Who is Khan Noonien Singh from Star Trek?

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The galaxy far, far away has Darth Vader, the Emperor, Grand Admiral Thrawn and a host of other iconic baddies. Yet, Star Trek and the galaxy right, right here isn't as focused on individual villains that way. However, if the universe created by Gene Roddenberry has a single, identifiable villain it's a 20th Century human who found himself in the future. Khan Noonien Singh is an important villain in Star Trek , and those who don't already know his story are in for an incredible adventure. The character has a long history in the nearly 60-year-old saga, and he remains important to its past and future.

Originally appearing in the Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1 episode, "Space Seed," the character was conceived as a Viking-style character. Roddenberry, however, wanted to subvert the audience expectations of the 1960s by changing that background. The character was named Khan Noonien Singh, in part because Roddenberry hoped a similarly-named acquaintance from World War II would see it and seek him out. (Alas, he never did.) The character was conceived as an actor of West Asian heritage, but the only actor they could convincingly cast to play the futuristic super man was Ricardo Montalban. In 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness, Benedict Cumberbatch was cast to play Khan Noonien Singh, despite him looking more "Viking" than West Asian. While "Space Seed" is an iconic Star Trek: TOS episode, it wasn't until his return in 1982's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan written and directed by Nicholas Meyer. Not only did this revitalize the character, but the film reenergized the entire Star Trek franchise after The Motion Picture failed to spark joy in the hearts of Trekkers.

RELATED: This Star Trek: TOS Character Would Fit Perfectly In Strange New Worlds

Who Is Khan Noonien Singh In the Star Trek Canon?

The "Space Seed" episode revealed two things about the Star Trek universe. It revealed the "Eugenics Wars," which involved Khan Noonien Singh. Khan, among others, were genetically engineered to be "perfect" humans. The episode also revealed that as a result of these wars the "records" of that time were mostly lost to Starfleet. Still, Spock told Captain Kirk Kahn ascended into power in 1992 and was defeated in 1996 (30 years from the show's real-world present-day). Khan and 96 of his fellow genetic augments were put into a kind of stasis and sent off into space, where they drifted until the USS Enterprise found the vessel and awakened them. A historian on the Enterprise, Marla McGivers, was charmed by Khan and, almost, helped him take over the ship. Once Kirk and company retook the vessel, he allowed Khan, McGivers and his people to settle on Ceti Alpha V to build a new life for themselves.

In the beginning of The Wrath of Khan , Pavel Chekov (a character not added to The Original Series until Season 2) landed on what they believed was Ceti Alpha VI. They soon found Khan and what remained of his people, because the planet had "shifted" its orbit after a cataclysm. Kahn captured Chekov's ship, the USS Reliant, and used it to take possession of the Genesis Device. Created by Kirk's former partner Carol Marcus and Kirk's son David, it could take a lifeless world and make it teeming with life in hours. Khan wanted to use it as a weapon, but he also wanted to visit vengeance on Kirk. At the end of the film, he's defeated and famously quotes Moby Dick before he uses the Genesis Device to destroy his own ship. "From Hell's heart I stab at thee," he says, "for hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."

In Strange New Worlds Season 2, Khan's descendant, La'an Noonien Singh , was sent back in time to the early 21st Century to stop a cataclysm. In Star Trek: Voyager , the crew was sent back to 1996, but instead of a Eugenics War-ravaged landscape, they found the dawn of the internet age. This was established as the "fault" of another time-travel accident. When La'an arrived in her past, she encountered Sera, a Romulan agent from the "Temporal Wars." She was sent back to 1992 to kill Khan in order to prevent the Federation and Starfleet from ever existing. Yet, because of the other time-shenanigans, Khan wasn't born until the 21st Century. "Time pushes back," she told La'an, implying that "canon events" aren't just limited to the Spider-Verse.

RELATED: Kevin Feige's Secret Ingredient in the MCU Came From Star Trek's 'Worst' Movie

Why Khan Noonien Singh Is So Important to Star Trek Fans and Storytellers

Khan Noonien Singh remains important to the larger Star Trek story because of what he represents about the universe's past. The Eugenics Wars, now set in the mid-21st Century also coincided with "World War III," the cataclysm from which Star Trek 's ideal future emerged. In Star Trek: First Contact , the crew of the USS Enterprise-E are sent back to ensure that Zefram Cochrane makes the first warp-drive flight, causing the Vulcans to visit Earth. Khan represents the personification of the worst of humanity. Notions of superiority, violence and authoritarianism are the main impediments, Roddenberry believed, to the idyllic future humanity was capable of achieving.

His many returns, from "Space Seed" in Star Trek: The Original Series to The Wrath of Khan are a warning that these human foibles, like Star Wars ' Palpatine , will somehow return if people aren't careful. Yet, Khan didn't just help create the universe in the narrative. After The Motion Picture , fans hoped for a return to the type of storytelling Star Trek: TOS was known for. Nicholas Meyer delivered a film that felt a bit like an episode of the show on a grander scale. Yet, it also kicked off a run of four more movies that helped cement Star Trek as an enduring franchise. Fans were enamored by the film and its sequels. Even when he's not present, he influences the story. Star Trek: Picard Season 3 thematically echoed the "trilogy" that started with The Wrath of Khan through Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .

Khan is a genetically altered super man who was so cruel, violent and despotic he almost destroyed the planet. Yet, like most real-world villains, the actual Khan was charming, seemingly measured. Ricardo Montalban infused the character with gravitas and even humor, along with his impressive bare chest (which was not a prosthetic in the movie). If the heroes of Star Trek represent the best of humanity, Khan represents the worst of it. Heroes are defined by their villains, and any hero that can take out a guy like Khan Noonien Singh is an impressive one indeed.

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La'an Noonien-Singh

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She is portrayed by English actress Christina Chong .

Biography [ ]

Noonien-Singh was born on the colony world Alpha I on December 8, 2228 to Sa'an and Ronu Noonien-Singh. She had a brother named Manu. Noonien-Singh and her family were descendants of the Augment tyrant Khan Noonien Singh , who had fathered at least one child prior to leaving Earth in the 1990s. Noonien-Singh had a difficult childhood, being bullied by others due to her connection to Khan. When her family was traveling on the SS Puget Sound the ship was captured by the Gorn. She and the other passengers were taken to a Gorn nursery. Her family and the other passengers were all killed and used as nourishment for Gorn hatchlings. Noonien-Singh was set adrift in a small spacecraft, which was rescued by the USS Martin Luther King Jr. She became friends with Ensign Una Chin-Riley , who helped her through the ordeal. Inspired by Chin-Riley, Noonien-Singh joined Starfleet herself.

In 2259 she was posted to the USS Enterprise under the command of Captain Christopher Pike as the ship's acting first officer. At the time she held the rank of Lieutenant. The Enterprise traveled to Kiley 279 to rescue Chin-Riley, who had gone missing during a mission to make first contact with the Kiley people. After rescuing Number One and Pike got the different factions on the world to make peace with each other, Noonien-Singh remained on the Enterprise , and became the ship's new security chief.

Later in 2259 her knowledge of the Gorn was crucial to ensuring the survival of the USS Enterprise after the Gorn attacked a colony and then the USS Enterprise . When a young colony survivor named Fig described the clicking noises made by the aliens who had invaded their colony La'an realized the attackers were likely Gorn and signaled the bridge. When the Gorn ships revealed themselves Enterprise was heavily damaged with seven crew and three civilians being killed in the attack. With assistance from Mr. Spock she was able to retrieve memories that helped her decode messages sent between the Gorn, and fake a message that caused one of the attacking Gorn ships to turn on the other one and destroy it.

While the Enterprise was being repaired at Starbase 1 and the crew off on shore leave, she and Chin-Riley were among the few crew not to go on shore leave. Discovering a game called "Enterprise Bingo" that junior officers and enlisted people played where they had to perform certain tasks without getting caught the two decided to play the game. The pair one-upped the unsanctioned space walk on the list by extending a forcefield and atmosphere over the hull of the Enterprise so they could walk on the hull without spacesuits, and both signed the oldest hull plate attached to the ship.

