Anson Mount on how long Capt. Pike will stick around Star Trek: Discovery

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

During the final moments of the first season of Star Trek: Discovery, the crew received a distress call from the U.S.S. Enterprise, which at this point in history was captained by Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). As we witnessed in the San Diego Comic-Con trailer for Star Trek: Discovery's second season, Pike will have a considerable role to play when the series returns as he's seen taking command of the U.S.S. Discovery for an important mission. However, just how long will Anson Mount be sticking around to play Captain Christopher Pike on Star Trek: Discovery? As the first season of the series juggled many different story arcs, it wouldn't be unusual if Pike was only featured in a small handful of episodes before they moved on, but Anson Mount told TrekMovie that that won't be the case.

Anson Mount confirmed that he is contracted for all thirteen-episodes of Star Trek: Discovery's second season, meaning that he will likely serve as Captain of the Discovery during that time. As a big fan of the actor and what we've glimpsed of how he'll be handling the character in the trailer, I'm thrilled to hear that he'll be sticking around. It also helps that Mount is a big fan of the franchise, particuarly The Original Series. "I grew up with it in syndication. By the time I was ten I’d seen every episode of Star Trek," Mount said. "And that was one of our go-to make believe games, playing Star Trek. And so, every day, every day, we’re going to do episode 6, and I still, every day I walk on that set, and I have to pinch myself. It is so surreal to be on Star Trek. Me? Wow." The actor also teased that we're going to find out much more about Pike over the course of the season, including a few easter-eggs which long-time Star Trek fans will recognize.

Along with Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, it was also announced that Rebecca Romijn will be playing Number One, Pike's first officer and a character who was originally played by Majel Barrett in The Cage, the very first Star Trek pilot. As hinted at in the first look trailer and confirmed by series co-creator Alex Kurtzman, we'll also be seeing Spock at some point during the second season. That should be interesting.

If you don't quite have the patience to wait for Star Trek: Discovery to return in 2019, fear not, for Alex Kurtzman also announced that we will be getting more Star Trek later this fall in the form of four short standalone stories. Dubbed Star Trek: Short Treks, each short will be an opportunity for deeper storytelling and exploration of key characters and themes which will fit into Discovery and the expanding Star Trek universe. Rainn Wilson will return to play Harry Mudd in a short he will also direct, and Aldis Hodge will star in another as Craft, a man who finds himself as the only human on board a deserted ship. Further episodes will dive into Saru’s (Doug Jones) backstory as the first Kelpien to join Starfleet, and Tilly’s (Mary Wiseman) journey aboard the U.S.S. Discovery and her friendship with an unlikely partner. "There is no shortage of compelling stories to tell in the ‘Star Trek’ universe that inspire, entertain, and either challenge our preconceived ideas or affirm long held beliefs, and we are excited to broaden the universe already with SHORT TREKS," said Kurtzman in a statement. "Each episode will deliver closed-ended stories while revealing clues about what’s to come on in future STAR TREK: DISCOVERY episodes. They’ll also introduce audiences to new characters who may inhabit the larger world of ‘Star Trek.’"

Star Trek: Discovery will return to CBS in January 2019.