the ship following her exoneration, a visibly relieved Pike hugged Una before regaining his composure. ( SNW : " Ad Astra per Aspera ")

Alternate timelines [ ]

In an alternate timeline where Pike was able to avoid his crippling fate, he asked La'an Noonien-Singh about Una. La'an told him that Una wasn't allowed to have contact with anyone. Spock later revealed that in this timeline, Una had been locked up in a Federation prison colony for nearly seven years for her illegal modifications. ( SNW : " A Quality of Mercy ")

Awards and honors [ ]

Key dates [ ].

• 2234 : Begins her Starfleet career
• Assigned to the USS Martin Luther King Jr.
• Assigned to the USS Antares
• Assigned to the USS Chatelet
• Assigned to a classified vessel
• Assigned to the USS Enterprise as science officer under Captain Robert April
• 2248 : Awarded the Starfleet Medal of Gallantry during the Marcel disaster
• 2250 : Promoted to first officer under Captain Christopher Pike
• 2256 – 2257 : Along with the rest of the Enterprise crew, sits out the Federation-Klingon War
• 2257: Travels to the USS Discovery to update Captain Pike on the status of Spock and the Enterprise
• 2258 : Takes part in the Battle near Xahea
• Assigned to the USS Archer
• Reassigned back to the Enterprise as first officer
• Arrested by Captain Marie Batel after it became known she was Illyrian.
• Cleared of all charges and resumes her duties aboard the USS Enterprise

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " The Cage "
• " The Menagerie, Part I " (archive footage)
• " The Menagerie, Part II " (archive footage)
• " An Obol for Charon "
• " If Memory Serves " (archive footage)
• " Such Sweet Sorrow "
• " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 "
• " Q&A "
• " Ask Not "
• " Strange New Worlds "
• " Children of the Comet "
• " Ghosts of Illyria "
• " Memento Mori "
• " Spock Amok "
• " Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach "
• " The Serene Squall "
• " The Elysian Kingdom "
• " All Those Who Wander "
• " A Quality of Mercy "
• " The Broken Circle "
• " Ad Astra per Aspera "
• " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow "
• " Among the Lotus Eaters "
• " Charades "
• " Lost in Translation "
• " Those Old Scientists "
• " Under the Cloak of War "
• " Subspace Rhapsody "
• " Hegemony "
• LD : " I Have No Bones Yet I Must Flee " (image on poster)
• VST : " Holiday Party "

Background information [ ]

Number One's original portrayal by Majel Barrett

Number One was originally portrayed by Majel Barrett in the Star Trek pilot, "The Cage", but credited as M. Leigh Hudec for her subsequent archival appearance featured in both episodes of "The Menagerie". When her character was reintroduced for Star Trek: Discovery , and its subsequent spin-offs, she was portrayed by Rebecca Romijn . Additionally, Anna Claire Beitel portrayed Una as a child in "Ad Astra per Aspera".

In the original version of the series outline Star Trek is... (as reprinted in The Making of Star Trek , pp. 22-30), Number One was initially described as "a glacierlike, efficient female who serves as ship's Executive Officer." ( The Making of Star Trek , p. 24) A more detailed description of the character from exactly the same document stated;

In the scripts of "The Cage", Number One was described as " Female, slim and dark in a Nile Valley way, age uncertain, one of those women who will always look the same between the ages of twenty and fifty [....] Almost glacier-like in her imperturbability and precision. From time to time we'll wonder just how much female exists under that icy facade. " She was also scripted to be slightly more wary of J.M. Colt than she is in the final version of the episode, such as being initially reluctant about allowing her to join a landing party assigned to rescue the captain. [1]

Number One was dropped from the series as NBC executives did not respond well to her character. Reactions to her in the screen test of "The Cage" were also poor (by the women more negatively than the men, according to Gene Roddenberry ). Her highly logical, steel-trap mind was given to the character of Spock in " Where No Man Has Gone Before " and maintained there onward.

Although Majel Barrett-Roddenberry was credited as Majel Barrett in the unaired episode "The Cage", she was credited as "M. Leigh Hudec" – Barrett's birth name – in the televised two-part episode " The Menagerie, Part I " and " The Menagerie, Part II ", because the production team was endeavoring to hide from NBC the fact that the actress, not to be signed for either the second pilot or the regular show as had been demanded by the network, had actually returned to Star Trek: The Original Series as the recurring Nurse Christine Chapel by Gene Roddenberry's doing. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , 1997, pp. 223-224; These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One , 1st ed, pp. 25-27) An unintended ironic twist in Star Trek history was that when Roddenberry surreptitiously brought the natural brunette Barrett back on the Original Series , he had her also disguised as a blonde to mislead the NBC network executives, who adamantly did not want her back on the show, whereas the natural blonde Romijn had to have her hair dyed to have her appear as the brunette Number One in Discovery .

In " The Cage ", Number One was referred to as "lieutenant." Within Starfleet, it was rare for a lieutenant to serve as the first officer of a starship. The likely reason she was originally assigned this rank was that, when Gene Roddenberry first created Star Trek , the rank structure he employed was based on that of the 18th and 19th century Royal Navy, in which a ship's second in command was generally a first lieutenant , rather than the ranks used by the 20th century United States Navy we have come to associate with Starfleet. George Kirk is the only other known instance of a lieutenant serving as a ship's first officer.

In Number One's subsequent appearances in Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Short Treks , her rank insignia is indicates she was a lieutenant, although she was identified as a lieutenant commander on a PADD in " Q&A ", which takes place before "The Cage". By Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Chin-Riley wore the insignia of lieutenant commander and has been repeatedly identified as such in the show. There was at least one instance, however, where, in an apparent art design error, she is clearly listed as "Lt. Una" on an internal communication in the episode " Subspace Rhapsody ".

Did I mumble?

In an interview with TrekCore, the co-writer of " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 " and Star Trek: Discovery third season co-showrunner Michelle Paradise confirmed that Christopher Pike called Number One "Una" in that episode. [2] This is one of several names which had been used for this character in non-canon material. Subtitles on Netflix and the second season Blu-ray release misspelled it as "Noona" (the Netflix subtitles have since been corrected), while the CBSAA captions say that he merely said "and, uh..." while transitioning to a question directed at Admiral Cornwell. Dialogue and PADD graphics in the Star Trek: Short Treks episode " Q&A " definitively confirm that Number One's name is "Una," and that she insists on being addressed as "Number One".

According to The Autobiography of Mr. Spock , Una's full name is Una Chin-Riley, a fact later revealed in the Strange New Worlds premiere episode "Strange New Worlds".

Apocrypha [ ]

In the Marvel Star Trek: Early Voyages comic book series, this character was named Lieutenant Commander Robbins. Her first name was interrupted by other dialogue, but starts with "Eure-."

