Kirk Learning Spock’s Secrets Threatens To Break Star Trek Canon

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, Episode 3 - "Human Best Friend"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds could break canon depending on what secrets Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) told Lt. Commander James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley). Directed by Yana Gorskaya and written by Kathryn Lyn, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 3, "Human Best Friend" is a comedic romp inspired by The Hangover, centering on frenemies Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) and Scotty (Martin Quinn).

While Scotty and Ortegas try to solve a mystery that escalates into absurdity in "Human Best Friend," Spock thinks he's losing his mind. The resort planet Cesnar's psychedelic atmosphere left the Vulcan Science Officer in the belief that he was hallucinating James Kirk. However, enamored with the idea of having a "human best friend" to be vulnerable with, even an imaginary one, Spock confided his "secrets" to Kirk.

The climactic twist for Spock at the end of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 3 was that Kirk was real all along, and Spock grew alarmed that he told James "everything." Never mind the logic behind Kirk not being a figment of Spock's imagination and desires. James presumably gained info about Spock beyond their mind-meld in Strange New Worlds season 3's finale.

What Secrets Did Spock Tell Kirk In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

Star Trek fans who cling to the importance of canon may be as alarmed as Spock at the assertion in "Human Best Friend" that the Vulcan told James Kirk "everything." Kirk certainly adds fuel to the fire by confirming, "You sure did, buddy." No matter how close Spock and Kirk grow in Strange New Worlds, there are things James isn't supposed to know until Star Trek: The Original Series.

Did Spock confess that Ambassador Sarek (James Frain) is his father? Kirk isn't supposed to discover this until Star Trek: The Original Series season 2's "Journey to Babel." Speaking of family, Kirk had no idea that Spock has a half-brother named Sybok until Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Did Strange New Worlds retcon this in "Human Best Friend"?

There is also the matter of Spock's adopted sister, Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green). The fates of Michael and the USS Discovery are top secret, and only key higher-ups in Starfleet Command know that they took a one-way trip 930 years into the future. Similarly, Kirk doesn't learn of Spock's Vulcan fiancée, T'Pring (Gia Sandhu), until Star Trek: The Original Series' "Amok Time."

However, it's possible that "everything" means something different for Spock in "Human Best Friend." The Vulcan spoke of wanting to tell Kirk his "fears, hopes and dreams." Memory Alpha-style factoids about his family probably were not what Spock yearned to confess to Kirk. Spock likely wanted Kirk to learn about the person he really is, and unburden himself about the conflict the Vulcan carries within.

Spock may have unloaded on Kirk about his distress in choosing between his humanity and his Vulcan side. Spock's guilt and heartache about exploring his human side are tied to his failed relationships with T'Pring and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush). Spock's romance with Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) is also on the rocks.

For the mischievous Kirk, hearing about their mutual attraction, La'an, would have been enough for him to perpetuate his ruse that he's imaginary to stay at Spock's side. And yet, this is conjecture. It's very possible, as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been wont to do, that a retcon happened and Kirk learned things about Spock that he technically shouldn't know.

Kirk Can Still “Forget” Spock’s Secrets

Assuming that a retcon did happen off-screen, and James Kirk gained knowledge about Spock in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 3 that he canonically shouldn't have, there are still ways to walk it back and undo it. Potentially, Kirk could still 'forget' the intel about Spock that he isn't supposed to know.

The intervention of a space god could wipe the canonical slate clean between Kirk and Spock. For instance, the Metron appeared and changed memories and reality in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 9, "Terrarium." The reappearance of Trelane (Rhys Darby) in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4 could be just such a hand-wave for any canon-breaking by Kirk and Spock.

More likely, "everything" may simply hold a different and specific meaning for Spock when it comes to what he told Kirk. The simplest out for any possible canon violation in "Human Best Friend" is that the Vulcan confided his relationship woes to James, and didn't get into taboo subjects, protecting the secrets of his father, brother, and sister until it's time for Kirk to properly find out.

Since Star Trek: Strange New Worlds kept the "secrets" Spock confessed vague to maximize intrigue and for comedic purposes, there's plenty of leeway to suggest that no canon was broken. Spock has a rich inner life and is riddled with doubts, questions about himself, and hopes and dreams he otherwise never vocalizes. Oh, to be a fly on the wall when Spock told Kirk "everything," though.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4's new episodes premiere Thursdays on Paramount+.