Warning: SPOILERS For Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, Episode 4 – “A Space Adventure Hour”Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 4 canonically answers the question of whether 23rd century Starfleet had holodeck technology, and why it wasn’t utilized until Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s era. Directed by Jonathan Frakes and written by Dana Horgan and Kathryn Lyn, “A Space Adventure Hour” is a genre-bending, wildly entertaining murder mystery romp, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ first-ever holodeck episode.
Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) is tasked by Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) to test out Starfleet’s new “recreation room” or holodeck. La’an asks the USS Enterprise’s computer to craft a murder mystery for her to solve based on Amelia Moon, her favorite childhood detective novels, using pattern buffer data of the Enterprise’s crew as the holodeck’s characters
However, La’an soon becomes trapped in the holodeck, which drains the Starship Enterprise of power, potentially sending it into a nearby star to be destroyed. The only way to save the Enterprise is for La’an to solve the mystery and deactivate the holodeck. With layers of parody, homages to the themes of Star Trek, and a burgeoning new romance, here’s how Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 4 is resolved.
Strange New Worlds Explains Why Starfleet Has No Holodecks Until Star Trek: The Next Generation
Holodeck Technology Existed, And Was Buried
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 4 reveals that holodeck technology in the mid-23rd century took up too much of a starship’s power to be practical, especially for crew recreation during deep space exploration holodecks are intended for. The USS Enterprise’s computer rerouted its power and systems to keep La’an’s elaborate holodeck program running, to the detriment of the starship.
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Safety protocols were also disabled, trapping Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh in the holodeck until she could complete the narrative and solve the murder mystery. Ultimately, Captain Chistopher Pike made the call to “bury” the holodeck’s technology, deeming it too impractical for use on starships. Although Lt. Montgomery Scott (Martin Quinn) pointed out that holodecks could succeed with a dedicated server and power source, Pike shut down the idea of a holodeck on the Starship Enterprise.
Starfleet first encountered holodeck technology in the 22nd century, when Commander Trip Tucker (Connor Trinneer) spent time on a Xyrillian ship in Star Trek: Enterprise season 1, episode 5, “Unexpected.”
Star Trek: The Animated Series established that the USS Enterprise did eventually gain use of a holodeck, dubbed the “recreation room,” so a new holodeck was installed on Captain James T. Kirk’s (William Shatner) starship years after Captain Pike left the Enterprise. By Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s 24th century, holodecks were commonplace on Starfleet ships and Starbases.
Pike simply has no patience for holograms, it seems.
Interestingly, Captain Pike previously banned holographic technology in Star Trek: Discovery season 2. Starfleet widely utilized holographic communications in the mid-23rd century, but Captain Pike had holograms removed from the USS Enterprise after it crashed the ship’s systems. Pike simply has no patience for holograms, it seems, and he wasted no time removing the holodeck from the Enterprise.
How La’an Solved Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Holodeck Murder Mystery
It All Came Down To Spock
Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh’s Amelia Moon mystery was the murder of the studio head who canceled the 1969 science fiction TV series, The Last Frontier. The suspects, all of whom were affiliated with The Last Frontier in some form, were gathered at the Hollywood mansion where the murder took place. The murderer then killed off producer Sunny Lupino (Rebecca Romijn), actor Lee Woods (Melissa Navia), and agent Joanie Gloss (Celia Rose Gooding), before trying to kill La’an with a falling chandelier.
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La’an’s Holodeck Mystery Character Aliases |
|
|---|---|
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La’an Noonien-Singh |
Amelia Moon |
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Hologram Spock |
Spock |
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James T. Kirk |
Maxwell Saint |
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Christine Chapel |
Adelaide Shaw |
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Erica Ortegas |
Lee Woods |
|
Una Chin-Riley |
Sunny Lupino |
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Christopher Pike |
T.K. Bellows |
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Nyota Uhura |
Joanie Gloss |
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Joseph M’Benga |
Anthony McBeau |
|
Montgomery Scott |
The Last Frontier P.A. |
When a drunk T.K. Bellows (Anson Mount) confronted La’an and her partner, Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck), he shot the Vulcan before fleeing. Relieved that Spock only suffered a flesh wound, La’an hugged her Vulcan dance partner and realized he emitted no body heat. La’an came to know Spock intimately from their dance lessons, and she realized “Spock” was both a hologram and the murderer.
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The real Spock never entered the holodeck, and the Spock La’an met when she first arrived as Amelia Moon was always a construct. The USS Enterprise’s computer followed La’an’s parameters for a mystery she could solve, and programmed Spock as the assailant because he was the last person La’an would suspect.
Star Trek allows audiences to understand themselves and the world better, and tackle difficult themes and ideas, through the lens of science fiction.
