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

Did Academy Award nominee Timothée Chalamet make a surprise appearance in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode 3? Continuing a new five-year mission of the Starship Enterprise commanded by Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Strange New Worlds episode 3, "Ghosts of Illyria," delves into the heretofore unrevealed backstory of Number One AKA Lt. Commander Una Chin-Rile y (Rebecca Romijn). "Ghosts of Illyria" is a horror-themed episode about a mysterious contagion infecting the Enterprise crew that kicks off by a crewman who looks a lot like Timothée Chalamet bringing the disease aboard the starship.

Timothée Chalamet is one of the most talented and in-demand young actors in Hollywood today. The 26-year-old appeared in Showtime's Homeland and Christopher Nolan's Interstellar before his breakout role in Call Me By Your Name , which earned Chalamet an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. More high-profile roles in Lady Bird , Beautiful Boy , Netflix's The King, and Greta Gerwig's Little Women followed before Chalamet's biggest blockbuster to date: the leading role of Paul Atreides in Denis Villeneuve's Dune . Chalamet will reprise  Paul Atreides in Dune 2 but before that, he will follow in Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp's footsteps and embody the iconic role of Willy Wonka in Wonka . Chalamet's career is skyrocketing as a bona fide movie star, which is why it was such a shock when it appears as if Timothée joined another classic sci-fi franchise and took a minor cameo role in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode 3.

Related: Strange New Worlds' Uhura Retcon Fixes A TOS Mistake

However, it's actually an actor named Daniel Gravelle, not Timothée Chalamet, who plays Ensign Lance in Strange New Worlds episode 3. Gravelle has been previously seen in People of Earth , HBO's Fahrenheit 451 opposite Michael B. Jordan , and Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark . It's understandable if audiences are momentarily confused and believe that Ensign Lance is Chalamet because Gravelle's resemblance to the Oscar nominee is uncanny. They share similar builds and facial features, and Gravelle even has a nearly identical hairstyle to the one Chalamet sports as Paul Atreides in Dune . It's even possible that Gravelle's resemblance to Chalamet is one of the reasons he was cast in the role of Ensign Lance in Strange New Worlds.

Ensign Lance is the first victim of the Illyrian virus in Strange New Worlds episode 3. After inadvertently getting infected while looking in a locker full of broken and empty tubes and vials, Lance beamed out of an abandoned Illyrian base with most of the Enterprise's landing party. Soon after he's back aboard the ship, Lance begins desperately trying to get closer to any light source and he bashes his own skull through a window to reach the radiance. Lance is subdued by Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) but soon, most of the crew of the Enterprise is afflicted with the disease.

It's unclear whether Ensign Lance will return in future episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Lance's role is basically that of a Red Shirt, the classic trope from Star Trek: The Original Series of a crewmember (usually wearing a red Starfleet uniform) who is either randomly killed or falls victim to a horrible calamity in a given episode. Ensign Lance is a minor role, which is why it was initially so startling to momentarily think that an actor of Timothée Chalamet's stature would take it on as, essentially, a cameo. (Although famous actors have revealed themselves as Trekkies and performed cameos, like Christian Slater in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .) Amusingly, it's now canon that there's a lookalike to 21st-century Academy Award nominee Timothée Chalamet in the 23rd-century Starfleet of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

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

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‘Ghosts of Illyria’ Sees Strange New Worlds Making Steps in the Right Direction

This discussion and review contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode 3, “Ghosts of Illyria.”

“Ghosts of Illyria” is more interesting in concept than in execution.

As with both “ Strange New Worlds ” and “ Children of the Comet ” before it, “Ghosts of Illyria” is another example of Strange New Worlds hitting a familiar Star Trek standard. It is an episode that is recognizably drawn from a template that the franchise has employed repeatedly over its 50-plus-year history, and it hits all of the various beats expected along the way. It would be somewhat dismissive to describe “Ghosts of Illyria” as formulaic and predictable, but it wouldn’t be unfair.

“Ghosts of Illyria” is an episode with two parallel plot threads. The first of these threads concerns the spread of an unexplained illness on the ship that causes irrational behavior. Tying back to the franchise’s oft-overlooked psychedelic roots , “Ghosts of Illyria” is essentially built around the idea that madness can be contagious. The ship is contaminated by a virus that spreads through light, creating “light addicts” who engage in reckless behavior to satisfy their addiction.

