Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, Episode 3 – “Human Best Friend”The meaning of Captain Christopher Pike’s (Anson Mount) bizarre face tattoo in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is revealed.
Inspired by The Hangover, Dude, Where’s My Car?, and similar goofball comedies, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 3, “Human Best Friend” saw Captain Pike ink the right side of his face (and other body parts) while he was inebriated on the resort planet, Cesnar. This meant Pike had to conduct delicate peace talks with the Rodaxians while hungover and looking ridiculous, at least to human eyes.
Image credit: Paramount+
On his social media accounts, Jörg Hillebrand, who was a renowned researcher for Star Trek: Picard season 3, translated Captain Pike’s face tattoo. Hillebrand determined that the top two lines on Pike’s forehead use the Klingon font but are actually in English, reading “Hair today, Gorn tomorrow.” See Jörg’s post below:
The rest of the writing on Captain Pike’s cheek hasn’t been translated yet, but the phrase on his neck is tattooed in English and reads, “What’s over the horizon.” Further, Pike had his fingers and hands inked with the speech he planned to give to the Rodaxians, and on the top of his right hand, he had “Diplomacy” tattooed, lest Chris forget his purpose in his incapacitated state.
Captain Pike also had his arms sleeved, with a horse tattooed on his right arm and shoulder. As seen in the exclusive photos accompanying ScreenRant‘s cover story profile on Anson Mount, the actor’s arms are sleeved in real life. It’s unclear if Pike will keep the arm tattoos, at least, even after he asked Dr. Joseph M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) to get rid of the ink on his face.
Since Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 3 is clearly derived from The Hangover, Captain Pike’s face tattoo seems to be a fun nod to Mike Tyson, who has one of the most famous face tattoos in the world. (Ed Helms’ character also gets a face tattoo in The Hangover Part II.) Tyson’s equivalent as the scariest person in “Human Best Friend” would have to be Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), who is “much, much scarier” than usual.
In “Human Best Friend,” Lieutenants Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia) and Scotty (Martin Quinn) are a mismatched duo who become friends after they piece together what happened the night before they blacked out, à la Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Ed Helms. Instead of looking for their missing friend, Scotty and Erica hunt for their missing shuttle.
Predictably, Star Trek fans are split over “Human Best Friend,” with some fans calling the laugh riot a refreshing change of pace from last week’s terrifying ghost story, and others not getting the joke. For Captain Pike, getting “Hair today, Gorn tomorrow” inked on his face was a mistake he regrets but can be easily undone by Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ 23rd century technology.
Stardate 47988.1 · Crew Assessment The Final Frontier Trivia Challenge
🚀ShipsEnterprise!
⭐CrewMake it so
☠EnemiesResistance is…
⚡TechWarp speed!
📖LoreLive long…
01
The USS Enterprise is the most iconic starship in science fiction. What is the registry number of Captain Kirk’s original Enterprise from The Original Series?
✓ Correct! NCC-1701 is the registry of Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise. The “-D” suffix belongs to Picard’s Galaxy-class ship, NX-01 is Archer’s Enterprise, and NCC-74656 is Voyager.
✗ Red alert! The answer is NCC-1701. Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise carried this now-legendary registry. NCC-1701-D is Picard’s Enterprise from TNG, NX-01 is Captain Archer’s, and NCC-74656 belongs to Voyager.
02
Kirk’s most trusted officer is a half-human, half-Vulcan science officer famous for his logic and iconic salute. Who is this legendary character?
✓ Correct! Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, is the half-Vulcan science officer whose “Live long and prosper” salute became a cultural icon. His struggle between logic and emotion defines the heart of the Original Series.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Spock. Data is an android from TNG, Tuvok is Voyager’s Vulcan tactical officer, and Sarek is Spock’s Vulcan father. Only Spock is the half-human, half-Vulcan first officer of Kirk’s Enterprise.
03
Starfleet’s most important regulation forbids interference with the natural development of alien civilizations. What is this guiding principle called?
✓ Correct! The Prime Directive (also known as General Order 1) is Starfleet’s most sacred law. It prohibits interfering with less-developed civilizations — though Kirk, Picard, and Janeway have all famously bent or broken it when lives were at stake.
✗ Red alert! The answer is the Prime Directive. While “General Order One” is technically another name for it, the Prime Directive is the universally known term. The Omega Directive and Temporal Accord are separate, more specialized Starfleet protocols.
04
“Resistance is futile.” This chilling declaration belongs to a cybernetic collective that assimilates entire civilizations into its hive mind. What is this fearsome species called?
✓ Correct! The Borg are Star Trek’s most terrifying villains — a hive-mind collective that forcibly assimilates species and technology. Captain Picard was famously assimilated and transformed into Locutus in the landmark TNG episode “The Best of Both Worlds.”
✗ Red alert! The answer is the Borg. The Dominion is the Gamma Quadrant empire from DS9, the Romulans are a rival empire, and Species 8472 is actually one of the few species that the Borg themselves fear. Only the Borg declare “Resistance is futile.”
05
Captain Jean-Luc Picard commands the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation and later received his own series, Star Trek: Picard. Which acclaimed actor portrays him?
✓ Correct! Sir Patrick Stewart brought gravitas, Shakespeare, and Earl Grey tea to the captain’s chair for seven seasons of TNG, four films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. His “Make it so” is one of TV’s most iconic catchphrases.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Patrick Stewart. William Shatner plays Captain Kirk, Avery Brooks is Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine, and Scott Bakula captains the NX-01 Enterprise. Only Sir Patrick Stewart portrays the legendary Jean-Luc Picard.
06
Starfleet vessels travel faster than light by bending space around them using a matter-antimatter reaction. What is this propulsion system called?
✓ Correct! Warp Drive is the standard faster-than-light propulsion in Star Trek, powered by dilithium-regulated matter-antimatter reactions. Zefram Cochrane invented it in 2063, which led to humanity’s first contact with the Vulcans.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Warp Drive. Transwarp is an advanced Borg technology, Slipstream is an experimental quantum drive, and the Spore Drive uses mycelial network navigation (from Discovery). Standard Starfleet vessels use Warp Drive.
07
At Starfleet Academy, cadets face a notorious no-win scenario designed to test their character under impossible circumstances. James Kirk is the only cadet who ever beat it — by cheating. What is this test called?
✓ Correct! The Kobayashi Maru is an unwinnable rescue simulation that tests how cadets handle certain death. Kirk reprogrammed it so he could win — earning a commendation for original thinking. It was memorably featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
✗ Red alert! The answer is the Kobayashi Maru. The Corbomite Maneuver is a TOS episode, not an Academy test. The Kobayashi Maru is the famous no-win scenario that Kirk defeated by reprogramming the simulation — because he doesn’t believe in the no-win scenario.
08
In the widely regarded greatest Star Trek film, a genetically enhanced superhuman from Earth’s past seeks revenge against Captain Kirk. “KHAAAAN!” Who is this iconic villain?
✓ Correct! Khan Noonien Singh, played by Ricardo Montalbán, is Star Trek’s greatest villain. First appearing in the TOS episode “Space Seed,” he returned in The Wrath of Khan (1982) for a devastating revenge plot that cost Spock his life.
✗ Red alert! The answer is Khan Noonien Singh. General Chang is a Klingon from Star Trek VI, Q is TNG’s omnipotent trickster, and Gul Dukat is DS9’s Cardassian antagonist. Only Khan inspired Kirk’s legendary scream across the cosmos.
Mission Complete Your Starfleet Record
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Are you an Admiral — or still a cadet on deck-scrubbing duty?
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 4, episode 3, “Human Best Friend” is now streaming on Paramount+
