Star Trek: 10 Most Shocking Returns
8. Trelane (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds)
Rhys Darby's unnamed wedding planner in Wedding Bell Blues brought an upbeat, mischievous joy to Strange New Worlds. Though the clues were present throughout, the confirmation that he was playing Trelane, the bold child originated by William Campbell in The Squire Of Gothos, brought smiles to many faces.
This return is an outlier on this list because, technically, no one is returning. This was Rhys Darby's debut in Star Trek, while William Campbell passed away in 2011. Wedding Bell Blues then sets about making some changes to the lore, while also honouring the earlier episode.
In The Squire Of Gothos, Trelane is shown to be a powerful being, albeit one who focuses his power through, effectively, a magic mirror. At the episode's conclusion, he is whisked away by his parents, both of whom are represented as glowing green mist. John De Lancie makes a vocal cameo in this episode, effectively confirming a theory that had long been out there: Trelane was a member of the Q Continuum.
It's all handled in suggestion rather than outright confirmation, while at the same time, it's fairly concrete. Trelane can now be assumed to be Q Junior, originally played by Keegan De Lancie in Q2. In that episode, this younger Q vanishes for some years, followed by his father. This episode, and the wedding therein, is inferred to take place during that sojourn.
It is a fun addition to the lore, while never outright contradicting anything else that's been established. Rhys Darby is wonderfully manic in the part, so one very much hopes for a return from this well-dressed trickster.