After another harrowing encounter with the Gorn that led to the death of chief engineer Hemmer, Noonien-Singh took a leave of absence from Starfleet. However, she would soon contact the Enterprise crew to assist her in stopping a plot to reignite the Federation-Klingon War. Afterwards, she rejoined the Enterprise crew and played a pivotal part in defending Una from a Federation tribunal after Una was exposed as an Illyrian.

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WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, season 2, episode 2, "Ad Astra per Aspera." Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has added new layers to the history of Star Trek: The Original Series' genetically enhanced tyrant Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban) proving that the character still has a lasting influence on Star Trek decades after his first appearance. In "Ad Astra per Aspera" Number One (Rebecca Romijn) was put on trial for concealing the truth about her own genetic enhancements. The court case exposed the considerable prejudice that Starfleet had towards so-called Augments, rooted in their fear of the emergence of another Khan Noonien-Singh.

The shadow of Khan hovered over the proceedings in the court, as the reality of the Federation's ban on genetic enhancements became clear. In seeking to avoid the creation of another brutal warlord, Starfleet are revealed to be unwittingly condoning the persecution of species like the Illyrians, for whom genetic engineering is a part of their culture. Una's trial in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds revealed that, long after his self-imposed exile, Khan continued to assert his influence. Khan's return 8 years after Una's trial will surely only exacerbate progress in the fight against the Federation's augment ban.

RELATED: What “Ad Astra Per Aspera” Means In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Who Is Khan Noonien Singh In Star Trek

Khan Noonien Singh was one of several genetically enhanced humans who outgrew their creators to become rulers of more than forty nations on Earth. Star Trek has never confirmed for certain whether Khan was the product of selective breeding or was instead genetically engineered at a young age. Star Trek: Picard teased Project Khan , which implied that Khan was definitely created, although no further details have since been given. Khan had superior physical strength and intellect to his fellow humans and this superiority bred an ambition for world dominance in Khan and his fellow Augments.

Khan was the most prominent superhuman and ruled over a quarter of the Earth's population. Although he was described as a benevolent dictator, Khan disapproved of individuality, which stunted the financial and scientific growth of his region. Not satisfied to simply rule over their own territories, the Augments began warring with each other, leading to the devastating Eugenics Wars. Khan and 84 of his most loyal followers escaped the conflict aboard the SS Botany Bay, bound for space but without direction. They would continue to float through space for centuries until they were discovered in 2267.

What Happened When Kirk Woke Up Khan In Star Trek: TOS

In the classic Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed", the USS Enterprise discovered the SS Botany Bay adrift in space, and Captain James T Kirk (William Shatner) woke Khan from cryogenic sleep. When Kirk and Lt. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) realized that they'd awoken a notorious tyrant, they confined Khan to quarters. However, Khan's attempted takeover of Captain Kirk's Enterprise had already begun in earnest. Khan read up on the history he'd missed and he seduced Lt. Marla McGivers (Madlyn Rhue) so that she would assist his escape. With Marla's help, Khan awoke his followers and then staged a hijacking of the Enterprise, intending to use the Federation flagship to conquer a nearby colony.

Kirk and the crew fought back, with the help of a guilty McGivers. With his dreams of conquest shattered Khan attempted to destroy the USS Enterprise by overloading the warp core, but he was foiled by Kirk. Left with the problem of how to deal with the tyrant, Kirk offered Khan the chance to " rule in hell " by taming the hostile world of Ceti Alpha V and setting up a colony there with his followers and Marla. Khan accepted Kirk's challenge, but life on Ceti Alpha V would prove to be arduous even for a genetically enhanced superman.

What Happened In Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan

In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , the USS Reliant discovered Khan and his followers on what they believed to be the barren and uninhabited Ceti Alpha VI. However, the sixth planet in the system hadactually been destroyed six months after Khan and his followers were exiled to Ceti Alpha V, causing widespread ecological devastation. Khan was able to keep his followers alive, but it was hard, and he lost his wife in the process. Khan rightly hated Kirk , as neither he nor Starfleet checked in on the colony in the 15 years since they were exiled there. Presented with a Starfleet vessel, Khan hijacked the Reliant and cruelly abandoned the majority of its crew on Ceti Alpha V.

Khan then set out to steal the Genesis Device and lure Admiral James T Kirk into a final battle, luring the USS Enterprise to Regula and eventually trapping him underground. Khan felt this was a suitable punishment as he had marooned Kirk " for all eternity at the center of a dead planet. Buried alive… buried alive. " Kirk wasn't buried alive for long, and was soon back aboard the Enterprise, pursuing Khan and the stolen Genesis Device. Once again, Khan resorted to the nuclear option by intending to detonate the Genesis Device inside the Mutara Nebula, which would destroy both the Reliant and the Enterprise. Thanks to the heroic sacrifice of Spock, the Enterprise escaped the explosion, which claimed the life of Khan and his Augment supporters.

How Is Khan Related To Strange New Worlds’ La’an Noonien-Singh?

Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) is a descendant of Khan, presumably via a son or daughter that he had left behind on Earth. It's clear from "Space Seed" that the Eugenics War had torn the world apart, likely making it difficult for Khan to locate his family members before leaving on the SS Botany Bay. Beyond La'an's parents Ronu and Sa'an, and her brother Manu, not much is known about the Noonien-Singh family tree in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Tragically, La'an no longer has any family following her ordeal on the Gorn breeding planet, which makes her Khan's only known living descendant at this stage in Star Trek 's 23rd century.

Prior to her ordeal at the hands of the Gorn, La'an's childhood was difficult because of her family name, leading to playground taunts from the other children. It was confirmed in "Ad Astra per Aspera" that La'an inherited Khan's enhancements , leading her to worry about one day becoming as dangerous as her ancestor. La'an's heritage briefly put her at odds with her mentor, Commander Una Chin-Riley after she disclosed that she too was genetically enhanced. La'an's super strength and analytical mind will make her a valuable asset in the Federation's potential war with the Gorn Hegemony.

RELATED: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Sets Up A Star Trek Canon-Breaking Gorn War

Why Does The Federation Always Fear Khan In Every Star Trek Era?

Khan Noonien Singh casts a long shadow across Federation history, from Star Trek: The Original Series to Star Trek: Prodigy . Starfleet's fear of the rise of another Khan has stood in the way of the careers of budding cadet Dal R'El (Brett Gray) and has almost ended the careers of Number One in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . That fear is well-placed given the chaos that was unleashed when Khan was awoken in the 23rd century, prompting the elderly Spock to observe that the Augment was the most dangerous threat the Enterprise crew ever faced.

A good example of why Khan is still so feared is what happened when the Kelvin Timeline's Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller) discovered the SS Botany Bay in Star Trek Into Darkness . As a member of Section 31, Khan Noonien Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch) strategized a military offensive to considerably weaken the Klingon Empire, while also contributing to the construction of the new Dreadnought-class warships overseen by Marcus. Khan's super strength, his sense of superiority and his ability to single-handedly strategize a full-scale military campaign is what makes the idea of another Augment like him so terrifying across every Star Trek era and timeline.

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La'an's Noonien-Singh Family Augmentations In Star Trek: Strange New World Explained

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds La'an

In the latest episode of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," called "Ad Astra Per Aspera," Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) is put on trial for her genetics. It seems that she was not human as initially thought, but a genetically enhanced Illyrian. Chin-Riley lied about her species and her genetic status on her applications to Starfleet Academy and is now facing a court martial. While this may not seem like a big deal to non-Trekkies, those versed in Trek lore will know that genetic alteration is a massive no-no. 

In the timeline of "Star Trek," Earth underwent a series of devastating wars in the 1990s called the Eugenics Wars. It was a time when genetically enhanced humans moved to conquer the Earth, and largely succeeded. One of the more notorious conquerors of the Eugenics Wars was Khan Noonien-Singh, the character played by Ricardo Montalbán in the 1967 Trek episode "Space Seed" as well as the 1982 feature film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." As anyone who has seen Khan's episodes know, genetically enhanced supermen are prone to domination and villainy. 

