Every Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Love Story Ranked, Worst To Best

Star Trek: Strange New Worldshas its fair share of romantic pairings, but how do they stack up against one another? In a 2023 interview with Variety, Akiva Goldsman, one of the showrunners of Strange New Worlds, described the show as "a lot of relationship stories in space." Following the adventures of Captain Christoper Pike (Anson Mount) and his USS Enterprise, Strange New Worlds has not only explored numerous relationships from many different perspectives but has also experimented with a variety of genres in fascinating ways.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds explores many different kinds of relationships, but the show contains more romance than many other Star Trek series. While most of the love stories and relationships on Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation, for example, only lasted for one episode, Strange New Worlds has been able to take more time to dive into its characters and their relationships. While Strange New Worlds has become a show about so many different things, Goldsman's description truly gets to the heart of the show's stories.

5 Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh & Lieutenant James T. Kirk

Played By Christina Chong & Paul Wesley

After forming a connection with an alternate-reality version of Captain James T. Kirk, La'an reaches out to the Lieutenant Kirk of her universe. While this Kirk feels echoes of the connection between him and La'an, he is currently involved in a complicated relationship with Carol Marcus. In the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds musical episode, La'an tells the Prime Universe Kirk about her feelings for his alternate universe counterpart. Although Kirk acknowledges that he feels a connection to La'an, he reveals that Carol is currently pregnant with their child.

La'an and Lt. Kirk have the potential to become one of Strange New Worlds' best romances, but the show has not yet had time to explore their love story.

Due to her traumatic past and connection to Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán), it took a lot for La'an to open up to Lt. Kirk as she did. While La'an did not blame him for his confession, she was understandably devastated by the news. Still, based on the events of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, viewers know that Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch) will eventually call off her romance with Kirk and raise their son on her own. This would open the door for La'an and Lt. Kirk to explore the connection they have, one that appears to span multiple universes.

4 Lieutenant Spock & T’Pring

Played By Ethan Peck & Gia Sandhu

Spock's Vulcan fiancée T'Pring was first introduced in Star Trek: The Original Series' "Amok Time," but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has given their relationship more depth. Spock and T'Pring were engaged in 2259, and Spock spent some time on Vulcan that year before returning to his post on the Starship Enterprise. As a full-blooded Vulcan, T'Pring approaches her relationship with logic, but she and Spock obviously care for one another. T'Pring appeals to Spock's Vulcan side, and the two make a great pair, although Spock's human emotions sometimes cause problems.

In Strange New World season 2, episode 5, "Charades," T'Pring and her family visit the Enterprise for an engagement dinner. Prior to the dinner, Spock was turned into a full human by a group of advanced aliens. Spock did not tell T'Pring about this transformation, and, although Spock was soon restored to his Vulcan/human self, T'Pring suggested the pair take some time apart. This led Spock to give in to his feelings for Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), who brings out his more human tendencies.

3 Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh & Captain James T. Kirk

Played By Christina Chong & Paul Wesley

In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," La'an travels back in time to 21st century Toronto with an alternate universe Captain James T. Kirk. As La'an and Kirk work to find a way back home, La'an discovers that this version of Kirk has never heard of Khan Noonien Singh. This helps La'an open up to him and lower some of the walls she has built around herself. During their adventure, La'an and Kirk encounter an undercover Romulan operative named Sera (Adelaide Kane), who had been sent back in time to disrupt human progress.

Sera's original plan was to blow up a cold fusion reactor, which would decimate the city of Toronto, but when Kirk and La'an disrupt her mission, Sera decides to kill the young Khan Noonien Singh (Desmond Sivan). When Kirk and La'an confront Sera, the Romulan operative fatally shoots Kirk, much to La'an's horror. La'an overpowers Sera and checks on Khan before returning to her own timeline, mourning a version of Kirk who doesn't exist and a lost love she can tell no one about. La'an and Kirk have an undeniable connection and their love story is as beautiful as it is tragic.

2 Captain Christopher Pike & Captain Marie Batel

Played By Anson Mount & Melanie Scrofano

Since his introduction in Star Trek: Discovery season 2, Anson Mount's Captain Christopher Pike has become one of Star Trek's most beloved and relatable captains. In its series premiere, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds introduced Captain Marie Batel as Pike's romantic partner, and the two are truly a perfect match in many ways. As Starfleet captains, Pike and Batel stay busy, but they manage to carve out time to see one another whenever they can. Even when Batel arrested Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), Pike came to understand that her hands were tied and did not hold her actions against her.

Pike and Batel's relationship is not always perfect, but it feels incredibly realistic.

Captain Pike and Batel's relationship is not always perfect, but it feels incredibly realistic, and they clearly care deeply about one another. Strange New Worlds season 2 ends with Batel's life hanging in the balance after she becomes infected with Gorn eggs, but Captain Pike and his crew refuse to give up on her. As Pike faces a no-win scenario from multiple fronts, he does not have the time to fully process Batel's condition before the cliffhanger ending of the Strange New Worlds season 2 finale. It remains to be seen whether Batel will survive, but these events will likely impact her relationship with Pike either way.

1 Nurse Christine Chapel & Lieutenant Spock

Played By Jess Bush & Ethan Peck

After T'Pring broke things off with Spock, he embarked on a new relationship with Nurse Chapel. Chapel had long had feelings for Spock, and he had recently begun to develop feelings for her in return. Chapel's vibrant humanity brings out Spock's human side, and he appears more emotional whenever he's with her. While Spock is undeniably happy at the beginning of their romance, the pair's relationship becomes more complicated as it progresses. When Nurse Chapel is accepted to a medical fellowship with Dr. Roger Korby (Cillian O'Sullivan), she accepts it without telling Spock.

While Spock and Chapel's romance appeared to come to an end in Strange New Worlds' musical episode, it remains to be seen how their relationship will progress. Based on his solo musical number in "Subspace Rhapsody" and his future in Star Trek: The Original Series,Spock will move away from his human tendencies and embrace Vulcan logic for much of his adult life. Also revealed in TOS, Chapel will eventually fall in love with Roger Korby, and the two will become engaged, although she continues to harbor feelings for Spock for years.

The context of their past romance makes Chapel a stronger and more tragic character, as she's not just pining for Spock, but is mourning what they once were.

Despite their complications, Spock and Chapel's romance works for a number of reasons. Not only do they have obvious chemistry, but they also bring out the best in one another. Plus, Spock and Chapel's relationship on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds recontextualizes their interactions on Star Trek: The Original Series. The context of their past romance makes Chapel a stronger and more tragic character, as she's not just pining for Spock, but is mourning what they once were.

Jess Bush's take on Nurse Chapel has become one of the best things about Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and the show's upcoming third season will hopefully continue to explore her fascinating relationship with Spock.