The novel Vulcan's Glory , by Star Trek: The Original Series writer D.C. Fontana , suggested this character's moniker was not simply a nickname or title – she was an Illyrian who was called "Number One," as the best intellect among her generation. The novels The Children of Kings and Child of Two Worlds explain that Number One does have a given name, but it's difficult to pronounce for non-Illyrians; the former suggests that she liked to be called by this name rather than her own as it enabled her to maintain a professional relationship with her captain. The novel The Enterprise War describes her as having been raised in Illyrian colonies and thus, while not actually being Illyrian herself, having adapted much of that species' emotional self-control. Her actually being Illyrian and raised in an Illyrian colony was confirmed canon in SNW : " Ghosts of Illyria ".

In the novel Captain to Captain she is referred to as "Una". The novel explained that she had adopted the name Una as far back as her Academy days, due to her real name being all but impossible to pronounce. The name "Una" was also used in the Star Trek: Discovery novel Desperate Hours and was subsequently used in DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 " and ST : " Q&A ".

Star Trek II: Biographies gives her real name as Leigh Hudec (after "M. Leigh Hudec", the name under which Majel Barrett was credited in The Cage ).

Peter David 's New Frontier series of novels had a character named "Morgan Primus" who was an immortal like Flint (from TOS : " Requiem for Methuselah ") and was the mother of Robin Lefler . It is hinted that she and Number One are the same person.

In the Captain's Table novel Where Sea Meets Sky , Number One was given the last name "Lefler" (an allusion to Robin Lefler ).

The early days of Number One were chronicled in the IDW Publishing miniseries Star Trek: Crew .

In the IDW Publishing comic Star Trek: Romulans - Schism , she is a commodore in command of the USS Yorktown testing the cloaking device stolen from the Romulans during the events of " The Enterprise Incident ". No name is mentioned.

In the miniseries Star Trek: Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor , Number One was promoted to admiral in the 2270s and continued to command the Yorktown .

In the first issue of the 2013 comic series Star Trek: New Visions , Kirk, Spock, and McCoy report to a commodore who is not named but is clearly Number One and Spock did say it was pleasant to see her again.

In Who's Who in Star Trek , Number One is said to have been descended from colonists on a planet inhabited by telepathic humanoids who are peaceful. She is described as having entered Starfleet after saving the life of Earth's leader when his shuttle crashed on her planet, he having waived all psychological and physical testing on her behalf. She is also described as having suffered severe injuries just prior to the end of Pike's tenure as captain of the Enterprise , forcing her to retire from exploration and become an instructor at Starfleet Academy .

External links [ ]

• Number One at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Morgan Primus at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Number One at Wikipedia
• 1 Bell Riots
• 3 Daniels (Crewman)

'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds': Why Are Illyrians Banned From the Federation?

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

'Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage' Is Problematic and No One Seems To Care

‘the rings of power’ season 2 goes full horror with this scene, who is the stranger, really, on 'the rings of power'.

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2. It didn't take long in the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to return to a flashpoint surrounding the identity of one of its most prominent characters . Specifically, viewers were shown in the first season's episode " Ghosts of Illyria " that Una Chin-Riley ( Rebecca Romijn ), the USS Enterprise's First Officer, is an Illyrian. Genetically engineered before her birth, Una's heritage was concealed, so she could join Starfleet despite an ongoing ban on species and individuals who practiced genetic manipulation. Unfortunately, her Illyrian identity was revealed early on in Strange New Worlds , and this revelation came to a head in the Season 2 episode "Ad Astra per Aspera," culminating in a court-martial for "Number One" .

But what's the Federation's major malfunction with genetic alterations? Strange New Worlds certainly touched on things, but newer Trek fans who may not be familiar with earlier iterations like Star Trek: The Original Series or the events that predated it chronologically in Star Trek: Enterprise may be left in the dark a bit. Although the United Federation of Planets is often portrayed as a beacon of egalitarianism, diplomacy, and acceptance, it has taken drastic measures during many points in its history to preserve its sense of security.

RELATED: 'Star Trek: Strange New World' Season 2's Showrunners on Setting the Tone for the 'Lower Decks' Crossover

The Augments and the Eugenics Wars

In the 20th century of Star Trek 's canon timeline, advancements in DNA sequencing allowed humankind to begin creating genetically-enhanced individuals. Anything ordinary humans could do, these "Augments" could do better; improved strength and speed, resistance to energy weapons, a doubled lifespan on average, and they could even destroy various infections and diseases in their body's ecosystem. Their mental sturdiness even helped them resist the effects of the Vulcans' nerve pinches and mind melds later on in their history. This is to say nothing of their genius intellect, rounding out a full package of genetic gifts. Unfortunately, as Mr. Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) once remarked in The Original Series , superior ability breeds superior ambition, and it wasn't long before the Augments took up arms against the rest of humanity.

In 1992, Augments banded together and laid claim to over 40 countries across the globe, exploding into a four-year conflict that took tens of millions of lives in the process. The planet was plunged into a Dark Age, with much of the historical documentation during the time period being lost or fragmented. Scientists who had taken part in the genetic projects resulting in the Augments hadn't accounted for their personalities, which often veered toward an air of superiority and entitlement. Non-augmented humans were killed or subjugated to slavery by the "supermen", with Augment conquerors like Khan Noonien Singh ( Ricardo Montalban ) seizing absolute power of over a quarter of the planet. Khan's ambitions led other would-be Augment despots to rule their territories with an iron fist. Although Khan was believed to be a more "gentle" authoritarian who did not engage in conflict until infringed upon, the other Augment dictators were often much less merciful. Regardless, non-augmented humans had their freedoms severely constricted and were treated as inferior by their overlords across the board.

The wars raged on for four long years, with historians stating that the conflicts consisted of humanity rising up against the Augments while many Augment warlords also engaged in bloodied disputes with each other. The face of Earth was met with bombing campaigns that took the lives of over 30 million people, but the struggle eventually began to favor humanity. Augment leaders were deposed, and Khan himself was the last overlord to fall in 1996. Humanity's sporadic governments eventually sentenced Khan and over 80 of his retainers to death, which likely delighted a human race that desired revenge.

The only problem was that Khan and his followers had managed to flee prosecution, slipping aboard an early space vessel known as the SS Botany Bay. Earth's governments kept news of the missing Augments under wraps to avoid public panic, but Khan and his followers would resurface in the 23rd Century after Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner / Paul Wesley ) had assumed command of the USS Enterprise from Captain Christopher Pike ( Jeffrey Hunter / Anson Mount ) after the latter's promotion to Fleet Captain .

Obviously, the days of Jim Kirk's captaincy aboard the Enterprise passes Strange New Worlds ' events in the Trek timeline, but Earth had additional run-ins with genetically-altered beings well before the 23rd Century that steeled their resolve to enact the Federation's encompassing ban on genetic engineering.

