Her heritage, which should prevent her from serving in Starfleet at all, may now hold the key to saving the day. However, a stormfront moves in and everyone except Pike and Spock are able to beam backthe latter two are stuck because Spock was in a library reading, which is the most Spock thing ever, and by the time they made it to the beam-out point, the storm was too brutal. Though Number One does muse in a personal log (that she immediately deletes) that Pikes response might have been different if she hadnt just saved everyones asses, though I think thats not giving the captain enough credit. Warning: Spoilers ahead if you haven't watched "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" season 2, episode 2, "Ad Astra per Aspera". Journey to new reaches in this exclusive comic tie-in set between seasons one and two of fan-favorite Paramount+ series Strange New Worlds! 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. 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. The creatures make their way into the building, but rather than harm Pike and Spock, they shield them from the strengthening storm. Later, once Archer and Starfleet had persuaded the Vulcan High Command to send a follow-up expedition to make diplomatic contact with the Xindi, Archer had requested that the Vulcan crew attempt to locate the Illyrian ship and provide aid and recompense if possible. Contents 1 History and specifics 2 Biology 3 Notable Illyrians 4 Appendices 4.1 Appearances and references Pikes 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 Starfleets idea of Illyrians as the colonists were and that is worth protecting her from regulations. But we wonder if the "Trek" chronology might be going through a bit of subtle retconning to make the timeline a little more plausible. Laan isn't an augment. The U.S.S. Watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+: 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. Spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode three to follow! 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 . 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!. The first season of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" gave fans one of the best "Star Trek" metaphors in years, introducing non-binary villain Dr. Aspen (Jesse James Keitel), who forces Spock(Ethan Peck) to stop thinking of his split Vulcan and human heritage in such a binary manner. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. While Captain Pike searches for Spock, Number One and the rest of the team beam back aboard the ship. Welcome to the Enterprise (and your future), James T. Kirk ( Paul Wesley ). It always comes back to Khan. The King Emperor of the Lyran Star Empire rules the 21st county. All STAR TREK images, trademarks and logos are owned by CBS Studios Inc. and/or Paramount Pictures inclusion in reviews and news reporting intended as fair use under 17 U.S. Code 107. All rights reserved. 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'. In the original series, contemporary concerns like the Cold War, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War were examined through the use of allegory and metaphor. As La'an, herself . Our Privacy Notice has been updated to explain how we use cookies, which you accept by continuing to use this website. . 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. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S1E03 "Ghosts of Illyria". This also, unfortunately, has the side effect of resulting in many internal conflicts within the empire. The Federations ban on genetic engineering extends well beyond Earth, it seems, as Illyrians are forbidden to join the Federation due to their societys use of gene modification science. New episodes of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" premiere Thursdays on Paramount+. Create your own Star Trek: Lower Decks avatar! Star trek's 'Augmentee' territory = Star Wars' 'Jedi / Sith' territory. Some people will be forced back "into the closet," presenting as something they're not in order to survive. Young Una must suffer simply on account of who she is, and that sadly lasts well into her adulthood. The Gorn Hegemony developed Gravitation Density Distortion Sphere technology which is said to be a creation of their own which works somewhat similar to the expanding sphere generator. Data for the Vaultera Nebula For the similarly named nebula, please see Volterra Nebula. Una Chin-Riley, a.k.a. When Number One prevents Laan from enveloping the ship in light via a warp core breach, the two officers become irradiated. Laan comes down with the condition, perplexing Dr. MBenga and Nurse Chapel as they seek to trace the source of the infections. 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. With her true heritage revealed, Una attempts to surrender herself to Starfleets judgment. 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. The transporter-buffer stasis process is apparently safe for long-term use, as long as the subject is occasionally rematerialized perhaps explaining why poor. 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. Everyone has a role to play, and it works nicely. These rules would have prevented her from serving in Starfleet, so she's kept her heritage hidden throughout her career. More Fandoms Fantasy Sci-fi Matthew Doherty May 5, 2023 1:08 pm Photo via Paramount+ 2023 CBS Studios Inc., Paramount Pictures Corporation, and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies. According to Star Trek lore, its from the ashes of all these tragedies that Zefram Cochrane creates humanitys first warp-capable ship, prompting the Vulcans to make first contact with them, as seen in Star Trek: First Contact. I'm . Unas quarters are decorated in a minimalist style, with a few tasteful decorations and a highly-organized vanity shelf in her bedroom. We do, however, get a nice little speech from Doctor MBenga about the pointlessness of bigotry, before Una must run off the solve the last, big crisis: Laan has escaped, and nearly creates a warp core breach while chasing that light-addicted high. 