Because of the Eugenics Wars, the Federation became incredibly draconian about the practice, strictly outlawing anyone who engages in genetic tinkering. This is not just bad news for Commander Chin-Riley, but also for Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh, Khan's long-lost granddaughter. As a descendant of Khan, La'an bears the same genetic enhancements. Despite inheriting the trait from birth, her genes might put La'an in legal trouble with the Federation. 

Genetic augmentation was most deeply explored in a notable three-part story arc on "Star Trek: Enterprise." "Borderland," "Cold Station 12," and "The Augments" aired on October 29, November 5, and November 12, 2004. 

The Augments

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds La'an

Trek's ban on genetic augmentation was always lurking in the background of the franchise, but it was rarely spoken of aloud. It seemed generally accepted that tinkering with a child's genes prior to birth ... well, it merely wasn't done in the future. It was not just taboo, it was illegal. 

It seems that Khan, the other genetically enhanced tyrants of the Eugenics Wars — and a lot of Earth's genetic manipulation in general — was perpetrated by several generations of men named Soong.

In "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Dr. Noonien Soong (Brent Spiner) was the creator of the android Data (Spiner), his evil twin Lore (Spiner), as well as his prototype B-4 (Spiner). Later on, in the above-mentioned three-part arc of "Enterprise," audiences would learn about an ancestor of Noonien's named Dr. Arik Soong (Spiner). It was Arik, a villainous character, that had fully implemented an intergenerational gene manipulation project that stemmed from Khan and the Eugenics Wars. Arik was keen to enhance people for his own nefarious eugenics purposes and had been implanting Klingons with altered human DNA to make them stronger. His goals were wholly nefarious, and an illustration as to why altered genetics were banned.

It seems, in so doing, the Klingons began to look more human. This was the in-canon reason why Klingons looked the way they did in the original series, but had enlarged craniums by "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." It seems the altered Soong genes were merely being thinned by normal Klingon reproduction. At the end of the "Enterprise" arc, Arik realized genetics was not an ethical way to build a superman. Maybe, he posited, an android would be better. It might take a few generations ... 

And he wasn't the last we'd hear of the Soong family.

The star of the Khan Project

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds dress

If we reach all the way back to 2024, we'll meet Dr. Adam Soong (Spiner again). In the second season of "Star Trek: Picard," the show's main cast would travel back in time and meet one of Data's earliest ancestors keen on genetic manipulation. Yes, the goal to create a "perfect being" has been continuing apace for centuries. Adam — also a villainous character — was attempting to build a daughter from scratch, ridding her system of imperfections and illnesses. Adam would eventually ally himself with the Borg (don't ask), and try to assassinate an ancestor of Picard's (again, don't ask). 

Adam's adult daughter (Isa Briones) would eventually learn that her genes were being manipulated against her will, and would destroy Adam's research and flee. The despondent Adam, in digging through the rubble of his burned-out lab, would find a file folder detailing something called the Khan Project. Yes, it seems that Data's great-great-great-great grandfather was the man responsible for kicking off Earth's eugenics project in earnest. One family created both Data and Khan. This would be a shocker if it weren't ... well, if it weren't so silly. 

One might note that I said earlier that the Eugenics Wars took place in the 1990s, and that "Picard" takes place in 2024. Yeah, Trekkies are keen to ignore that. It seems that the future of "Star Trek" keeps getting pushed back.

Which leads us right back to La'an. During the Eugenics Wars, it seems Khan had a child, and that child had La'an. While La'an was not genetically altered, she still carries her grandfather's augmentations. Technically illegal, but given that she is a generation removed, it's likely Starfleet gave her special dispensation. She's certainly not hiding, as she still uses the name Noonien-Singh. 

Trek Central’s Who is La’an Noonien Singh in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

By chad porto | oct 7, 2021.

HOLLYWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 10: (L-R) Actors Alex Baht and Christian Contreras, executive producer at 343 Industries Studio Kiki Wolfkill, and actors Steve Waddington, Christina Chong, Mike Colter, and Sarah Armstrong walk the Green Carpet at HaloFest at the Avalon Theatre on Monday, Nov. 10, 2014 in Los Angeles to celebrate the launch of 'Halo: The Master Chief Collection” on Xbox One. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Microsoft)

La’an Noonien Singh is set to appear in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

The upcoming new show Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is promising to go back to the “adventure of the week” format that made Star Trek so popular in the 60s, 80s, and 90s. It’s not only going back to a format that worked very well for the franchise but is also going back to the ship crew that started it all. Not only will the show be set in the U.S.S. Enterprise, but it will also feature known characters likes Captain Christopher Pike, Una Chin-Riley (aka Number One) Uhura, and Spock. They won’t be the only familiar names as La’an Noonien Singh will debut with the series.

Noonien Singh is suspected to be related to khan Noonien Singh, one of Star Trek’s ultimate bad guys.

There isn’t a lot known about La’an just yet, and what her relation to Khan is, if there is any. That’s why Trek Central did a video breaking down all the possibilities that could come with who she is and what possible storylines she could be involved in.

La’an Noonien Singh does muck up the Star Trek timeline a bit.

One of the great key points brought up in the video is how will they explain away her potential to Khan, while still respecting cannon. After all, Spock never once brings up the fact that he knew Khan’s relative during the events of Space Seed or Wrath of Khan.

Sure, there might be an easy way to figure this out, simply make it “classified” or some such thing as that but considering the relationship with Spock and James Kirk, and how personal the issues with Kirk and Khan were, it would make plenty of sense for the two to have had several discussions pertaining to her familial relations.

This actually might be a hint that Kirk does in fact show up in the early seasons of Strange New Worlds. If there is some profound moment involving Kirk, Spock, and La’an, then maybe that may explain the whole bit.

Maybe she’ll end up getting erased from history; which would then bring up the question of why she was ever mentioned in the first place.

Who knows? It does leave fans a good reason to tune in, however.

Next. The Top 100 episodes in Star Trek franchise history according to metrics. dark

Why La'an Noonien-Singh From Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Looks So Familiar

Christina Chong at a movie premier

La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) has a last name that tends to get her in some hot water in the Federation. This is because she is a relative of Khan Noonien-Singh (Ricardo Montalban), a genetically altered human being who, at one point, controlled over a quarter of the surface of Earth during the Eugenics War. He is eventually stopped, but the last name of Noonien-Singh carries some pretty serious stigma. That doesn't stop Captain Christoper Pike (Anson Mount) from trusting her in her capacity as Chief of Security for the USS Enterprise in "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds." 

La'an has a rather serious demeanor and cold personality that tends to keep most people away, though that's not an issue holding back her friendship with Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), another crew member on the Enterprise that tends to carry an aura of mystery. However, this is far from Chong's first role as an actor, and she actually has had a varied and diverse career up to this point. Where exactly have we seen her before?

Chong appears as a stewardess in Johnny English Reborn

Christina Chong as stewardess smiling

Perhaps one of the first times people may remember seeing Christina Chong is in the 2011 film, "Johnny English Reborn." This particular movie is a spoof on "James Bond"-style spy thrillers and stars Rowan Atkinson, Rosamund Pike, Dominic West, Roger Barclay, and Eric Carte (via IMDb ). Atkinson played the titular character of Johnny English, a bumbling spy who manages to stumble his way through dangerous and unpredictable situations.

In "Johnny English Reborn," Chong portrayed a minor character named Barbara. Although not connected to anything in the high-stakes world of spy games, Barbara is a stewardess on an international flight that sees her serve Johnny a glass of champagne, and the legendary spy attempts to flirt with her. Although she only made a brief appearance in "Johnny English Reborn," the role helped Chong get some notoriety, and she went on to star in bigger and more important roles.