Augments, Illyrians, and the Enterprise NX-01

In the 22nd Century, Earth's disparate governments had come together under the banner of United Earth after making First Contact with the Vulcan species in 2063. The unitary government made huge strides in technology and set its eyes on the stars above. This resulted in the NX Project, ultimately leading to the launch of the Enterprise NX-01 in 2151, the first United Earth space vessel capable of reaching Warp 5 speeds. The crew of Enterprise, led by Captain Jonathan Archer ( Scott Bakula ), began to explore planets and systems well beyond the reach of Earth and its closest stars, leading to encounters with various interstellar species along the way. In 2154, Enterprise and her crew would encounter another band of Augments. These superhumans were fostered by geneticist Dr. Arik Soong ( Brent Spiner ), who had stolen their embryos from Cold Station 12 and raised them in the Trialas System before he was arrested for his crimes in 2144.

However, a young Augment named Malik ( Alec Newman ) and his "brother" Saul ( Fernando Chien ) departed Trialas IV with many of their comrades and commandeered a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, causing a diplomatic disaster that drew United Earth to the brink of war with the Klingon Empire. Enterprise was dispatched to the lawless Borderland to apprehend the Augments, and Arik Soong was brought on board to (hopefully) navigate the situation without resorting to violence. However, Soong had other plans and managed to escape Enterprise and rejoin his "children", assisting in their plan to free even more Augment embryos from Cold Station 12.

After a damaged Enterprise underwent repairs, it pursued the Augments to the station. Having successfully secured the embryos and several deadly biological agents, Soong intended to break off from United Earth and flee with his Augments for good. The pathogens would be used as "insurance" to ensure their escape. However, a rift grew between Soong and Malik over how to treat the staff aboard the space station, leading Malik to rise up against his "father". Enterprise and Captain Archer arrive and the Augments threaten to breach containment and release all the biological agents aboard, killing the station's staff and the Enterprise's away team. Thanks to the quick application of Enterprise's phase cannons by Commander T'Pol ( Jolene Blalock ), the away team and all surviving station personnel are beamed back to the ship as the pathogens are vented into space.

Soong and the Augments take the Bird-of-Prey into Klingon space, where they assume that Enterprise won't follow. Malik and Soong continue to spar over authority, with the former suggesting that the secured biotoxins should be fired on the Klingon world of Qu'Vat to instigate a war between Earth and the Klingons to ensure that the Augments are left alone. Soong detests the idea, considering it mass murder, ultimately leading to Malik staging a mutiny and Soong ejecting from the Bird-of-Prey via an escape pod.

Soong is retrieved and brought back aboard Enterprise, joining the crew in stopping the Augments despite suspicions surrounding his loyalties. Fortunately, Captain Archer's faith in the geneticist pays off when the team evades a boarding attempt by a Klingon battlecruiser and catches up to the Augments, ultimately disabling the Bird-of-Prey. Malik overloads the ship's Dilithium matrix, presumptively killing him and the other Augments aboard in the explosion. Soong is taken into custody and Enterprise prepares to return him to Earth when Malik reveals he had beamed aboard Enterprise and attacks, but Archer manages to kill the bloodthirsty Augment with a particle rifle. Soong is returned to incarceration on Earth, realizing his work on perfecting humans is foolhardy, and begins his plans to create a perfected artificial life form instead.

Enterprise encountered more genetically-altered species in 2154, albeit not of the human variety. After a battle that devastated the ship near Azati Prime, an Illyrian vessel was spotted disabled by an anomaly field. The Illyrians proved to be helpful to Enterprise by assisting with repairs. Although Archer and the crew were grateful, they needed to return to Earth as quickly as possible to stave off a threat by the Xindi. Enterprise requested to trade for the Illyrians' warp coil, but the latter refused since it would heavily lengthen their journey home. Feeling the urgency of the Xindi bearing down on Earth, Archer managed to board the ship with several MACO troopers and steal the warp coil, allowing Enterprise to return home. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the Illyrians, now stranded in space with a three-year journey on their hands.

Later on in 2154, the Klingon Empire devised a way to create their own Augments due to the assumption that Earth would eventually use Augments aboard their starships. Despite the Vulcans telling the Klingons that humanity had discarded any desire to use genetic manipulation, the Empire seized what was left of the Augment embryos from Malik's destroyed Bird-of-Prey and attempted to splice their DNA with Klingon hosts. This resulted in the affected Klingons taking on more human-like characteristics, losing their iconic cranial ridges, but gaining immense strength and intelligence. Unfortunately, an unexpected side effect arose in the form of neural degeneration, which killed the modified Klingons when their neural pathways broke down. Even worse, one Augmented Klingon was carrying the Levodian Flu virus, which caused the Augment manipulations to spread across the Klingon Empire and infect countless individuals.

The good news is that thanks to the work of Enterprise's Dr. Phlox ( John Billingsley ), the first stage of the Augment virus was reversed. This left the infected Klingons with no boosts to their strength and intelligence, and their human-like appearance was also irreversible for the time being. However, the Klingons would avoid death via the breakdown of their neural networks. Generations of the warlike race would continue to carry human-esque traits in some populations, though they began to phase out in the latter portions of the 23rd century.

The Federation's Bans and Stigma Towards Augmentation

Fast-forward to 2259, and the United Federation of Planets had clearly seen enough danger from multiple Augment-related crises to institute a ban. Genetically-altered beings, regardless of species, were prohibited from joining Starfleet. Furthermore, species that practiced genetic manipulation were also denied membership in the Federation. The term "Augment" transitioned to a pejorative word used to denigrate any species or individual who was genetically engineered in any capacity. The distaste also dogged the descendants of the Augments who participated in the Eugenics Wars, leading to enmity toward the likes of Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Signh ( Christina Chong ), the USS Enterprise's Chief of Security during Strange New Worlds . Despite both Una and La'an being model Starfleet officers worthy to serve aboard the Federation's flagship, the scars of the Eugenics Wars and United Earth's early conflicts with augmented species unfairly falls on their shoulders.

The laws against genetic engineering remained a part of the Federation and Starfleet well into the 24th century. However, certain exceptions were made along the way, particularly in the case of Una herself and Dal R'El ( Brett Gray ), a multi-species Augment hybrid who was permitted to join Starfleet in 2384 after then- Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway ( Kate Mulgrew ) remarked that he was a living example of Starfleet's ideals. Pain remains for many genetically-engineered species and individuals, but there are signs that their rights are making inroads after centuries of conflict and suspicion. The tides of progress appear to roll along slowly, even for an organization like the Federation that prides itself on inclusivity and acceptance of differences.

• TV Features
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)

Den of Geek

Strange New Worlds: Illyrians Call Back to One of Star Trek’s Darkest Moments

Illyrians like Rebecca Romijn's Commander Una Chin-Riley and Yetide Badaki's Neera may be new to Strange New Worlds, but their conflict with the Federation goes back to Star Trek's dark past.

• Share on Facebook (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab)
• Share on Linkedin (opens in a new tab)
• Share on email (opens in a new tab)

This Star Trek: Strange New Worlds article contains spoilers.

