Since its female characters are a testament to Star Trek‘s commitment to representation, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds can save a Star Trek: The Original Series character and finally portray her in a three-dimensional way. Some of Strange New Worlds‘ best episodes of its first two seasons involve Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijin), proving the prequel’s dedication to elevating classic Star Trek characters. Even new characters who weren’t in TOS, like Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) and Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), show the series’ ability to foster compelling female character development.

With its reputation for bringing Star Trek: The Original Series characters into its modern production, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ impressive cast of characters has become a modern staple of Star Trek. Many of Strange New Worlds‘ female characters have benefited from a contemporary twist to their one-dimensional TOS archetypes — they now have new and exciting backstories and compelling character traits and contribute to nuanced relationships with other crew members on board the USS Enterprise. Because it portrays its female characters as the driving force of the show, Strange New Worlds has the chance to bring back and redeem another female Star Trek: The Original Series character.

Strange New Worlds Can Fix Star Trek’s Janice Rand After 58 Years

Rand can be the Star Trek character she always deserved to be

Adding a young Janice Rand to its character lineup could prove Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ dedication to giving old and new female characters their rightful place in the Star Trek canon. In Star Trek: The Original Series, Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney) was depicted as nothing more than a Yeoman with an unrequited love for Captain Kirk (William Shatner). She didn’t have any other essential plotlines. Janice Rand exited Star Trek after season 1, but Strange New Worlds could give her room to grow as a character and become an asset to the show’s already robust list of female characters.

A modern representation of Janice Rand could redefine her superficial Star Trek: The Original Series characterization with a more meaningful arc. Rand, who was a season 1 regular on TOS, never got meaningful character development or a conclusive backstory because her character was meant solely to be attracted to Captain Kirk. Other Starship Enterprise characters rarely interacted with the Yeoman, and she was often depicted as serving Kirk meals and fetching him whatever he needed on the bridge. On Strange New Worlds, Rand could become her own Star Trek heroine and remain unattached to any male character.

Being introduced as a Cadet, like Uhura was in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1, would give Janice Rand a fresh start instead of being weighed down by Star Trek: The Original Series‘ mistreatment of Grace Lee Whitney. Cadet Rand could pave her own way through Star Trek history and set up her eventual place on the Starship Enterprise. Just like Uhura, Rand could explore her place in Starfleet. With Strange New Worlds‘ young Lieutenant Kirk (Paul Wesley) as a recurring character, the show could also set up Rand’s feelings for the future captain, similar to how Strange New Worlds cleverly set up Kirk and Spock’s first meetings.

What Happened To Grace Lee Whitney’s Jance Rand In Star Trek: TOS?

Rand only appeared in 8 Star Trek episodes

Yeoman Janice Rand was supposed to have a bigger part in Star Trek: The Original Series as one of Captain Kirk’s love interests, but instead, her unrequited love for the Captain only worked to increase Kirk’s appeal as an attractive male protagonist. Eventually, Grace Lee Whitney was fired without warning during the production of Star Trek season 1. While NBC and Gene Roddenberry stated her departure was due to financial strain on the over-budget production, Whitney later revealed that she was sexually assaulted by an unnamed executive on set just days before she was fired. Whitney claims the assault was at least partly behind her exit.

With smaller roles in Star Trek movies and Star Trek: Voyager, Janice Rand is still important to Star Trek. Strange New Worlds is an obvious choice for bringing Rand back, but she could appear in any of Star Trek‘s roster of upcoming projects. Her introduction could give the franchise its next dose of nostalgia and establish an unrequited romance between Rand and Kirk. With such a dark history surrounding Janice Rand, the character deserves redemption in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to allow for a three-dimensional portrayal and to honor Whitney’s bravery in discussing her undeserved departure from Star Trek: The Original Series.