Star Trek Characters That Must Return (2026)

10. DOCTOR Roger Korby

Star Trek Strange New Worlds Wedding Bell Blues Korby
CBS Media Ventures

Don't get his title wrong; he's had enough of that already. Dr Roger Korby, archaeologist, must return. There's an engagement to be had, as well as some Irish divilment too. Let the man have his flowers while he can still feel human emotions. Spoilers, there. Spoilers.

In The Original Series, Korby was a one-and-done character with whom Nurse Christine Chapel had a past romantic relationship. In Strange New Worlds, Korby arrives already in that relationship, with a handsome charm that dispels any question as to how or why. 

New Life And New Civilisations sees Korby remain on Skygowan. His plan to study the Vezda and their acolytes surely can't end badly, right? In Star Trek lore, he has to leave the planet long enough to meet up with Ruk and the old ones, but one hopes that won't be for some time to come. 

Cillian O'Sullivan brings an easy, relaxed fun to the scenes he's in, while also playing seriously when the show turns darker. Through The Lens Of Time is one of the heavier episodes of Strange New Worlds, teasing the audience with Korby's dedication and obsession with the idea of eternal life. Though briefly mentioned in the season three finale, it remains one of his more intriguing character traits. 

The Korby the audience meets in What Are Little Girls Made Of? is a result of this obsession made flesh, so to speak. This obsession demands a revisit, if only to see how it breaks Korby and Chapel apart. 

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"