It always comes back to Khan. Yes, even the latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , which finds Number One aka Commander Una Chin-Riley on trial for hiding her Illyrian heritage of genetic modification, and in the process violating the Federation’s restriction against augments. As made clear by Number One’s defense lawyer and fellow Illyrian Neera (Yetide Badaki), the ban seems to contradict the Federation’s central values, one that seeks (as the Vulcans put it) infinite diversity in infinite combinations.

In order to understand why the Federation restricts genetically modified individuals, one must take a look at one of the most infamous villains of the franchise: Khan Noonien Singh . Although Khan first appeared in the 1967 Original Series episode “Space Seed,” and then returned for the beloved 1982 movie Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , he has his roots in the 1990s.

Not our ’90s, of course, but the ’90s of the Star Trek universe. That’s when Khan conquered over a quarter of the Earth, making him the most powerful of the era’s augmented warlords. Eventually, humanity resisted their modified overlords, resulting in the Eugenics Wars, battles that destroyed large swaths of the planet and killed over 30 million people. At the end of the war, Khan and his cohort were sentenced to exile. When Earth formed the United Federation of Planets with Vulcan, Tellar, and Andoria, they convinced the organization to protect itself by adopting their ban on augments.

Ad – content continues below

As dire as the Eugenics Wars certainly were, humans began modifications with the best of intentions. According to the background provided in “Space Seed,” scientists pursued augmentations and selective breeding as a response to the Cold War, hoping to help humanity evolve past the warlike nature that almost drove the planet to nuclear war.

Star Trek has always positioned its optimistic future against tragedies of the past, both real and fictional. Within the timeline of the universe, the Eugenics Wars are a part of humanity’s descent into its worst qualities, along with the rampant wealth inequality of the mid-2020s ( Trek sure nailed that one) that led to the Bell Riots and eventually World War III in 2026. According to Star Trek lore, it’s from the ashes of all these tragedies that Zefram Cochrane creates humanity’s first warp-capable ship, prompting the Vulcans to make first contact with them, as seen in Star Trek: First Contact .

In the real world, eugenics is now recognized as an inaccurate science based on racist assumptions . While the world of Star Trek never fully embraces that realization, the franchise has shown sympathy for those harmed by the Federation dictate. Before Commander Chin-Riley, the most notable example was Doctor Julian Bashir of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Bashir suffered from poor health and struggled in school as a child, which greatly disappointed his parents. To make their child into what they expected, Bashir’s parents had him augmented, which eventually made him a brilliant thinker and outstanding physical athlete. Bashir learned of his augmentations when he was 15, but kept it a secret as he began his Starfleet career.

Throughout the later seasons of Deep Space Nine , we see the heavy toll the augmentations placed on Bashir. He felt great rejection at the heart of his parents’ decision, sensing that he fundamentally was not good enough for them. Like Commander Chin-Riley, Bashir was nearly court-martialed for his deception, a vulnerability that made him a target for Starfleet’s black ops organization Section 31.

The Federation may not see much difference between different forms of Augments, but as the most recent episode of Strange New Worlds makes clear, there’s a marked distinction between Illyrian and other genetically modified people. The Illyrians are a relatively unexplored race in Trek lore, having only been encountered once before, in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode “Damage,” where Captain Archer makes a desperate decision when dealing with an Illyrian ship.

Through Strange New Worlds , and some extra-canonical books, we learn more about Illyrians. Unlike those we saw on Enterprise , Chin-Riley and other Illyrians are indistinguishable from humans. While their augmentations pass down to their offspring biologically rather than externally, Illyrians still see their modifications as part of their culture.

There’s no denying that the Eugenics Wars cast a long shadow over humanity, even as they’ve become key members of the Federation. Humans still fear that they have the potential to become another Khan and take drastic measures to avoid it. But as we see in characters like Bashir, Number One, Neera, and even Khan’s descendent La’an Noonien-Singh, when fear drives us to exclude people, we all suffer the loss.

Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 is streaming now on Paramount+.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

• The Original Series
• The Animated Series
• The Next Generation
• Deep Space Nine
• Strange New Worlds
• Lower Decks
• Star Trek Movies
• TrekCore on Twitter
• TrekCore on Facebook

The storm ramps up before the full landing party can be recovered, leaving Captain Pike (Anson Mount) and Spock (Ethan Peck) on the planet’s surface as Una (Rebecca Romijn) takes command in the captain’s absence. While Pike and Spock run for cover, a new crisis emerges on the Enterprise : those who beamed back to the ship fall victim to an overwhelming addiction to light, first driving poor Ensign Lance (Daniel Gravelle) to smash his head through a wall lighting panel in desperation.

Even Una seems to fall victim to the mysterious ailment for a short time, until an energetic glow beings to shine from her body — seemingly curing the officer, but we’ll get back to that later — but putting her on edge as she’s called to sickbay for examination. Cleared for duty by Dr. M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun), Una begins researching classified Illyrian science until La’an (Christina Chong) arrives  and the pair discuss the security chief’s childhood issues about her ancestral relationship to Khan Noonien Singh.

The light addition soon begins to spread quickly around the ship, as La’an’s mild rant against Illyrian bioengineering trails off as the lieutenant begins to jam her face into a nearby desk lamp; it’s a slightly-unnerving moment that only science fiction can pull off successfully.

While things start to unravel up in orbit, Pike and Spock have found shelter in the abandoned colony’s library. Spock’s consultation of the records shows that these Illyrians wanted to join the Federation but were unfortunately wiped out as they tried to “de-engineer” themselves to get around the ban on genetic modification. As fascinating as this is, Pike and Spock are a little more distracted by the wailing light beasts that appear to be emerging from the storm in their direction.

Marooning Spock and Pike together was a fun B-plot, especially as we get to see them begin to get on each other’s nerves a little as they batten down the hatches. Stellar as it was on Discovery, Mount and Peck’s chemistry only gets better with every episode of Strange New Worlds, and it excels here as the pair banter over their fate — and that of the colonists.

Back on the Enterprise , Una does some detective work after Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) finds her bunkmates huddled around a holographic star — and finds that the virus spreads through light waves. After that incident and the results of Nurse Chapel’s (Jess Bush) contact-tracing report, M’Benga initiates a full lockdown. (Deja vu, anyone?)

Number One is, however, still holding back — throughout the episode, we can constantly tell she’s hiding something, and the hints we see of her researching Illyrian healing augmentation matching the strange body magic that healed her gives us a fair idea of what the twist might be before it comes.

Rebecca Romijn, however, makes us earn that twist, and we get a clear sense of her internal conflict and fear without a single word being uttered on the subject. Even her apprehension at the short term solution — shutting off all the lights — seems to be qualified by whatever she is holding back. Romjin sells it all beautifully.

Meanwhile, Pike and Spock have barricaded themselves into prevent the light monsters from getting to them. Spock’s attempt to “arm himself with knowledge” is futile, however, when the light beasts break through the doors… and proceed to protect him and Pike from being injured by the ion storm. It’s an unexpected swerve, perhaps leaning on the benevolent energy beings we have seen in prior shows (such as the Companion ).