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 planets ion storms. This confirmation of a long-standing beta canon backstory for Una, if in a slightly different form to its appearance in Vulcans Glory, is a very nice addition to the narrative. Within the timeline of the universe, the Eugenics Wars are a part of humanitys 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. Their make-up conversation in the still-unnamed ships dining hall is brief and blunt, revealing a little more about the security chiefs past, and how she was bullied for her ancestry. 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. 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. The duchies are known to make use of starbases. 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. 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. The Federation Trial judging Una in Star Trek Strange New Worlds, season 2 episode 2 (Ad Astra per Aspera). Number One (also known as Una Chin-Riley, or simply Una) was a 23rd century Illyrian woman. 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. "Ghosts of Illyria" is a perfectly enjoyable, engaging, and interesting medical mystery the additions to Number One's backstory and the lore of the universe are great but it's also tied into a confusing allegory for medical bigotry that seems oddly tacked onto the sides and end. It kinda failed, and resulted in them either dying from the same virus that nearly wipes out the Enterprise or turning into energy creatures. James Webb Space Telescope stars in breathtaking new IMAX documentary, Watch astronauts play new 'Space Dart' game on the ISS (video), China is sending zebrafish to the Tiangong space station. But as we see in characters like Bashir, Number One, Neera, and even Khans descendent Laan Noonien-Singh, when fear drives us to exclude people, we all suffer the loss. 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. Spock finished quietly, facial expression blank and unreadable. Chapel harnesses this information and is able to synthesize a cure for the crew. 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. Una was persecuted on account of her birth and her culture, and sadly Federation feelings towards augments won't change for many years, with Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) facing some of the same issues nearly a century later on the space station Deep SpaceNine. Create your own Star Trek: Lower Decks avatar! The Lyran Star Empire is the name of the official state of the Lyran species. Others will be forced to de-transition as their medical treatments are discontinued on account of the same kinds of fears Captain Batel mentions. And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. 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. It always comes back to Khan. Bruce Horak is playing the part very well, mind you, and the producers seem determined to give everyone a spotlight (Pike two weeks ago, Uhura last week, and Number One this week), so lets hope that Hemmer gets his day in the sun. The Federation may not see much difference between different forms of Augments, but as the most recent episode of Strange New Worlds makes clear, theres a marked distinction between Illyrian and other genetically modified people. It doesnt appear to be much help, though, as her augmented immune system cannot help the crew. But shes not the only one with a secret, as we find out how the contagion got on board the Enterprise despite there being bio-filters in the transporters: the emergency medical transporter didnt get the same upgrades as the other transporters when the ship was upgraded prior to Strange New Worlds. And the reason why is also a potential explanation for why MBenga has a lower position in the sickbay hierarchy when we see him in the original series A Private Little War and That Which Survives, to wit, hes keeping his sick daughter in the medical transporters buffer. IDW Publishings 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. Enterprise arrives at a colony abandoned by Illyrians, who were first encountered by the NX-01 in the Delphic Expanse a century earlier. 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. Sparing no time, Captain Pike and his crew set out in search of evidence to prove her innocence! On the other hand, this neat, fun, and exciting medical mystery will serve hopefully as a jump-off point to explore both Una and MBengas characters in the future. Movie and TV Reviews 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Gets Lit With "Ghosts Of Illyria" Lina Morgan 11 Minute Read May 19 2022 Advertisement The crew gets very horny for light in the latest Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode "Ghosts of Illyria". The official solicitation text follows. New STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Photos Under the Cloak of War, STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Review Those Old Scientists. The Vaultera Nebula was an emission nebula with a radius of eight light years. Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Movie, though its versions of Pike, Spock, and Number One appeared in, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - The Illyrian Enigma Announced, Star Trek Actor Brent Spiner Says He Will Never Play Data Again, Star Trek Author Dayton Ward Reveals the Secrets of Kirk Fu, Star Trek: Picard Showrunner Explains Why Riker Wasn't on the Titan in the Finale, Star Trek: Picard Episode 6 "The Impossible Box" Recap With Spoilers, Toy Fair 2020: New Look at Star Trek Cats from Chronicle Collectibles, Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 First Teaser Released, Star Trek's Patrick Stewart Is Reading Shakespeare Online for Fans During Coronavirus Pandemic, Star Trek: Patrick Stewart Shares Special Message, Free CBS All Access Offer Ahead of Picard Finale, (W) Kirsten Beyer, Mike Johnson (A/CA) Megan Levens. The series will air on Bell Medias CTV Sci-Fi Channel & stream on Crave in Canada with additional international availability to be announced at a later date. Their original settlement was located in the Vaultera Nebula, though they also had colonies across a wide swath of space, including one located at Hetemit IX . 19 May 202219 May 2022 Dan Leckie Star Trek: Enterprise Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The Illyrians were a spacefaring humanoid species native to the former Delphic Expanse. In the second episode of season 2, "Ad Astra Per Aspera," the Federation's ban that prevents Illyrians from serving in Starfleet provides a pretty stellar metaphor for what many LGBTQ Americans face, especially transgender Americans. In STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS-THE ILLYRIAN ENIGMA, Commander Una Chin-Riley first officer and helmsman of the U.S.S. Ricardo Montalban as Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan (1982). Each county pays and supports the Lyran fleet; providing it with necessary maintenance while the local county controls the local border stations. It seems that the good doctor wouldnt allow anyone to modify its systems during the last visit to Spacedock because hes keeping his daughter in transporter stasis within its pattern buffer! 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. He has met five Doctors, two Starfleet captains and one Luke Skywalker, and once sat in the cockpit of "Red Dwarf"'s Starbug. I can see why they thought it would work for that episode and for the character of Julian Bashir in particular, but it doesnt make a lot of sense when you think about it in the larger context of the Trek universe, for the very reasons Number One enumerates to Laan. He comes on board during a crisis on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and not only meets Spock ( Ethan Peck) but also gains . This has prevented the race from actively stretching their rule to dominating the galaxy. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' concluded its first season with a cliffhanger. The U.S.S. Published May 19, 2022 Number One's secret history has finally been revealed by Strange New Worlds, solving a 56-year-old mystery since the very start of Star Trek. She takes the stand to show the Federation Council what an Illyrian officer looks and sounds like, and she shares her childhood because it gives them an understanding of what she's gone through. 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 detailthese so-called Augments had a massive superiority complex that resulted in an unstoppable desire to conquer and subjugate ordinary homo sapiens. Spocks 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. The problem is, its so aggressive that theres nothing left for MBenga to work with by the time she admits her heritage. 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. While the world of Star Trek never fully embraces that realization, the franchise has shown sympathy for those harmed by the Federation dictate. The utopian ideals ofStarfleet and the Federation frequently came up against the beliefs and attitudes of various space travelers, forcing the crew to reconcile some pretty difficult concepts in a way that might be more digestible to audiences at home. 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. Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. 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. The cancelation of Enterprise signalled the end of Star Trek on TV for over a decade, with the torch being handed on to a multi-million dollar movie franchise headed up by Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Latest Social Metaphor Is Classic Trek, gave fans one of the best "Star Trek" metaphors in years, medical transition or gender-affirming treatment has been outlawed, famously wrestled with his hatred ofKlingons in "Star TrekVI: The Undiscovered Country,", In order to join Starfleet, Una was forced to lie and hide her heritage. Think of it as the outbreaks in The Naked Time and The Naked Now crossed with the euphoria of the anaphasic ghost candle from TNGs Sub Rosa.. It precedes Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The High Country, the upcoming novel written by John Jackson Miller, who previously wrote the Star Trek: Discovery novel The Enterprise War, also featuring Strange New Worlds' Pike, Spock, and Number One. 2023 CBS Studios Inc., Paramount Pictures Corporation, and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies. She is able to request asylum because Federation law allows persecuted people to seek safety in Starfleet. Said backstory has now been incorporated into the onscreen canon, with an interesting twist, One of my biggest issues with the first two episodes of SNW is the lack of focus on Number One. Una dreamed of being a Starfleet officer since she was a child, despite knowing that she wouldn't be welcome. Spocks 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. That plot, ironically, involves an Illyrian colony that is on a planet regularly. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds -- The Illyrian Enigma occurs during the gap between Strange New Worlds ' first and second seasons, beginning shortly after Una's arrest. Dr Julian Bashir from Star Trek Deep Space Nine.