Right now, one of the biggest questions among Star Trek viewers is when Strange New Worlds season 3 will have a huge cast, but that’s about all.

Because of that massive cliffhanger, it is reasonable to assume that Strange New Worlds season 3 will start off with a confrontation with the Gorn. Starfleet has ordered Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) to avoid war with the Gorn, so seeing how Captain Pike will manage to save his friends and crew without kicking off a massive conflict should be gripping. But, after the past 2 seasons, I have to it that I am starting to get tired of the Gorn as Strange New Worlds' principal antagonists - I think it's time for something new in season 3.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Needs To Move Beyond The Gorn

The Gorn Are More Monsters Than Antagonists

With so many strange new worlds and corresponding species for the Enterprise to encounter, I think Captain Pike is ready to face a new antagonist in Strange New Worlds season 3. The Gorn have been Strange New Worlds’ main enemy since season 1, episode 4 “Memento Mori,” and they have been incredibly effective in that role. Indeed, some of the most intense scenes in the series have come from Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) grappling with her traumatic childhood on a Gorn breeding planet. So far, the Gorn have been a compelling antagonist, but Captain Pike is capable of more.

Several episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks have shown that, by the 2380s, Federation-Gorn relationships had stablized to the point of having Gorn restaurants on Federation space stations.

The Gorn are more horror movie monsters than antagonists in Strange New Worlds. Gorn breeding planets are functionally torture chambers, and the Gorn process of breeding is the most horrific death in the entire Star Trek franchise. Captain Pike is a diplomat with decades of Starfleet experience, but the sheer monstrosity of the Gorn means, most of the time, the Captain of the Enterprise does not get to show off his greatest talents. A new antagonist would give Captain Pike a chance to shine rather than just reacting to monsters.

Why The Klingons Should Be The New Enemy Of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Enterprise

They Can Push Captain Pike Better Than Any Other Enemy

The Klingons would be the perfect new enemy for Captain Pike to face in Strange New Worlds season 3. Michael Dorn's character, Captain Worf, has shown time and time again the rich depths of Klingon culture, and that complex society would be a perfect proving ground for Captain Pike's diplomatic abilities. Furthermore, despite Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) drinking with Klingons in an earlier episode of season 2, the Klingon Empire is still an enemy of the Federation, making the Klingons a natural adversary for the early 2260s.

Star Trek: The Original Series has already established that conflicts between the Federation and the Klingon Empire will continue, so there is plenty of space to explore that conflict. But even beyond The Original Series, the current Strange New Worlds crew of the Enterprise has a lot of reasons to conflict with the Klingons. Dr. Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun), Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), and Lt. Noonien-Singh all fought in the Klingon war and actively mistrust Klingons to this day. Furthermore, Dr. M'Benga killed a Klingon Ambassador in season 2, episode 8, "Under the Cloak of War." Tensions are high.

The Klingons in Strange New Worlds are able to push Captain Pike to the next level in a way that the Gorn are simply incapable of.

Captain Pike is already poised to be forced to choose between protecting his crew and Starfleet loyalty, and throwing a direct conflict with the Klingons into the mix could push the Captain to the breaking point. To put things very simply, the Klingons in Strange New Worlds are able to push Captain Pike to the next level in a way that the Gorn are simply incapable of. As such, I really hope that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds moves in a new direction for season 3 and replaces the Gorn as primary antagonists.