Chong is a specialized doctor in the short-lived British series Monroe

Sarah Witney introduces herself in Monroe

The next big adventure for Chong was in the short-lived British medical drama, "Monroe." Running from 2011 to 2012, "Monroe" is about a brilliant neurosurgeon, and it starred James Nesbitt, Tom Riley, Sarah Parish, Luke Allen-Gale, and Susan Lynch (via IMDb ). Chong played the character of Sarah Witney, who appeared in all 12 episodes of the show. Inspired by television series like "House," writer Peter Bowker told The Guardian in 2010 , "It may be foolish to compare the two but with neurologists, as with House, there is this very intense 10 days when you work with them on a case and then you say goodbye – it is really quite fascinating and will hopefully make great drama."

Chong's character of Witney is subordinate to Dr. Bremner (Parish) and is a cardio-thoracic registrar on the show, which is a specialized doctor in the British National Health Service that focuses on the heart, lungs, and other organs of the chest. According to Broadcast , the show was eventually canceled due to low ratings, but that certainly didn't slow Chong's career down.

Chong is a CIA operative in 24: Live Another Day

Mariana has some questions for the CIA

Casting aside her stewardess and doctor's uniforms, Christina Chong lent her talents to the television miniseries "24: Live Another Day" in 2014. This series is a direct and limited sequel to the popular series "24," and it starred Kiefer Sutherland, Yvonne Strahovski, Tate Donovan, Mary Lynn Rajskub, William Devane, and Kim Raver (via IMDb ). "24: Live Another Day" picks up with Jack Bauer (Sutherland) in exile, and immediately casts the character into a vast global conspiracy involving drones, China, Russia, and the U.S. president.

Chong played Mariana, a CIA operative tasked with mostly administrative work. Appearing in five episodes, Mariana is important because she works at the London office of the CIA and helps maintain the flow of information between agents and the section chief. She even interacts with Bauer as he interrogates a suspect. In the last episode Mariana appears in, Bauer sets off an explosion to act as a diversion, but Mariana remains unharmed. 

Chong helps fill in the story between Halo 4 and Halo 5 in Halo: Nightfall

Macer is ready for battle in Halo: Nightfall

Utilizing her previous acting experience as government agents, Christina Chong's next notable role was in the limited series "Halo: Nightfall." Based on the hit video game series and created with the help of Ridley Scott's production company, the five-episode "Halo: Nightfall" series starred Steven Waddington, Mike Colter, Christian Contreras, Alex Bhat, and Luke Neal (via IMDb ). "Halo: Nightfall" is about a far-flung human colony that is exposed to an incredibly virulent biological agent. Its storyline helps connect the stories of the video games "Halo 4" and "Halo 5."

Chong played Talitha Macer, who is part of the Sedran Colonial Guard, and appeared in every episode of "Halo: Nightfall." Speaking with the Evening Standard about her role on the show and how it was the most intense thing she had done up to that point, Chong stated, "We were shooting in Iceland and Belfast. It was minus 40 in Iceland but we had to pretend it was 50 degrees as we ran over ragged rocks in the rain." 

Having played a stewardess, doctor, government agent, and soldier, Chong definitely has what it takes to be the USS Enterprise's Chief of Security.

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‘star trek: strange new worlds’ star christina chong discusses her heartbreaking childhood connection to la’an noonien-singh.

In a revealing chat with THR, Chong discussed turning pain into strength and using all those emotions to better capture and understand the complexities of her character.

By Ryan Parker

Ryan Parker

Former Senior Reporter

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Christina Chong as La’an of STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers for the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode “Memento Mori.”] 

Christina Chong instantly understood her Star Trek: Strange New Worlds character, La’an Noonien-Singh. It was a heartbreaking realization.

With an English mother and Chinese father, the actress was brutally teased in her youth because of her ethnicity. Mostly, it was the last name that made her an easy target for the spewed venom, she explains to The Hollywood Reporter.

La’an, the Enterprise’s newly assigned chief of security, faced similar struggles in her youth as a descendant of the Augment tyrant Khan Noonien-Singh (Ricardo Montalban). She is tormented and ridiculed, and thus as an adult struggles with self-acceptance and building personal relationships. Bottom line: She has some serious walls.

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But in Thursday’s episode, “Memento Mori,” La’an begins to soften as some complicated layers are peeled back while she faces her greatest fear, in arguably the most intense and emotional chapter yet in the new Paramount+ series.

In her chat with THR , Chong discussed turning pain into strength and using all those emotions to better capture the complexities of La’an, all the while developing a new appreciation for the lessons of Star Trek .

We are finally getting to see what a deep and complex person La’an truly is. Between feeling like an outcast for being Noonien-Singh to a horrifying Gorn survival backstory, can you talk about developing her character’s composition?

What I connected to was being judged for who you are and your name. Although my mom is English, my dad is Chinese. And I don’t necessarily look English, and I don’t necessarily look Chinese, but my name is Chong. And throughout my childhood, that brought on bullying and racism. The whole journey of both being judged, having that stigma attached to a name and who you are, was easily translatable and easy to personalize.

How awful you connected to La’an for such a horrible reason.

I had this deep kind of feeling of being ashamed growing up. I remember being at school and if my mom would say, “Your dad is picking you up tonight,” fear would set in because I thought, “If Dad comes to pick me up, everyone will be reminded I’m part Chinese, and the next day the bullying is going to be even worse.” I felt that shame, and I never really wanted to be seen around my dad because of that. I remember this one time walking through the playground to the car and people pulling their eyes in front of my dad.

It was only really when I was about 14, and I went to a performing arts school where everyone was from a different background, that for the first time I felt accepted for who I was. They all were talented, and they all wanted the same thing. And that’s parallel to the crew on the Enterprise. La’an comes onto the Enterprise, and they accept her for who she is. It’s been an incredible journey, how Star Trek has enabled me to use my experience and put that into her. Timing-wise, it all sort of clicked.

In addition to the deep, emotional connection, did you realize right away the strong, classic Star Trek threads in her DNA via Khan and the Gorn?

I had to do a lot of research. There was a two-week quarantine period where I just completely blitzed The Original Series and Discovery . I didn’t really know anything when I’d been given this role. I accepted the job obviously knowing that it’s a huge franchise, and when they told me about Khan, I was just like. “Wow, this is an amazing character arc!” And it’s crazy that you get to know so much about her in such a short period of time, especially in episode four. You get a full history of what she’s been through and understand why she’s so guarded.

On top of all those layers, it seems to me she is plagued with serious survivor’s guilt over the Gorn massacre, which is making her even more closed off to any personal connections. Am I on the right track?

You’ve nailed it on the head. It’s the fibers of guilt, but it’s also accepting her personal loss. The Enterprise crew is her new family. In a way, she’s taken her role as security chief to protect her new family. I think why she’s holding herself back is for her, if you love somebody, they then get killed. So, it’s better to remain guarded, keep that distance. But then when she is faced with her biggest fear, her walls do start to come down. And I think she really starts to realize she’s got to take these risks if she wants to really live. She has to start opening up and connecting and letting people in. She’s still got a long way to go, and that’s her main journey throughout the season.

Backtracking for a moment, that was an intense fight between La’an and Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) in episode three. Tell me about training for that moment.

A lot of rehearsal went into that because we didn’t film the fight when we filmed the episode. That was filmed later as a pickup day, so we had a lot of time to rehearse. But it’s funny, every time we came into the rehearsal room, it would change. So it was like, that fight you learned last week, it’s now this. That happened about five or six times because of things still working out, like the set and different ideas. We did do a lot of it ourselves, but I have to say that the credit goes to our stunt doubles. We did do a lot, but those tricky big throws and lands — all them.

And lastly, I would love to hear what the show has come to mean for you. In my previous cast interviews, I was told the bonds and friendships became strong instantly. Accurate for you, too?

I had no expectations for this show coming in because I had no real knowledge of how Star Trek was loved because if you don’t watch, you don’t understand. For me, coming in, it’s been such a huge gift to slowly unravel. The cast is incredible. We all bring something unique. I love that we all have different personalities, which somehow, weirdly gel on- and off-set. But the biggest revelation for me, on a personal level, was the message that Strange New Worlds continues to pass on of hope, diversity and inclusion.

