Warning: SPOILERS For Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3’s new couple even shocked actors Ethan Peck and Christina Chong. As Lieutenants Spock and La’an Noonien-Singh, respectively, Peck and Chong had different romantic partners inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 2. This changed in season 3 when La’an and Spock grew closer after becoming intimate dance partners.
Speaking toVarietyat San Diego Comic-Con alongside theirStar Trek: Strange New Worldscastmates Rebecca Romijn, Jess Bush, and Paul Wesley, along with executive producers Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers,Ethan Peck and Christina Chong related their mutual shockupon learning Spock and La’an’s friendship would turn romantic.
Christina Chong understandably expected La’an’s attraction to Paul Wesley’s Lt. James T. Kirk would evolve, while Peck explainedwhy Spock and La’an"makes a lot of sense on some level.“Read their quotes and watch the video below:
Christina Chong:I was shocked. What, they’re putting the La’an and Spock together? Because I, obviously, thought [La’an and Kirk] would continue… But it was perfect, because especially with all the dancing that we do throughout. And you haven’t seen it all yet. With all the dancing we do, he’s the perfect dance partner, Ethan. Because he’s so strong, and I trust him as a castmate. So all of that was incredible to learn new Latin routines, and styles, and ballroom. We did waltz.
Ethan Peck:And it makes a lot of sense on some level, because they’re both sort of the most restrained. And they’re hiding a lot of shame and inner turmoil. So on paper, it kind of makes a lot of sense. But it was still such a shock, yeah.
Why Spock & La’an Make Sense As A Couple In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Lieutenant Kirk Isn’t La’an’s Kirk
As Ethan Peck related,Spock and La’an Noonien-Singh as a couple is logical. Both La’an and Spock feel isolated from others and harbor secret trauma and shame. Spock always feels torn between his Vulcan and human sides, while La’an harbors guilt as a descendant of the evil Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban).
Star Trek: Strange New Worldsfans shared Christina Chong’s expectations that La’an and James Kirk would find a way around the fact that Jim has apregnant girlfriend, Carol Marcus. However, the Kirk La’an fell in love with inStrange New Worldsseason 2 was from an alternate reality, andit makes sense for the series not to pursue a second La’an love story with another Kirk.
Spock’s turbulent relationship with Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) is now over, and Christine has moved on with Dr. Roger Korby (Cillian O’Sullivan), who seems a better match for Chapel than the Vulcan. Still, it’s fair to sayLa’an and Spock becoming a couple was not on anyone’s bingo cardsbeforeStrange New Worlds’creative team paired them romantically.
Our Take On La’an & Spock As A Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Couple
This Does Complicate Things For When Kirk & Spock Meet Khan
The physical attraction between Spock and La’an during their dancing sequences is palpableinStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3. In La’an, Spock finds a partner more self-assured than Nurse Chapel, while Spock’s inner strength makes him more solid and trustworthy than perhaps Jim Kirk would be for La’an. They certainly understand each other.
However, La’an now having a romantic tryst with both the future Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock complicates when the USS Enterprise’s lead duo encounter Khan inStar Trek: The Original Series. Neither Kirk nor Spock ever mention La’an’s name to her ancestor, althoughperhaps, in context, Kirk and Spock chose to protect La’an.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers know how the series and characters' arcs will end in season 5, so they get the benefit of the doubt about where Spock and La’an’s romance is heading. And, as Admiral Kirk would say in the future, Spock and La’an as a couple has the benefit of having never been tried.
