Strange New Worlds Returns to Star Trek's Most Chaotic Planet

While officially recognized as a key historical site, Mars holds a complicated past within the Star Trek narrative. Its initial colonization, as depicted in the Voyager episode "One Small Step," laid the groundwork for deep space exploration. By the time of The Next Generation's "The Outrageous Okona," Mars had evolved into an Earth outpost, an extension of human civilization. Its significance grew as it became home to the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards, a crucial hub for starship construction, frequently referenced and explored in various Star Trek media.

This prominent yet often background role made Utopia Planitia an ideal setting for a shocking reveal in Star Trek: Picard. The synthetic rebellion, which demanded universal attention and compelled Admiral Picard to defy Starfleet, was strategically placed on Mars. The Star Trek: Short Treks episode "Children of Mars" and the early episodes of Picard illustrated the synthetic uprising against Starfleet, culminating in the destruction of Utopia Planitia and a devastating loss of life. Since then, Mars has only been briefly mentioned, its role in Star Trek's scientific landscape permanently altered by this event.

The episode "Valles Marineris" shifts the focus back to Mars, but from a different perspective. As a prequel to Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is set much earlier than Picard's timeline. The incorporation of time travel further pushes the narrative back, before humanity's existence and the founding of Starfleet. Freed from these historical constraints, "Valles Marineris" diverges from established Star Trek lore, embracing a more genre-bending approach.

In this episode, while Number One leads an away team to prehistoric Earth, Pike faces an assault on the Enterprise. The attackers are led by Battle Commander Cassell, a formidable military strategist. Though she eventually develops respect for Pike's non-aggressive methods, she remains fixated on a protracted war for her planet that has left her people desperate. Throughout their encounter, Pike attempts to reason with Cassell, urging her not only to refrain from stealing vital Enterprise components but also to seek alternative resolutions to her conflict. It is only towards the episode's conclusion that Cassell's Martian origin is revealed, and Pike's actions with her carry immense implications for the future trajectory of human evolution.

Officially, however, Mars plays a key role in world history. As seen in the Voyager episode "One Small Step," Mars was one of the first planets humanity colonized. Although the Ares IV mission seen in that episode did not complete its objectives, it did enough to demonstrate the viability of deep space exploration. By the time we reach late Enterprise in the episode "Demons," we can see that Mars has become an Earth outpost, an extension of human civilization.

Over time, Mars becomes more important to Starfleet and the Federation as the home of Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards, a key site for the construction of new starships. Since its introduction in TNG, Utopia Planitia has been a key location, mentioned as background in episodes and explored in non-canonical works.

Of course, that status as an important but underrepresented part of Trek lore made Utopia Planitia an obvious choice when the creators of Star Trek: Picard wanted to surprise viewers. So, when the writers needed synths to rebel in a way that would get the entire universe's attention and have Admiral Picard forced to defy Starfleet to investigate, they chose Mars as the site of the uprising. The Short Treks episode "Children of Mars" and the early episodes of Picard showed how synths turned against Starfleet and destroyed Utopia Planitia, killing countless lifeforms in the process.

Since then, there have only been passing references to Mars, as the event forever changed the planet's role in Trek science.

“Valles Marineris” changes that focus, in different ways. As a prequel to Discovery, Strange New Worlds is set much earlier than the events of Picard. Furthermore, the time-travel element allows Pike and his crew to go back even further, long before humanity’s birth, let alone the founding of Starfleet. Freed from such limitations, “Valles Marineris” ignores Trek history entirely, and instead has a bit of fun with the genre.

While Number One leads an away team into prehistoric Earth, Pike must contend with attackers besieging the Enterprise. Those attackers are led by Battle Commander Cassell (Saffron Burrows), a majestic military strategist who learns to respect Pike’s non-aggressive ways, but cannot see beyond a long war for the planet that has left her people desperate. Throughout the episode, Pike attempts to reason with Cassell, trying to convince her not only to steal key parts from the Enterprise but also to find a different way to resolve her conflict. Only toward the end of the episode do we realize that Cassell comes from Mars, and that Pike’s actions with Cassell carry monumental stakes for the future of human evolution.