Star Trek Just Made Khan's TOS Canon Next To Impossible

A new relationship development in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds further complicates Star Trek canon regarding the infamous tyrant Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán). Khan first appeared in Star Trek: The Original Series season 1, episode 24, "Space Seed," but went on to become one of Captain James T. Kirk's (William Shatner) greatest foes in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has already retconned Khan's origin story, in season 2's "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," shifting the previously established timeline. Although "A Space Adventure Hour" does not directly reference Khan, it does pair Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) in a new romantic relationship with Khan's descendant, Lt. La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong).

Directed by Star Trek: The Next Generation's Jonathan Frakes, with a script penned by Dana Horgan and Kathryn Lyn, "A Space Adventure Hour" puts La'an front and center. When Captain Christoper Pike (Anson Mount) asks La'an to test out the new holodeck technology, she embarks on a 1960s murder mystery inspired by her favorite fictional detective, Amelia Moon.

La’an & Spock’s Strange New Worlds Romance Makes Khan’s TOS Canon Next To Impossible

Why Does Spock Never Talk About La'an?

Before La'an dives into her murder mystery, she checks in with Spock, who has been continuing the dance lessons that began in Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 2. La'an joins Spock for an impromptu tango, and the scene hints that there could be something more than friendship developing between the two.

La'an later recruits Spock to assist in her investigation, hoping that the half-Vulcan will offer a different perspective. As the mystery progresses, La'an eventually realizes that the Spock she has been working with is a hologram. This realization is brought on because this version of Spock lacks the warmth of the Vulcan she knows.

At the end of "A Space Adventure Hour," La'an returns to Spock's quarters, and the two reveal that they have begun to develop feelings for one another, sealing their new relationship with a kiss. Considering the role La'an has already played in the lives of both Lt. James Kirk (Paul Wesley) and Spock, it seems odd that neither officer would mention her when they later encounter Khan himself.

The Strange New Worlds musical episode, "Subspace Rhapsody," establishes that La'an and Kirk feel a connection, but Kirk remains committed to Carol Marcus. Still, he comes to consider La'an a friend, and now she's romantically involved with Spock. Both Kirk and Spock are aware of La'an's connection to Khan, which leaves a big question mark hanging over La'an's future.

Strange New Worlds Could Still Explain Why Kirk & Spock Never Mention La’an In TOS

Although Kirk and Spock's closeness with La'an appears to contradict Star Trek canon, there could be many reasons why neither officer brought up La'an when they met Khan. Strange New Worlds has already established that La'an fears becoming like her ancestor, so she would likely want to stay as far away from Khan as possible. Perhaps Kirk and Spock hid La'an's existence from Khan to protect her.La'an is no longer on the Enterprise by the time of Star Trek: The Original Series, which could mean that something happens to her before Kirk takes over the ship. If La'an dies sometime before the events of TOS, the memories may still be too painful for Kirk or Spock to bring up. Whatever the reason, none of them bode well for Spock's burgeoning romance with La'an on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.