Summary
- Nurse Chapel gets an exciting career opportunity in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' musical episode, setting up the arrival of her fiancé Roger Korby.
- Spock and Chapel's romance faces challenges as Chapel accepts a Fellowship of Archaeological Medicine under Doctor Korby.
- The breakup between Spock and Chapel is hinted to be the reason why Spock embraces his Vulcan side in Star Trek: The Original Series.
WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 9, "Subspace Rhapsody."Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) gets an exciting new opportunity in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' musical episode, which sets up the arrival of her Star Trek: The Original Series fiancé, Roger Korby (Michael Strong). Korby appeared in the TOS episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", in which he was discovered underground on Exo III, after being missing for five years. In the episode, Commander Spock (Leonard Nimoy) described Korby as the "Pasteur of archaeological medicine" an observation that takes on a new dimension now that it appears that Nurse Chapel will leave the Vulcan for this 23rd century Louis Pasteur.
Spock and Chapel's romance in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has already faced significant challenges since they surrendered to their feelings earlier in season 2. In the previous episode, "Under the Cloak of War", Christine rejected the attempts by Spock (Ethan Peck) to help her process her Klingon war trauma. In "Subspace Rhapsody", the couple faces another challenge in the form of Chapel accepting a Fellowship of Archaeological Medicine under Doctor Roger Korby. In Chapel's celebratory song-and-dance number, "I'm Ready", she makes it very clear to Spock that she won't let their burgeoning relationship stand in the way of her career development, prompting Spock's own heartbreaking number, "I'm the X."
Chapel's Star Trek TOS Fiance Roger Korby & Strange New Worlds' Musical Setup Explained
In Star Trek canon, it's established that Chapel studied under Doctor Roger Korby during which time she fell in love with the scientist. Korby and Chapel's relationship was serious enough that they were later engaged to be married, but this engagement was cut tragically short. While leading an expedition to Exo III with his colleague Dr. Brown (Harry Basch), communications between the planet and Starfleet ceased in 2261. Now, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' musical episode sets up Chapel and Korby's doomed romance, as Christine finally gets an opportunity to develop her career.
Chapel describes Korby as a "genius" as she awaits news of her fellowship, and this is backed up by what's revealed in Star Trek: The Original Series. His work on immunological techniques was revolutionary and became required reading at Starfleet Academy. In TOS, it was also revealed that the corporeal form of Korby died in around 2261, two years after Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2. It's obvious that Chapel and Korby's relationship will be a whirlwind romance that will forever change not just Christine, but Spock as well.
Why Strange New Worlds Is Already Ending Spock & Chapel's Romance
As much as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds fans may want Spock and Chapel's romance to last longer, the couple are working against the constraints of Star Trek canon. Star Trek: The Original Series revealed that while Chapel still harbored feelings for Spock, he had made the decision to suppress his emotions and fully embrace his Vulcan side. Strange New Worlds' crossover episode hinted that Spock may be the one to end the relationship with Chapel, due to his decision to abandon his human emotions. Now it seems that his relationship breakdown is the reason why Spock turns his back on love.
"I'm the X" is a song about Spock's heartbreak over Christine's decision to leave him and the Enterprise for her fellowship. He sings that he won't make the same mistake again, hinting that it's his heartbreak, rather than his Vulcan heritage that creates the repressed Spock from Star Trek: The Original Series. Making Spock the wounded party in his and Chapel's Star Trek: Strange New Worlds break-up is a perfect way to give Jess Bush's Christine Chapel the agency that Majel Barrett's original character often lacked. It also cements Chapel a hugely important figure in Spock's Star Trek origin story.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' season 2 finale streams on Paramount+ on August 10th.