Within La’an’s Amelia Moon murder mystery, however, was the true theme of “A Space Adventure Hour” as explained by Joanie Gloss: The Last Frontier, i.e. Star Trek allows audiences to understand themselves and the world better, and tackle difficult themes and ideas, through the lens of science fiction. This is the true value of Star Trek, and the tragedy of The Last Frontier being canceled, as that show could have endured for decades, no matter how silly and hokey it was.
Scotty Has A Lot To Learn Before He Becomes Chief Engineer
Uhura & Scotty Team Up For The First Time
Scotty was left to fly solo in Engineering because Commander Pelia (Carol Kane) was on shore leave, and the young engineer was flummoxed by the crisis caused by the holodeck. Scotty is a genius, yet he’s insecure and inexperienced, a far cry from the “miracle worker” Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott (James Doohan) will become as the USS Enterprise’s Chief Engineer in Star Trek: The Original Series.
Martin Quinn’s Scotty is a series regular on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, while Carol Kane is recurring, which is why Scotty is receiving more screen time than Commander Pelia in season 3. Strange New Worlds is also investing in Scotty as a legacy character who will continue into Star Trek: The Original Series.
Amusingly, when Scotty realized La’an was trapped in the holodeck, which was diverting all of the Starship Enterprise’s power to keep the program running, he sought out Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) for help. Scotty didn’t want to go to Captain Pike or Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley, so he sought out another genius from the Enterprise’s lower decks, although Communications Officer Uhura is part of the bridge crew and a senior officer.
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Uhura determined that Scotty had to find a way to enter the holodeck to give a message to La’an that the only way to save the Enteprise was to solve the mystery and complete the program. After La’an saved the ship, Number One approached Scotty and reminded him that there are 200 crew members who are the best in their fields aboard, and he doesn’t have to face crises alone.
Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Scotty share a flirtation in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds plants the seeds for their chemistry decades earlier.
Fascinatingly, Scotty continues to be haunted by his previous assignment aboard the USS Stardiver, which was destroyed by the Gorn in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ season 2 finale, “Hegemony, Part 1.” Scotty hasn’t fully dealt with his guilt of being the Stardiver’s lone survivor, and it fuels the inadequacy he feels aboard the Enterprise, despite his genius.
Paul Wesley Plays His 4th Star Trek Character Based On Kirk
Wesley Finally Does A William Shatner Impression
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 4 is bookended by an episode of The Last Frontier starring Maxwell Saint (Paul Wesley), along with his crew, played by Adelaide Shaw and Lee Woods. Saint is a swaggering and heroic starship captain famed for his “diction,” and is also accused of hammy overacting by the show’s producers and his co-stars.
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Maxwell Saint is based on Lieutenant James T. Kirk, and this is the fourth version of Kirk Paul Wesley has played on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Previously, Wesley portrayed Captain Kirk from an alternate future, then another Captain Kirk from an alternate reality who Lt. La’an Noonien Singh fell in love with, and finally, Lieutenant James T. Kirk, the younger version of William Shatner’s Captain Kirk in Star Trek’s Prime Universe.
Paul Wesley met William Shatner on an airplane soon after Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast him as James T. Kirk, and Wesley got Shatner’s blessing to take over the role.
Playing Maxwell Saint allowed Paul Wesley to mimic the bombastic speech and mannerisms of William Shatner as Captain Kirk, something Wesley has avoided while playing Kirk. Of course, Maxwell Saint’s Captain is a homage and a parody, lovingly poking fun at Shatner’s famous mannerisms and delivery. Maxwell Saint is also a parody of an insecure and ambitious Hollywood actor. Interestingly, Paul Wesley has yet to return as Lt. James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3.
Spock & La’an Are Now A Romantic Item
Spa’an Or La’ock?
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 promised new romances aboard the USS Enterprise. Lieutenants La’an Noonien-Singh and Spock fit that bill in a surprising romantic pairing. Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 2, “Wedding Bell Blues,” revealed Spock and La’an became dance partners during a three-month time jump, and the chemistry they developed on the dance floor developed further.
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La’an was a good friend who helped Spock cope with his heartbreak over Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), while Spock encouraged the new “lightness” and zest for life La’an found after the USS Enterprise defeated the Gorn in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3’s premiere. Spock and La’an share an attraction, but La’an waited until Spock resolved his feelings for Christine, who found a new romance with Dr. Roger Korby (Cillian O’Sullivan).
With their kiss at the end of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 4, La’an and Spock now officially become an item. This seems to mean that La’an has moved on from any hopes of being with Lt. James T. Kirk after he confessed he had a pregnant girlfriend, Carol Marcus. Spock has also put Chapel behind him, it seems.
Both Spock and Kirk now have romantic ties to La’an, but they never mention her when they meet Khan.
Spock and La’an becoming romantic creates many questions, especially considering Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Captain Kirk’s future encounters with La’an’s ancestor, Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban) in Star Trek: The Original Series. Both Spock and Kirk now have romantic ties to La’an, but they never mention her when they meet Khan. These are questions Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will have to resolve before it ends in season 5.
