STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS: ‘Ad Astra Per Aspera,' a Trans Rights Allegory

Geek Girl Authority

24-06-2025

How perfect is the utopian society of Star Trek? It's a question the Franchise has asked before, including through Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. And the inquiry continues to be asked today, through Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2's 'Ad Astra Per Aspera.'
For the final Trek Tuesday in Pride Month 2025, we're reflecting on 'Ad Astra Per Aspera,' and what it means from the perspective of a trans woman in the United States today. A Future History of Augments
In many ways, 'Ad Astra Per Aspera' is the culmination of many decades of Franchise storytelling. This is because the episode draws on Star Trek continuity to form the basis of the prejudice that Starfleet displays against Augments, or genetically altered individuals. This prejudice goes back to the Eugenics Wars, a key part of Star Trek backstory since Star Trek: The Original Series.
In The Original Series Season 1's 'Space Seed,' the U.S.S. Enterprise encounters the S.S. Botany Bay. This ship was launched from Earth in the 1990s, in the wake of the Eugenics Wars. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) describes this as a 'strange and violent period in [human] history.' Aboard the Botany Bay is Khan Noonien-Singh (Ricardo Montalbán). Khan is genetically altered, giving him greater strength and intelligence than the average human being. In the 1990s, Khan and other Augments banded together in an attempt to take over the Earth. War and misery ensued.
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However, un-augmented humanity was eventually able to prevail. In the wake of the Eugenics Wars, Khan and his soldiers were put into suspended animation aboard the Botany Bay. The ship was subsequently launched into deep space.
When Khan is awakened, he attempts to take over the Enterprise. However, James T. Kirk (William Shatner) is able to thwart his plan. Khan and his followers are subsequently exiled to Ceti Alpha V. Seventeen years later, in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Khan has his revenge. Although he is ultimately killed, the cost is incredibly high: he costs Spock his life. While this episode and movie give context to humanity's feelings on Augments, both are set after 'Ad Astra Per Aspera.' The Eugenics Wars
Originally set in the 1990s, the Eugenics Wars are considered a low point in human history. They seem to have bled into World War III, a nuclear conflict that caused the death of a significant percentage of Earth's population. Obviously, in our timeline, the Eugenics Wars did not transpire in the 90s.
However, this discrepancy was addressed in Strange New Worlds Season 2's 'Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.' In that episode, La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) learns that time travel shenanigans have caused the Eugenics Wars to shift to later on the timeline. Nevertheless, the Eugenics Wars still take place, just a few decades later.
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There were conflicts with Augments in the years between the Eugenics Wars and 'Space Seed.' One is depicted in Star Trek: Enterprise Season 4. In the episodes 'Borderland,' 'Cold Station 12' and 'The Augments,' we meet a group of Augments created by Dr. Arik Soong (Brent Spiner). In this storyline, the Augments attempt to steal biological weapons in order to cause a war between humans and Klingons. They are motivated by a desire to use the conflict in order to escape Earth control.
As a result of Earth's history, humanity develops a prejudice against Augments. This prejudice is explained in Strange New Worlds Season 1's 'Ghosts of Illyria.' In that episode, the Enterprise visits a planet where the population of Augments was so desperate to join the Federation, they attempted to de-augment themselves. However, as a result, they died, and/or transformed themselves into entities that strongly resemble ghosts. But the sad story becomes personal when it is revealed that the Enterprise's first officer, Una 'Number One' Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn), is an Illyrian Augment. Augment Like Me
In 'Ghosts of Illyria,' Una's Augment blood is a key factor in healing the Enterprise crew. But it also forces La'an to confront her own latent prejudice against Augments. This is because La'an is a descendant of Khan. Throughout her childhood, she faced verbal abuse due to her last name. While Una served as a mentor to La'an, the revelation that Una is an Augment causes La'an to grow angry. But this is because La'an is in denial about the fact that due to her lineage, there is a part of herself that is Augment. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.
At the conclusion of the episode, Una attempts to hand her Starfleet resignation to Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). This is because due to prejudice, Augments are not permitted to serve in Starfleet. However, Pike states that Una is one of the best officers in Starfleet. He refuses to accept her resignation, and will hide the truth from Starfleet Command. But in the final moments of the episode, Una reflects on the fact that his reasoning for not turning her in is her extreme aptitude as an officer. 'What if I wasn't a hero…?' wonders Una. 'When will it be enough to just be an Illyrian?'
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Pike's deception allows for a stable situation on the Enterprise for the majority of the first season. But in the season finale, 'A Quality of Mercy,' the truth about Una is revealed to Starfleet Command.
In the final moments of the finale, Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano) boards the Enterprise with a security team. In spite of Pike's protestations, Una is placed under arrest for hiding the fact that she is an Augment in order to serve in Starfleet. The season ends on this cliffhanger. 'Ad Astra Per Aspera'
In Strange New Worlds Season 2's 'Ad Astra Per Aspera,' Una is put on trial for concealing her Augment identity. In order to ensure she has a fair defense, Pike recruits Una's childhood friend, attorney Neera Ketoul (Yetide Badaki). Like Una, Neera is an Augment. Her cases are primarily concerned with defending the rights of Augments against persecution. Photo Cr: Michael Gibson/Paramount+
