The popular, socially conscious reputation of Star Trek often doesn’t match up with the reality of its basic status quo. Instead, the ethical, peace-loving aspect of Star Trek is somewhat intertwined with the fact that if you squint, the format of the franchise leans toward military science fiction. The entire premise of the film Star Trek: Insurrection rests on this premise: that Captain Picard won’t follow Starfleet orders, because he views those orders as corrupt. In various versions of Trek, the Enterprise crew is seen as exceptional. Strange New Worlds doesn’t fully resolve this question, which is part of what makes this episode a good example of what the Star Trek franchise is known for.