But with Hemmer succumbing to the virus and M’Benga soon after, Una reveals the reason she managed to survive unscathed: she’s an Illyrian herself, engineered to resist any infection. Her heritage, which should prevent her from serving in Starfleet at all, may now hold the key to saving the day. This confirmation of a long-standing ‘beta canon’ backstory for Una, if in a slightly different form to its appearance in Vulcan’s Glory , is a very nice addition to the narrative.

It doesn’t appear to be much help, though, as her augmented immune system cannot help the crew. We do, however, get a nice little speech from Doctor M’Benga about the pointlessness of bigotry, before Una must run off the solve the last, big crisis:  La’an has escaped, and nearly creates a warp core breach while chasing that light-addicted high.

Is it a bit nuts to go straight to the warp core when a desk lamp could do instead? Yes. Is it fitting with the usual absurdity of strange viruses in Star Trek ? Also yes! At the very least, it does give us a great fight scene, backdropped by the surging warp drive and enhanced by La’an’s rather vicious reactions to Una’s genetic heritage.

Her close contact with La’an requires Una’s body to once again flare up and fight off infection, but this time that healing effect spills over to the security chief — a secondary healing process that finally gives Chapel something to use in creating a shipwide cure, giving the nurse another opportunity to show off her genetic skillset (following the alien disguises she created back in the season premiere).

Number One’s augmented genes have saved the ship, even if they have done damage to her relationship with La’an. Their make-up conversation in the still-unnamed ship’s dining hall is brief and blunt, revealing a little more about the security chief’s past, and how she was bullied for her ancestry. We also get some sense of how difficult Una’s past has been, and the difficulties of hiding her past from authorities, and from her friends.

She knows why the Illyrians have a different ethical code — how their justifications can be understood to be benevolent, and at odds with the supremacist agenda of Khan and his Augments —  but she is still afraid of how Federation society views her. I think it works, really; we know the danger augments are from both the Original Series and in Enterprise , but pointing out their flaws may be unique. As we saw in Deep Space Nine , the UFP’s fear of them blinds them to even more dangerous acts of bigotry.

This point about conviction and belief is hammered home by Spock’s conclusion about the Illyrian colonists, whose own good-faith act likely led to their own demise. They were doomed by their principles and chose to pass on with their integrity intact, and this self-belief in the face of a hopeless situation — something that is very clearly becoming a consistent theme in Strange New Worlds — rings home to Captain Pike.

With her true heritage revealed, Una attempts to surrender herself to Starfleet’s judgment. Pike’s refusal to accept her resignation is a good scene, if a bit by the numbers; to him, Una is the exception, as much a counter to Starfleet’s idea of Illyrians as the colonists were — and that is worth protecting her from regulations.

Even though her position is safe aboard the Enterprise , this view doesn’t sit well with Una she’s deeply uncomfortable with her heroism being the thing that saves her; in a strong callout of the politics of the model minority belief; Una longs for the day when she doesn’t have to worry about being thought of as “one of the good ones” and Illyrians can simply just be accepted for who they are.

Considering the (possible) allegory between Illyrian affliction and Sinophobic reactions to the spread of COVID-19, an active call out of exceptionalism like this was refreshing, even if it felt a little tacked on right at the end of the episode. On the other hand, it does point towards Una’s heritage and its conflict with Starfleet regulations and Federation bigotries becoming an ongoing plot point in the future.

But Una’s place in Starfleet isn’t the only open question the episode leaves us with, as we learn that M’Benga’s medical transporter systems allowed the ‘light virus’ to get aboard the ship in the first place. It seems that the good doctor wouldn’t allow anyone to modify its systems during the last visit to Spacedock… because he’s keeping his daughter in transporter stasis within its pattern buffer!

Clearly the beginning of a long-term story, this certainly gives us all a deeper insight into the extreme efforts M’Benga is willing to employ to save his family, but let’s hope that — beyond the ethical and moral quandaries that emerge from freezing a kid in a transporter — the writers don’t forget there’s a kid in there the next time there’s a shipwide disaster.

CAMP NONSENSE OF THE WEEK

This week’s award must go to the Light Virus itself, just for the classic Trek weirdness of people sticking their faces and hands into light fittings, holographic suns, planetary mantle and, um, an impending warp core breach.

OBSERVATION LOUNGE

• This episode takes begins on Stardate 1224.3.  
• Ontario Place serves as the real-life filming location for the abandoned Illyrian colony.
• In a sly nod to the universe-crossing mishap in “Mirror, Mirror,” transporter chief Kyle worries “If we try to transport [through an ion storm], who knows what we’d get back!”  
• An Illyrian scroll archive prop was showcased at the  Strange New Worlds exhibit at the Mission Chicago convention.

• Una’s manicure features dark blue nail polish with a silver inverted V design.  
• Una’s quarters are decorated in a minimalist style, with a few tasteful decorations and a highly-organized vanity shelf in her bedroom.  
• Una’s species, the genetically-engineered Illyrians , originated in classic Star Trek tie-in novels including  Vulcan’s Glory ,   Child of Two Worlds , and the  Discovery novel  Desperate Hours.  
• Illyrians were first encountered on-screen in “Damage,” where the crew of the Illyrian vessel in that episode looked quite different. It’s possible this might later be explained away as a genetic difference — or it’s possible the Enterprise -era species just has a similar-sounding name.

• La’an spits the derogatory term “Augment” at Una after learning Number One is an Illyrian (the same slur used against her as a child thanks to her Khan heritage); this term for genetically-engineer beings came into use in the Enterprise three-part Arik Soong storyline.  
• La’an continues to use her nickname for Una (“Chief”); we’ll likely learn more about their backstory in a future episode.  
• It’s clear that La’an’s heritage as a descendent of Khan isn’t a secret; how that will play into Spock’s future encounter with the genetic superman in “Space Seed” remains to be seen.  
• The Federation’s ban on genetic engineering extends well beyond Earth, it seems, as Illyrians are forbidden to join the Federation due to their society’s use of gene modification science.

• Uhura shares her quarters with two other low-ranking crewmates, but her bunk features a privacy shutter so she can sleep undisturbed… something the ensigns aboard the USS Cerritos would surely envy!  
• In “Dr. Bashir, I Presume,” Chief O’Brien tells Dr. Bashir that he doesn’t “think there’s been a case dealing with [a genetically-engineered Starfleet officer] in a hundred years.” That episode takes place 114 years after “Ghosts of Illyria.”  
• M’Benga holds his hand scanner seemingly backwards while examining both Una and La’an in sickbay (with the rotating internal mechanism pointed towards himself). The “reverse” end of the scanner features a lighting element, so it’s possible this end of the scanner has a different function from the rotating side.  
• M’Benga’s blood sample hypospray is similar in design to the one used to screen for Changeling infiltrators in Deep Space Nine .

