Star Trek’s command crew, the core group of people who run the starship and, often, whose lives and relationships make up much of the franchise’s core, tend to follow certain character archetypes since the series’ inception almost 60 years ago. These tropes include the Brave Bookworm, like Spock and Data, the Pacifist in Bashir and McCoy, and, of course, the Ace Pilot, originated by Sulu. The Ace Pilot has become a staple of the franchise, appearing in almost every entry and bringing a cool, fun attitude to what can be a narratively intense show. Strange New Worlds continues the Ace Pilot legacy with a character new to Trek lore, Erica Ortegas.While most of the show’s key crew have had spotlight episodes, Ortegas has remained an ever-present support, consistently fulfilling a trope important to Star Trek’s tone. She stands firmly as one of the ship’s most brash, hot-headed crew members, a personality necessary to contrast Pike’s mellowness, Una’s stern leadership, Spock’s logic and Uhura’s compassion on the bridge. Her shoot-first attitude is often steeped in cynicism and sarcasm, but it doesn’t pierce her personality, often opting to lighten the mood compared to La’an’s pessimism. These characteristics are often portrayed as masculine traits by men, especially in the instances of Kirk and Riker, so it is refreshing to see them played out by a woman.The closest Ortegas has gotten to a solo episode is her arc in Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 4, “Among the Lotus Eaters.” In the episode, Ortegas and the rest of the crew are overcome by temporary amnesia. Her response in the face of confusion and fear from her memory loss is to close in on herself, protecting herself from strangers until she can get to the lot of who she is. She lashes out at Spock, avoids the crowds of people on the decks and tries her best to get home. This episode cuts to the core of Ortegas’ character, with her eventually learning that she is Erica Ortegas, and she “flies the ship.”RELATED: Why Spock’s Strange New Worlds’ Finale Confrontation Is a Continuity Error
Star Trek’s command crew, the core group of people who run the starship and, often, whose lives and relationships make up much of the franchise’s core, tend to follow certain character archetypes since the series’ inception almost 60 years ago. These tropes include the Brave Bookworm, like Spock and Data, the Pacifist in Bashir and McCoy, and, of course, the Ace Pilot, originated by Sulu. The Ace Pilot has become a staple of the franchise, appearing in almost every entry and bringing a cool, fun attitude to what can be a narratively intense show. Strange New Worlds continues the Ace Pilot legacy with a character new to Trek lore, Erica Ortegas.
While most of the show’s key crew have had spotlight episodes, Ortegas has remained an ever-present support, consistently fulfilling a trope important to Star Trek’s tone. She stands firmly as one of the ship’s most brash, hot-headed crew members, a personality necessary to contrast Pike’s mellowness, Una’s stern leadership, Spock’s logic and Uhura’s compassion on the bridge. Her shoot-first attitude is often steeped in cynicism and sarcasm, but it doesn’t pierce her personality, often opting to lighten the mood compared to La’an’s pessimism. These characteristics are often portrayed as masculine traits by men, especially in the instances of Kirk and Riker, so it is refreshing to see them played out by a woman.
The closest Ortegas has gotten to a solo episode is her arc in Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 4, “Among the Lotus Eaters.” In the episode, Ortegas and the rest of the crew are overcome by temporary amnesia. Her response in the face of confusion and fear from her memory loss is to close in on herself, protecting herself from strangers until she can get to the lot of who she is. She lashes out at Spock, avoids the crowds of people on the decks and tries her best to get home. This episode cuts to the core of Ortegas’ character, with her eventually learning that she is Erica Ortegas, and she “flies the ship.”
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