What happened to Christopher Pike? All about the Captain of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Original Series 

If you are a trekkie then you already know that Christopher Pike was the celebrated captain of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek before Captain Kirk took the prestigious role. Jeffrey Hunter portrayed the role of Pike in The Original Series, and William Shatner played Captain Kirk.

Pike initially appeared as Captain of the USS Enterprise in the originally unaired pilot episode The Cage. On the show, Pike was promoted to Fleet Captain, which we learn in the two-part episode The Menagerie.

However, according to Screen Rant, the NBC network found the pilot episode ‘too cerebral’ and felt that it would not generate interest. Thus, Captain Kirk was brought in to replace Pike.

While Pike may not hold the importance of Captain Kirk, his character formed a strong foundation for leadership in the world of Star Trek. In Starfleet history in the Star Trek Federation, he is often considered to be a hero who inspired the likes of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock.

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Who is Christopher Pike?

Christopher Pike appeared in the first unaired pilot episode of Star Trek: The Original Series titled The Cage alongside Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock and Majel Barrett as First Officer.

In The Cage, we get to see his leadership in action as well as his more humane side. The USS Enterprise gets a distress call from a vessel called the SS Columbia, which was lost eighteen years ago. Arriving on Talos IV, he learns about the illusions created by the Talosians to lure his crew.

Vina, a real SS Columbia survivor, is used by Talosians to lure Captain Pike. It is later revealed that she is a disfigured older woman who was rescued by the Talosians. Captain Pike requests the Talosians to keep her illusion as she will not be able to live a normal life again. After seeing Vina in her illusory world, the crew leaves the planet.

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What happened to Christopher Pike in Star Trek: The Original Series?

Christopher Pike appears once again in The Original Series in The Menagerie Parts I and II. Since The Cage was not aired during Star Trek’s original run, the audience sees Captain Pike for the first time in The Menagerie.

Pike has been promoted to fleet captain. He appears disfigured, and we get a brief backstory of what happened to him. When he was rescuing cadets from a training vessel, he met with an unfortunate accident. The incident leaves him paralyzed and scarred. He communicates by using a brainwave-operated wheelchair.

The disabled Captain Pike was portrayed by Sean Kenney in this episode. He returns to Talos IV, where the Talosians use illusion to show Captain Kirk that Pike is back to his normal health and is with Vina. The scenes from The Cage were repurposed for the same.

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Captain Pike in Star Trek Universe

Christopher Pike would go on to make appearances in other spinoffs such as the 2009 movie Star Trek directed by J.J. Abrams, in which the captain was portrayed by Bruce Greenwood. In the movie, we see a more personal equation between Captain Kirk and Pike. Greenwood played Captain Pike in the next film, Star Trek Into Darkness, in 2013.

Anson Mount plays the role of Captain Pike in Star Trek: Discovery (2017-2024) and Star Trek: Short Treks (2018 – 2020). He reprised his role for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in 2022, where Captain Pike revisits the trauma that caused his injuries.

References to Captain Pike can be found in many other Star Trek ventures, including the Animated Series and Comics. He has always been mentioned as one of the most memorable characters of the Star Trek universe.

Ironically, there was a petition on Change.org for CBS to commission a spin-off series centred around Captain Pike. With the Star Trek world ever expanding, we can wait and watch if that turns to reality.

While one may assume that Christopher Pike was the first captain of the USS Enterprise, it was revealed in Star Trek: The Animated Series that there was a captain who led the ship before him called Captain Robert April, and Pike was his First Officer. Captain April does not find any mentions in The Original Series.

Star Trek: The Original Series was created by Gene Roddenberry and aired on NBC between 1966 and 1969. Despite getting canceled due to low ratings, the series went on to acquire a cult status among its fans.

The Star Trek universe becamea much sought after and profitable franchise with comics, an animated television program, films, and spin-off television shows.

ALSO READ: Star Trek: Top 5 Captain Kirk moments you'll never get over

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