Strange New Worlds Gives La'an A Bigger Twist Than Her Khan Connection
Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Episode 4 — «Memento Mori»
Lieutenant La'an Noonien Singh's (Christina Chong) tragic backstory in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is an even bigger and better twist than her connection to Khan (Ricardo Montalbán). As the Security Chief of the USS Enterprise commanded by Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), La'an's terrifying childhood experience is called upon when her starship is attacked by the Gorn. Forced to face her horrible memories of being abducted by the Gorn, La'an is the key to saving the Enterprise from the reptilian aliens. Best of all, none of La'an's heroism was dependent on the fact that she is the descendant of Khan Noonien Singh.
It was curious thatStar Trek: Strange New Worlds' advance promotion revealed La'an's genetic connection to Khan months before the show premiered rather than letting the audience discover it by watching Strange New Worlds. La'an even obscured her surname in Strange New Worlds' premiere episode, referring to herself only as «Lt. La'an Noonien» when she temporarily served as Pike's First Officer. La'an's connection to Khan was formally established inStrange New Worlds episode 3, «Ghosts of Illyria,» when La'an's friend and mentor, Number One AKA Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), confessed that she is a genetically-engineered Illyrian. La'an was hurt that Una lied to her about being an «Augment,» because her own heritage as Khan's descendant led to her being ostracized and taunted as a child for being related to the 20th century's most notorious genetically-engineered super criminal. Yet it's not clear yet whether or not La'an inherited Khan's augmented physical or mental advantages.
Related: Picard & Strange New
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