Star Trek Issue #5 is an explosive, action packed penultimate issue in this six-issue saga. When we last left the crew of the USS Theseus, they traveled to the ancient God City of T’Kon. There, they learned that Kahless The Unforgettable, Emperor of the Klingon Empire, is behind the recent string of god-killings. Kahless next sets his sights on the God City of T’Kon, where a massive dormant alien creature resides.
While most of this issue features the battle between the Theseus and Kahless’ Bird-of-Prey, there are a few notable standout moments that bring new depth to this unfolding story.
Star Trek: Issue #5 is available via Amazon.com
Fathers and sons
The first of these events is the return of Worf’s son, Alexander. During the battle, a handful of Klingon’s board the Theseus in an attempt to disable it from the inside. Once such Klingon invader is none other than Worf’s son, Alexander, who has joined the cause of Kahless. We last saw Alexander in the Deep Space Nine episode, “You Are Cordially Invited”, in which he participated in Worf and Jadzia Dax’s wedding. Since then, his story has yet to be continued.
Last we saw, Alexander was serving aboard a ship under the House of Martok. When we see him now, he’s zealous and blood-thirsty, fueled by Kahless’ mission. He harbors resentment for his father for not being there for him, and nearly kills him in battle. This is a very different Alexander than the sweet boy we met way back in The Next Generation. Alexander also isn’t completely in the wrong. Worf was mostly an absent father for most of Alexander’s childhood. It will be interesting to see how his story unfolds.
Another interesting moment comes when the Theseus has an opportunity to fire upon Kahless’ ship and destroy it. Sisko receives a command from the Prophets to destroy the vessel and he follows it willingly. But at the last second, Worf stops Sisko, breaking the chain of command. Worf pleads with Sisko to hold his fire, given that killing Kahless would lead to all out war with the Klingons. And also, more personally, Alexander is aboard that ship. Sisko acquiesces, and he does not fire on Kahless. The Prophets are furious, but Sisko holds true. This is the first time we see Sisko breaking with the Prophets’ commands. He has been blindly following them until this point, and only now decides to question them. Will he continue to be their instrument, or will he be his own man?
A man on the run
After Sisko dismisses Worf from the bridge, what he does next is only communicated through a full page of text-based computer commands. We follow Worf’s journey from the turbolift and to the shuttle bay, where Worf commandeers a shuttle and leaves the Theseus. This is a clever way to communicate plot without imagery or dialogue. It gives clues that the reader must put together to understand what’s happening. We also have the knowledge that Worf is soon to star in his own spin-off series, Star Trek: Defiant, in which Worf breaks from Sisko to save Alexander. This is apparently how he gets there.
Instead of taking an offensive approach, Sisko goes on defense. He beams down to the city, alone, and activates a shield around the creature to protect it from Kahless’ weapon. However, it turns out that Jake Sisko and Beverly Crusher also beam down. Jake didn’t want his father to be alone in this trying time. While heartwarming, it’s a little preposterous. Jake was never this hands on in his father’s missions back on Deep Space Nine, as it was always too dangerous. Now, all of a sudden, he’s leaping into battle with his father, and for some reason Crusher allowed it. This ends up seriously injuring Jake, which makes sense given the circumstances. But it still seems a little far-fetched that Jake would be here, or even allowed to travel on the Theseus in the first place.
The beast below
Although Sisko protects the dormant creature under the city, Kahless’ weapon wakes it from its slumber. And upon awakening, it vows vengeance on the people of Earth for disturbing its rest. Maybe Kahless was right, maybe it’s better to kill these creatures before they can wreak havoc on the galaxy. But that, of course, is not the Starfleet way.
Overall, this was an action packed issue that introduced new plot points and set the stage for an exciting finale. There was also decent character development for Worf and Sisko: Worf’s relationship to Alexander and Sisko’s relationship to the Prophets. How this will conclude remains to be seen. How will Sisko follow the Prophet’s commands to protect the gods of the universe when one is now hell-bent on destroying Earth?
Issue #6 Preview
Synopsis: Chaos ensues as the God City sets out on a collision course for Earth! Inside the living city, Captain Sisko and Dr. Crusher face off against the cosmic being wearing the ancient city as armor. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Commander Data pushes the Theseus and its crew to their limits in trying to keep up with the being zooming across the quadrant. But where do ants stand among giants?
Release Date: 12 April, 2023
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