• M’Benga describes a cultural aversion to mixing “human and Vulcan blood,” an idea which first (chronologically speaking) came to a head in the Star Trek: Enterprise “Demons” / “Terra Prime” two-parter.  
• Normally closed off, M’Benga’s sickbay has a second-story auxiliary level, available to expand capacity in emergency situations.  
• The transporter-buffer stasis process is apparently safe for long-term use, as long as the subject is occasionally rematerialized — perhaps explaining why poor Matt Franklin never made it out of the Jenolan’s buffers in “Relics.”  
• M’Benga’s daughter, Rukiya (Sage Arrindell) is being held in transporter stasis to slow the progression of a disease called “cygnokemia.”

I honestly wanted a bit more from “Ghosts of Illyria.” The introduction of the Illyrians themselves — both through the legacy of the colonists, and Una’s heritage — was a great addition to the Star Trek universe, with the questions it raises about medical bigotry and longstanding societal fear, and I just wish that they hadn’t felt tacked on to the end of the episode and had been weaved deeper into the narrative.

While we got some taste of La’an’s anti-Augment, it would have hit home harder had those preconceptions about Illyrians been more thoroughly laced within the narrative. On the other hand, this neat, fun, and exciting medical mystery will serve — hopefully — as a jump-off point to explore both Una and M’Benga’s characters in the future.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns with “Memento Mori” on Thursday, May 26 on Paramount+ in the United States, Australia, Latin America, and the Nordics, as well as on CTV Sci Fi Channel in Canada.

The series will arrive to the UK and Ireland on Paramount+ on June 22; additional international distribution has not yet been announced.

• Ghosts of Illyria
• SNW Season 1
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Related Stories

Review — hallmark’s 2024 star trek ornaments: ‘the keeper’ and ‘nexus damaged’ uss enterprise-b, video preview: factory entertainment’s upcoming star trek phaser and medical tricorder prop replicas, star trek: prodigy 207/208 review — “the fast and the curious” & “is there in beauty no truth”, search news archives, new & upcoming releases, featured stories, star trek: starfleet academy begins production in toronto, interview — exploring star trek: prodigy season 2 with creators kevin & dan hageman (spoiler alert).

TrekCore.com is not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with Paramount, CBS Studios, or the Star Trek franchise. All Star Trek images, trademarks and logos are owned by CBS Studios Inc. and/or Paramount. All original TrekCore.com content and the WeeklyTrek podcast (c) 2024 Trapezoid Media, LLC. · Terms & Conditions

Why Illyrians Like Una Are Banned From Starfleet In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

This article contains  spoilers for season 2, episode 2 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."

Season 1 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" ended with the arrest of Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), better known as Number One to Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), and the season 2 premiere didn't address her imprisonment. Thankfully, episode 2 of the second season, "Ad Astra Per Aspera," focuses entirely on the trial of the Enterprise's first officer, charged with lying to the Federation about her identity, as she is an Illyrian and any genetically modified being is banned from being in Starfleet. But why are genetically engineered or modified people banned from serving in Starfleet, anyway?

It all goes back to the Eugenics Wars and World War III , events that nearly led to humanity's destruction. More than two centuries before the events of "Strange New Worlds," Earth was overrun with genetically-engineered dictators, the most powerful of whom was Khan Noonien Singh. That name probably sounds familiar to most "Trek" fans, because he's the villain of the original series episode "Space Seed" and the film "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan," where he's played by Ricardo Montalbán. Khan is the baddest genetically-modified villain of them all, but he's not the only one, and that caused some bad blood with the Federation. You might say that Starfleet doesn't approve of GMOs, if they're sentient, and genetic modification is a big part of Illyrian culture, so Starfleet's not so keen on them. But since Una was genetically enhanced as a child, is it really fair to ban her from Starfleet as an adult?

A bogus ban based in fear

In season 1 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," Una's mysterious past is revealed and her Illyrian heritage is unfortunately discovered by the Federation, but in "Ad Astra Per Aspera," we learn more about her personal history. She and her family could "pass" as human (which is a metaphor too big to get into here), and when people discovered that they were Illyrian, they were discriminated against. People in the Federation simply could not separate their ideas about genetically-enhanced individuals from their hatred of Khan and his kind. Look, just because people are in the fairly progressive Federation doesn't mean they're free of prejudice — even James T. Kirk had his own issues with the Klingons .

Illyrians are a semi-nomadic humanoid species that augment their physiology in order to adapt to the planets they live on; instead of colonizing planets or forcing them to bend to their will, they adjust accordingly. That's honestly pretty commendable, but the Federation's fears over what's happened with augmented individuals in the past means that they're just not willing to bend. In fact, genetically modified people are still banned from serving in Starfleet well into the future. Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" also came under investigation because his parents had him augmented as a child, decades after Una's trial.

Una's future in the Federation

During Una's trial, her qualifications as a Starfleet officer are used to help remind those in control of her fate of just how vital she is to the crew of the Enterprise. It takes the combined efforts of Una, Captain Pike, and Una's court defender (Yetide Bedeki) to convince Starfleet that Una is not only so much more than just a genetically-engineered person, she's also never going to be a threat to the thing she loves most. It's important to note that one of Una's closest friends on the Enterprise is La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong), who herself is descended from Khan and has dealt with all of the discrimination that comes with her heritage. The Federation may be somewhat enlightened, but unfortunately they still have some work to do when it comes to their holdovers and hang-ups from the 20th and 21st centuries.

How Una's time in Starfleet goes from here onward will be interesting to see. New episodes of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" premiere Thursdays on Paramount+.

Previous Home Next

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma IDW mini-series

Coming this winter, a four-part mini-series set between the first and second seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

#1 Dec 2022 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Solicitation: Journey to new reaches in this exclusive comic tie-in set between seasons one and two of fan-favorite Paramount+ series Strange New Worlds! With Una accused of unlawful genetic modification by Starfleet, Captain Pike sets out in search of evidence that could prove his first officer's innocence. From the mighty pens of Trek duo Kirsten Beyer and Mike Johnson with art by Megan Levens. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff

#1 Dec 2022 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Variant cover. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artist: Jake Bartok

#1 Dec 2022 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Variant cover. Really? Yes, and here is the Lower Decks Pike hair cover art by Chris Fenoglio . Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artist: Chris Fenoglio

#1 Dec 2022 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Retailer incentive variant cover 1:10. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artist: Liana Kangas

#1 Dec 2022 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Retailer incentive variant cover 1:25. Cover artist Malachi Ward posted detail and close-up of Pike. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artist: Malachi Ward

#2 Jan 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Solicitation: With Captain Pike and the crew of the Enterprise caught in the Pryllia colony, home to the illusive Illyrians, the mission objective quickly shifts from gathering evidence to exonerate Una to... breaking out. Continue the journey to new reaches in this exclusive comic tie-in set between seasons one and two of fan-favorite Paramount+ series Strange New Worlds! Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff

#2 Jan 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Variant cover art with lines by Kieran McKeown and colors by Sebastian Cheng . Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artists: Kieran McKeown, Sebastian Cheng

