I think Discovery handled Pike’s “destiny” in the best possible way by rooting it in character.

Pike grabs that time crystal because he’s dedicated to the mission, and to Starfleet. He will eventually save those cadets for the exact same reason. There doesn’t have to be anything metaphysical going on there - he affirms that that’s the kind of person he is, and that’s why he’ll end up in that situation one day, even knowing it’s coming.

It makes me sad that SNW has been diluting that.