The way Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has utilized Cadet Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) continues to show how much Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) was wasted on Star Trek: The Original Series. In Strange New Worlds episode 6, the USS Enterprise is embroiled in a mystery surrounding the young First Servant (Ian Ho) of the planet Majalis. As Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) becomes distracted by an old love, Alora (Lindy Booth), the minister of Majalis, Uhura plays a key role in unraveling the mystery of Majalis as she serves on rotation in Security under Lt. La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong).
Uhura is one of Star Trek's most important and beloved legacy characters as she was the first prominent African-American character in The Original Series. Yet Uhura, the Communications Officer of the Starship Enterprise under Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), wasn't well-utilized. Uhura's character was hardly developed and she was usually relegated to keeping "hailing frequencies open" on the bridge. This motivated Nichelle Nichols to quit Star Trek but, thankfully, Dr. Martin Luther King convinced Nichols of the importance of Uhura remaining in Star Trek. Nichols' talents as a singer were occasionally spotlighted and Uhura did have a few historic moments like being part of TV's first interracial kiss with Shatner's Kirk. Yet despite appearing throughout Star Trek: The Original Series and in the first six Star Trek movies, Nichols and Trekkers had to be satisfied with the supporting role Uhura played in the Enterprise's cosmic adventures.
Laudably, Strange New Worlds' younger version of Uhura has become a far more vital, complex, and interesting character than Nichols' Uhura was ever allowed to be by TOS. Uhura's own tragic backstory and her mastery of 37 human languages were revealed in Strange New Worlds episode 2, and Nyota's talents as a linguist helped save the day once again in Strange New Worlds episode 6. In Strange New Worlds episode 6, it was Uhura who deciphered communications from Majalis that pointed to Elder Gamal (Huse Madhavji) plotting to kidnap his own son, the First Servant. And this created the opening for Captain Pike to discover the terrible truth that Majalis' advanced society is predicated on torturing and sacrificing the lives of countless children who serve as First Servants.
It's remarkable how much Strange New Worlds has spotlighted Uhura in just the first six episodes so far. Nyota's talent at singing helped unlock the mystery of the rogue comet, which was actually an ancient arbiter of life, in Strange New Worlds episode 2. Just two episodes later, during a Gorn attack on the Enterprise, Uhura came through once more when she and Chief Engineer Hemmer (Bruce Horak), who was injured, were trapped in the cargo bay. Cadet Uhura was once more on rotation to learn the various functions of Engineering in Strange New Worlds episode 4, just as Nyota worked with and impressed La'an when she rotated into Security in Strange New Worlds episode 6.
Strange New Worlds' plot device of shift rotation has been an ingenious way to integrate Uhura into playing various roles that highlighted her talents and value. These experiences also retroactively inform and enhance the future version of Uhura Nichelle Nichols played in Star Trek: TOS. Yet the way Cadet Uhura's character is developing in Strange New Worlds and how she reacts to her various rotating duties also sheds light on Uhura in TOS. At this point in her career, the younger Uhura is uncertain if she wants to remain in Starfleet and her dangerous adventures are taking a toll on her. Perhaps the fact that Uhura was plunged into so many life-threatening scenarios as a Cadet in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds becomes the reason why Lt. Uhura became so comfortable remaining at the Communications console of Captain Kirk's bridge in Star Trek: The Original Series.
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