Though fans know Captain Pike from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the character has, of course, existed from the inception of Star Trek. Christopher Pike was introduced in the pilot episode, "The Cage," which wouldn't be released on television until over 20 years after The Original Series first debuted. Back in 1966, though, television viewers saw Jeffrey Hunter's take on the character for the very first time in the two-part TOS episode "The Menagerie."
We had very little time to get to know Pike as a character, much less as captain of the USS Enterprise. Pike is down on the planet Talos IV and away from his crew for the majority of his screen time. He comes off as tough, a bit intense, and tired of life in the service. Still, his shadow loomed large.
Thankfully, the character got another chance in J.J. Abrams' Kelvin Timeline films Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), and Pike's impact shouldn't be understated.
Brilliantly portrayed by Bruce Greenwood, this version of Pike is more fleshed out than before. He is played as an excellent leader who inspires others. He efficiently runs his ship, is willing to put himself on the line for his crew, and has a wry smile that betrays a twinkle of occasional sarcasm. He is a mentor, a father figure, and catalyst for this version of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) to join Starfleet.
After Pike breaks up a fight that Kirk is a part of, he sits down to talk sense into this young man. He has clearly done his research and is able to size Kirk up quickly and accurately. From the beginning, Pike knows this man needed something more. Kirk needed a cause and a plan for his life. So Pike issues a sort of challenge, saying, "Your father was captain of a starship for 12 minutes [...] I dare you to do better."
This line alone works so well, and it tells us much about Pike. He knows how to inspire others, and how to see greatness in them. The challenge works and Kirk shows up to the shuttle that's headed for Starfleet Academy. Kirk still needs to grow before he can take a seat in the captain's chair, though, and without Pike's prodding he may never have become the man we love to watch trek across the stars. See what I did there?
Though Pike has less screen time in Star Trek Into Darkness, he still leaves a massive impact on those around him. He dies during an attack by Khan Noonien Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch) on Starfleet officials. Kirk gets to him too late, his mentor has fallen, and the only father figure he really knew is gone. He mourns, and the loss is felt keenly by both Kirk and Mr. Spock. This moment catapults the story forward, and gives us yet another reason to hate, fear, and loathe Khan.
Of course Anson Mount continues the legacy of Captain Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and the character continues to grow throughout the series. We needed the Kelvin Timeline's Star Trek and Star Trek: Into Darkness films to reintroduce us to a great captain and legacy character. And without Bruce Greenwood's excellent portrayal, it's possible we may never have gotten Pike as the lead in Strange New Worlds.
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