Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 1 - "The Broken Circle"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds needed a new Chief Engineer character for season 2, and the Paramount+ prequel series wisely didn't repeat how Star Trek: Deep Space Nine replaced Lt.
Commander Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) with Lt. Ezri Dax (Nicole de Boer). Strange New Worlds season 1's Chief Engineer, Lt. Hemmer (Bruce Horak), was a breakout character who grew extremely popular. Unfortunately, Hemmer was always slated to die in Strange New Worlds season 1, and the blind Aenar was replaced by Commander Pelia (Carol Kane) in Strange New Worlds season 2.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 6 ended with the tragic death of the popular Jadzia Dax. This wasn't a creative decision but the result of a dispute between the actress Terry Farrell and the studio, Paramount. Jadzia being killed off threw a wrench in many storylines, especially the fact that Dax married Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) earlier in DS9 season 6.
To replace Jadzia, DS9 created Ezri, who unexpectedly inherited the Dax symbiont. Ezri had a very different personality from Jadzia, but she was still a Trill and the new Dax found herself in her predecessor's shadow throughout DS9 season 7. This was a circumstance Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cleverly avoided with Commander Pelia.
Strange New Worlds’ Pelia Didn’t Do Star Trek: DS9’s Replacement Trick With Dax
Strange New Worlds season 2's premiere, "The Broken Circle," introduced Commander Pelia, who was nothing like Hemmer other than being a brilliant engineer in her own right. Whereas Hemmer was a gruff and intimidating Aenar, Pelia is a quirky and effervescent Lanthanite who has lived on Earth for centuries.
Pelia immediately deduced Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) was planning to steal the USS Enterprise by faking a warp core breach, and she talked her way into serving as the new Chief Engineer. Pelia's unusual accent and humorous demeanor are a stark contrast to Hemmer, but she quickly won Spock and the audience over.
Because Hemmer was such a surprise hit with audiences, it might have been tempting for Strange New Worlds to replace him with a similar character, perhaps another Andorian or Aenar of equal temperament. Instead, Strange New Worlds went in a wholly different direction by not only creating Pelia but casting Carol Kane, a legendary comedienne who is new to Star Trek.
Pelia's unusual but distinctive accent was Kane's idea that quickly sets Pelia apart and makes her immediately unforgettable, and the Lanthanite comes off as a wildcard who can see through the foibles of the much younger crew of the Starship Enterprise. Between Hemmer and Pelia, Strange New Worlds is now 2 for 2 with Chief Engineers.
Ezri Dax Eventually Worked On DS9
After Ezri Dax was introduced in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7's premiere, much of the season was spent establishing her character and integrating the new Dax into the space station's sprawling and eclectic cast.
But the specter of Jadzia Dax never ceased to follow Ezri around, and it was difficult for her to stand out as her own character and for audiences to wholeheartedly accept her. Nicole de Boer did excellent work making Ezri distinctive and endearing as her Dax was conflicted and uncertain whereas Jadzia was assured and cool. Eventually, Ezri was appreciated for being a great character in her own right despite only being in one season of DS9.
But for a segment of DS9 fans, Ezri would never truly replace Jadzia, and it was a difficult position for the character and Nicole de Boer to be placed in. Strange New Worlds season 2 ingeniously sidestepped this whole quagmire by making Commander Pelia nothing like Hemmer so that Carol Kane is able to establish her character without having to escape from Bruce Horak's shadow.
Kane also revealed that Hemmer was taught by Pelia at Starfleet Academy, so there is a bond between the two engineers that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 can look forward to establishing. Thankfully, Commander Pelia is free to surprise and delight audiences without needing to escape from Lt. Hemmer's shadow as Ezri Dax did Jadzia Dax on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
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