Star Trek: Strange New Worlds takes place after Star Trek: Discovery season 2, leaving the door open for Jason Isaacs’ Captain Gabriel Lorca to potentially return. Introduced in Star Trek: Discovery season 1, Captain Lorca commanded the USS Discovery after his previous ship, the USS Buran, was destroyed in the Klingon War. For the first eleven episodes of season 1, everyone on the Discovery believed Lorca to be the Prime Universe version of himself, but the twelfth episode “Vaunting Ambition” revealed that he had been the Mirror Universe Lorca the entire time.
Though it will likely not happen in Strange New Worlds season 2, the possibility remains that some version of Lorca could make an appearance in the future. Strange New Worlds has a much lighter tone than Discovery and focuses on episodic storytelling rather than the season-long story arcs Discovery prefers. Whether as friend or foe, Lorca could make a one-episode appearance or become a recurring character. With an actor as talented as Jason Isaacs, it seems a shame to waste the opportunity to bring back such a compelling character.
Strange New Worlds Can Solve Discovery’s Lorca Mystery
At some point before the beginning of Star Trek: Discovery, the Mirror Universe Captain Lorca switched places with his Prime Universe counterpart. While this manipulative Mirror Universe Lorca was killed by Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) in the Discovery season 1 episode “What’s Past is Prologue,” the Prime Universe Lorca’s status remains a mystery. Though it is assumed that the Prime version of Lorca would not have been able to survive long in the Mirror Universe, his death is never confirmed. This could open the door for the character to return at some point on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Since the Captain Lorca introduced in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 was revealed to be from the Mirror Universe, viewers never got to know the actual Prime Universe Lorca. His appearance on Strange New Worlds would allow actor Jason Isaacs to play a different version of the character. Plus, the story of Prime Lorca’s time in the Mirror Universe would be a fascinating one to tell. While Prime Lorca would likely not be as villainous as his Mirror Universe counterpart, his years in the Mirror Universe would have surely affected him. Jason Isaacs has expressed his willingness to return to the Star Trek universe, and Strange New Worlds could be the perfect show for him to make an appearance.
Lorca Would Be An Excellent Villain For Pike & Strange New Worlds
Although the Mirror Universe version of Captain Lorca was killed off, Star Trek has been known to bring characters back from the dead. Cunning, manipulative, and duplicitous, the Mirror Universe version of Lorca would make an excellent foil for Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). A conflict between Pike and Mirror Lorca would make for an exciting stand-off, as the two are both smart and capable despite being near polar opposites. Where Pike remains full of hope and celebrates the achievements of his crew, Lorca looks out only for himself and uses the people around him to achieve his own ends.
One of the best villains of modern Star Trek, Jason Isaacs’ Captain Lorca would be a welcome presence on any Star Trek show. Strange New Worlds has the potential to continue for many more seasons, and the introduction of a villain like Captain Lorca would be a great way to shake up the show. The optimism and idealism of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds would certainly be an interesting backdrop for either version of Captain Gabriel Lorca.
