In the last issue, Jake, Alexander, and Nog had finally escaped Q Junior’s time loop, but that was just the beginning of their problems. This week, in Sons of Star Trek #3, their trials in this alternate universe continue. A last-minute mind-meld and a risky ship maneuver was enough to break the time loop, but not enough to break them out of this universe. Now there’s an army of cloaked Breen slowly phasing aboard, and the ship’s in a state of disrepair.
Can Nog, weighted down by doubts about his place in Starfleet, get the ship back up and running before it’s too late? It’s something that only he can figure out and overcome. He must if the gang is to have any hope of returning to their universe alive. Meanwhile, with Q Junior powerless, can he regain his powers and send everyone home before something terrible happens? Find out in this review of Sons of Star Trek #3.
WARNING – Spoilers below for Sons of Star Trek #3
Finding Purpose
This issue opens with a flashback to Nog’s experience after the Dominion War, doing recovery work through the galaxy. He was assigned to the USS Alemany, another Defiant-class ship that was working around Cardassia Prime. It was an assignment he took very seriously, working hard to run every possible test, without a speck of dust in engineering. He’s a good officer, but all his superiors such as Barclay want from him his stories of Sisko.
Far too often in his universe, we see he’s reduced to who he knows. As a Ferengi, he’s not trusted or held in high regard, working twice as hard to achieve basic recognition. Anyone would be a little unsure of their place in everything, especially Starfleet. Thankfully, for once, he’s not in his universe. Here, he’s not the only Ferengi in Starfleet. Also, Shaw has an absolute heart of gold.
He’s able to convince Nog that Starfleet isn’t about uniformity, that he’s trying too hard to fill some big aspirational mold that he never can. Back in his universe, he’s the only Ferengi in Starfleet. While that comes with its own set of challenges, the added diversity helps to build a stronger Federation. After that, everything else will fall into place. It’s a moving moment, a great aside in the middle of a firefight. It’s a lesson he takes onboard immediately, using his enhanced hearing to shoot down a small army of Breen.
Breen Invasion
Speaking of Breen, we saw them starting to invade the USS Avery last issue. An unfortunate twist in the tale that even Q Junior was powerless to stop. They’re cloaked, attacking Shaw and Nog with the element of surprise. Thankfully, Alexander found his inner warrior and can take them out before things get too serious. This leads to probably my favorite aspect of the issue, everyone putting on Breen helmets to see through the cloak.
There’s something hilarious about massive Breen helmets on Starfleet uniforms, especially after the last few weeks with Star Trek: Discovery. Meanwhile, the senior officers on the Avery, a mix of familiar characters, discuss a “Trojan Horse” plan to take out the Breen Chimera. How they’re so assured of their safety in that room is beyond me, literal invisible Breen everywhere. Although it is a sign that this is a very desperate situation they’re considering these options.
They’re not quite desperate enough to consider trusting Q Junior. Knowing what they do about him, it’s hard to blame them too much. However, he also gets a decent pep talk from Jadzia, who in this timeline was rejected by the Dax symbiont. Like the people he dragged into this universe, QJ is still living in his father’s shadow. He’s trying to find his place in the universe and use his powers for what he wants. However, he’s still having trouble using them, unable to stop the Breen from shooting Dukat.
Issue Preview
Conclusion
Sons of Star Trek #3 was a nice spotlight on Nog. It’s nice to see what he’s gotten up to after the Dominion War. He’s been through a lot, and watching him embrace his differences and keep up fighting is inspiring. Hopefully, this is the start of some very bright things in his future that I’d love for these comics to touch on someday. The parallels between him and QJ, stepping out from their fathers’ shadows, and figuring out where they belong in the universe made for a very nice read.
Putting the ship’s captain in peril is a hell of a choice for a cliffhanger leading into the finale. My distaste for Dukat as a character was a difficult hill to climb, but this universe has a Dukat full of reason and empathy. It’s not clear whether or not he’ll make it, but QJ’s powers also aren’t working properly. Very excited for the finale. There’s going to be a lot to wrap up in just one issue, hopefully, it doesn’t end up feeling contrived. I do wonder if this will have any lasting effects on the current Star Trek comic runs.
You can pick up your own copy of Sons of Star Trek #3, which is out this week from IDW Publishing. It’s available to purchase digitally from online retailers such as Amazon. You can also find it out today on the shelves of your local comic book store. For more reviews, all the latest news, Star Trek lore discussions, and more be sure to follow the team here at Trek Central!
Issue Credits
Writer: Morgan Hampton
Artist: Angel Hernandez
Colourist: Nick Filardi
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Design & Production: Neil Uyetake
Group Editor: Heather Antos
Assistant Editor: Vanessa Real
Editorial Assistant: Cassandra Jones
In the next issue…
Issue #4: What do you get when you cross three of the Federation’s most celebrated sons with a misguided god? An alternate reality full of lessons that may be just what the doctor ordered. But with Jake Sisko’s enrollment in the Pennington School, Alexander Rozhenko’s prison sentence and Nog’s first Starfleet posting all fast approaching, they’ll have to move fast to defeat the Breen once and for all if they’re to convince Q Jr. to return them to their home reality.
Released: July 3, 2024
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