'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMpkky//xAAeEAACAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIRBAUAEgYTMf/aAAgBAQABPwDyjdqnhKVFJmxo7S9gFCr+cTsdFFK4tws8sEQJdXRAvn//xAAWEQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABACH/2gAIAQIBAT8ADL//xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAEDAQE/AH//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 episode 3, Shuttle to Kenfori, premiered on July 24, 2025, on Paramount+. This episode cuts through the complicated dynamics within the USS Enterprise crew but also uncovers the hidden past of Dr. Joseph M'Benga. Captain Pike and M'Benga start a mission to the dangerous and mysterious planet Kenfori to find a potential cure for Captain Batel’s Gorn infection.
Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 3. Reader’s discretion is required.
The mission soon spirals into chaos when Klingon zombies confront them, and M'Benga’s past, involving the assassination of Klingon Ambassador Dak'Rah, is brought to light. By the end of the episode, Captain Pike learns the truth about M'Benga’s past, but their bond remains intact, with the former choosing to protect M'Benga’s secret for the sake of their friendship.
Trending
The crew of the Shuttle to Kenfori faces many problems, both inside and outside the ship. Dr. M'Benga's long-buried secrets come back to haunt him, and the crew on Kenfori has to deal with deadly consequences.
As Captain Pike tries to figure out what happened in M'Benga's dark past, other crew members also go through tough times. For example, Captain Batel's health is getting worse, and Lt. Ortegas is still having problems with PTSD. M'Benga’s past is revealed, but Pike’s loyalty ensures that the doctor’s secret remains safe.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 episode 3: How does M'Benga’s past affect the storyline?
The shocking truth about Dr. Joseph M'Benga's past is revealed in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 episode 3. Bytha, the daughter of Klingon Ambassador Dak'Rah, confronts M'Benga. This makes him admit that he killed Dak'Rah during the Klingon War, which was a secret he had kept from Captain Pike.
At first, M'Benga told Pike that he had acted in self-defense, and Nurse Chapel agreed with him. But Bytha's confrontation forces M'Benga to admit the truth: he killed Dak'Rah in cold blood. Pike learns this from Bytha's unwavering dedication to justice.
Even after hearing this, Pike's response is one of understanding and unwavering loyalty. He tells M'Benga that he won't reveal this to Starfleet because they have been friends for a long time, and the situation is complicated.
Pike's love for M'Benga goes beyond what the doctor did in the past. This shows that Pike values their friendship more than following strict Starfleet rules. The crew of the USS Enterprise has a strong bond, and this moment of unity shows how important trust is between them.
What are the consequences of M'Benga’s actions?
Although Pike may have chosen to protect M'Benga from the effects of what he did in the past, the latter's killing of Dak'Rah has many effects. The death of her father has a big effect on Bytha, and she feels violated, so she sets out to find M'Benga.
However, as the episode goes on, it becomes clear that Bytha's desire for revenge is not just about vengeance, but also a need to restore her family's honor. As a Federation ambassador, Dak'Rah betrayed the Klingon Empire, which brought shame on his family. Bytha thinks that killing M'Benga is the only way to clean up that shame.
Even though Bytha means well, the episode ends very badly for her. The zombies that are set loose on Kenfori kill her when she gets into a fight with M'Benga. Bytha chooses to die honorably by fighting the zombies to restore her family's honor. This is both a personal and a cultural sacrifice.
Bytha’s sacrifice and the legacy of Klingon honor
One of the most moving parts of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 episode 3 is when Bytha gives up everything. Bytha realizes that she can't get M'Benga's honor back by killing him after a tense argument with him. She chooses to fight the zombie horde that has taken over the world instead, which is a hard choice.
The fact that Bytha chose to die for the zombies so that she could go to Sto-vo-kor, the Klingon afterlife, shows the unforgiving nature of Klingon culture.
Bytha's death ends M'Benga's dark past, but it also shows him how heavy the decisions he made during the Klingon War are. Even though Bytha's sacrifice of herself is sad, it is a good way for her story to end.
The battle with the Klingon Zombies
The real turning point in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 episode 3 comes later. Captain Pike and M'Benga discover that the planet is not as abandoned as they originally thought. When they get into the research center, they find a Klingon's severed leg, which means that there was violence on the planet. They try to leave, but are met by a group of Klingon soldiers led by Bytha. This leads to a deadly fight.
As the battle starts, the crew quickly learns that the real danger on Kenfori is much worse than any Klingon soldier: a huge group of zombies has taken over the planet. Not only are these zombies Klingon, but they are also human and from other alien species. They are all infected by a strange moss that turns its victims into flesh-eating monsters.
Pike and M'Benga are stuck in the research facility and need to find their way through this nightmare in order to talk to the USS Enterprise. When the zombies get close, Pike sets up a force field to protect himself and M'Benga. However, when more Klingon forces show up, it makes it harder for them to get away.
The Enterprise finally saves them, but not before Bytha dies, and the zombies are only temporarily stopped from being a threat.
Pike’s decision regarding Batel’s hybridization
A big part of the episode is about M'Benga's past and the fight for survival on Kenfori. Captain Batel's story adds an emotional layer to the episode. Batel, who has the Gorn infection, has to make a hard choice. She must go through a procedure that will turn her into a mix of human and Gorn to stay alive. Pike is horrified by what this procedure means and is having a hard time with the moral and emotional effects of Batel's choice.
The only possible solution to Batel's problem is the Chimera Blossom, which has the compound needed for the hybridization. But no one knows what will happen after the procedure, and Pike's fear of losing Batel grows as he learns the truth.
Batel has already agreed to be hybridized, and the fact that she is telling Pike about it makes them less friendly. Despite the emotional conflict, Pike ultimately agrees to support Batel, understanding that her survival is more important than their personal differences.
Lt. Ortegas’ PTSD struggles
Another part of the storyline in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 episode 3 is about Lt. Erica Ortegas, who is still dealing with the effects of her near-death experience with the Gorn. Ortegas' behavior gets wilder as she ignores Number One's orders and makes hasty choices during the mission to Kenfori.
As she hasn't dealt with her PTSD, she is disobeying orders, and her choice to fly the Enterprise into Klingon space, which isn't allowed, puts the crew in danger.
When Number One talks to Ortegas, it's clear that the lieutenant isn't dealing with her trauma in a healthy way. Ortegas doesn't get help; instead, she uses her skills as a pilot to take her mind off of how she feels. She is taken off active duty because of what she did on the mission, like putting the ship's safety at risk and not following orders.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 episode 3 is available to stream on Paramount+.