Interview edited for length and clarity. 

New episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds stream Thursdays on Paramount+.

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STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS’ Christina Chong on La’an Noonien Singh’s Season 2 Journey

One of the breakout characters of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been La’an Noonien Singh, the Enterprise ‘s security chief, played by Christina Chong. Although Strange New Worlds has many legacy characters from Trek history, La’an was new. While not a legacy character, she carried a legacy tied to Star Trek ‘s past, as she is the descendent of ultimate Trek villain , Khan Noonien Singh. Although aloof and distant in the show’s first season, in season two we’ve seen her open up much more. In episode three, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” she had a brief and doomed romance with James T. Kirk. We caught up with Christina Chong about her character’s growth in Strange New Worlds ‘ sophomore year.

La'an Noonien Singh at her station on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Nerdist: At the end of season one, La’an goes on a leave of absence on a personal mission. Did you know at the time you filmed the season finale that La’an would be back on the Enterprise rather quickly, or do you think she was going to be off on a side quest for all of the second season?

Christina Chong: No, they told me very early on that it’s going to look like La’an’s leaving the show, but don’t worry, she’s not. She’s coming back. I didn’t know that she was going to come back straight away. I guessed she would, because otherwise, we can’t spend so much time with her. So I was pretty sure that she would come back quickly.

When Paul Wesley came on to the show at the end of season one as Kirk, few people would have thought he would form a unique bond with La’an, because she’s not a character from the original series. Did it take you by surprise that the showrunners were going to develop this relationship between your character and a young Jim Kirk? And what was it like getting to work so much with Paul?

La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong) and Jim Kirk (Paul Wesley) arrive in 2024 in the Strange New Worlds episode Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.

Chong: So I had an inkling because that scene in the transporter room at the end of the season one , episode 10, I come down with Paul and I was like, “Hmm, why am I with Paul in this? What are they setting up here?” I had an idea, I was thinking maybe they’re pre-plotting something for the next season. And then we were doing episode one pickups, and the showrunners said, “We’re thinking of something for La’an for next season. Romance with maybe Kirk.” And I thought, “Oh, interesting.” So they’d already kind of given me a hint that it was coming. And I’d never seen Paul’s work. I was aware of him, but I’d not seen his work.

And I’d had one brief conversation with him in the first season, since we both have the same acting coach. And she said, “You need to meet Paul before, I think you guys are really going to get on. You need to really meet him before you start working with him. I said, “No, no, no. I’ll just see him on the day. It’s an acting job. I’ll fake the chemistry, I’ll be fine.” And she said, “No. Meet him beforehand, have dinner.” And then we went for dinner and yes, we got on straightaway.

La'an and Kirk (Christina Chong and Paul Wesley) in the Strange New Worlds episode Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.

In the finale of season one, they showed a brief moment of La’an joyfully hugging Pike when he comes aboard the Enterprise in the future timeline. Did knowing where she ends up in a version of the future gave her a bit of insight going into season two?

Chong: Not really, because that’s way off in the future. And I’m working with what I have here now within the parameters of the season arc. So I knew that she had to open up. But it’s a long journey from season two to the future version of La’an . But yeah, it was tricky for me to pitch where it was though. Because she can’t suddenly go from being this super reserved security chief to suddenly being all smiley and romantic. So I was having to push and pull it constantly throughout the scenes with the director. I had to figure out where the right barometer was for each scene.

La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong) and Number One (Rebecca Romijn).

In that same potential future, we see that she goes into the command structure. She becomes a first officer like her mentor, Una Chin-Riley. Is that where you personally would like to see her go, or do you have other ideas about where she ends up, or where you would prefer her to end up?

Chong: Well, I think that makes sense. I would love that because it feels like Una is her older sister-type thing. Una got her into Starfleet. She’s been her champion, her kind of supporter, confidant. And so I think she looks up to her and I think she sees that as her natural progression to do something like Una. So I think that’s completely right for her to be Kirk’s number one in the future.

In season one, La’an had a harder shell. She was someone that was very defined by her trauma. At the end of episode three, we see her come face to face with her own evil ancestor Khan when he wasn’t so evil, when he was a child. Do you feel that meeting him in that way allowed her to put her shame about her family history behind her finally?

Christina Chong on the bridge of the Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Chong: Exactly. In that moment, there was huge growth for her. It was like the acceptance of seeing that little boy looking into that little boy’s eyes and realizing, oh, he wasn’t always that tyrant. He was a little boy and something made him like that. He wasn’t born with it. And so she chose to save him. Even at the risk of what is to come, because she’s not him, she’s not like him. She can’t do that. And now it’s realizing that she doesn’t have to carry that anymore, that good things can come from the bad. Also looking forward, looking to the positives. Looking at not being a victim of it anymore, accepting it, and moving forwards. Actually saying, “Okay, yes, this is me. I am a descendant of his, but I don’t have to carry it within me.”

Speaking of La’an’s trauma, the Gorn is a huge source of misery for her, as the only survivor of a horrific Gorn attack when she was a child. This represents a different kind of trauma that we don’t think she’ll ever be able to get past. Without giving too much away, is this something we’re going to be following up on in season two?

Chong: So that we’re talking about, PTSD really. And so I think with therapy is possible to get rid of those triggers, but I think trauma is always in there somewhere and it’s about managing it. Reframing it. And so getting so up close in person with the Gorn and finding that family, I think that’s all part of realizing that she’s not alone on this journey. Maybe they can overcome and fight the Gorn. So I think it will still be there on some level. But I don’t think she’s going to have it as close to the surface as it was in season one.

We know you’re releasing an EP soon, Twin Flames . What was it like to produce music at the same time that you’re filming a TV show that we know has very demanding hours? How did you find time to squeeze in a second career?

It’s thanks to you guys!!!! https://t.co/Dg0z3OkM56 — Christina Chong (@christinachongx) July 5, 2023

Chong : Well, I actually did it after we finished season two. I just put it out in the universe. I said, “If it’s meant be, it’ll be.” And so I ended up being connected to Ed Sheeran’s producer Jake Gosling, who produced the whole EP, and I was very lucky to work with him. So the single is out already. There’s going to be another single coming out July 7, and then they’re kind of dropping with the show until August 11th when the EP comes out. There are also plans to do acoustic versions, a Christmas Single, and more.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season two drops new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+.

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Chris Pine Wonders How ‘Star Trek 4’ Will Deal With Kirk Now That He Is “A Lot Older”

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| July 3, 2024 | By: TrekMovie.com Staff 66 comments so far

We are just a few weeks away from the 8th anniversary of the release of Star Trek Beyond , the third entry in the Kelvin timeline Star Trek movies staring Chris Pine as James T. Kirk. Paramount continues to say they are committed to a follow up movie, and now the star is starting to wonder how it will deal with how he isn’t getting any younger.

Pine curious about Star Trek 4

For the last couple of years, since he has recommitted to return as James T. Kirk for a fourth Star Trek movie, actor Chris Pine has often expressed his enthusiasm for the return, but also some frustrations. His latest comments from from a recent appearance at ACE Superhero Comic in San Antonio, TX. Pine acknowledged the well-reported ups and downs the Beyond sequel has gone through over the past decade (via PopVerse ), saying “In terms of the next phase of [Star Trek], obviously you’re all fans, so I’m sure you’ve read it.”

nubian singh star trek

Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek Beyond

The actor then talked about how he and his fellow cast are ready to get back to the Enterprise, but he wonders how the movie will deal with how he is getting older, saying:

“We all like one another a lot. I’m good friends with everybody I’ve worked with. We have a great time doing it. I’m a lot older now, so I would be curious where that next story lands us in terms of what it would be and what we’ve said in the press.”

