Warning: SPOILERS For Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, Episode 6 - “The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail"Star Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3, episode 6 is James T. Kirk’s (Paul Wesley) first mission as a starship captain, but Jim’s big win came with harsh lessons that will shape his future as Captain of the Enterprise. Directed by Valerie Weiss and written by Bill Wolkoff and David Reed, “The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail” is an action-packed adventure and rich character study that thrillingly evokes and lays the groundwork forStar Trek: The Original Series.
Wildly different from the events depicted in J.J. Abrams’Star Trek(2009),Strange New Worldsseason 3, episode 6 is Jim Kirk’s canonical first time as a captain inStar Trek’s Prime Timeline. When the USS Enterprise is taken captive by a massive and frightening starship controlled by a horde of intergalactic Scavengers,acting Captain Kirk leads the damaged USS Farragut to save Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his crew.
As it happens, supporting Captain Kirk are Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck), Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), Scotty (Martin Quinn), and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) -all future members of Kirk’s USS Enterprise crew.Meanwhile, the Starfleet heroes of the Enterprise work to free their starship from the bowels of the Scavengers' dreadnought. Here’s how the Farragut and Enterprise won the day and what they learned.
The 2 Lessons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Scavenger Villains
Kirk Learned Empathy For His Enemies
Following their defeat, the combined crews of the USS Enterprise and Farragut learn the secret of the Scavengers: They are human. In the mid-21st century, after the devastation of World War III and beforeFirst Contact Dayon August 06, 2025, a group of scientists left Earth to explore the stars. Commander Pelia (Carol Kane), a five-thousand-year-old Lanthanite, remembered these explorers as"the best of"humanity.
Yet two centuries later, the explorers' descendants turned into malicious, ravenous Scavengers. These remorseless humans attacked and pillaged countless worlds, consuming starships and their resources, and becoming a feared ghost story.
With the Scavengers,Star Trek: Strange New Worldsholds a mirror up to us, delineating the dire course our human race may be on instead of the optimistic, RoddenberryStar Trekfuture that seems increasingly out of reach.
The USS Enterprise’s crew was forlorn to learn of how the heroic humans eventually turned into Scavengers. For Captain Kirk, however, defeating the Scavengers meant not seeing them as sentient beings. Kirk’s plan to cripple the Scavengers' ship ended up killing seven thousand human beings, which left Jim devastated.
Kirk’s experience against the Scavengers is a lesson in empathy for the futureCaptain of the Enterprise, one that will serve him against many future foes, including the Gorn. Captain Pike also shared another crucial lesson about command, thata Captain must own and live with their choices.
How Captain Kirk’s Leadership Led To The Scavengers’ Defeat
“Risk Is Why We’re Here”
Captain Kirk questioned himself and his risk-taking, but he regained his confidence and led the Farragut to a win over the Scavengers. Kirk did so by listening to his makeshift crew and utilizing their talents and expertise, especially engineer Scotty. Kirk used Spock’s parable of"The Sehlat who ate its tail"against the Scavengers.
By making the USS Farragut seem like it was full of energy the Scavengers couldn’t resist, Kirk lured the villains into a trap that crippled the Scavengers' dreadnought. This allowed the Starship Enterprise, trapped within, to break free. However, Kirk’s bold risk resulted in seven thousand deaths, which is something Jim will have to learn to live with.
Kirk remains Lieutenant Commander and First Officer of the USS Farragut,and he assumed the rank of acting captain when Captain V’Rel (Zoe Doyle) was injured and beamed aboard the Enterprise. When Captain V’Rel is healthy, she will resume command of the Farragut, and Kirk will remain years away from his destiny asCaptain of the Enterprise.
Spock & Kirk Began Their Future Star Trek Partnership
Spock Gave Kirk The Talking-To He Needed
Lieutenant Spock rose to the task of reaching out to Kirk during Jim’s crisis of confidence. Spock met Kirk when Uhura introduced them inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 2, episode 6, “Lost in Translation.”
Spock has spoken highly of Lt. Commander Kirk, although he did so to infuriate Jim’s brother, Lt. Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte) inStrange New Worldsseason 3, episode 2, “Wedding Bell Blues.”
Relating to Kirk’s analogy of"the dog who caught a car"with his own Vulcan version,“The Sehlat who ate its tail,“Spock was able to help Kirk regain his mojo. This is the first instance of Spock giving Kirk the support he needs, a pattern of deep friendship between Kirk and Spock that will continue for the next 30+ years ofStar Trek: The Original Seriesand movies.
Kirk’s Future Enterprise Crew Learned To Trust Him As Captain
Although They Almost Mutinied
Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) accompanied the USS Enterprise’s away team to the Farragut, but when La’an beamed back to help Captain Pike fight the Scavengers, it left Kirk with the core personnel who will eventually be part of his USS Enterprise crew. However, Scotty and Chapel, especially, had no confidence in the erratic Kirk and even considered removing him from command.
Ensign Uhura, who saw the best of Kirk when Jim helped her inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 2, episode 5, argued in favor of the acting Captain. Thankfully, with Spock’s help, Kirk emerged from his despondency with renewed vigor as captain, and Jim successfully inspired the Enterprise’s people to follow him, leaning on their talents to defeat the Scavengers.
ConsideringStar Trek: Strange New Worldsexecutive producers and co-showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers' plans forStar Trek: Year One,a post-Strange New Worldsspinoff about new stories during Kirk’s first year as Captain of the Enterprise, “The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail” feels likea proof of concept and even an ersatz backdoor pilot forStar Trek: Year One.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Made A Unique Change To The Starship Enterprise
Pelia Being A Pack Rat Helped The Enterprise
With internal comms down, Commander Pelia came up with perhaps the most novel change ever made to the USS Enterprise. The Lanthanite Chief Engineer is a pack rat who lived through the 1980s, and she had enough dial-up telephones and wires in her quarters to turn the Enterprise’s communication systems analog.
With the tension aboard the Farragut, and Captain Pike and La’an battling Scavengers in the corridors of the Enterprise, Pelia’s telephone gambit was a welcome shot of levity inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3, episode 6. Just two episodes ago, theEnterprise had a futuristic holodeck, but it was 20th-century tech that helped the starship escape from the Scavengers.
