Continuing on from last month’s Lore dump, Star Trek: Defiant issue #2 series has now been released. A direct spinoff from their mainline Star Trek crossover range, it’s filled with just as many legacy characters and references to boot. Picking up where the last issue left off, Lore is back, Kahless is slaughtering gods, and the Defiant’s fugitive crew is en route to an Orion blockade. Having two connected Trek series going at the same time really makes it feel like the 90s-era TV content it’s trying so hard to emulate.
Written by up-and-coming Marvel superstar Christopher Cantwell, the epic tale continues. Could this end up becoming the Legacy spinoff everyone’s been campaigning for? As it stands now, is this story worth getting into? Now 8 issues into this story initiative, it’s certainly not a short one, and there’s no end in sight. Let’s delve a little further into the 24th Century as we review Star Trek: Defiant Issue #2!
Path of Destruction
The Klingon emperor Kahless is going around killing the gods of the Star Trek universe. We’ve seen him lay waste to the Crystalline Entities, and the weapon has seemingly absorbed their power. This god-killing weapon can now lay waste to entire planets. Even though he’s not actually in this issue, the threat Kahless poses has grown considerably. I can’t wait to find out how they finally stop him, and if we’ll get another reunion between Worf and Alexander.
Spock proposes that in absorbing the powers of his victims, the god-killing Kahless is in effect becoming a god himself. I wonder if that discussion is here only to build up the threat he poses, or if that realization may hold the key to his eventual undoing. In his conversation with Alexander in Star Trek #5, he denigrated his son’s perception of Kahless as a god. Kahless actually becoming a god would make for a fun reunion.
The cover of the next issue teases a buildup to a Day of Blood event, which I expect to be the climax of this story. As a massive fan of the Klingon episodes from the series, I’m really looking forward to seeing how this story ends. With Kahless now able to destroy a planet in a similar fashion to the Death Star, the threat he poses is very real, and blood will most certainly be shed.
Heist Time
In a scene not too dissimilar from what we saw at Daystrom Station a few weeks ago in Star Trek: Picard. Star Trek: Defiant issue #2 sees Worf and Spock steal Lore’s body from a Section 31 outpost. I love the way that some of these recent comics have complimented the TV series, and I thought that this was a really nice parallel. While there are no hologram security measures generated by the android, there are a few Section 31 agents to beat down.
The banter between Worf and Spock here is to die for. With his sole appearance in “Unification” and the death of Leonard Nimoy, it’s something that could never happen onscreen. So seeing the two characters who take themselves way too seriously interact more often than not leads to hilarity. Their dynamic really lightens up some of the surprisingly dark stories behind the comic.
I’m still not sold on reactivating Lore. He seems to have turned good, however, Lore is an infamously tricky android, loyal only to himself. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s lying to the crew about being reformed. I know these are non-canon to the series, but we even saw an evil Lore just last week in Picard. Also, beyond some information about the now-extinct Crystalline Entities, I’m not sure what he has to offer the crew. So could there be a villainous twist on the horizon? We’ll have to wait and see what future issues do with him.
The Pirates of Orion
The issue’s final act features a big space battle between the Defiant and the Orion Scarab. There’s an epic panel shot of the Scarab, where it looks halfway between the Shrike from Star Trek: Picard Season 3 and Red Dwarf. It looks absolutely gorgeous. And in a comic form, space battles are entirely down to the artists. Here, the work of artist Ángel Unzueta and colorist Marissa Louise absolutely shines.
I think we’re past due in seeing the Defiant in battle again. As one of the most powerful ships in Starfleet, and with Worf an experienced battle commander as he is, it really feels epic, however short-lived it is. It’s not long before we’re pulling some stalling tactics straight out of The Wrath of Khan to get the codes they need from the pirates. Desperation drives them to lie about having Trilithium, a lethal weapon ingredient, on top of lying about being a Maquis ship.
Credit where it’s due, in Star Trek: Defiant Issue #2, Worf, Ro, and B’Elanna hold their own when they beam aboard the Scarab. Unsurprisingly though, they’re not exactly safe there. Held at gunpoint the pirates verify the fake Trilithium before the captain orders them to destroy the Defiant. It would seem as if the battle scene here was little more than a teaser of things to come, with the next issue teased as borderline apocalyptic.
Issue Preview
Conclusion
I think some of the page-long text walls are a little unnecessary. Also, the switching between flashbacks and the present-day can be a little jarring. Thankfully, there’s enough happening to keep the reader engaged, nicely transitioning from one action scene to another. However, if you don’t have a solid grasp of who these characters are, then this comic may not be for you. It’s a 24th Century fan’s dream come true series, and all the character choices are finally starting to feel meaningful.
I wholeheartedly recommend the series to any Star Trek fan screaming for a Star Trek: Legacy spinoff. While it may not be post-Nemesis, all your favorite characters are here. For instance, I never thought we’d get to see Ro and B’Elanna together. Getting to see them interact and talk about their different experiences with the Maquis was really satisfying. I’m really looking forward to what lies ahead with this series, and wholeheartedly recommend it to any Star Trek fan.
You can find Star Trek: Defiant #2 in all good comic book stores. Additionally, it’s available both in print and digitally from Amazon and IDW’s website. For coverage and reviews of IDW’s ongoing Star Trek comic ranges, be sure to follow Trek Central!
Defiant – Issue #3
In the next issue: Amid a ruse gone wrong, Worf and his away team of B’Elanna Torres and Ro Laren find themselves imprisoned by Orion pirates wary of the supposed Maquis separatists. Meanwhile, in the captain’s chair of the Defiant, Spock struggles to defend the ship with Lore’s musings of chaos in his ear.
Release date: May 10, 2023
More From Trek Central
📰 – REVIEW: Star Trek: Picard – Surrender
🔥 – BREAKING: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Show Announced!
🔍️ – Explore Star Trek: Picard’s Stargazer
Join the Star Trek conversation via our social media platforms:
- Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TrekCentral
- Instagram – https://instagram.com/TrekCentral
- Twitter – https://twitter.com/TheTrekCentral
- YouTube – https://youtube.com/TheTrekCentral
- Mastodon – https://mastodon.social/@TrekCentral@universeodon.com
- Discord – https://discord.gg/fF2heMbfW8
