One scene in the new Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 teaser trailer shows Spock waking up next to Nurse Chapel, who's sporting an engagement ring. After Spock and Chapel's Strange New Worlds season 2 breakup, seeing the pair looking happy together is a pleasant surprise, but it can't last. Star Trek: The Original Series canon already established that Chapel will be engaged to Roger Korby in the near future. Christine also knows she won't end up with Spock, thanks to Star Trek: Lower Decks' time-traveling Ensign Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) telling Chapel she won't be part of Spock's future.
Spock Could Have His Heart Broken Again In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3
Rekindling Romance With Nurse Chapel Won't End Well For Spock
Getting back together with Nurse Chapel in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 can only lead to another round of heartbreak for Spock. Christine's engagement ring points to Chapel already being in a relationship with Dr. Roger Korby, who will be a recurring character in Strange New Worlds season 3. Because Boimler accidentally broke the Temporal Prime Directive, Christine Chapel knows what we do: that Spock and Chapel don't wind up together. So I can understand Chapel cutting her losses and pursuing Korby—but it's also entirely in character for Chapel to prioritize Spock, given the chance.
Even though I already know what lies ahead, I'm still invested in Spock and Chapel's Strange New Worlds relationship because I don't know how they get to where they are in Star Trek: The Original Series. More to the point, Spock doesn't know where this goes, so he probably still has high hopes for his relationship with Christine. Whether Spock finds out Chapel knew the future and rekindled their romance anyway, or it's just as simple as Korby sweeping Nurse Chapel off her feet, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 could break Spock's heart for good.
I Hope Spock Is Ready To End His Nurse Chapel Romance In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3
There's Still One Way Spock & Chapel Get A Happy Ending, But It's Not Together
As much as I love Spock and Chapel together in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, I hope Spock is ready to end his Nurse Chapel romance in season 3. Spock was blindsided by Christine's big breakup number in Strange New Worlds' musical episode, but Spock could give the split more thought in the time before season 3. If Spock and Chapel can mutually agree the relationship won't work out, that's much better than either of them becoming the villain just to preserve canon. Talking it out is a particularly Star Trek way to end a doomed relationship.
Because Spock and Chapel are on good terms in Star Trek: The Original Series, they probably ended their romance amicably. That's not where we left Spock and Chapel at the end of Strange New Worlds season 2, so there's still more story to tell. Even if Chapel and Spock are just a fleeting thing in Strange New Worlds season 3, that could be enough to give Spock and Chapel closure, so they can part ways as friends. And that might be the closest thing to a happy ending Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Spock and Chapel can get.
