‘Star Trek: Discovery’: Sonequa Martin-Green on What Pike Taking Command Means for the Crew

There’s a new captain in charge in Star Trek: Discovery Season Two. Captain Christopher Pike of the USS Enterprise, played by Anson Mount, takes command of the Discovery for a very special mission involving Spock and the Red Angel.

Star Sonequa Martin-Green tells IGN that Pike taking command of the Discovery after the previous captain, Gabriel Lorca, was revealed to be an imposter from the Mirror Universe represents a return to the Starfleet that Michael Burnham and the rest of the ship’s crew know and love.

“Well, I think that Burnham is ready to have a more Starfleet-like experience with a captain,” laughs Martin-Green. “We all have a little PTSD from Lorca and what he did, and all his illicit behavior, so it’s good to return to normalcy. It’s good to return to principle, and it’s good to return to what Starfleet really is, where your captain is someone you really do look to, that leads you and guides you. And he has such a kindness, such a genuine … such a genuine quality to him. And as [Mount] said in the panel, he’s willing to admit when he’s wrong, and he understands the true strength of a mastermind. And so it’s moving us, and healing us at the same time.”

Martin-Green said something similar when previously asked about Pike’s role n the series.

“In that big way that a captain affects a ship and a crew,” Martin-Green says. “A crew is almost defined by the essence of the captain. We went through the wringer with Lorca, and so there’s a little bit of PTSD there. There’s a little bit of distrust there because of what we’ve gone through and because we had someone who manipulated us and sought to kill us for his own gain. And so, Pike being the deeply rooted good guy he is, he is going to have an effect on us. He’s soothing in that way. He’s comforting in that way. And hopefully, you will see us sort of galvanize because of that.”

This is also in line with comments from other cast members about the show’s second season having a more traditional Star Trek tone.

“The whole first season was about the effect of the Mirror Universe, thanks to Captain Lorca,” said Anthony Rapp Destination Star Trek. “So, it was really going through that to come out the other side, building up to Burnham’s last speech. It was building up out of the darkness to get toward where we are much more in familiar territory. So, Season Two absolutely follows in those footsteps, building up the Starfleet that we are more familiar with.”

Are you excited about Captain Pike coming to Star Trek: Discovery? Let us know in the comments!

The first season of Star Trek: Discovery is available to stream in its entirety on CBS All Access in the U.S., through CraveTV in Canada and through Netflix in other international markets.

Star Trek: Discovery Season Two is now filming in Toronto and will premiere on CBS All Access on January 17, 2019.