How Dr. M’Benga’s Super Soldier Serum Could Save Captain Pike’s Crew from the Gorn

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is coming back for its third season this summer, and we’ve got some insight into how the crew of the Enterprise will manage their confrontation with the Gorn. In the season 2 finale, Captain Pike was left grappling with difficult decisions as his crew faced an overwhelming Gorn ship. A group of civilians and Starfleet personnel are stranded on the planet, seemingly without any hope of rescue.

Thank goodness, the debut of Strange New Worlds‘ second season promises to unravel a two-year-long mystery for the Enterprise team, offering a resolution at last. This scenario also opens up opportunities to delve deeper into one of the show’s primary characters and introduce fresh obstacles that the crew will encounter in the third season of Strange New Worlds. Moreover, it ties in with the broader Star Trek continuity, expanding on the foundations laid by the series during its first two seasons.

Dr. M’Benga’s Super Soldier Serum Could Help Strange New Worlds’ Crew Survive The Gorn

It will make them strong, but at what cost?

In the premiere of “Strange New Worlds” season 2, episode 1 titled “The Broken Circle”, it was disclosed that Dr. Joseph M’Benga employs a concoction named Protocol 12 – a blend of adrenaline and stimulants, which enhances his physical prowess and stamina. He started utilizing this during the Federation’s conflict with the Klingons in “Star Trek: Discovery” season 1, enabling him to match strength against the most formidable Klingon warriors. This earned him a certain notoriety among some Klingons, yet M’Benga showed little interest in recalling his past exploits.

Christine Chapel inquires of M’Benga, “‘Is there ever a time when you don’t have it on you?’“, to which he responds, “‘Never.’

Since Protocol 12 proved beneficial for M’Benga during season 2, it is understandable that he would keep it with him on Parnassus Beta, particularly if they were to encounter the Gorn. He might even transfer the super-soldier serum to La’an, Ortegas, and Sam Kirk.

Everything Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Revealed About Dr. M’Benga’s Past As A Starfleet Assassin

From taking lives to saving them on board the Enterprise

In the conflict between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, M’Benga enlisted in Starfleet’s elite forces, earning the nickname “the Ghost.” Unlike many other soldiers, M’Benga boasted a significant number of hand-to-hand victories, which was probably a result of the Protocol 12 serum he employed during the war. During this period, he encountered and fought alongside Christine Chapel, and they would later serve together on the Enterprise.

In his career, M’Benga gained notoriety by eliminating multiple Klingon generals during a single mission, which earned him an ominous reputation among the Klingons. The relentless violence and mortality he faced led him to abandon his military life and revert to medicine. Yet, if the lives of the Enterprise crew are at stake, it’s likely that M’Benga will invoke Protocol 12 once more when Star Trek: Strange New Worlds resumes for season 3.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 premieres Thursday, July 17 on Paramount+.

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2025-05-25 05:18