The biggest tragedy in Captain Kirk’s past might finally have an origin story. Although the character of Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood) has only appeared on screen in one canonical Star Trek story, the show’s second pilot, “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” his status nonetheless looms large in Trek lore. Mitchell was Kirk’s buddy from way back, and only became an evil, power-hungry demigod after accidentally getting zapped with superpowers after the Enterprise passed through the great barrier at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy. Because Strange New Worlds takes place prior to “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” serious fans have often wondered if Mitchell would appear on the series at all. Indeed, another character with the last name Mitchell, Jenna Mitchell (Rong Fu), has been around since Season 1 in 2022. So, is there a connection?
Yes! In the Strange New Worlds Season 4 finale, “Tomorrow’s Enterprise,” one line from Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley) retroactively establishes that the two Mitchells, Gary and Jenna, are related, which could suggest that this is more than just an Easter egg. Instead, it seems very likely that Gary Mitchell himself might appear in Strange New Worlds Season 5.
