Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Episode 10 Review: New Life and New Civilizations

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Episode 10, “New Life and New Civilizations,” sees our crew grapple with their respective destinies as an old enemy, Vezda, returns. It’s a continuation of Season 3 Episode 5, “Through the Lens of Time,” that also serves as a send-off for Batel. 

New Life, New Civilizations, Old Statues

Batel’s fate has been hanging precariously in the balance as far back as the Season 2 finale. After receiving a healthy supply of Gorn, Illyrian, and chimera DNA, it’s no wonder her biological makeup is vastly different from what it was. Batel discovers her destiny is to become the Beholder statue, the “warden,” as it were, of the prison on Vadia IX. She saves the day by forcing the Vezda and the other demonic prisoners back into said prison. 

Admittedly, I found myself irritated at first. Perhaps this is because I’m a fan of Melanie Scrofano. It felt like the writers were fridging Batel to propel Pike’s character arc. We’ll undoubtedly see him still grieving when Season 4 rolls around. 

In my eyes, they could’ve simply reduced Batel to making the occasional appearance due to her hefty promotion. For example, she only appears in two episodes in Season 1. Let Pike experience some happiness and stability before his inevitable fate turns his world upside down. However, upon a second watch, I learned to appreciate the narrative unfolding here. 

Destiny Awaits on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 

There’s crucial thematic exploration happening in “New Life and New Civilizations.” For most of Season 3, Pike has taken a backseat. Even Kirk’s appearances seem to take precedence over the current captain of the Enterprise. It’s understandable why Kirk gets development — after all, he eventually takes over the captain’s chair. But Pike is still the star. More balance between these arcs would be appreciated. 

Pike knows he can’t outrun his destiny. He’s tried to prevent it. He’s attempted to avoid it. The Season 3 finale blesses us with an Up-style sequence (I’d even compare it to The Magicians‘ “A Life in the Day”), featuring Batel and Pike living the rest of their lives in domestic bliss.

Knock, Knock 

The writers incorporate fun storytelling devices like the constant knocking on the door and the shooting star to indicate that while this is real for Pike, Batel knows they’re on borrowed time. Additionally, the knocking serves multiple purposes: it’s a transitional tool to move the sequence along and it represents the characters’ avoidance of the inescapable. Both Pike and Batel tell the other to “come back” to them.

At another point, only Pike hears the knocking, reminding us that Batel’s story ends here, while Pike still has more life ahead of him. We learn while Batel’s on her deathbed that she orchestrated this to give herself and Pike the memory of a life fully lived together. What a beautiful gift. “New Life and New Civilizations” also addresses the importance of embracing life because each moment truly is, for lack of a better word, a gift. 

Melanie Scrofano and Anson Mount share such an easygoing, natural chemistry. Both turn in compelling work, with Scrofano, in particular, shining in her swan song. Chris Myers reprises his role as the Vezda-occupied Gamble. He cuts a chilling, imposing figure here, without going over the top as the villain. 

Always Here 

Pike’s realization that memories are as real as the present —that no one is truly gone —is a powerful statement. There’s the episode’s meditation on destiny and fate, on accepting what lies in store for us, but there’s also this second piece. How do we keep those we love alive after they’re no longer on this plane?

Pike sees his apron draped over his chair in his quarters, thinking it’s the one Batel gave him during their alternate life. Even though it’s not, the apron seemingly kickstarts his remembrance of that other life. He also sees that shooting star toward the episode’s conclusion. These “signs” from beyond help us keep our loved ones with us. It’s a poignant yet hopeful representation of grief being love turned outward, keeping the dearly departed in the present tense, as it were. 

It wouldn’t be Star Trek: Strange New Worlds without a heaping helping of hope, which is this series’ bread and butter. Now that our crew has uncharted planets aplenty to explore, enough for a five-year mission, it seems the series is returning to its original premise.

There’s hope for the future here. And hope is what keeps us going. 

Stray Observations: 

• On a materialistic note, I’m obsessed with Batel’s off-the-shoulder light blue sweater dress. I wish we had spent a bit more time with that captain’s table scene. Scotty getting hazed is a nice callback to Uhura experiencing the same thing at her first captain’s table. 
• More Doctor Who references! If you recall, in “The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail,” the TARDIS appears to be trapped in the scavengers’ ship. And now Pelia claims she spent time with a “time-traveling doctor.” Batel also mentions being a sentry, which could be a nod to Rory Williams being the Lone Centurion. Doctor Who also references Star Trek in “Space Babies,” when the Fifteenth Doctor canonizes the series in a conversation with Ruby Sunday. 
• I’d go out for a night on the town with M’Benga and Una. They’d be fun drinking buddies. 
• On another M’Benga-related note, that dude is a bona fide action star. Put Babs Olusanmokun in all the action thrillers. 
• If anyone understands following your destiny, it’s Wynonna Earp. Melanie Scrofano is a magnet for these character types, and I love it. 
• “Uncle Stock” makes me melt. Too cute. 
• I’m not quite as convinced that the series will go the route of a Spock/La’an/Kirk love triangle. That said, Kirk’s expression after their interaction gives me pause…

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What did you think of this episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!

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All three seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are available to stream on Paramount+.

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