This is a familiar Star Trek storytelling device. “ The Naked Time ” might be the most obvious and popular example, even inspiring a direct sequel in “ The Naked Now ” during the first season of The Next Generation . However, there are plenty of episodes built around a similar premise. Language broke down in “ Babel .” War became contagious in “ Dramatis Personae .” Horniness spread from person to person in “ Fascination .” Obsessive-compulsive behavior spread in “ Singularity. ”

Perhaps reflecting the influence of Gene Roddenberry, a notorious philanderer whose only feature film credit outside the franchise was the “ sex comedy ” Pretty Maids All in a Row , many of these contagions were inappropriately and uncomfortably sexual. Perhaps wisely, “Ghosts of Illyria” largely avoids this angle, although there is some sly acknowledgment of this trend; Ensign Lance (Daniel Gravelle) strips down in the corridor and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) rips her shirt open.

As with “Children of the Comet” lifting fairly directly from “ Fight or Flight ,” there are practical reasons for Strange New Worlds to fall back on this familiar Star Trek story framework so early in the first season. After all, an infectious disease storyline provides a narrative in which the entire ensemble can be used effectively. It also pushes the cast outside their comfort zone and can reveal potentially interesting or novel facets of the actors to the production team to develop later.

There is a sense that “Ghosts of Illyria” is constructed primarily as a piece of setup, using this familiar template to lay groundwork that may pay off down the line, helping the writers and producers to identify standout performers or interesting dynamics that can be explored with greater purpose in later episodes. Notably, the episode introduces a number of potential long-form story arcs, such as M’Benga’s (Babs Olusanmokun) tragic backstory, that seem likely to come into play later.

The episode’s secondary plot thread focuses on Pike (Anson Mount) and Spock (Ethan Peck) stranded on Illyria and is a much more generic sort of story. The initial premise of the episode is an empty or missing world. The original Star Trek was populated with haunted and long-dead planets in stories like “ The Man Trap ” or “ The City on the Edge of Forever ” or eerily abandoned spaces like those in “ Miri ” or “ Wink of an Eye .”

That said, the plot thread focused on Pike and Spock quickly reveals itself to be a “stranded away team” story as an ion storm bears down on the facility, recalling everything from “ The Galileo Seven ” to “ The Enemy ” to “ The Ascent .” It’s a story model that isn’t quite as practical as the contagion template, in that the success or failure of the story largely depends on the chemistry of the actors and the strength of the characters involved.

It’s unclear whether the problem is with the scripts or with the performers, but Mount and Peck lack a compelling dynamic necessary to drive a story like this. Leonard Nimoy worked brilliantly with both William Shatner and DeForest Kelley on the original Star Trek , and Zachary Quinto bounced well off Chris Pine in the Star Trek reboot movies. Mount is a charismatic presence, but Strange New Worlds fails to have a particularly fresh or interesting take on the relationship between Pike and Spock.

There is something frustrating in how Strange New Worlds seems content to simply “play the hits” and recycle a model of Star Trek that is decades old. In some ways, Strange New Worlds plays as an unironic version of Lower Decks . Lower Decks couches its nostalgia in self-aware irony , which feels like a concession to the fact that this model of storytelling is perhaps better suited to modern half-hour comedies than modern hour-long drama . Strange New Worlds just plays these clichés straight.

That said, as with “Children of the Comet,” there is something to be said for the finer details of “Ghosts of Illyria.” In particular, following off the portrayal of Adam Soong (Brent Spiner) in the second season of Star Trek: Picard , it is interesting to see Strange New Worlds engaging so directly with the franchise’s longstanding anxiety over genetic engineering and transhumanism. It’s a fear that has a long history in the franchise , dating back to “ Space Seed .”

“Ghosts of Illyria” acknowledges that the franchise’s fears about genetic modification aren’t entirely rational, given both the episode’s title and Pike’s observation that even visiting a planet associated with genetic engineering is enough to put “everyone on edge.” There’s a sense that the Federation’s concerns about genetic engineering, rooted in the trauma of the Eugenics Wars, has created a reflexive emotional reaction against the concept that is at odds with the franchise’s techno-futurism.

Star Trek generally argues that technological advances will make life better and easier for people — that the replicator will eliminate hunger, that the transporter will make it possible to travel instantaneously, that the universal translator will allow people to talk more freely. As such, the franchise’s fear of genetic engineering ignores the reality that genetic modification is already making a meaningful improvement to people’s lives .

The most compelling facet of “Ghosts of Illyria” is the implication that the Federation’s attitude towards genetic engineering — and societies that employ it — is a form of prejudice. The Federation fundamentally misunderstands Illyria. “My people were never motivated by domination,” Number One explains. “Illyrians seek collaboration with nature. By bio-engineering our bodies, we adapt to naturally existing habitats. Instead of terraforming planets, we modify ourselves.”

“Ghosts of Illyria” suggests the Federation’s attitude is effectively a kind of racism, which is most obvious in the way that La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) seems to have internalized this rhetoric and allowed it to become a source of self-hatred. At the end of the episode, Pike congratulates Number One for surpassing his assumptions about Illyrians, telling her, “You defy every stereotype the Federation has about Illyrians.”

