When James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) beams onto Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, will he romance the descendant of his greatest enemy, Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán)? An alternate future version of Kirk debuted in Strange New Worlds season 1's finale; however, this incarnation was Captain of the USS Farragut. But Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) was so intrigued by Jim, he may groom the younger Lieutenant Kirk to eventually succeed him as Captain of the Enterprise.
Star Trek canon dictates that Captain Kirk (William Shatner) will meet Khan in the classic Khan, a genetically engineered warlord from Earth's 20th century, is revived from cryogenic sleep, he will quickly move to kill Kirk and take over the USS Enterprise. After Kirk foils Khan, he delivers the Augment and his followers to Ceti Alpha V. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, set 20 years later, reveals an even more vengeful and sadistic Khan bent on destroying Kirk for marooning him on a doomed planet. Even though Kirk and Khan only encountered each other twice, their rivalry is legendary, and Khan is undisputedly the greatest threat to Kirk and the Starship Enterprise.
Will Kirk Romance La'an In Strange New Worlds Season 2?
Strange New Worlds season 2 was produced in the spring of 2022, and leaked Lt. La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong). La'an is Khan's descendant, although she has not (yet) shown signs of her ancestor's genetic augmentation. In the alternate future TOS' "Balance of Terror" of Strange New Worlds season 1's finale, La'an was a Commander serving under Captain Kirk on the USS Farragut. Strange New Worlds season 2 looks to lay the groundwork for Kirk and La'an working together as Starfleet Officers, but could it also lead to romance?
Along with being a bold and daring starship Captain, Kirk also has a reputation as a ladies' man, and Strange New Worlds could lean into it with its younger version of the future Captain. La'an is a compelling pairing for Kirk, who would naturally be intrigued by her intelligence, her guarded nature, her ferocity, and, of course, her obvious beauty. And in Strange New Worlds season 2, Kirk would have no idea that he's destined to cross paths with her ancestor Khan in a few years' time, so La'an's surname Noonien Singh means nothing to young Kirk at this point. It wouldn't be surprising if sparks flew between Kirk and La'an.
How A La'an Romance Changes Kirk Vs. Khan
While a Kirk and La'an romance would be fun to watch, it's fraught with peril in of Star Trek canon. After all, Captain Kirk quickly learns who Khan really is soon after he's awakened, and Jim would certainly recall and equate Khan Noonien Singh with La'an Noonien Singh. And even without a Kirk and La'an romance, Jim would undoubtedly her surname, and he might even learn of La'an's family ties to Khan in Strange New Worlds season 2. Romance or not, Kirk and La'an impact how Kirk interacts with Khan later in Star Trek, and it's going to be interesting to see how Strange New Worlds walks this tightrope.
Of course, Star Trek: The Original Series was produced over five decades before La'an Noonien Singh was created, or the decision was made to bring a young Kirk into Strange New Worlds. The prequel has to retroactively explain how or why La'an is never mentioned when Kirk encounters Khan in TOS, and this also applies to Spock (Ethan Peck), Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and other legacy characters on Pike's Starship Enterprise. Yet fear of breaking canon shouldn't hinder what could be a great story in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and a potential Kirk and La'an romance could be one to if it happens in season 2
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 premieres in 2023 on Paramount+.