Star Trek: Discovery season 2 looks to be embracing the history of the franchise in some major ways. The most notable is that Ethan Peck’s joining the cast as a young (and bearded!) Spock. Also becoming part of the ensemble are Anson Mount’s Captain Christopher Pike and Rebecca Romijn’s Number One. But is this it for familiar faces in the new run? Apparently not, according to showrunner Alex Kurtzman.
During the Discovery panel at this weekend’s New York Comic Con, one fan asked Kurtzman if any other classic characters would appear in season 2. The showrunner was surprisingly forthcoming, replying with the one word answer: “Yes.”
He didn’t just leave at that, either, going on to ask the fan whether they liked the Talosians. Trek fans who know their stuff will recall that the big-headed alien species first appeared in The Original Series pilot “The Cage.” In many ways, Discovery season 2 will act as a prequel to that episode, then, as Pike, Number One and Spock all featured in it as well.
Set ten years before TOS, Discovery has the opportunity to fill in the gaps between “The Cage” – which features many cast and stylistic changes from the actual show – and Trek as we know it. One major way it’ll do this is by explaining how Spock goes from the more relaxed, human character from the pilot to the removed, logician that we know and love.
Pike will also be fleshed out a lot more beyond his occasional appearances in TOS. Following the truth of former Captain Gabriel Lorca coming out in season 1, Pike will jump over from the U.S.S. Enterprise to take over as acting captain of the Discovery. Though initially distrustful of him, the crew will apparently be “galvanized” by the charming hero.
Star Trek: Discovery returns to CBS All-Access for its second season on January 17th.
