Some modern Star Trek shows have gone back and explained things that first popped up on Star Trek: The Original Series, but this mystery should remain unexplained. Following the adventures of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the USS Enterprise, TOS is the show that started it all. Every Star Trek series since has built on the ideas and story elements introduced on TOS. Captain Kirk and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) have become ingrained in popular culture and remain two of the most famous science fiction characters of all time.
Modern shows like Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds have introduced new versions of characters like Kirk and Spock, filling in more of their stories. In the 1960s, television shows were not as concerned with continuity or establishing an official canon. Because of this, some elements from the original Star Trek show only appeared once and were never mentioned again. For example, in Star Trek: The Original Series season 1, episode 17, “The Squire of Gothos,” Captain Kirk and his crew encounter Trelane (William Campbell), a powerful being of unknown origin.
Star Trek’s Trelane Is Far More Fascinating While His Nature Is Still A Mystery
Not Every Star Trek Mystery Needs An Explanation
When the Starship Enterprise encounters a previously unknown planet called Gothos, the only inhabitant, Trelane, insists on entertaining the Enterprise crew members as his honored guests. Trelane conjures objects out of thin air and transports the Enterprise crew members from the ship to Gothos with a wave of his hand. At least some of Trelane’s power seems to come from a machine hidden behind a mirror that Kirk smashes, but his true nature remains a mystery. This might be for the best, as it makes Trelane all that much more interesting as a character.
At one point, Trelane says that his people have learned how to transfer energy into matter and back again, but his actual species is never revealed. In the vast expanse of the galaxy, it makes perfect sense that the Enterprise would sometimes encounter anomalies that they are unable to explain. While a show like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds could reveal more about Trelane, modern Trek shouldn’t feel the need to retroactively explain mysteries from TOS. Trelane was a fascinating character and it’s fun to imagine him galavanting around the galaxy creating entire planets for his own amusement.
Revealing Trelane As A Member Of The Q Continuum Would Be Too Easy
Making Trelane Part Of The Q Continuum Would Be The Obvious Solution
After the introduction of John de Lancie’s Q in Star Trek: The Next Generation, fans began to notice that Q’s powers bore a striking resemblance to Trelane’s. Both characters have similar selfish attitudes, and both enjoy antagonizing Federation starship crews, but Trelane is even more childish than Q. While many have speculated that Q may have been at least partly inspired by Trelane, Trek has never officially confirmed that they are the same species. Plus, Trelant appears to require machines to strengthen his power and he is not omnipotent like Q.
Although the novel
Q-Squared
by Peter David reveals Trelane to be part of the Q Continuum, the
Star Trek
tie-in novels are not considered part of the official canon.
In the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks, Ensign Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) referenced the similarities between Q and Trelane. When Ensign Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) says something about Q, Mariner tells him to be quiet, as they haven’t met Q yet on the Enterprise of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), adding: “They had kind of a Trelane thing going on.”
While this line acknowledges the similarities between the two characters, it does not confirm that Trelane is actually a Q. Trelane works best as another mysterious entry on the list of god-like beings encountered by the Enterprise on Star Trek: The Original Series.
