10 Star Trek Episodes That Deserved To Become Classics (But Didn't)
8. New Eden
Star Trek opted in its infancy to avoid religion, for the most part. Gene Roddenberry had designed a universe where humanity had evolved past such ideas as a god and the like. This idea was relaxed somewhat as the years went on, with religious ideas popping up along the way, though most notably in Deep Space Nine in the form of the Bajorans' worship of the Prophets.
it was a little surprising then to see that in New Eden, there were still humans who not only practiced religion but that there had been religious communities still in place on Earth in the 2200s. Both Owosekon and Pike had religious upbringings, both of which came into focus when Discovery jumped to Terralysium.
Pike, for his part, is able to bond with the colonists as he understands their faith. This is something that, in the 21st century, has become more of an outlier in terms of storytelling, particularly in Star Trek. The idea of having faith in this regard stands out because of the idea that humanity has 'evolved' beyond it. To have Pike, a character rooted in the sciences, be the one to express his beliefs helps the episode's overall message - behind the bonds of duty, there are our personal goals and tenents. It is an episode with a message of existing within a community and one that will, we believe, age very, very well.