While at San Diego Comic-Con, the panelists for Star Trek: Discovery also sat down for some group media events with some of the major outlets, where more clues about the second season emerged. We have distilled all of them and put together all the highlights.

Spock has been cast and it wasn’t easy

When talking to Variety, producers gave a little more detail on the introduction of Spock for the second season, which was teased during the panel on Friday. The Variety reporter asked if Spock has been recast, and executive producer and showrunner Alex Kurtzman confirmed it:

We are, we are casting a new Spock. It’s not just a possibility, it’s been done.

Kurtzman went on to talk about the challenge they faced casting Spock:

Everybody assumes that because Spock is all about logic, that there is no emotion in there and that is entirely untrue. So, finding an actor convey what we know to be very Vulcan, but also reveal so much emotion in the eyes and in the small gestures, so you understand there is just a tornado of things just happening under the surface is critical. So you need an actor who can do both of those things at the same time, which is very challenging.

The group also talked about how the message of hope in Star Trek is important to set an example. New cast member Anson Mount showed his Trek cred as he talked about Gene Roddenberry’s vision, Doug Jones talked about the challenge of playing the first Kelpien, and Mary Wiseman spoke about breaking new ground in Star Trek profanity.

Pike is “the opposite” of Lorca

For TV Line, the discussion turned to Anson Mount’s Captain Pike. The actor described Pike’s command style, saying:

He is very by the book, usually, and a good person. And I don’t always play good people, so it’s fun.

Executive producer Heather Kadin added:

There is this cool confidence. It is such a nice to have such an opposition to what Jason [Isaacs] played last year [with Captain Lorca]. The presence is very captain-like immediately, but a total opposite note.

Kurtzman also weighed in:

One of the things that was particularly nice about writing Pike, is that he has enough confidence and authority to apologize when he is wrong. I think that is something that Lorca would never do.

Sonequa Martin-Green brought up that Michelle Yeoh is returning to play former Emperor Georgiou, saying that she and Michael Burnham have to find a way to work together in the second season.

The group talked about twists in the first season, including how they invented the actor “Javid Iqbal” to keep the secret that Latif was both Voq and Tyler. The cast seemed get a kick out of how that inspired the parody account “@RealJavidIqbal,” which posted updates on the life of the “real actor” who played Voq.

Season two isn’t about the Enterprise

When they spoke to ET, the group was asked how the arrival of the USS Enterprise at the end of season one impacts season two. Alex Kurtzman offered some details.

It affects it pretty significantly. Obviously Captain Pike has shown up and he is here for a very specific reason. But, what we will discover is that the reason the Enterprise is here is tied into a larger story that is really the thrust of season two, that isn’t about the Enterprise.

They also talk about the fan reaction to the show and how they are so excited to see cosplayers at Comic-Con.

More group interviews with panelists

The other group chats with major media outlets were mostly casual and fun, but there were still some interesting moments.

How Culments love saved the world

With the LA Times, the focus was on the Culber/Stamets relationship.

Talking Kelpiens with Kevin Smith

Doug Jones, Sonequa Martin-Green, Anthony Rapp and Shazad Latif boarded the IMDB Boat with host Kevin Smith, which mostly focused on Doug Jones’ Saru.

Behind the scenes promo

CBS also released a video showing the cast’s time in San Diego, which included visiting fans in line, checking out the Mirror Universe gallery, and doing the panel and press event.

Cast reads fan’s tweets

More from SDCC to come

TrekMovie has already posted a number of articles from San Diego with our own coverage and more (Click here to see all our SDCC 2018 coverage), and there is still much more to come. So stay tuned.