A Final Voyage: Thomas Jane and Kai Murakami Join "Strange New Worlds" for Its Last Episode

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds  is still a couple of seasons away from taking its final bow, but we're here getting surprises for the final episode early.

It’s been announced that Thomas Jane and Kai Murakami will appear in the final episode of Strange New Worlds, stepping into two of the most legendary roles in the franchise. Jane will portray Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, while Murakami takes on Hikaru Sulu. No long-term arcs, no new spinoff teases (though who honestly knows with this merger), just a final visit with familiar faces as the curtain comes down.

And honestly? We've got a while yet to see how well that final bow lands with these two in some rather big shoes to fill.

Thomas Jane as Bones, One Last House Call

Thomas Jane is the kind of actor you bring in when you need instant credibility. Genre fans know him best as Detective Miller on The Expanse, but his career stretches across The Punisher, The Mist, Deep Blue Sea, Hung, and more. He excels at playing characters who carry experience, wear their emotions close to the surface, and absolutely do not suffer fools lightly.

Which makes him a strong fit for Bones, even in a single-episode appearance. Jane has the presence to walk into sickbay and immediately feel like a doctor who’s been patching up Starfleet officers for decades. If this is Bones’ final moment in Strange New Worlds, it’s a hell of a way to do it. My initial reaction was "really?" But it hasn't taken me long to warm up to it. Still, Thomas Jane for one episode?! Tell me there's going to be more!

Kai Murakami Takes the Helm as Sulu

And joining the Strange New Worlds finale as Hikaru Sulu is Kai Murakami, making his television debut in the series. Murakami’s no stranger to performing, having honed his craft on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and even lending his talents to performance-capture for video games like Assassin’s Creed and Rise of the Ronin. With that mix of stage chops and digital wizardry, he’s stepping into the helm ready to make Sulu his own, even if it’s just for one episode.

Sulu has always been defined by competence and quiet authority. He doesn’t need grand speeches to make an impression. He just needs to stand at the helm and feel like someone you’d trust with your life. For a final episode, Murakami’s stage-honed presence feels like exactly the right energy.

A Sendoff That Honors the Legacy

By keeping these appearances exclusive to the final episode, Strange New Worlds isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s honoring the road that led here. Bringing in actors of this caliber to embody legacy characters one last time feels like a thank-you to longtime fans, a respectful nod to Trek history, and a reminder of just how far this series has come.

With Captain Pike and crew handing the keys to Jim Kirk in the final episode of Strange New Worlds, it’s comforting to know it closes with a familiar doctor and a steady hand at the helm.