Part of the genius of Star Trek is that it allows for social commentary through the lens of science fiction. By using the genre lens, contemporary social issues that might otherwise be considered 'too contraversial for entertainment television' to be examined. This can allow for important moral lessons. And it can also mean that people from different demographics can see themselves in a single storyline.
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As a trans woman, it is easy for me to see the current climate in the U.S. concerning trans people reflected in Una's identity and court martial. In Star Trek, Augments are prohibited from joining Starfleet. Meanwhile, in 2025 America, trans people are barred from taking part in sports and using 'single gender' public spaces, like bathrooms and locker rooms. And if the oppressive regime continues to get its way, we will soon be barred from life-saving healthcare and perhaps public life in general.
'Ad Astra Per Aspera' invites this reading, especially through one of Neera's affecting speeches during the court martial. In that monologue, Neera concedes: 'Permanent genetic modification is illegal under Federation law.' But she continues that other types of immoral prejudice have also historically been 'legal.' This includes 'slavery,' 'apartheid' and 'discrimination against people for how they worshipped, how they loved, their gender, and the color of their skin.' Neera's point is that just became discrimination is legal does not make it right. Through Hardship…
There are other parallels between Una's situation and the current situation for trans people in America. Una was able to serve in Starfleet for as long as she has because she 'passes.' This means that her genetic augmentations are not necessarily evident to the casual observer. Photo Cr: Michael Gibson/Paramount+
As Neera states, this is privilege that is available to some Augments, but not to others. She observes that 'some Illyrians have modifications they can't hide, and some of us refuse to.' Again, this reflects an element of the contemporary trans experience. True, some trans people can 'pass' as their true gender. This allows them to avoid being barred from certain privileges, because the average cis person cannot tell they are trans. However, some trans people do not possess this passing privilege, and are visibly trans, even if this is not their preference. And other trans people simply do not wish to adhere to any traditional gender presentation, allowing them to be easily 'clocked,' or identified as trans.
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Neera argues that this is wrong. Augments shouldn't have to hide their true nature, whether by choice or necessity. Likewise, trans people shouldn't be required to hide our 'transness' in order to be granted civil rights. We are still people, even if we cannot or chose not to adhere to traditional binary gender presentation.
Ultimately, Una is allowed to remain in Starfleet in spite of having been outed as an Augment. In fact, we learn that she was personally responsible for informing Starfleet Command of her identity. But while she is allowed to continue to serve, the ruling is focused only on her. The broader prejudice and anti-Augment laws remain in place at the conclusion of the episode. Progress can be incremental. …to the Stars
During her court martial, Una speaks about having been inspired by the original Starfleet motto, 'Ad Astra Per Aspera.' This means: 'To the stars through hardship.' She concedes that Starfleet and the Federation are not perfect. However, they have the potential to grow beyond their current limitations. Una says that she understood the motto to mean that 'the stars could deliver us from anything.' She continued, 'That in the mystery and vastness of space, we might not just satisfy our curiosity, our need for exploration, but that in it, we might each also find salvation.' Photo Cr: Paramount+
In Strange New Worlds' subsequent second season episode 'Those Old Scientists,' we learn that this motto later became a recruitment slogan for Starfleet. In fact, Una herself was used in recruitment posters that bore the motto. One of these posters inspired Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) to join Starfleet. Boimler is not an Augment. But he was still deeply affected by Una and her story.
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This demonstrates that the rights of minority demographics do not just benefit those in said minority. We are all part of the same tapestry. By treating everyone equally, everyone benefits, even those in the majority.
This truth was summed up in The Original Series Season 1's 'The Savage Curtain.' As Kirk states in that episode, 'We've each learned to be delighted with what we are.' He credits the Vulcans as having determined this before they did. It is surmised in the Vulcan creed: 'Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.' We Only Reach the Future Together
Both 'Ad Astra Per Aspera' and the IDIC are important to me, personally. My spouse, who is also trans, engraved my wedding ring with the former phrase. In 2025, trans people are treated as second class citizens, if we are treated as citizens at all.
But I believe that a better society is possible. And I believe that true equality among every person will not just benefit oppressed minorities like myself. Rather, it will benefit everyone, including those in the majority. Our prejudice is holding all of humanity back. But a better world is possible.
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It has been a difficult time for trans Americans. And it seems inevitable that more difficult times lie ahead. But we could be better. And if we want to grow beyond this nascent stage of humanity and achieve our full potential, true equality and empathy will be a necessary goal to reach. It may be difficult to achieve, but I believe we can accomplish it, together.
Ad Astra Per Aspera.
The Star Trek episodes discussed above are currently available for streaming on Paramount+.
Hit It: Best Quotes From STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS' 'Ad Astra per Aspera' Avery Kaplan (she/her) is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. With her spouse Ollie Kaplan, Avery co-authored the middle school textbook on intersectionality Double Challenge: Being LGBTQ and a Minority. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 - 2024 Cartoonist Studio Prize Awards and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, the Gutter Review, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, StarTrek.com, in the Comics Courier and in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.