Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 5 - "Charades"The burgeoning romance between Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds confirms the theory from Star Trek: The Original Series that the pair had a romantic past. In Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5, "Charades," Spock and Chapel finally give in to their feelings for one another and end the episode with a kiss. The two characters have been dancing around one another for several episodes, but Spock's relationship with his Vulcan fiancée, T'Pring (Gia Sandhu), complicated matters.
Jess Bush's performance as Christine Chapel has been one of the best surprises of Strange New Worlds, and she has done a great job at reinventing an underused character from Star Trek: The Original Series. Throughout TOS, Nurse Chapel (then played by Majel Barrett) pines for Spock (Leonard Nimoy) from afar, only occasionally expressing her true feelings for him. While Jess Bush's Chapel does not seem the type to spend her life pining for someone who's unavailable, she clearly cares deeply for Spock. With the knowledge that Spock and Nurse Chapel have a romantic history, the scenes between the two in TOS take on new meaning.
Strange New Worlds Confirms Spock & Chapel Had A Relationship In Star Trek: TOS
In the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Naked Time," Christine Chapel confesses her love for Spock while under the influences of polywater intoxication. Spock seems genuinely sad when he apologizes to Christine, which would make sense if he had feelings for her, too. Strange New Worlds recontextualizes all of their interactions from TOS. What was a running note at Nurse Chapel's expense becomes more genuine and more tragic knowing that Spock and Chapel did, in fact, share a romance.
By the time of TOS, Spock has chosen to fully embrace the Vulcan side of his personality. He works hard to repress his feelings, and Spock even chooses to undergo the emotion-purging Kolinahr ritual after retiring from Starfleet, as seen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. While Spock's human emotions do occasionally break through, it's usually because of some outside influence. Still, there are hints throughout TOS that Spock and Christine have a history, and even that Spock might still care about her. But Nurse Chapel brings out Spock's most human side, and he has already made the decision to reject his more human tendencies.
Why Spock & Chapel Broke Up Before Star Trek: TOS
Star Trek: The Original Series makes it clear that Spock and Nurse Chapel are no longer together, as much as Chapel wishes otherwise. Between the time of Strange New Worlds and TOS, something must come between Spock and Christine. Despite the fact that "Charades" saw T'Pring break off her engagement with Spock, his relationship with her could still impact his relationship with Chapel. If Chapel represents Spock's human inclinations, then T'Pring speaks to his Vulcan side. Unfortunately, neither relationship ends in happiness for Spock.
With their obvious chemistry, Ethan Peck and Jess Bush have brought new life to their respective characters, and it will be interesting to see how their relationship progresses. Spock's love triangle with Chapel and T'Pring could still go in many different directions, and the characters have several years before the events of Strange New Worlds catch up to TOS. Whether it's Spock's choice to embrace his Vulcan side that comes between the pair or Christine's future fiancée, Dr. Roger Korby, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has plenty of time to explore the possibilities.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.