Star Trek #19 kicks off the start of a brand new arc titled “Pleroma.” A quick Google of this word defines it as “the totality of divine powers.” This lines up with the themes of this series thus far, as each story arc has dealt with the crew facing divine entities. Sisko himself is somewhat of a divine entity. The issue was slower in pace as the bulk of it was spent setting up the new storyline, but there are still some interesting beats and character moments worth discussing.
WARNING – Potential Spoilers for Star Trek #19 are ahead!
Come Home or End
Star Trek #19 sees the return of the Organians, a race of incorporeal beings. These beings were first seen in The Original Series and then later brought back for an episode of Enterprise. There is an interesting scene that leads off the issue and shows the process of how these beings become temporarily corporeal. The imagery and language used is reminiscent of the very first issue of this series when Sisko leaves the wormhole and returns to linear time. It is rare we see perspectives of beings who operate on higher planes of existence, so to include this scene was a real treat.
Speaking of Sisko, the Captain faces a new crisis in this issue. Sisko has completed the Prophet’s mission of stopping Kahless and has therefore been ordered to return back to the Celestial Temple. However, Sisko resists returning since he has now been tasked with aiding the Organians. The Prophets do not condone Sisko’s choice and threaten his life if he does not return to the wormhole.
Sisko’s choice to stay in the “real world” is worth investigating. At the end of Deep Space Nine, Sisko understood that his place was with the Prophets and felt no remorse for leaving the corporeal world behind. Now, he’s having second thoughts. This makes one wonder if Sisko will keep finding reasons to stay and will eventually reject the Prophets. One of the most prevalent themes of this series is the dangers of Godhood, so it would make sense if Sisko rebelled against the Prophets and defined his own path.
The Return of Wesley?
When debating whether or not to assist the Organians and journey to Pleroma, Beverly Crusher tries to convince Sisko that they should in fact go to Pleroma so she can potentially find her son, Wesley. Before this scene, there is an insert of a personal log of Crusher’s that fleshes out her remorseful feelings on Wesley’s ascension to a higher plane. This is probably the most insight we’ve ever received into Beverly’s perspective on Wesley’s disappearance. Wesley is only briefly mentioned/seen in Picard, and even in The Next Generation episode in which he disappears, little time is given to how the other characters, especially Beverly, feel about him leaving. It is refreshing that we may be able to get some real closure on Beverly and Wesley’s relationship through this comic.
At the end of Star Trek #19, Ensign Lily Sato is confronted by none other than an agent of Section 31. While this clandestine organization’s inclusion is potentially compelling, I can’t help but feel a little tired of Section 31 storylines. Their use in Discovery feels like enough that we can let them rest for a while. The character that confronts Sato is a man who appears to be named Sloan but is not the same Sloan seen in the Section 31 storyline of DS9. There must be some relation or connection between the two men, but the specifics are still unclear.
Issue Preview
Conclusion
Overall this was a decent issue that set up the upcoming story arc. It will be very exciting to see the realm of Pleroma and potentially witness all the God-like beings located in one place and see what their society is like. Will the Q be there? It will also be good to keep exploring T’Lir’s character, now that we know he is a Vulcan-Organian hybrid. Also teased at the end of Star Trek #19 was a retrofit for the Theseus. Hopefully, we can see the new and improved ship in the next issue.
Issue Credits
Writer: Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing
Artist: Megan Levens
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Design & Production: Neil Uyetake
Group Editor: Heather Antos
Assistant Editor: Vanessa Real
In the next issue…
In issue #20: Having revealed their true godlike identity, T’Lir is relying on Captain Sisko to help repair Kahless’ damage to space-time and save their species from extinction. Despite the Prophets’ eerie warning that Sisko is forbidden at the Pleroma—a meeting place for god-level species at intersecting space-time coordinates—he and his crew head to the Utopia Planitia Federation Shipyards for a retrofit to the Theseus in preparation to boldly take on the unknown. Meanwhile, a mysterious figure from Section 31 approaches Lily with a mission, claiming the Federation’s future is in her hands.
Release date: May 15, 2024
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