“Ghosts of Illyria” is smart enough to understand that even Pike’s praise of Number One is an expression of a deeply entrenched prejudice, something similar to futuristic “ respectability politics .” As Number One asks, “What would he do if I wasn’t a hero, one of the good ones ?” It is a very fair and a very barbed question for the show to ask of its lead character, three episodes in. She continues, “When will it be enough to just be an Illyrian?”

This is a much more nuanced approach to the episode’s central metaphor than the trite “both sides-ism” of “Strange New Worlds,” understanding that just as modern conversations about racism and prejudice have evolved , the Star Trek franchise needs to develop in step. Indeed, given the way that modern Star Trek tends to treat Starfleet and the Federation as idealized fetish objects , it’s good to see an episode built around the notion of institutionalized racism and systemic flaws in the system.

It will be interesting to see how Strange New Worlds develops this theme across the rest of its first season, whether the show will remain as astute in its exploration of the finer contours of the Star Trek universe. It would be refreshing to see a modern Star Trek show that is as willing to engage with the franchise’s more complicated and contradictory elements as Deep Space Nine was . “Ghosts of Illyria” is a small step in that direction — and one that might be walked back, but a step nonetheless.

“Ghosts of Illyria” offers viewers little that they haven’t seen (many times) before. Still, it does offer some fertile ground for Strange New Worlds to explore if it ever starts to feel a bit more comfortable in its skin.

'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' episode 3 builds up backstories for Number One, M'Benga

Are short seasons stunting the growth of "Star Trek"? Lest we forget that "The Original Series" was made up of 29 episodes.

Warning: Spoilers for "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" season 1, episode 3

For the first time in a very long time it seems, fans of "Star Trek" are actually agreeing on something and that is how good " Strange New Worlds " is. So much so, that The Wrap reports that "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” garnered a 92% increase in demand for the week ending Friday, and became the top new series in the U.S. with 35.1 times the average series demand, according to Parrot Analytics‘ data, which takes into account consumer research, streaming, downloads and social media, among other consumer engagement."

And while we're only three episodes into the new Paramount Plus series (and making our way through lots of new backstories), there's no denying that this incarnation of " Star Trek " looks utterly gorgeous . The USS Enterprise has never looked better and the pseudo-retro style of the J.J. Abrams' 2009 movie has been seamlessly blended with both the vintage style of "The Original Series" and the new interpretation of that vintage style. Oh, and did you see those away mission jackets this week?! Mmmm .

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In episode 3, entitled "Ghosts of Illyria," we join our super-slim Starfleet crew on an away mission to Hetemit IX and an abandoned colony of the Illyrians, a humanoid race considered outcasts by the Federation due to their use of genetic engineering. And one thing's for sure, William Shatner 's stomach would never have survived these new Starfleet uniforms.

Check out our Star Trek streaming guide to catch up on everything Trek on Paramount Plus .

Unfortunately, the area is frequently bombarded with ion storms and a particularly bad one is fast approaching their position. In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it-moment, one unsuspecting red shirt takes a quick peek into what looks like a storage cupboard with lots of empty glass jars, beakers and flasks ... and the fate of the Enterprise crew is sealed. With the exception of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and Mr Spock (Ethan Peck), the away team, led by Lt. Cmdr. Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) makes it back safely after some frantic power re-routing by Cmdr. Hemmer (Bruce Horak). Oh, and did you see those engineering graphics this week?! Mmmm .

Following that amazing opening credit sequence, members of the away team seem to start exhibiting strange behavior that can only be described as an addiction to bright light. Even Chin-Riley is not immune, only she kinda is. Turns out that a virus has been brought back aboard the ship — we're looking at you Ensign Lance — that wasn't picked up by the transporter filters (more on that later) and is proving to be something of a pickle to detect ... because it's transmitted on light waves and/or particles. (Science check: light is a wave and a particle as proven by the double-slit experiment .)

Related: 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' episode 2 adds to Uhura's history

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And this is where the producers of "Strange New Worlds" have taken an almighty leap ... of faith in their own ability. To begin with, and especially upon first viewing, you'd be forgiven for thinking the writers are taking us down the ol' we-think-she-has-it-but-is-hiding-it path, but it turns out Chin-Riley has extremis. No, not the Belgian-designed furniture , but an advanced form of genetic manipulation, or something close to it. 

As she admits much later in the episode, she is an Illyrian herself. And while the primary pretext of tonight's episode focuses on discrimination and revealing hidden, potentially problematic personal details, wrapping it in the tasty tortilla of a contamination crisis, this also sets a precarious new precedent for this character, since being Illyrian includes having super-strength and super-immunity.