Pine, now 43, was 29 when he first appeared as James T. Kirk in the 2009 Star Trek movie. Last year the actor talked about how he was hoping to do “many more” movies as Kirk, saying it would be “super cool” to play the same character through the course of his career. Original Kirk actor William Shatner was 35 when the Star Trek television show premiered and 63 when he last appeared as the character in the 1994 film Star Trek: Generations . Pine is still younger than Shatner when he played Admiral Kirk in Star Trek: The Motion Picture  in 1979. In Star Trek Beyond , Kirk turned down a promotion to admiral and was set to head out on a new USS Enterprise (NCC 1701-A). If the next movie were set a decade later, Kirk and his crew could have already completed two 5-year missions.

nubian singh star trek

Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto) looking up at new Enterprise in Star Trek Beyond

Various follow-ups to Beyond have been in the works over the last 8 years. In March of this year, it was reported that Paramount and producer J.J. Abrams had brought on yet another screenwriter to take a crack at what the studio is now calling the final movie for the Kelvin crew. Pine later expressed some frustration with this move, telling Business Insider “I thought there was already a script, but I guess I was wrong, or they decided to pivot. As it’s always been with ‘Trek,’ I just wait and see.”

Even now entering middle age, Pine is still keeping it sharp. He recently shaved off his beard (but kept the ‘stache) as can be seen from an appearance at a fashion event in Milan in mid-June…

Chris Pine turned Father’s Day into a weeklong holiday by repeatedly serving Daddy in Milan during Men’s fashion week (click for more): https://t.co/d4559OI35P — Tom and Lorenzo (@tomandlorenzo) June 19, 2024

The next Star Trek feature film expected to come out of Paramount is the “ Untitled Star Trek Origin Story ” which Paramount recently confirmed as part of its 2025/2026 slate. This movie would have a new cast. Earlier this year, Paramount and producer J.J. Abrams had tapped Andor ‘s Toby Haynes to direct, based on a script from Seth Grahame-Smith ( The Lego Batman Movie ). Paramount is also reportedly talking to producer Simon Kinberg about shepherding the film franchise , starting with that origin movie. This next Star Trek movie was mentioned during the Paramount Global shareholder meeting in June with co-CEO Brian Robbins saying it is “coming soon,” and touting Trek as one of the company’s “billion dollar brands.”

Find more news and analysis on  upcoming Star Trek feature films .

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This is the longest five-year mission in history…

Just because the TOS timeline had 5-yr.missions, there is no reason the Kelvin timeline would.

They mention it’s a five year mission in one of the movies.

But Into Darkness established that they did, and Beyond confirmed that they were halfway through one.

It certainly is. Eight years since Beyond, wow.

It’s been so long since the last Star Trek movie set in the Kelvin timeline, that by the time they finally make another one none of the crew of the Enterprise will still serve on that ship.

They’ll all have moved on to other assignments, pretty much like the original cast did in The Motion Picture.

I mean I don’t think they can just pick up where they left off in Beyond , so yeah the next one (if it happens) will hopefully skip ahead a decade or so.

At this point, what was it all for? The Kelvin movies did nothing for Star Trek. It was Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, SNW, etc that saved it. The Kelvin movies contributed nothing.

While certainly not my favorite Trek, I would like to see it get a final outing. Of course, as long as that final outing doesn’t come at the expense of other Trek.

Star Trek did not need saving and Discovery has done the franchise no favours.

‘Beyond’ flopped and stalled the movie series. Disc at least has led to multi spin off shows and ST first TVM.

During the moments that worked (not saying there were a ton of them), BEYOND felt a lot more like STAR TREK than anything else I’ve seen this whole century.

didn’t help the film series though.

That seemed to a big reason the movie underperformed!, JJs films seemed to hit that sweet spot of appealing to moviegoers who wouldn’t been seen dead watching ST and the hardcore trekkies (ok maybe not ID for some fans lol), but Beyond missed the target .. Ironically Orci’s ST3 was apparently canned for being ‘too star trek’ yet sounded much more appealing for movie audiences (dealing with time travel/timelines and Shatner) whereas what they eventually did in Beyond sounded/looked so ‘star trek’ it turned off the average Joe moviegoers! plus there was that Fast and Furious action teaser trailer turning off the fans, a double whammy!

That is a flaming photon torpedo of truth. Beyond is generally well liked and appreciated by Trek fans, but I was surprised to find most non-fans I’ve heard from found it, quote, “boring and dull”. I could quite believe that take, but it’s definitely better received by fans than the public. Into Darkness was the reverse.

The biggest mistake was the handling of the villain, hiding Mr Elba under make up but also another of J J style ‘mystery box’ about his identity and motive.

Yup, exactly. Totally agree. What a waste of Mr. Elba’s talent, imo.

Discovery also divided the fan base, destroyed cannon, has the lowest episode scores of any Trek show, and was Cancelled!

Not the same, Disc came to a natural end but didn’t inhibit more ST TV from being made.

I think it’s probably too late to make this movie starting where they left off on the Enterprise. They really would need to write a story where they have to reconnect for one final mission, which might be worth doing. That being said, an aging crew is nothing new for Star Trek.

Bust him back to cadet.

Hey MIchael, I was just googling “Harlan Ellison Nicholas Meyer” and it actually took me to a trekmovie thread from 2017 which we participated in. You mention that you are going to have to buy RETURN TO TOMORROW book at some point. Did you?

I bought the digital edition. Roddenberry says in it that TMP cost 45 million due to them adding on all the costs of the previous scripts, sets etc. For 1979 that was super expensive.

Dee Kelley’s poem was interesting I never knew he was a writer. Also interesting was hearing from George Takei about the making of the movie. Some stuff I already knew like the studio not wanting Shatner back if it was going to be a series, and the difficulty in getting Leonard to sign on when it became a movie.

The stuff about who got to be credited in the movie I never once heard about the disputes with the effects people. A lot of the guy who wrote it hating the movie and being negative Harold I think. You could tell he thought it was a turkey. Also, the director had such a bad experience, and the movie was rushed I never knew that.

Or was it Jon Povill my memory these days is crap. I know whoever the person was hated the finished movie.

i imagine the writers/abrams etc are trying to figure out to do a standalone thing with the cast like Beyond (i.e. their TMP and TUC in one movie) or buy into the multiverse stuff going around and have them interact with their primeverse counterparts (via CG/AI ) or the TNG cast etc for a big anniversary movie ..

maybe they’ll go with the 1st option (Kelvin standalone/finale) and do a primeverse only ST Legacy movie for Paramount+ (various actors from TNG/DS9/VOY maybe ENT and SNW) – both aimimg for 2026

I mean you have a 40 something year old playing a 25 year old Kirk on Strange New Worlds and he looks older than Pine!

The casting decision there continues to baffle me. And yeah I agree, Pine does look younger than Wesley.

Now, Wesley has grown on me a bit, but it does still baffle me as well. He reminds me more of Crawley’s Kirk (fan film) than Shatner’s Kirk, and that’s not a good thing.

Yikes, you just hit the nail on the head there.

Ummm…..

Admiral deciding he’s sick of being in a desk job…kinda like last time?

In ’09, the snark was to call this Trek/Muppet Babies in Space. The then producers wanted a cast that could last for several movies without getting too old. AND… that might have worked if the studio(S!) hadn’t delayed so many of these films. Frankly, we should have five or six, not three. Thank god, the suits all got their bonuses and golden parachutes (several deployed btw) and important stuff like that.

We’ve seen how the Prime Kirk ages from young captain to admiral to old captain. It would be interesting to see Kelvin Kirk take a different pathway. Maybe he has a family. Maybe he is stuck in a Klingon prison. Maybe he is riding through the desert with a picnic lunch.

If JJ was available and Skydance ends up buying Paramount, they should get him to direct part 4. Make it an event movie, no more nonsense about spinoffs or low budget this or that. Disney Star Wars is dead. Capitalize on that.

Should have gone all in after Into Darkness, instead they played it safe with Beyond a tired old formula. Should have been new worlds, new twists if we had to have characters from Prime, do something different with them in Kelvin now that they were done with Khan, but no they had to make insipid Beyond. Guardians of the Furious.

