10 Star Trek Characters We Had To Wait Years To See Again
9. Prime Pike
Controversial call on this one!
While Pike does appear in 2009's JJ Abrams spectacular reboot, it's an alternative version of the character and sort of cheating. Nothing against Bruce Greenwood but, well, it is.
In that case, the last time that Prime Universe Christopher Pike appeared in Star Trek was November 1966 when The Menagerie was aired. Combining footage from The Cage where Pike was played by Jeffery Hunter, the now wheelchair-bound captain was portrayed by Sean Kenney in the Kirk-era scenes.
An incredible 53 years later and that same version of the Enterprise captain would be back on the bridge for the beginning of Star Trek: Discovery's second season, this time played by Anson Mount.
Such was the draw of Mount alongside Ethan Peck's Spock and Rebecca Romjin's Number One that by 2022 Strange New Worlds would be on screen. This marked one of the longest gestation periods from the pilot to series order, given that The Cage was produced in 1964 (although not officially aired until the '90s). Perhaps season two will drop in a Yeoman Colt?
Pike's knowledge of his own fate has been wound into the series, providing a new layer to the character as he heads toward his destiny.