Much like the whole Picard-is-now-an-android thing, if this is not handled properly, we could be left asking ourselves on every away mission that falls foul, why didn't Chin-Riley carry them, or hold the door, or support that pillar, or throw that car at them. Granted she's reluctant to reveal her true ancestry, but quite a few people witnessed her carrying the 180-pound-plus of Hemmer on her shoulder through the corridors of the Enterprise like he was a medium-sized, rolled Moroccan rug. We'll wager a hundred quatloos that there's an episode coming some time in our future where she reveals her strength in a dire emergency and is forced to trust someone to keep it quiet.

Related: 'Strange New Worlds' is a love letter to 'The Original Series'

Regardless, Chin-Riley is very much the focus in this episode to the extent that she even gets to indulge in some classic Kirk action , like ripping her tunic, doing the long stare into her mirror in her quarters and even a full-on fistfight with Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) as more crewmembers begin to exhibit addiction-like behavior to light.

Nerd Note: T he Illyrians are the same race that Captain Archer was forced to commit piracy against during the Xindi War in the epic "Enterprise" episode "Damage" (S03, E19). They were portrayed then with cranial ridges, which obviously are not present on Lt Cmdr Chin-Riley. However, the photographs she scans through in her quarters do show some Illyrians still with visible cranial ridges, so one assume they've been phased out through genetic manipulation.

Meanwhile, back on Hetemit IX, Pike and Spock have to deal with creatures that look they've come straight out of the Ark of the Convenient. However, unlike those spiritual servants of God that melt your face, incinerate your heart, or cause your head to explode, these ones thankfully shield the stranded Starfleet officers from the ion storm and thus save their lives.

Through the convenient application of some medical black magic, Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) is able to create an antidote from Chin-Riley after she shielded Noonien-Singh from a bad dose of radiation and "her proximity to the commander created chimeric antibodies in her system," which you know, could be replicated. Phew. So with everyone more or less out of trouble — and no word on the condition of poor Ensign Lance — we circle round to why the transporters didn't pick up this particular pesky pathogen.

Following the moral lesson of today's story, which is all about acceptance, surviving prejudice and forgiveness we learn that Dr. malpractice M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) didn't let Starfleet upgrade the medical transporter when the Enterprise was in spacedock. Hemmer's level five ship-wide diagnostic revealed the good doctor was in fact keeping something stored inside the transporter's pattern buffer, which would've been discovered during the scheduled biofilter enhancement. Turns out that his daughter, Rukiya, was diagnosed with cygnokemia a year ago and so he took it upon himself to store inside the pattern buffer until a cure could be found. As long as she's taken out of storage, so to speak, every now and again, she'll be fine. Apparently.

Nerd Note: The creators of "Star Trek" have never officially confirmed that transporters kill you. However, solely based on the science, transporters do kill you. In simple terms, these teleportation devices scan every molecule in your body and briefly store them in the pattern buffer, while at the same time, the original body is to all intents and purposes, disintegrated. The transporter then converts the scanned copy into energy and beams the data stream to the desired location, where the body is rebuilt, from a sub-atomic level, using technology similar to a replicator. It's comparable in principle to a fax, except this fax machine destroys the original, to prevent duplication, although that has been known to happen.

The issue is essentially an existential one. Since our bodies are made up of identifiable matter, why won't transference of consciousness occur? What makes our consciousness so unique? What's the difference between an identical copy and you? If you were to put your copy into a different room that you hadn't been into, would you be able to see it? No. It's a perfect copy, but it's not you. There is a good article  on Ars Technica  that really goes into detail on this.

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The first transporter accident occurred in "The Original Series" episode "The Enemy Within" (Season 1, Episode 4) when Captain Kirk was accidentally duplicated in the transporter and something similar happened to Will Riker in "The Next Generation" episode "Second Chances" (Season 6, Episode 24). But it's the TNG episode "Relics" (Season 6, Episode 4) when Captain Montgomery Scott was discovered to be stored inside the pattern buffer of a ship that crashed on a Dyson sphere more than 75 years prior, that's perhaps more relevant.

So it's highly likely we'll be seeing more of young Rukiya M'Benga (Sage Arrindell) in future episodes. 

On a side note, we do so very much hope that Harcourt Fenton Mudd makes an appearance in the not too distant future. Mudd is magnetic. Mudd is mesmerizing. He is enigmatic, charismatic and just plain mischievous, plus Rainn Wilson's portrayal of this epic, underrated character was magnificent. Tragically, his appearance was only limited to two episodes in the first season of "Discovery" and then a " Short Trek " not long after. Those were set around the second half of 2250 and he won't meet Captain Kirk until 2266, with this current season of "Strange New Worlds" being set in 2259, so theoretically it's possible.