I think you’re right. Go all out and make a final, great film for the Kelvinverse characters.

As to where they go with it, I don’t know. The simplest thing is to just have them on the ship, maybe coming home from their mission and then they get a call about an emergency. One last adventure. Maybe someone has to die, for drama. Maybe somehow, someway, via the Nexus or Q or the Guardian of Forever, Pine meets Shatner’s Kirk. Yeah, that probably will not happen but that would certainly help the film if they could find some way to make it an important part of the film.

Anyway, I’m all in for another Kelvin film. I loved all three of them, even though I had quibbles with some of JJ’s choices in Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness and thought making Sulu gay in Beyond was a complete and embarrassing fail.

Sulu being gay in ‘beyond’ a minor issue compared to the film’s real faults

Good point about SW its cooked atm, no movies being made anytime soon , that Rey movie not even the hard core wants and the Dawn of the Force movie from Mangold (whose Indiana Jones movie tanked to tune of a 100m loss), and the other film based on the Zahn novels like an Episode 6.5 (probably with not quite there CGI deaged Han Luke Leia) , any of those probably as likely to happen anytime soon as the Beyond sequel after 2016, (a loong wait with lots of faux announcements). so really you got similar scenario as that late 00s/early 10s era with ST09/ID filling in for SW for space action.

And yeah they messed up on Beyond , letting Orci go when he had the obvious way to go for the 3rd film/anniversary – Shatner returning, battle for the timelines stuff.

The last SW film to feature rey made a billion so there is still an audience waiting for a new one. But I bet rey will not be the central character this time.

Reading between the lines here……”a lot older” suggests he knows another movie is still years, maybe even decades away.

I think Pine’s just resigned to whatever happens will happen. He’s not getting his hopes up.

I think the 4th film should be titled, Star Trek: Kirk.

I wish they can adapt William Shatner’s first Star Trek story, Ashes of Eden.

Kelvin cast sequel is the ONLY viable movie worth making at this stage. Anything else will bomb hard.

I remember watching “Beyond” in the theater. No way that was 8 years ago already… wow.

Time flies. I also watched Beyond in the theater, and out of the three Kelvin-verse films it felt the most Trekkian to me. I can remember the smell of the popcorn and the twizzlers from that day.

The age of the crew or the actors is not the biggest problem with previous or upcoming films.

If it another ‘mad man with a grudge and a galactic WMD….’

If it is that, then I’m out. I blame TNG movies for first getting stuck on that, but it seems to be the only thing Hollywood screenwriters think a Star Trek film could ever possibly be about.

We need another ‘voyage home’, classic ST problem solving and not ‘pew pew boom’ again

They should adapt the Prime Directive novel for the next film. I would go see it. I doubt any of these writers know the book exists.

Would be wasted on the Kelvin cast. Great book, but it’s absolutely Shatner’s Kirk here, not anybody else’s. A book that makes so much out of ‘let me help’ doesn’t have the right callback, since Pine doesn’t have an Edith Keeler … it would be like the bizarre consideration Eon had for LIVE & LET DIE, when they considered bringing Ursula Andress back, even though it was featuring a new (utterly lame) guy playing Bond, so, you know, the face is not familiar.

Thats the first I’ve heard of bringing back Ursula Andress for LALD,(not impossible as the son of Quarrel from Dr No was in it) i had heard that producers wanted Barbara Bach to come back for A View to A Kill in a cameo as the Russian agent but obviously didn’t happen

And Roger Moore was the best Bond btw (imo :)

Meh. Some of the original cast members of Star Trek found about a hundred ways to keep on showing up despite being decades older. It’s sci-fi! All ya gotta do to explain stuff away is wave your hands around in the air and say stuff like, “quantum singularity!” or “it’s The Borg! The Borg did a thing!”. Inexplicable aging and time-space continuum inconsistancies are basically all one 8-second mumbo-jumbo explanation away with that franchise. It’ah be fiiiiiiine. lol

In general, I prefer a story with more “seasoned” characters, so it’s not a bad place to pick up for me. Showing the characters more matured is one of the major draws of a sequel.

It’s simple Chris – it’s time to put on the Monster Maroons! He’ll look as old as Shat from TWOK, TSFS, TVH

Also dark rinse with perm

Star trek 4 need a title like New horizon coming summer 2026 and the New starship enterprise a on a mission to explore strange New worlds and New villian of This epic final chapter of the kelvin timeline im a Star trek fan long live trekkies live long and prosper

Star Trek Wayyyy Beyond

Pull the plug on the Kelvin timeline and crew.

At some point Vger should be showing up to destroy Earth in the alternate universe that diverged with the Kelvin incident. I don’t want to see The Motion Picture remade but there might be a story there to tell somewhere …..

Use elements from Ellison’s intro to his movie pitch (which also had a huge threat to earth, but from time travelling lizards), with a cloaked figure going round kidnapping members of the old crew from wherever they are now and you finally realize it is Kirk who is doing it. Then do a variation on TMP, maybe with less of a police-procedural feel, one where we get to see how tough it is to match speeds and fly alongside something at warp 7+ from 1500 away .

Willl never happen

Whatever the next movie is, Giacchino’s going to have to write a new score, this time called “Enterprising Old Men “.

It will be a hit, and there will be a sequel.

It worked in Star Trek II…

I’d like to see throwback to Star Trek IV, where the Kelvin crew visit the world(s) that sent the alien probe to locate humpback whales.

They can maybe use stock footage from Lynch’s DUNE, since, like TVH, it also featured giant Tootsie-roll lookin’ space vessels.

A while ago I posted the idea of ST4 having the whale probe attacking kelvin earth a’la TVH and the JJ crew go back to San Fran 1986 for some whales but have to avoid running into their primeverse counterparts (TOS cast via cgi deaging and footage from TVH like Trials&Tribulations, BTTF2, Avengers Endgame etc), along the way they encounter/team up with Eddie Murphy’s UFO believing college professor called ‘Gene’ and kirk meets/romances an 80s aerobics instructor (Gal Gadot , but now maybe Dua Lipa whod also do the 80s inspired official song a’la Rhianna/Beyond ) who helps them out, plus thered be Lt Saavik (some new hot young actress) along for the ride replacing Chekov

I just get the feeling something fun and trippy and nostalgic like that would probably hit big at the box office (and avoid the usual super angry madman villain with space WMD who wants revenge on the Federation trope thats been done for the past 5? movies)

Memory Alpha

Nubian was a term used to describe someone of African decent.

In 2267 , Trelane asked Captain Kirk if Lieutenant Uhura was " a Nubian prize, taken on one of your raids of conquest ...? " ( TOS : " The Squire of Gothos ")

A Nubian is a member of the ethnic group living in Northern Sudan and Southern Egypt .

Nubian has also been used poetically to refer to any black African.

External link [ ]

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Published Sep 8, 2021

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Cast Reveals the Characters They Portray

Welcome old friends and new faces to the Enterprise

Anson Mount as Captain Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

StarTrek.com

Paramount+, the streaming service from ViacomCBS, today revealed which characters the previously announced cast members Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia and Babs Olusanmokun, along with the newly announced Bruce Horak, will portray in the upcoming original series Star Trek: Strange New World s, alongside series stars Anson Mount (Captain Christopher Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Number One), and Ethan Peck (Spock).

Their character names are as follows:

  • Jess Bush is Nurse Christine Chapel
  • Christina Chong is La’an Noonien-Singh
  • Celia Rose Gooding is Cadet Nyota Uhura
  • Melissa Navia is Lt. Erica Ortegas
  • Babs Olusanmokun is Dr. M’Benga
  • Bruce Horak is Hemmer

The announcement was made in a surprise video featuring the series’ cast during the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds panel that took place at today’s global live-streamed Star Trek Day celebration. The Star Trek: Strange New Worlds panel featured series stars Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, and Ethan Peck, and co-showrunners and executive producers, Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers in a conversation with host Mica Burton.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Casting Announcement

The remaining Star Tre k Day celebration panels are available to live-stream for free at StarTrek.com/Day .

