The future of Rebecca Romjin as Una Chin-Riley is uncertain, as her character was arrested in the season one finale. “Ad Astra Per Aspera” kept me engaged throughout the episode, and it goes down as one of the series’ best episodes so far. We will be diving into spoilers, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Anson Mount as Captain Pike
Firstly, Captain Pike shows his true undying loyalty towards Romjin’s Una here. As pictured above, he risks his own life to speak to a lawyer that would take thing kind of case. With Una being an Illyrian, this goes against Starfleet’s laws of being in the space force organization. Pike traveled far to meet Neera, played by Yetide Badaki. Pike almost passes out from the difference in the air from what he is used to. Neera is impressed but doesn’t want to help Una due to their past. The way Pike persuaded her to consider taking it highlights him as a leader. He wasn’t going to take a no from her.
Badaki as Neera is a standout in this week’s episode. Neera is relentless and shows how great of a lawyer she is when the case gets underway. I’ve seen many series tackle court cases, and after a while, you have seen what they can offer to a point. Thankfully, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds finds intriguing twists and moments to make it stand independently. Romjin plays Una with a certain gravitas but opens up herself fully during this episode. I have a newfound respect for what she went through as a child to get to where she is now.
Yetide Badaki & Rebecca Romjin as Neera & Una Chin-Riley
Starfleet tries their hardest to get Una to exit without causing problems. Neera doesn’t back down from the fight, why Pike wanted her. We see several main characters take the stand for and against Una. This episode is more than about Una’s freedom and continued role in Starfleet. This episode opens up more opportunities for individuals within the organization. “Ad Astra Per Aspera” also brings forth the mystery of who turned in Una to Starfleet. I was worried the reveal would damage the USS Enterprise and the crew. When it was revealed to be Una herself, I was genuinely shocked.
Through her taking the stand at the trial, Una lays out why she revealed she was Illyrian. As a kid, she saw Starfleet as a way to reach the star. She continually quoted the phrase ‘Ad Astra Per Aspera’ during her emotional and eye-opening speech. It gave her hope during dark times and what was happening in her home world. It was a significant risk, as the judges presiding over the case could quickly go against her solely on her being an Illyrian. Una’s moving speech and Neera pointing out some key points within the law held up by Starfleet. Una won the trial and could remain Number One on the USS Enterprise.
Melissa Navia as Ortegas, Babs Olusanmokun as Dr. M’Benga and Ethan Peck as Spock
Seeing the crew of the Enterprise stand up and help however they can have Una win her case was fantastic. It shows the genuine connection with the characters and their importance to each other. They all saw Una for who she was and how they treated them leading up to her arrest. They didn’t let her being an Illyrian change their perception of who she was to them. When Una returned to the Enterprise, Pike hugging Una when the room was clear was my favorite moment of the episode. Television series mostly love to have the main lead characters start a romance, and it gets tiresome after a while. Thankfully, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds avoids this typical trope. Its great to have Una back on the USS Enterprise, and the adventure continues.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 2 “Ad Astra Per Aspera” is available now on Paramount+