For the first time since "Nu-Trek" started, we are genuinely excited about how this spin-off show is unfolding and we still have seven more episodes left ... which raises an interesting question; the first season of "The Original Series" had in comparison, a seemingly staggering 29 episodes. And it's not just limited to "Star Trek." Vanity Fair recently ran an interesting article where it considered how despite there being more shows on offer, those same shows have significantly fewer episodes — and fewer seasons to prove themselves and to allow us to be more invested in the characters. Suffice to say that in today's climate, "The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine," "Voyager" and "Enterprise" would've each been a surprisingly different experience. It's food for thought at the very least.

Rating: 6½ /10

The first three episodes of "Strange New Worlds" is now available to watch on  Paramount Plus  as is the entire  second season of "Star Trek: Picard."  Season 4 of "Star Trek: Discovery" is also available on the Paramount streaming service in the US and CTV Sci-Fi or Crave TV in Canada. Countries outside of North America can watch on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel.

Paramount has confirmed that its streaming platform will launch in the UK and Ireland on June 22, available both as a standalone service and as part of the Sky Cinema subscription for the UK cable provider.

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When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.

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Ep 182: Strange New Larkin Awards (SNW Season 1)

Greatest trek, episode 182.

26th July 2022

When everyone’s favorite awards show returns to the Kodak theatre, the A-list presenters gather to celebrate the inaugural season of Strange New Worlds. But things get confusing when an out of place prop threatens to tarnish the ceremony’s reputation with the insinuation of inside dealing.

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Episode notes

When everyone’s favorite awards show returns to the Kodak theatre, the A-list presenters gather to celebrate the inaugural season of Strange New Worlds. But things get confusing when an out of place prop threatens to tarnish the ceremony’s reputation with the insinuation of inside dealing. How much controversy can an aging telecast withstand? What kind of accent does Pirate Spaghetti have? Why couldn’t Ensign Lance gain entrance to the event? It’s the episode with a surprising number of posthumous award winners!

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In this episode...

Benjamin Ahr Harrison

Adam Pranica

Wynde Priddy

About the show.

The unofficial, irreverent and filthy aftershow for all the new Star Trek television: Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Short Treks, Prodigy, Strange New Worlds, and anything else they throw at us. Each Friday after a new episode of Star Trek, Adam and Ben recap, review and roast all the New Trek. Check out our other show, The Greatest Generation , a Star Trek podcast by a couple of guys who are a little bit embarrassed to have a Star Trek podcast!

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Published May 20, 2022

RECAP | Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 103 - 'Ghosts of Illyria'

An ion storm brings truths to light in the latest episode

StarTrek.com

Spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1, Episode 3 to follow!

The U.S.S. Enterprise arrives at a colony abandoned by Illyrians, who were first encountered by the NX-01 in the Delphic Expanse a century earlier. Unknown to Captain Archer at the time, the Illyrians engaged in genetic modification, which had been banned by the Federation as a result of the devastating Eugenics Wars. An ion storm approaches as the landing party prepares to beam up, and as any Trek fan will tell you, ion storms and transporters do not go well together. Even worse, young Ensign Lance opens a cabinet that contains mysterious glowing objects.

While Captain Pike searches for Spock, Number One and the rest of the team beam back aboard the ship. With their patterns nearly scrambled, it briefly felt as if we might have another Tuvix situation on our hands! Luckily, Hemmer saves the day, though the ion storm prevents Pike and Spock from returning to the Enterprise . Things begin to get a bit strange, as Erica Ortegas finds Ensign Lance injuring himself in an attempt to get closer to a lighting fixture.

In her quarters, Number One also seems invigorated by light, but following a moment where her skin appeared to glow, the symptom apparently passes. Doctor M’Benga reports that the other away team members aren’t as fortunate, as they are experiencing Vitamin D deficiencies in addition to the strong urge to get perilously near light sources. Hemmer is adamant that the transporter’s biofilters would have screened out any contagions, yet the affliction soon begins to spread among the crew.

Number One discusses the situation with Security Chief La’an Noonien-Singh, who voices opposition to genetic augmentation, specifically citing her ancestor Khan Noonien-Singh as an example of a bioengineered mass murderer. La’an comes down with the condition, perplexing Dr. M’Benga and Nurse Chapel as they seek to trace the source of the infections. As a precautionary measure, Una initiates the Enterprise ’s lockdown protocol, a procedure far too familiar to those of us struggling through the COVID pandemic.

Further research reveals that the contagion travels on light and uses it to trigger the pleasure centers of its victims, thus encouraging them to seek out more light and further spread the condition. Think of it as the outbreaks in “ The Naked Time ” and “ The Naked Now ” crossed with the euphoria of the anaphasic “ghost candle” from TNG’s “ Sub Rosa .”

