Star Trek: Strange New Worldsalready spoiled the fate of Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano) in season 3, but I don’t care. After a two-year wait,Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3finally premieres July 17 on Paramount+, and lucky New York City audiences will get to see the first episodes at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 14. Even before that happened, Paramount+ let the cat out of the bag about what happens to Batel afterStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 2’s finale cliffhanger.
Captain Marie Batel was left at death’s doorat theend ofStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 2. Batel was infected with Gorn eggs on Parnassus Beta, and she only had hours to survive after Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) rescued Marie and brought his girlfriend aboard the USS Enterprise. As Captain Pike faces the Gorn’s starships,Nurse Christine Chapel(Jess Bush) has to find a way to save Marie’s life. Chapel’s job is even more difficult because Dr. Joseph M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) was abducted by the Gorn.
I Don’t Care That Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Spoiled Captain Batel Survives
Batel’s Survival Has Been Made Clear By Paramount+
Captain Batel’s survival was a cliffhanger for two years, but beforeStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3’s premiere,Paramount+ undercut Marie’s outcome with the new season’s promotional materials. First, Captain Batel received aStrange New Worldsseason 3 character portrait, which is unusual if Batel is killed off. Paramount+ also touted Melanie Scrofano as a guest star inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3, a hint that she would play Batel past the premiere.Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3’s full trailer also has plenty of footage of Batel from episodes that aren’t the premiere, leaving no doubt that Marie makes it through her Gorn crisis.
It doesn’t bother me in the slightest that Captain Batel is assured to survive inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3. I didn’t want Batel to die, especially sinceStrange New Worldsseason 1 previously killed off Lt. Hemmer (Bruce Horak) from a Gorn infection.Batel dying would have been the predictable move, and a lazy creative decision, as well. Rather than seed doubt about Marie surviving, the fascinating part of her story inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3 is how Nurse Chapel saves her and what toll that medical miracle will take on both of them.
Captain Batel’s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Future Becomes More Interesting In Season 3
What Happens Next To The Former Captain Of The USS Cayuga?
Killing off Captain Batel and having Captain Pike mourn her would have been uninspired.Batel’s survival creates more compelling story optionsforStar Trek: Strange New Worldsgoing forward. Since no human is known to have lived through a Gorn infection, there’s no telling if there are side effects or how Batel will adjust to her survival. Surely, Marie wouldn’t be immediately up and about as if nothing had happened. Batel’s ordeal is, in a way, worse thanLieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh’s (Christina Chong) childhood abduction by the Gorn.
Perhaps being infected by the Gorn gives Captain Batel insight into the alien reptiles, and this could be how Captain Pike ultimately outwits the Gorn, along with the technologyLieutenant Montgomery Scott(Martin Quinn) developed against their cannibalistic enemies. Further, once the Gorn crisis is over, what happens to Captain Batel now that her starship, the USS Cayuga, was destroyed? Does Starfleet assign her a new ship? Given how much she appears inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3’s trailer, doesBatel somehow join Pike’s USS Enterprise crew?
Batel Makes Captain Pike’s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Story Better
Batel Gives Pike A Story That’s Rare In Star Trek
Captain Batel’s survival benefits Captain Pike inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3, and possibly beyond. Pike is the onlyCaptain of the EnterpriseinStar Trekwho breaks the mold of being ‘married to his starship’ and is forced to be single and lonely while he explores the galaxy. Though they have relationship issues,Batel is an ideal romantic partner because she knows Chris' burdens as a starship captain.Strange New Worldsseason 3’s trailer hints that Marie stays aboard the Enterprise so that she and Pike can get quality time together.
I’m glad Captain Batel survives in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 so that Marie and Chris can enjoy some happiness now.
Ultimately, Captain Pike will be seriously injured in a delta-ray accident and confined to a wheelchair, and Captain Batel is never mentioned inStar Trek: The Original Series.Pike’s future is inevitable, but there is no rush to get there.Strange New Worldsis coming back for season 4, andStar Trek: Strange New Worldswill end with season 5, giving plenty of time to explore and potentially end Pike and Batel’s love story. I’m glad Captain Batel survives inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3 so that Marie and Chris can enjoy some happiness now.