#2 Jan 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Retailer incentive variant cover 1:10. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artists: Angel Hernandez, D.C. Alonso

#2 Jan 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Retailer incentive variant cover 1:25. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artist: Butch Mapa

#3 Feb 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Solicitation: Captain Pike and the crew of the Enterprise delve deeper into the mystery surrounding the Illyrians! With the fate of Number One at stake, a secret is revealed that will shake the Federation to its core! Don't miss this all-new series set between seasons one and two of the hit Paramount+ series Strange New Worlds! Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff

#3 Feb 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Variant cover. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artist: Jake Bartok

#3 Feb 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Retailer incentive variant cover 1:10. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artist: Mark Alvarado

#3 Feb 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Retailer incentive variant cover 1:25. Art by Andy Price . Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Letters: Neil Uyetake Cover artist: Andy Price

#4 Mar 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Solicitation: The crew of the Enterprise sets course for Vulcan to procure evidence that will exonerate their commander of Starfleet's charges. But what they learn about Number One's species, the Illyrians, calls everything into question. Don't miss the exhilarating finale of the tie-in to the hit Paramount+ series Strange New Worlds! Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Cover artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff

#4 Mar 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Variant cover. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Cover artist: Aaron Harvey

#4 Mar 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Retailer incentive variant cover 1:10. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Cover artist: Mark Alvarado

#4 Mar 2023 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Retailer incentive variant cover 1:25. Writers: Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson Artists: Megan Levens, Charlie Kirchoff Cover artist: Rachael Stott

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Published Sep 27, 2022

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds-The Illyrian Enigma Comic to Debut this December

The four-part comic miniseries bridges the gap between the first and upcoming second season of the sensational hit series!

StarTrek.com

Following the successful launch of the fan-favorite Paramount+ original series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in May, IDW in partnership with Paramount Consumer Products is excited to announce an all-new tie-in comic book miniseries, STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS–THE ILLYRIAN ENIGMA , debuting in December and set between the show’s first season and its eagerly-anticipated second season.

The four-issue ILLYRIAN ENIGMA reunites the acclaimed co-executive producer for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Kirsten Beyer and prolific Star Trek author Mike Johnson , whose recent collaborations include the miniseries Star Trek: Discovery–Adventures in the 32nd Century and Star Trek: Picard–Stargazer . Fan-favorite artist Megan Levens ( Star Trek: The Mirror War–Troi, Star Wars Adventures ) and colorist Charlie Kirchoff ( Star Trek: Year Five ) also join the creative team, bringing this far-flung space adventure to vibrant life on the comic page.

In STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS–THE ILLYRIAN ENIGMA, Commander Una Chin-Riley — first officer and helmsman of the U.S.S. Enterprise — stands accused of unlawful genetic modification by Starfleet. Sparing no time, Captain Pike and his crew set out in search of evidence to prove her innocence!

In a joint statement, Johnson and Beyer say, “The only thing more fun than Strange New Worlds is more Strange New Worlds . We're thrilled to bring fans the first comic book adventure starring everyone's new favorite crew, in an all-new story that picks up where Season One left off. We couldn't be happier that Megan Levens is beaming aboard to join us!”

“What ultimately draws me to any project is the characters, and after only one short season, I'm already so deeply invested in the entire cast of Strange New Worlds ,” says Levens. “It's remarkable that they've been able to successfully bring together new interpretations of classic characters we've known and loved for over half a century, and fresh faces that are already as compelling and relatable as their more established crewmates. Bringing this cast onto the comic page for the first time has been a delight for me, both as a Trekkie and as an artist!”

“When Strange New Worlds came out we knew that the show was something special,” says Senior Editor Heather Antos. “We’re thrilled to bring in Kirsten and Mike’s expertise from behind-the-scenes, as well as an artistic duo who captures the warmth and whimsy of this universe as effortlessly as Megan and Charlie, to explore even stranger new worlds in comics.”IDW Publishing’s Strange New Worlds tie-in is the latest in a series of well-received Star Trek projects based on Paramount+ streaming series, expanding the scope of such beloved shows as Star Trek: Picard , Star Trek: Discovery, and Star Trek: Lower Decks . In addition to the several tie-in miniseries in 2022, IDW recently announced the October launch of its biggest Star Trek comic book initiative yet — an all-new ongoing series, simply titled STAR TREK , featuring a new universe of continuity where Benjamin Sisko takes the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise with a crew assembled from many different iterations of Star Trek canon.

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS–THE ILLYRIAN ENIGMA #1 will be available with four cover variants, including Cover A by Megan Levens, Cover B by Jake Bartok , and two retailer incentive editions by Liana Kangas and Malachi Ward , respectively.

For information on how to acquire copies of Star Trek comic books, please contact your local comic shop or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.

Get Updates By Email

• August 30, 2024 | Podcast: All Access Star Trek Dances Through “Subspace Rhapsody” With Songwriters Kay Hanley and Tom Polce
• August 29, 2024 | Sam Richardson Drops Tidbit About His ‘Star Trek: Section 31’ Character
• August 28, 2024 | Interview: Nicholas Meyer On Why ‘The Wrath Of Khan’ Endures And His “Toxic” Memos With Gene Roddenberry
• August 27, 2024 | Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery – The Final Season’ On Blu-ray Comes To A Satisfying Conclusion
• August 27, 2024 | See Spock Imprisoned By Sela In Preview Of ‘Star Trek: Defiant’ #18

‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds–The Illyrian Enigma’ Comic To Bridge The Gap Between Seasons 1 And 2

| September 27, 2022 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 7 comments so far

The first season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ended on a cliffhanger and before season two arrives in 2023, IDW is going to pick up the story for a new comics mini-series titled The Illyrian Enigma , kicking off in December. This will be the first Strange New Worlds comic book and it follows the launch of the first Lower Decks comic earlier this month.

The Illyrian Enigma

Today IDW revealed details and covers for their Star Trek: Strange New Worlds–The Illyrian Enigma . Here is the official synopsis:

In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds–The Ilyrian Enigma, Commander Una Chin-Riley—first officer and helmsman of the U.S.S. Enterprise— stands accused of unlawful genetic modification by Starfleet. Sparing no time, Captain Pike and his crew set out in search of evidence to prove her innocence!

Cover A for the Illyrian Enigma

The four-issue series reunites the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds co-executive producer Kirsten Beyer and with veteran Star Trek comics author Mike Johnson. Most recently they were paired up for IDW’s Star Trek: Discovery–Adventures in the 32nd Century and Star Trek: Picard–Stargazer . The look the series will be from artist Megan Levens ( Star Trek: The Mirror War–Troi , Star Wars Adventures ) and colorist Charlie Kirchoff ( Star Trek: Year Five ).

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds–The Ilyrian Enigma #1 will be available with four cover variants, including Cover A by Megan Levens, Cover B by Jake Bartok, and two retailer incentive editions by Liana Kangas and Malachi Ward, respectively.