On the planet below, Spock locates a journal that indicates the Illyrians from this particular colony hoped to reverse their genetic modifications in order to join the Federation. The ion storm continues to rage, and both Pike and his science officer see what appear to be plasma lifeforms soaring through the gusting winds. The creatures make their way into the building, but rather than harm Pike and Spock, they shield them from the strengthening storm. Afterwards, Spock theorizes that these lifeforms used to be Illyrian colonists who succumbed to a disease and somehow became one with the electrical fields contained in the planet’s ion storms.

Back on the Enterprise , Number One stresses to M’Benga and Chapel that the key to immunity must exist in her blood sample. Why? Number One is an Illyrian, though from a different colony. The Federation prohibits mixing modified Illyrian blood with that of other species, prompting an excellent discussion of bigotry that parallels modern day legislation that prevents gay and bisexual men from donating blood due to offensive stereotypes. Once again, Star Trek manages to seamlessly add meaningful commentary into its storylines.

When Number One prevents La’an from enveloping the ship in light via a warp core breach, the two officers become irradiated. Una’s modified genes healed her, and her proximity to the Security Chief allowed La’an to be saved, as well. Chapel harnesses this information and is able to synthesize a cure for the crew. With the crew out of danger, Number One reports her true heritage to the captain, who has no interest in reporting her. Much like the genetically augmented Julian Bashir in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Una will continue to serve Starfleet.

However, the episode still has one surprise left to spring on us. The contagion breached the biofilters because Dr. M’Benga refused to permit spacedock engineers to upgrade the emergency medical transporter. M’Benga confides to Number One that, similar to Scotty’s transporter exploits in “ Relics ,” he has secretly stored his daughter’s pattern in the buffer to prevent an incurable illness from progressing any further. Una passes the empathy Pike showed to her on to M’Benga, agreeing that they will keep his daughter safe until a cure is found.

“Ghosts of Illyria” shifts its focus away from Pike and Spock, successfully leaning on Number One and the rest of the senior staff to drive the action forward. The episode does a magnificent job of asking difficult questions and juxtaposing a 23rd medical mystery with references to our current pandemic and bigoted blood donation laws. Una’s decision to delete a deeply personal log in the show’s closing moments serves as an excellent homage to Captain Sisko’s erasure of his own report in DS9’s “ In The Pale Moonlight .” How will the surprise revelations about Number One and Doctor M’Benga play out? Perhaps we’ll find out as the Enterprise ’s adventures continue. In the words of Captain Pike, “Hit it!”

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Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider, StarWars.com, and ILM.com. Learn more about Jay by visiting JayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, South Korea, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In addition, the series airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada and on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Central and Eastern Europe. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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Preview ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Episode 103 With New Photos And Clip From “Ghosts Of Illyria”

| May 16, 2022 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 107 comments so far

The third episode of the new series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds arrives this week and we have details, new photos, a trailer, and a clip to get you started.

“Ghosts of Illyria”

Strange New Worlds episode three is titled “Ghosts of Illyria.” The episode was written by Akela Cooper and Bill Wolkoff. It was directed by Leslie Hope. The episode debuts on Paramount+ on Thursday, May 19.

The U.S.S. Enterprise encounters a contagion that ravages the ship. One by one, the entire crew is incapacitated except for Number One, Una Chin-Riley, who must now confront a secret she’s been hiding as she races to find a cure.

New photos:

Jess Bush as Nurse Chapel of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

Pictured: Babs Olusanmokun as M’Benga and Rebecca Romijn as Una of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

Pictured: Rebecca Romijn as Una of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

Daniel Gravelle as Ensign Lance of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

Pictured: Anson Mount as Pike and Rebecca Romijn as Una of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

Pictured: Anson Mount as Pike of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

Pictured: Rebecca Romijn as Una and Anson Mount as Pike of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

Previously released photos:

Pictured: Babs Olusanmokun as M’Benga of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

Pictured: Jess Bush as Chapel of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

A trailer was released on startrek.com .

The latest episode of The Ready Room includes a clip from the episode featuring Hemmer stepping in to help beam up the landing party [at 24:25]. [Also available internationally at startrek.com ]

All photos by Marni Grossman/Paramount+ 

New episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds debut on Thursdays exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., Latin America, Australia and the Nordics. The series airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada. In New Zealand, it is available on TVNZ , and in India on  Voot Select .  Strange New Worlds  will arrive via Paramount+ in select countries in Europe when the service launches later this year, starting with the UK and Ireland in June.

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History [ ]

As a traditional naval grade, ensign was the lowest junior officer rank, below lieutenant junior grade or lieutenant . ( VOY : " Nightingale ") In Starfleet , it was usually the first rank assigned to new officers upon graduation from Starfleet Academy . ( VOY : " Caretaker ", et al.)

