Star Trek Finally Introduced a Han Solo Copycat After 56 Years

by

Lieutenant Erica Ortegas, the helmsman, is a uniquely confident and daring pilot – think Han Solo, but in Starfleet. While previous Enterprise helmsmen have been competent, Ortegas is the first to bring that same effortless cool and swagger to the role. She might not be a ‘scruffy-looking nerfherder,’ but she definitely has the skills and attitude to match.

Although these two universes appear quite distinct, they differ fundamentally in their philosophies. One envisions a future where people create flawless organizations, while the other believes all institutions, no matter how well-meaning, are destined to fall apart. Additionally, the second universe offers very little opportunity for independent, skilled individuals like Han Solo to thrive.

Strange New Worlds Gave Star Trek Its Own Han Solo With Erica Ortegas

Though Lieutenant Erica Ortegas didn’t get to participate in the mission to Rigel 7, she’s a vital member of the crew as the ship’s pilot. While others have flown the USS Enterprise before, Ortegas is the first truly skilled and daring pilot we’ve seen – and she’s demonstrated her abilities, including with the impressive Ortegas Gamma Three maneuver.

The skilled, confident pilot is a common character in science fiction, seen in stories like Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica. Characters like Han Solo and Kara “Starbuck” Thrace thrive when they’re flying, expertly dodging enemies or escaping dangerous situations. However, the organization Starfleet, from Star Trek, operates more like a naval force than an air force.

These spacecraft aren’t like fast fighter planes; they’re more similar to large, slow battleships. Originally, their movement was depicted as bulky and unagile, but advancements in computer graphics now allow for much faster and more nimble ships in space.

Even on the Enterprise, helmsman Travis Mayweather isn’t a particularly skilled pilot. Erica Ortegas, however, has the confidence and skill to boldly fly the ship through dangerous situations, like a brown dwarf or asteroid field. While she’s a Starfleet officer, Ortegas could easily pilot fighters like those from the X-Wing or Viper series.

Ortegas Stands Alone In a Long Line of Starfleet Helm Officers

As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I always found it interesting how they handled the helm officers. José Tyler – originally Ortegas, if you remember – was technically in command at the helm in some early episodes, but didn’t really get much to do. Of course, Hikaru Sulu is the one most of us picture when we think of someone at the helm, going all the way from the Enterprise to captaining the Excelsior. But honestly, even Sulu wasn’t quite the classic, swashbuckling sci-fi pilot you might expect.

Sulu followed the captain’s commands and collaborated with the other officers on the bridge. Unlike Star Wars, Star Trek traditionally didn’t show its ships being flown manually. However, the final episode of Picard Season 3 changed that, finally showcasing manual flight.

On the USS Enterprise-D, Data and Wesley Crusher most often steered the ship. Deep Space Nine rarely had a single officer dedicated to helming, although Lt. Michael’s duties were similar to those of Tyler. Travis Mayweather was the pilot of the NX-01 Enterprise.

Mayweather was born in space and spent his childhood traveling on slower, warp-speed ships. He was a skilled helmsman, especially considering the NX-01 was unlike any ship that had come before. He wasn’t a reckless pilot, but an explorer who preferred charting the unknown from his station inside the ship, rather than venturing out into it.

Before Erica Ortegas, Tom Paris from Voyager was likely the most skilled pilot Star Trek featured. While Paris often showed off his flying abilities in the Delta Flyer, he never quite had the same confident and charismatic style as Ortegas.

Although the officers who pilot ships in Star Trek are all capable and well-trained, none of them are exceptionally daring or showy. Erica Ortegas is different; she’s a confident and skilled pilot, and she’s aware of her abilities.

Why Lt. Erica Ortegas Might Just Be Star Trek’s Best Pilot

I have to say, from the very beginning of Strange New Worlds, Ortegas made a fantastic first impression – she’s a seriously confident pilot! It’s really cool to learn that the character actually has roots way back in Gene Roddenberry’s original Star Trek ideas – he called someone named José Ortegas ‘the Navigator’ in his very first pitch. And throughout the series, she’s consistently saved the day, getting the Enterprise out of some tight spots, sometimes even while battling her own internal struggles. She’s quickly become a standout character for me.

It’s like something similar happened on Rigel VII when Captain Pike first went there. I was completely captivated by Navia’s performance as Ortegas – she played losing all her memories so convincingly, just like the rest of the crew. It was fascinating to watch her character, because whenever the computer reminded her she was Erica Ortegas and that she piloted the ship, she’d repeat it almost like a comforting phrase, trying to hold onto that identity.

As a total movie buff, I’m always amazed by how well they handled the Enterprise in the original series. It wasn’t just that she knew how to fly it – she could really put it through its paces, dodging asteroids and everything! Honestly, even some of the bigger budget space movies from the 2000s didn’t have effects that quite matched the original’s sense of scale and wonder. It felt like only Star Trek’s version of Han Solo – someone who really understood that ship – could navigate a challenge like that Kessel Run moment.

In the “Charades” episode, Ortegas joins the effort to find a cure for Spock. Interestingly, if she had been flying the shuttle at the beginning of the episode, both Chapel and Spock probably wouldn’t have been injured. She demonstrates exceptional piloting skills, navigating the shuttle through bizarre gravitational anomalies and successfully entering an interdimensional portal.

I was completely captivated watching Ortegas during that tense moment! While Uhura and Chapel were second-guessing the plan, she chimed in with this amazing confidence, basically saying she’s not one to talk anyone out of a daring flight – it instantly reminded me of characters like Starbuck or Han Solo! It’s funny, because you know she’s a seasoned war veteran, but she doesn’t always rush into things with weapons blazing. It’s a really cool contrast, and shows how much depth there is to her character.

Season 3 of Strange New Worlds focused heavily on the threat of the Gorn. The story culminated with Ortegas becoming stranded on a planet with one of these creatures. Surprisingly, they formed a connection and collaborated to signal for help, but their rescue was tragically cut short when a Starfleet officer impulsively shot and killed the Gorn.

Navia consistently delivers outstanding performances. While she often takes on a charismatic, independent role similar to Han Solo, she fundamentally embodies the strong moral compass of a Star Trek hero.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds debuts Season 4 on July 23, 2026, on Paramount+.

Read More

2026-06-01 18:42