Now that the dust has settled on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, it's natural for fans to be looking, hopefully boldly, to the future. And, within the current ensemble, there’s one character who not only has an uncertain future, but also a mysterious past. Starting with Season 2 in 2023, Strange New Worlds introduced the centuries-old character of Pelia, played by the incomparable Carol Kane. At the time, it seemed like a bit of stunt casting, but after two seasons in the role, it’s actually quite hard to imagine the vibe of the series without her. Technically, she’s the incumbent chief engineer on the Starship Enterprise right now, but as Season 3 revealed, she’s certainly getting Scotty (Martin Quinn) prepped for the job.
And yet, the future of Strange New Worlds is finite: After Season 3, we’ll get Season 4, which has already completed filming, and then, likely in 2027, a six-episode swan song in the form of Season 5. Presumably, Kane’s Pelia could be around for all of those episodes. But her unique status as a long-lived Lanthanite also means she could be hanging around the Trek canon well beyond Strange New Worlds. We caught up with the legendary actor to get her take on her trek so far, and how she thinks about the sprawling franchise as a whole.