Cover B for the Illyrian Enigma

In a joint statement, Johnson, Beyer, and Kirchoff say, “The only thing more fun than Strange New Worlds is more Strange New Worlds. We’re thrilled to bring fans the first comic book adventure starring everyone’s new favorite crew, in an all-new story that picks up where Season One left off. We couldn’t be happier that Megan Levens is beaming aboard to join us!”

“What ultimately draws me to any project is the characters, and after only one short season, I’m already so deeply invested in the entire cast of Strange New Worlds,” says Levens in a statement. “It’s remarkable that they’ve been able to successfully bring together new interpretations of classic characters we’ve known and loved for over half a century, and fresh faces that are already as compelling and relatable as their more established crewmates. Bringing this cast onto the comic page for the first time has been a delight for me, both as a Trekkie and as an artist!”

Retail incentive cover the Illyrian Enigma

“When Strange New Worlds came out we knew that the show was something special,” says Senior Editor Heather Antos. “We’re thrilled to bring in Kirsten and Mike’s expertise from behind the scenes, as well as an artistic duo who captures the warmth and whimsy of this universe as effortlessly as Megan and Charlie, to explore even stranger new worlds in comics.”

You can order buy Star Trek comics online at TFAW or pick up individual digital editions at Amazon/comiXology . Or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.

Keep up with all the Star Trek comics news, previews and reviews in  TrekMovie’s comics category .

Related Articles

All Access Star Trek Podcast , Interview , Strange New Worlds

Podcast: All Access Star Trek Dances Through “Subspace Rhapsody” With Songwriters Kay Hanley and Tom Polce

Comics , DS9 , TNG , TOS

See Spock Imprisoned By Sela In Preview Of ‘Star Trek: Defiant’ #18

All Access Star Trek Podcast , Discovery , Live-Action Trek Comedy , Lower Decks , Section 31 , Star Trek: Prodigy , Starfleet Academy , STLV , Strange New Worlds

Podcast: All Access Comes Back From STLV With Star Trek News And Paramount Merger Drama

Comics , DS9 , TNG

See Sisko Face Lore The “Godkiller” In Preview Of ‘Star Trek’ #23

I have a feeling Pike is going to devise a plan to prove Una’s innocence even if he have to break a few rules to do it. But it will all be settled behind his back when Tuvok shows up from the future, captures the real culprits, makes an impassioned plea why Starfleet is wrong and sets her free.

Let’s just call it a hunch!

“ going to devise a plan to prove Una’s innocence”

That the summary even frames it as “proving” her innocence is absurd. She’s guilty. She admitted it. It should be described as Pike requesting leniency, or asking for the law to be changed.

Wow, those comic covers are fantastic!! Reminds me of the 80s/90s comics, book covers, etc and looking forward to the next TOS movie!

Why is the Chief Engineer on the cover? Isn’t he dead? IDW wouldn’t be telling tales of when this was written in order to sell more comics, would it?

Perhaps the artwork had to start before the season finished airing, so while Kristen kept Hemmer out of the story when writing the book, they didn’t want to risk spoilers by telling IDW about his death, and the art department just made a variant cover with all the known main characters.

Or there was a real ball drop by someone.

I never quite know what to do with these ´bridge´ (or sometimes prequel) type comics. I’m not a comic guy so I won’t read these (well won’t buy these more accurately) but on the other hand, I don’t want to miss part of the story.

Artwork is amazing!

• Edit source

The Illyrians were an humanoid species native to the planet Illyria in what was formerly known as the Delphic Expanse . ( ENT : " Damage ")

They were notable to use cigarettes as medicine . Arrain Putal served on the RIS Bouteina as a sensor (later astrometrics ) officer and asked for cigarettes in the replicator . ( RIS Bouteina )

Illyrian funeral rites usually demanded that, for members of the military who died, to have weapons on display during the ceremony. Also, the only one authorized to make an eulogy outside of the deceased's family was the one who was going to succeed the deceased on the job, if the deceased was employed at the time of death. ( RIS Bouteina : " Cigarette Redshirt ")

Notable members of the Illyrian species [ ]

• Una Chin-Riley ( Star Trek: Strange New Worlds : "Ghosts of Illyria")

External link [ ]

• Illyrian article at Memory Alpha , the canon Star Trek wiki.

• Kindle Store
• Kindle eBooks
• Comics, Manga & Graphic Novels

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Buy for others

Buying and sending ebooks to others.

• Select quantity
• Buy and send eBooks
• Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds—The Illyrian Enigma #1 (of 4) Kindle & comiXology

• Part of Series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds—The Illyrian Enigma
• Print length 29 pages
• Language English
• Sticky notes Not Enabled
• Publisher IDW
• Publication date December 21, 2022
• File size 80313 KB
• Page Flip Not Enabled
• Word Wise Not Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Not Enabled
• See all details
• Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download
• Read this book on comiXology. Learn more

Shop this series

• First 3 $7.17
• All 4 $9.56

This option includes 3 issues.

This option includes 4 issues..

• Customers Also Enjoyed
• In This Series
• By Kirsten Beyer
• Science Fiction
• Graphic Novels

Customers who read this book also read

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BB11DBKW
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ IDW (December 21, 2022)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 21, 2022
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 80313 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 29 pages
• #1,360 in Science Fiction Graphic Novels (Kindle Store)
• #1,500 in Media Tie-In & Adaptation Graphic Novels
• #2,274 in 45-Minute Comic & Graphic Novel Short Reads

About the author

Kirsten beyer.

Kirsten Beyer is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Star Trek Voyager novels To Lose the Earth, Architects of Infinity, A Pocket Full of Lies, Atonement, Acts of Contrition, Protectors, The Eternal Tide, Children of the Storm, Unworthy, Full Circle and String Theory: Fusion. She also penned the Buffy novel, One Thing or Your Mother, the Alias APO novel, Once Lost, and she contributed the short story "Isabo's Shirt" to the Distant Shores anthology as well as the short story "Widow's Weeds" to Space Grunts. She has also written several articles for Star Trek Magazine.

Kirsten is a co-creator of Star Trek: Picard and is a current writer/producer on Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery. So co-wrote the Star Trek short, Children of Mars with Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet. She has co-written several Star Trek Discovery comics with Mike Johnson.

Kirsten appeared in Los Angeles productions of Johnson over Jordan, This Old Planet, and Harold Pinter's The Hothouse, which the L.A. Times called "unmissable." She also appeared in the Geffen Playhouse's world premiere of Quills and has been seen on General Hospital and Passions, among others.

Kirsten has undergraduate degrees in English literature and theater arts, and a master of fine arts from UCLA.

She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, David, and their daughter.

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 67% 26% 6% 1% 1% 67%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 67% 26% 6% 1% 1% 26%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 67% 26% 6% 1% 1% 6%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 67% 26% 6% 1% 1% 1%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 67% 26% 6% 1% 1% 1%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

Report an issue.

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Registry & Gift List
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices