Strange New Worlds Reveals Number One’s Past Relationship With A Vulcan

Warning: SPOILERS For Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, Episode 8 – “Four-And-A-Half Vulcans”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds finally revealed new info about one of Number One’s (Rebecca Romijn) past relationships almost 60 years after the character was introduced. Directed by Jordan Canning and written by Dana Horgan and Henry Alonso Myers, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 8, “Four-and-a-Half Vulcans” is the series’ latest farce about Lieutenant Spock’s (Ethan Peck) pointy-eared race.

When Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), and Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) are genetically altered into Vulcans but can’t be turned back, Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley realizes there is someone who can help: her ex.

Number One and Spock call upon Una’s former lover, who does come through and reverts the Vulcanized Starfleet Officers back to their human selves, but every new revelation about Lt. Commander Chin-Riley’s past relationship is worthy of a famous Vulcan raised eyebrow.

Number One Dated A Vulcan Before Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

A Vulcan Named… Doug

Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley used to date a Vulcan named… Doug (Patton Oswalt). A Vulcan spiritualist, “a genius artist, a mathematician, and a wonderful gardener,” according to a breathlessly smitten Una, Doug is equally passionate about his Illyrian former paramour. Number One warned Spock about “too much chemistry” between herself and Doug, and they are indeed hot for each other.

Before Una roped Spock into pretending to be her husband – a ruse Doug immediately saw through – the diminutive Vulcan revealed that he and Chin-Riley hadn’t seen each other for 15 years. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 takes place in 2261, so Una and Doug were together circa 2246 – a year after the launch of the Constitution Class USS Enterprise.

In the 60 years since Number One (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry) was introduced, there was no information about any of Una’s past love affairs. Number One had no love interest in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – until Doug came back into her life. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 8 ended with Una taking shore leave to reconnect with Doug.

Why Number One’s Weird Vulcan Relationship In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Makes Sense

In A Way, Number One Was The Original Vulcan

In a way, there is logic to Una Chin-Riley being uncontrollably attracted to Vulcan. When Number One first debuted in Star Trek: The Original Series‘ “The Cage,” she was the cool, emotionless, and logical, First Officer, and Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock character hadn’t been defined. When Spock was chosen as the only Star Trek character to survive the series’ retooling, Number One’s traits were transferred to the Vulcan.

Fans have yearned to learn more about Number One’s backstory, but no one could have expected a torrid past relationship with a Vulcan named Doug. Patton Oswalt was also genius casting as a comedic foil for Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck. Along with her love for Gilbert and Sullivan, every dollop of new info about Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continues to be fascinating.