Naomi Wildman believed that she would be able to rise up the ranks aboard USS Voyager , as it crossed the Delta Quadrant , charting her journey as, " I'll be bridge assistant for a while, then I'll be promoted to ensign. It'll be lieutenant after that, and by the time we reach the Alpha Quadrant, Captain Wildman. " ( VOY : " Infinite Regress ")

When Lieutenant Commander Janice Rand noted Ensign Tuvok preparing a Vulcan tea especially for Captain Hikaru Sulu , she chided him, asking " Trying to make lieutenant in your first month? I wish I'd have thought of that when I was your age. Took me three years just to make ensign. " Tuvok, however, assured her that he had no ulterior motives. ( VOY : " Flashback ")

According to Lieutenant Commander Data, for one to move up the ranks, and " one proved themselves more capable, typically after three years as an ensign, they would be considered for promotion into the lieutenant tier. " ( TNG : " Datalore ")

In 3191 , after Lieutenant Commander Gen Rhys tricked the lowest-ranking Breen officer on the bridge of Ruhn's dreadnaught into giving up their post, Ensign Adira Tal sympathetically commented that "everyone always picks on the ensign." ( DIS : " Lagrange Point ")

Duties and responsibilities [ ]

An ensign's primary duty was professional growth, both as a leader and as an occupational specialist. Ensigns were mentored by more senior officers as well as chief petty officers as part of their development as Starfleet leaders. ( DS9 : " The Ship ", " Starship Down ") On some of the larger starship classes, such as the Galaxy -class starships, it was not uncommon for veteran and seasoned enlisted personnel to have ensigns working for them as technicians , thus having the ensign "learning the ropes" of the more technical aspects of starship design, such as transporter components. ( TNG : " Clues ")

Following the graduation of Marta Batanides and Jean-Luc Picard from Starfleet Academy, and prior to their respective first assignments, Batanides suggested that " Maybe these bars are just starting to feel a little heavy, ensign, " after noting Picard's " hidden streak of responsibility, " which Picard otherwise shrugged off as being part of "just getting older". ( TNG : " Tapestry ")

When Benjamin Sisko was an ensign, he met Curzon Dax , who, as he later explained, " took a raw young ensign under his wing and taught me to appreciate life in ways I'd never thought about before. He taught me about art and science and diplomacy . Whatever sense of honor I might have today, he nurtured. " ( DS9 : " Dax ")

According to Lieutenant Jadzia Dax , Commander Benjamin Sisko " wouldn't allow any ensign take a runabout into the Gamma Quadrant the day after she arrives. " ( DS9 : " Melora ")

Following the promotion of Ezri Dax to lieutenant junior grade in 2375 , Julian Bashir told her, " I'm glad they made you a lieutenant. It would have been hard taking advice from an ensign. " ( DS9 : " Afterimage ")

Though junior officers, ensigns were permitted to fulfill the position of bridge officer or acting captain , and even be a member of the senior staff . ( ENT : " Cold Front ", " The Xindi "; TNG : " Where No One Has Gone Before ", " Hide And Q "; VOY : " Caretaker ", " Warhead ", " Author, Author ")

Experience and protocol [ ]

During a scenario devised for the M-5 drills in 2268 , Captain James T. Kirk chose the ship's chief geologist Rawlins for a member of his landing party . When the M-5 computer made a difference choice, geologist Carstairs instead, Kirk did not see it the same way, explaining that Carstairs was " an ensign, no experience. This is his first tour of duty " aboard the USS Enterprise . M-5, however, disagreed because it knew that " Geologist Carstairs served on Merchant Marine freighters in this area. Once visited planet on geology survey for mining company . " ( TOS : " The Ultimate Computer ")

When Ensign William T. Riker served aboard the USS Pegasus in 2358 , seven months after his graduation from the Academy, he noted his inexperience was what allowed him to blindly follow the commands of Captain Erik Pressman during a mutiny . Recalling twelve years later , " I wasn't a hero and neither were you. What you did was wrong and I was wrong to support you, but I was just too young and too stupid to realize it. You were the captain. I was the ensign. I was just following orders. " ( TNG : " The Pegasus ")

Notable ensigns [ ]

• See : Starfleet ensigns
• Latara ( Bajoran Militia )
• Bajoran ensign (Bajoran Militia)
• Orion ensign

Insignia [ ]

The 22nd century Starfleet denoted ensigns with a single rank pin. During the 2250s and 2260s , Federation Starfleet uniforms showed no insignia for ensigns. ( ENT : " Broken Bow "; TOS : " The Cage ", " Court Martial ")

By the 2270s , ensigns were granted the former insignia of lieutenant junior grade , the lieutenant jg rank itself having been discontinued. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture ) By at least 2278 , ensigns wore a single pin shaped like a stylized "v" letter. ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ; VOY : " Flashback "; LD : " I, Excretus ")

The late 23rd century pin insignia was used until at least the 2320s . ( TNG : " Tapestry ") By the end of the 24th century , Starfleet ensigns were once again indicated by one single rank pin. ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ")

See also [ ]

• Acting ensign

This chart shows only general equivalencies based on the ranks used by many governments on Earth , as well as the rest of the galaxy .

