Update: We've been contacted by CBS Studios, and they've sent us a statement about our story:
"At Star Trek: Mission Chicago, we inadvertently displayed posters with Spock and M’Benga’s names that were incorrect. Sometimes when you work at warp speed, mistakes are made. While Spock and M’Benga do indeed have first names, they have yet to be revealed."
Our original story is below.
The premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is just around the corner, and with fans flocking to the Star Trek convention Mission Chicago this weekend, we're getting some exciting news about the upcoming prequel series. Strange New Worlds has already been delighting fans with references and Easter eggs from The Original Series and other Star Trek properties and today's news follows that trend. Today, TrekCore is reporting from Mission Chicago that two new posters for the series were on display showing the full names of classic characters Spock (Ethan Peck) and M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun).
Less famed than Spock, Dr. M'Benga is also a character that made a few appearances on The Original Series and served on the Enterprise under Captain Kirk. His canon history includes being a highly skilled doctor with special knowledge of Vulcan anatomy after performing a medical internship on the planet. Olusanmokun's run as M'Benga was announced along with several other legacy characters joining the series back in September. Today we can confirm his full name in the series will be Jabilo M'Benga.
Long-time fans of the franchise — and its extended works — may recognize M'Benga's full name because this isn't the first time it's been used in a Star Trek property. Star Trek has a massive catalog of spin-off novels, and in the novel series Star Trek: Vanguard M'Benga plays a significant role. We learn his first name is Jabilo in the first book of that series, Harbinger which was published in 2005.
Especially well-versed fans will also recognize Spock's newly canonized first name. The beloved Vulcan's full name is officially S'Chn T'Gai Spock. The name actually comes from a popular fan work-turned novel for The Original Series in Barbara Hambly's Ishmael which was published in 1985. Star Trek: Discovery similarly cited fan works when they gave the planet Vulcan the name Ni'Var in Season 3 after traveling several hundred years into the future. Ni'Var finds its roots in the Spockanalia fanzine from the 1960s and was originated by Dorothy Jones Heydt. It's so heartwarming to see newer Star Trek series like Strange New Worlds and Discovery honoring fans in such a way and paying tribute to the extended universe and the love for the franchise that has kept it going for nearly seven decades!
Spock and M'Benga will join Captain Pike (Anson Mount), Number One (Rebecca Romijn), Cadet Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush), Chief Engineer Hemmer (Bruce Horak), Lt. Ortegas (Melissa Navia), and Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) aboard the USS Enterprise in Strange New Worlds next month. With so many fun details referencing the massive history of Star Trek, we'll have to keep our eyes peeled for future hidden gems.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 begins on May 5 on Paramount+. Check out the new posters (sans names) below!
