Star Trek Strange New Worlds Musical Episode Ending Explained

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 9 – “Subspace Rhapsody”

Summary

• Ensign Nyota Uhura saves the Enterprise and the galaxy from the subspace musical crisis with her powerful solo ballad and inspires the entire crew to sing together.
• Spock and Nurse Christine Chapel’s relationship may already be over as Chapel pursues her dream fellowship, causing Spock to realize his mistake in pursuing a relationship with her.
• Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh confesses her feelings for an alternate reality Captain Kirk and learns to be more open and emotionally vulnerable, even though she cannot have what she had with her James.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ musical episode, “Subspace Rhapsody,” ended with the USS Enterprise saving the galaxy with a rousing grand finale song and dance number. Directed by Dermot Downs, written by Dana Horgan and Bill Wolkoff, with music and lyrics by Letters to Cleo’s Kay Hanley and Tom Polce, Star Trek’s first-ever musical episode was an emotional and uproarious hour that used songs to bare the innermost feelings of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew of the USS Enterprise, and it set many of them up for profound changes going forward.

When Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) and Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) sent a song {“Anything Goes”) into a naturally occurring subspace rift, the phenomena reacted by emitting a wave that made the Enterprise crew burst into song whenever they felt heightened emotion. Trying to close the rift actually created a chain reaction that infected other starships, including Klingon ships. Soon, the entire galaxy would be infected with the desire to sing and dance according to the rules of musicals. But Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) quickly realized that people uncontrollably baring their emotions through song is a security risk. With the galaxy threatened, Uhura realized the key to reversing the subspace rift’s effects before the Klingons could attack the rift and create an even greater catastrophe.

Uhura & Starship Enterprise’s Crew Saved The Galaxy From The Subspace Musical

Ensign Nyota Uhura’s Strange New Worlds musical solo power ballad, “Keep Us Connected,” allowed her to realize the answer to the subspace rift’s musical crisis. Every time someone sang, the subspace rift’s quantum improbability field experienced a spike. Uhura deduced that if the subspace rift’s quantum improbably could spike to 344 giga electron volts, it would shatter the rift and reverse the musical effects. But that would require hundreds of people singing in unison – “a grand finale” musical number aboard the Enterprise.

Captain Pike knew Uhura, the Enterprise’s Communications Officer, was the only person who could inspire the entire crew to sing in unison. Uhura struggled with the pressures of being a workaholic who couldn’t relax all throughout Strange New Worlds season 2, but by singing “Keep Us Connected,” Nyota realized she could be the key to saving everyone because she intimately knew the entire crew as the nexus of the ship’s communications. Uhura’s plan worked, as the whole Enterprise crew sang “We Are One” together, and they even had surprising help from the Klingons, led by General Garkon (Bruce Horak), who danced a K-Pop number. The Enterprise’s grand finale reached 344 giga electron volts and shattered the subspace field, returning everything to normal. Uhura, in turn, gained a greater appreciation for her true value as Communications Officer.

Spock & Nurse Chapel’s Romance May Already Be Over

Strange New Worlds‘ musical did not end happily for Spock, however. The Vulcan Science Officer’s relationship with Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) may already be over. Chapel received good news that she was accepted for a 3-month fellowship in archeological medicine led by the famed Dr. Roger Korby. This is a dream come true for Christine, who yearns for this career advancement. But because she and Spock were already keeping their distance from each other, Chapel didn’t immediately notify the Vulcan, who found out anyway. Spock was further hurt by witnessing Christine’s musical number, “I’m Ready,” in the Port Galley, where she declared her dreams – that don’t include Spock – were poised to come true.