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

This naval rank was equivalent to the rank of second lieutenant , which is found in the United States Army , Air Force , and Marine Corps .

Star Trek has often portrayed ensigns as background characters who stand watches at bridge stations, serve as nameless security guards, or who get killed or eaten by the alien creature of the week (see " redshirt "). The characters of Wesley Crusher and Pavel Chekov were the first ensigns to be seriously explored with their duties and responsibilities mainly confined to learning and professional growth as officers. The episode TNG : " Lower Decks " also dealt with ensigns and what their daily duties consisted of, while the series Star Trek: Lower Decks is portrayed entirely from the perspective of Starfleet ensigns.

Starfleet ensigns were rarely seen in command of others, exceptions being when Ensign Chekov lead a security detail in TOS : " And the Children Shall Lead " and when Wesley Crusher was assigned to lead a science team in TNG : " Pen Pals ".

In one instance, blurring the rank structure aboard Enterprise NX-01 , Major J. Hayes demanded that Ensign Sato contact the captain, stating, " I gave you a direct order, ensign. " ( ENT : " Hatchery ")

Occasionally, older characters have been seen as ensigns, an example of which is Jana Haines , who appeared as an ensign but seems to be in her late 30s or early 40s, as well as ensigns Davies and Alans who held the rank of ensign while serving as science officers with obvious graduate level education. Several other medical and science ensigns from Star Trek: The Next Generation (and later series) have also appeared whose age and experience indicated that they were obviously not recent Starfleet Academy graduates. This gives rise to the possibility that Starfleet, much like the United States Navy, had commissioning programs for prior enlisted personnel or for civilian doctors and scientists who wished to join Starfleet.

In the alternate reality, Leonard McCoy came out of Starfleet Academy as a lieutenant commander . This is also a common practice by the current armed forces, i.e. to give this elevated rank to highly specialized professions (doctors, lawyers, etc.).

After his character's promotion on the show, Gene Roddenberry gave Wil Wheaton the second lieutenant bars he earned in the Army Air Corps (second lieutenant being equivalent to an ensign in the US Navy). Present at the ceremony was General Colin Powell , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who later became Secretary of State. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 2nd ed., p. 128; Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , p. 159)

Apocrypha [ ]

Mentioned in several non-canon novels and other publications is a junior rank known as "ensign junior grade". The character of Miles O'Brien was suggested to have held this rank, specifically in the novelization of Emissary . In the historic United States Navy, a rank known as "Passed Midshipman" existed in the early 20th century intended for recent Naval Academy graduates who had yet to qualify for a position at sea.

External link [ ]

• Ensign at Wikipedia
• 2 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)

• Cast & crew
• User reviews
• Episode aired Oct 5, 1991

Captain Picard foils a plot against the Bajorans with his new Bajoran officer, Ensign Ro. Captain Picard foils a plot against the Bajorans with his new Bajoran officer, Ensign Ro. Captain Picard foils a plot against the Bajorans with his new Bajoran officer, Ensign Ro.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Michael Piller
• Rick Berman
• Patrick Stewart
• Jonathan Frakes
• LeVar Burton
• 15 User reviews
• 10 Critic reviews

Top cast 37

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard

• Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

• Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

• Lieutenant Worf

• Dr. Beverly Crusher

• Counselor Deanna Troi

• Lieutenant Commander Data

• Ensign Ro Laren

• Keeve Falor

• (as Jeffrey Hayenga)
• Ensign Collins

• Adm. Kennelly

• Enterprise Computer
• Operations Division Officer
• (uncredited)
• Crewman Nelson
• Michael Piller (showrunner)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia The first appearance of the Bajorans, prominent race in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) . Their planet Bajora was called Bajor in later shows. Also the first appearance of Ro Laren, set to become a semi-regular for the remainder of TNG. The producers added her character to create some conflict among the friendly atmosphere of the Enterprise crew. "A Starfleet officer with a troubled past. An edge."
• Goofs The top of Ensign Ro's uniform that she gives to the little girl turns from a pullover-type garment to a jacket. Also, Ro's com-badge goes from the jacket to her shirt without her moving it.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard : I understand you've been discussing alternative adversarial engagement strategy with Mr. Mot.

Commander William T. Riker : It'd be more accurate to say he was discussing them with me. He's the best barber in Starfleet. What can you do?

• Connections Referenced in Inglorious Treksperts: The Essential Picard (2019)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User reviews 15

• Apr 1, 2017
• October 5, 1991 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA (Bajorian refugee camp)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 46 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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