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is based on the years Captain Christopher Pike manned the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise . The series will feature fan favorites from season two of Star Trek: Discovery : Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Number One and Ethan Peck as Science Officer Spock. The series will follow Captain Pike, Science Officer Spock and Number One in the years before Captain Kirk boarded the U.S.S. Enterprise , as they explore new worlds around the galaxy.

The series premiere was written by Akiva Goldsman with the story by Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet. Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers serve as co-showrunners, with Goldsman directing the premiere episode. Goldsman, Kurtzman and Lumet serve as executive producers in addition to Alonso Myers, Heather Kadin, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth and Aaron Baiers. Akela Cooper and Davy Perez serve as co-executive producers. The series is produced by CBS Studios, Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Latin America. In Canada, it will air on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and stream on Crave.

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IMAGES

  1. La'an Noonien-Singh

    nubian singh star trek

  2. Who Plays Khan Noonien Singh in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

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  3. Our favorite movie villains

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  4. Why La'an Noonien-Singh From Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Looks So

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  5. La'an's Noonien-Singh Family Augmentations in Star Trek: Strange New

    nubian singh star trek

  6. Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan Noonien Singh in the 2013 movie, 'Star

    nubian singh star trek

COMMENTS

  1. Khan Noonien Singh

    Khan Noonien Singh is a fictional character in the Star Trek science fiction franchise who first appeared as the main antagonist in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" (1967), and was portrayed by Ricardo Montalbán, who reprised his role in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.In the 2013 film Star Trek Into Darkness, he is portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch.

  2. Khan Noonien Singh

    Khan Noonien Singh (or simply Khan) was an extremely intelligent and dangerous superhuman.He was the most prominent of the genetically-engineered Human Augments of the Eugenics Wars period on Earth.Khan was considered, by the USS Enterprise command crew, over three centuries later, to have been "the best" of them. Reappearing with a cadre of Augment followers in the 23rd century, Khan became a ...

  3. La'an Noonien-Singh

    Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh was a female Human Starfleet officer who lived during the 23rd century. (SNW: "Strange New Worlds") La'an Noonien-Singh was born December 8, 2228 on Alpha I to Sa'an and Ronu Noonien-Singh. She also had a brother named Manu. (SNW: "Strange New Worlds") La'an and her family were descendants of Khan Noonien Singh, the Augment tyrant who once ruled a quarter of ...

  4. Is 'Star Trek's' La'an Noonien-Singh Related to Khan?

    One theory that could work is that La'an was created by a loyalist group of Augments who took on the Noonien-Singh name to show their allegiance to Khan. La'ana's presence on the Enterprise ...

  5. Who is Khan Noonien Singh from Star Trek?

    Khan Noonien Singh remains important to the larger Star Trek story because of what he represents about the universe's past. The Eugenics Wars, now set in the mid-21st Century also coincided with "World War III," the cataclysm from which Star Trek's ideal future emerged.In Star Trek: First Contact, the crew of the USS Enterprise-E are sent back to ensure that Zefram Cochrane makes the first ...

  6. Khan Noonien Singh (alternate reality)

    Khan Noonien Singh (or simply Khan) was the most prominent of the genetically-engineered Human Augments of the late-20th century Eugenics Wars period on Earth.Many Augments were genocidal tyrants who conquered and killed in the name of order, with Khan and his kind being frozen in cryogenic sleep.. In the 23rd century, Khan was revived by Admiral Alexander Marcus to design weapons and ships to ...

  7. La'an Noonien-Singh

    La'an Noonien-Singh is one of the main characters in the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds television series. She is the security officer of the U.S.S Enterprise during Christopher Pike's second five year mission with a grudge against the Gorn. She is portrayed by English actress Christina Chong. Noonien-Singh was born on the colony world Alpha I on December 8, 2228 to Sa'an and Ronu Noonien-Singh ...

  8. Star Trek: Khan Noonien Singh's Last Words Are Deeper Than You ...

    By Carolyn Jenkins Dec. 25, 2023 11:30 am EST. Classic Star Trek villain Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán) has had a long-lasting legacy that continues into the current canon. Decades after ...

  9. Star Trek's Khan Noonien Singh Strange New Worlds & TOS History Explained

    WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, season 2, episode 2, "Ad Astra per Aspera." Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has added new layers to the history of Star Trek: The Original Series' genetically enhanced tyrant Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban) proving that the character still has a lasting influence on Star Trek decades after his first appearance.

  10. Why Khan Noonien Singh Casts A Shadow Over The Entire Star Trek

    In the "Star Trek" episode "Space Seed" (February 16, 1967), the Enterprise rescues Khan from a cargo ship called the Botany Bay. Khan and several of his compatriots were in cryogenic sleep ...

  11. You've Heard That Name Before: The Name 'Noonien Singh' Explained

    When the crew of the Enterprise on "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" was announced, fans might have been shocked to see the name of the ship's chief of security: La'an Noonien Singh. Played by ...

  12. La'an's Noonien-Singh Family Augmentations In Star Trek ...

    One of the more notorious conquerors of the Eugenics Wars was Khan Noonien-Singh, the character played by Ricardo Montalbán in the 1967 Trek episode "Space Seed" as well as the 1982 feature film ...

  13. Trek Central's Who is La'an Noonien Singh Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

    La'an Noonien Singh is set to appear in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The upcoming new show Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is promising to go back to the "adventure of the week" format that made Star Trek so popular in the 60s, 80s, and 90s. It's not only going back to a format that worked very well for the franchise but is also going back to the ship crew that started it all.

  14. star trek

    Directly - no. They were both named after Kim Noonien Singh, who Gene Roddenberry knew during World War II.. Additional trivia from IMDB:. During World War II, he had a friend named Kim Noonien Singh; after the war Kim disappeared, and Gene used his name for some characters in the Star Trek series (Khan Noonien Singh from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and Noonien Soong from "Star Trek ...

  15. Why La'an Noonien-Singh From Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ...

    Why La'an Noonien-Singh From Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Looks So Familiar. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) has a last name that tends to get her in some hot water in the Federation. This ...

  16. 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds': Christina Chong on La'an Noonien-Singh

    Christina Chong instantly understood her Star Trek: Strange New Worlds character, La'an Noonien-Singh. It was a heartbreaking realization. With an English mother and Chinese father, the actress ...

  17. STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS' Christina Chong on La'an Noonien Singh's

    Jul 6 2023 • 8:38 AM. One of the breakout characters of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been La'an Noonien Singh, the Enterprise 's security chief, played by Christina Chong. Although ...

  18. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (TV Series 2022- )

    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Created by Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet. With Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Christina Chong, Melissa Navia. A prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, the show follows the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike.

  19. Chris Pine Wonders How 'Star Trek 4' Will Deal With Kirk Now That He Is

    We are just a few weeks away from the 8th anniversary of the release of Star Trek Beyond, the third entry in the Kelvin timeline Star Trek movies staring Chris Pine as James T. Kirk. Paramount ...

  20. Nubian

    Memory Alpha. in: Earth groups, Slang. English. Nubian. Nubian was a term used to describe someone of African decent. In 2267, Trelane asked Captain Kirk if Lieutenant Uhura was " a Nubian prize, taken on one of your raids of conquest ...? " ( TOS: " The Squire of Gothos ") A Nubian is a member of the ethnic group living in Northern Sudan and ...

  21. Star Trek (TV Series 1966-1969)

    Star Trek: Created by Gene Roddenberry. With Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

  22. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Cast Reveals the Characters They Portray

    Jess Bush is Nurse Christine Chapel. Christina Chong is La'an Noonien-Singh. Celia Rose Gooding is Cadet Nyota Uhura. Melissa Navia is Lt. Erica Ortegas. Babs Olusanmokun is Dr. M'Benga. Bruce Horak is Hemmer. The announcement was made in a surprise video featuring the series' cast during the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds panel that took ...