Spock bared his innermost feelings with the song, “I’m The X,” confessing his shame in allowing himself to fall for Chapel, which also jeopardized his engagement to T’Pring (Gia Sandhu). Uhura, who heard Spock’s tune, was taken aback by his stark emotions coming to the surface. At the end of Strange New Worlds‘ musical, Spock decided that exploring his human emotions and trying to be in a relationship with Chapel was a mistake, and he hardened, leaning more into his Vulcan logic. At the conclusion of the Enterprise crew’s grand finale, “We Are One,” Spock coldly turned from Chapel and did not celebrate with the others. Christine will now depart the Enterprise for 3 months for her internship, and this likely marks the end of Chapel and Spock as a couple, as Star Trek: The Original Series canon establishes Christine gets engaged to Dr. Korby.

La’an’s Confession To Kirk Will Change Her In Strange New Worlds

Watching Number One (Rebecca Romijn) sing “Connect To Your Truth” with the visiting Lt. James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) and express their emotions so freely sent Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh into emotional turmoil as someone who has spent her life repressing her feelings. La’an retreated to her quarters and sang, “How Does That Feel?”, confessing the pain she is nursing about the alternate reality Captain James T. Kirk she loved and lost when they time traveled to 21st century Toronto in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.” James was the first person she romantically felt for to truly “see” La’an and not hold the legacy of her surname against her. But while La’an is also attracted to Lt. Kirk, she knows he’s not her James.

La’an turned to Una, her mentor, and Number One sang her the Gilbert and Sullivan-esque number, “Keeping Secrets,” urging La’an to be more open. Una herself has changed since her court-martial and keeping her own secrets “no longer serves” her. Number One wants the same for La’an, who decided to tell Kirk what happened to her in 21st-century Toronto. However, while Jim is similar to La’an’s Kirk, and he’s mutually attracted, he had a confession of his own to make: Kirk is in a “sometimes” relationship with Carol Marcus, who is pregnant. Their son will grow up to be David Marcus (Merritt Butrick) in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. While it was a bitter pill to swallow for La’an that she can’t have with Prime Timeline Kirk what she had with her James, La’an realized taking the chance with Kirk was the right thing to do, and she could continue to “take more chances” and be emotionally vulnerable.

Captain Pike & Batel’s Relationship Is Solid (For Now?)

Captain Christopher Pike and his girlfriend, Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano), suffered the embarrassment of their relationship problems being broadcast across the USS Enterprise and the USS Cayuga when they sang “Private Conversation” in front of their crews. A long-distance relationship where their duty to their respective starships comes first hasn’t been easy for Pike and Batel, and his penchant for pushing her away when he’s unhappy or gets scared about their intimacy became public knowledge.

At the end of Strange New Worlds‘ musical, however, Chris and Marie came to a new understanding about honestly communicating with each other. Pike knows Batel is good for him, and this latest bump in their relationship follows up how they nearly broke up in Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 4, “Among the Lotus Eaters.” Yet there’s another dark cloud on the horizon because Batel told Pike she is being sent on a Priority One mission. With one more episode left in Strange New Worlds season 2, titled “Hegemony,” it will likely send Batel headlong against the Gorn. Hopefully, this won’t lead to tragic results for Captain Pike and Captain Batel.

Kirk Is Learning To Be A Number One & Captain From Pike & Una

Lt. James T. Kirk is back on the Starship Enterprise, and his second visit not only conveniently allows Kirk to take part in Strange New Worlds’ musical, but it also underscores a new element is canon: Kirk is learning how to be a First Officer from Number One, but he’s also shadowing Captain Pike in order to absorb the finer points of being a starship Captain. Through the song, “Connect To Your Truth,” Una urged Kirk to trust his crew, and in the grand finale, “We Are One,” Kirk sang his thanks to the Enterprise crew, crediting them if he ever becomes Captain.

Kirk also had fun with Spock, joking that he “almost understood” the Vulcan’s explanation of the subspace rift. And even if it’s not romantic, Kirk has a connection with La’an that could develop into a fascinating friendship. Yet Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ emotional and uplifting musical episode putting the kibosh on a Kirk and La’an romance does smartly preserve Star Trek: The Original Series canon.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.