Anson Mount perfectly portrays Captain Christopher Pike inStar Trek: Strange New Worlds,fixing one very outdated aspect of Jeffrey Hunter’s original Captain Pike. Jeffrey Hunter’s Pike was initially meant to be the leading man ofStar Trek: The Original Seriesbefore being replaced by the more dynamic Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner). InStar Trek’soriginal pilot, “The Cage,” Pike is captain of the Enterprise, andLeonard Nimoy’s Spockis the only crew member who made the transition from “The Cage” to the rest ofTOS.
Captain Pike made a brief appearance in theStar Trek: The Original Seriestwo-parter, “The Menagerie,” after suffering a horrific injury while saving a group of Starfleet cadets. This officially established that Pike had been captain of the Enterprise before Kirk, and set up several elements of Pike’s story. Following his appearance inStar Trek: Discoveryseason 2,Anson Mount’s take on Captain Pike became popular enough to earn his own spin-off.Strange New Worldshas since become one of modernStar Trek’sbest shows, with a compelling cast of characters led by Mount’s near-perfect leading man – with one character change typifying this success.
Captain Pike’s Attitude Towards Women In Strange New Worlds Is His Best Change From 1960s Star Trek
Pike’s Comments In “The Cage” Feel Out Of Place For The 23rd Century
In “The Cage,” a woman named J. M. Colt (Laurel Goodwin) acts as Captain Pike’s personal yeoman. When Colt delivers a report to Pike on the bridge,he comments that he"can’t get used to having a woman on the bridge.“Realizing that hisfirst officer, Number One (Majel Barrett), is in fact, a woman, Pike quickly adds, “No offense, Lieutenant. You’re different, of course.“Not only do these comments reflect a view that was already becoming outdated by the late 1960s, but they also make no sense in the context ofStar Trek’s23rd-century utopian society.
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Jeffrey Hunter’s Pike felt undeniably like a product of the 1960s, but thankfully, his sexist attitude is not at all reflected in Anson Mount’s take on the character.The Pike ofStrange New Worldssurrounds himself with capable officers, many of whom happen to be women,and he treats all of his officers like family. The future world presented inStar Trekhas no room for sexism (or any other kind of prejudice), and Captain Pike’s attitude reflects that worldview. He listens to all of his officers, considering their ideas equally, regardless of their gender, age, or species.
Captain Pike Is A Romantic Leading Man In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Anson Mount’s Pike Makes A Great Romantic Lead
Jeffrey Hunter’s Captain Pike would not have workednearly as well as Anson Mount’s does as a romantic leading man.Captain Pike has all the qualities of a strong male lead, while also defying traditional gender rolesin some ways. He’s a strong leader, without being arrogant or demanding. He seeks advice and knowledge from those around him, commanding the Enterprise in a more collaborative way than some otherTrekcaptains have. Pike is also a romantic, without the leering qualities Kirk could sometimes have onTOS.
In his Starfleet uniform and an apron, Captain Pike represents the perfect leading man.
Captain Pike clearly cares for and respects his romantic partner,Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano), and he accepts that she is also an ambitious Starfleet captain. He is not at all threatened by her position in Starfleet, and he is the one who cooks whenever they are together. In his Starfleet uniform and an apron, Captain Pike represents the perfect leading man. Not only is Pike comfortable with who he is, but he’s also comfortable being surrounded by strong, capable women. All of this only makes him more likable and attractive as a romantic lead inStar Trek: Strange New Worlds.
