Star Trek's nearly 60-year run has granted fans a long-running, interconnected franchise of the highest order. It's also given them the most anxiety-riddled anticipation a fan can have. See, with each new year, each new show or film, and each new creative team, comes the possibility that some people aren't going to respect that established lore.
Considering the only reason we're still here after 60 years is because of the established lore, changing it or ignoring it just sits wrong with the fanbase. You don't get to thumb your nose at what came before, especially when what came before is the only reason you're working today.
So respecting that lore is important. So it's great to hear that Anson Mount, the man who brings Captain Christopher Pike to live on the hit series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, is all about protecting canon. He recently spoke at the 2024 Star Trek: Las Vegas convention (via ScreenRant) where he spoke about respecting the end-game for his character.
""...But in general, I think I would like to stick with canon, and just, maybe, from a different point of view. Maybe from Pike’s point of view. So that’s all I’ll say about that.""
Now, Strange New Worlds has already broached and tested canon-breaking ideas with the introduction of the Gorn, but the alien race was so underdeveloped, that there was room to pursue some new storylines with the alien race. What's helpful is that the slight changes and further exploration of the alien race have only made them better.
They upped the fear quotient with them, which made them far more interesting and entertaining. Had Star Trek: Enterprise not already redoed them a bit in their series, then maybe the franchise would have stayed away from them but that didn't end up being the case.
The end result is a better villain and one that enriches the franchise further. However, the series would do itself a disservice if they undo the end of Pike's run as captain, by having him avoid the terrible fate that befell him. The fans would turn on the show and the goodwill it's built from the fanbase would disappear. Possibly ruining future projects as long as this creative team remains.