IDW’s Star Trek comic lines have gone from strength to strength in the last few years, laying out gripping stories that pave a path into Trek‘s unknowns in ways we’ve never seen the TV shows or movies go for. Now, its latest series is making some of the boldest steps in boldly going yet: The Last Starship, set in the immediate aftermath of the cataclysmic event known as “The Burn” from Star Trek: Discovery season 3, and not only does it explore that, it does so with a side order of resurrecting Captain James Tiberius Kirk along the way.
Kirk’s return—and the surprising connections to Star Trek: Picard that helped facilitate the rebirth of the 22nd century’s finest Starfleet officer in the 31st—as well as a gripping exploration of the immediate ramifications of Star Trek‘s universe losing access to warp travel at the apex of the Federation’s reach and influence made the first issue of The Last Starship one of the best comics, and one of the best Star Trek stories in general, to come out in 2025. Now, with today’s release of issue two, io9 sat down over email with series writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, as well as IDW editor Heather Antos, to break down all the shocking twists of the series so far.
io9: What was the collaborative process like, not just between yourselves, but with Paramount as you started exploring this era? Were you largely given free reign, or were there things you told you couldn’t touch, for example?
Kelly: As for the Gorn, they’re not only one of Starfleet’s oldest enemies, but one of its most alien. While the fans we’re onboarding are able to grab onto the new setting, existing fans will understand how much it means that, in this moment, we have reached across the stars and found peace with beings who once saw us as little more than a meal plan… or worse.
io9: Everyone knew the ‘surprise’ about Kirk coming in before release, but the real twist of the issue was Agnes Jurati’s Borg cooperative becoming a major factor in getting the premise of The Last Starship going. Was Agnes always key to your plans? What was the moment you realised that you could use her? Kelly: Agnes wasn’t, but Transwarp—and thus the Borg—were. The challenge then became, how do we use that technology if the Borg have all been destroyed? And that’s when we realized that Jurati offered the perfect solution. Not only would she solve our plot tangle, but she would provide for Kirk (whom we knew we wanted, though “how” wasn’t yet clear) a kind of ally, as the only other person on the ship who really understands what it’s like to a come from a time that has long vanished into the past.
io9: We’re introduced to two new crewmembers here in Zed and Vi—the latter of whom becomes very interesting when she reveals herself to have been a Tal Shiar operative. What made you want to bring the organization back in this era, and in this way? Kelly: Genuinely, the Tal Shiar are one of the most interesting and deadly forces in the galaxy, and it simply strained credulity that they would vanish entirely simply because Vulcan and Romulan societies came together. The fact is, a discreet and effective galaxy-wide intelligence operation is very logical… and yet, over the centuries we still wanted to see how it could have changed and evolved. As Vi states pretty explicitly, she wants their trust because she believes in their cause… but that in no way means she doesn’t still have secrets to reveal. Lanzing: We also loved the idea of a spy that immediately dropped their cover. The Burn has made everyone rethink the way they do things—and Vi T’Galatheon is no exception. Of course, even as she leaks classified intelligence to the Omega, she immediately then lies about surveilling her first officer and reporting it back to her Tal Shiar superiors… so even her truthful moments are shaded with lies. Getting into what truly motivates Vi is going to be a slow burn, but we’re excited for the person fans will meet as the layers of obfuscation are removed. io9: Sato’s first conversation with Kirk delves into his capacity as a warrior. What made you want to bring this to the forefront in your depiction of Kirk? Lanzing: Like we said above: Captain Sato is not a wartime captain. He was made for more stable times—a hero of civilization, not chaos. What he fears in Kirk is what he fears for the rest of the galaxy—that the Burn will awaken the more desperate, violent demons of our nature. He sees Kirk as a relic – but fears he won’t stay that way. Kelly: With the exception of the very short story in an issue of Star Trek: Waypoint, James T. Kirk was the first Trek character we ever got to write. With such an icon, it’s easy to paint him with the very broad brush that pop-culture loves to color him with, but the truth is that he is a student of the classics and history, a calm and controlled captain who rarely lets himself lose control. In that way, he and Sato are incredibly similar—but in Sato, Kirk sees someone without his experience in trauma and loss… and who may be too naive to be the hero the galaxy needs. Antos: Kirk and Sato are two men at the top of their field with extremely different views on how peace is accomplished. It’s these two conflicting viewpoints and methodologies that will come back into play at crucial moments for these men. Establishing that from the very beginning of the tragedy of the Burn was important to set the tone for the discussions of this series.
io9: Sato also mentions that he’s come from a time where, as a Starfleet Captain, he’s never lost crewmen or issued commands that have lead to a sentient being’s death. Can you talk about what you wanted to communicate in the moment when he decides without hesitation to open fire on the Klingons, and keep attacking, in the issue’s climax? Kelly: In that moment, Sato’s ideals begin to crack. Faced with the undeniable, inescapable prospect of violence, he makes a very human choice: defend myself, protect my ship, and save the people I care about. But even as he does so, he’s realizing that he is only pushing himself deeper into the violence… and Kirk’s words—“Do you really think you can save the universe with a jerry-rigged ship?”—cut to the quick of him. As chaos erupts around him, and what little control of the situation he has slips through his fingers, Sato has this brutal realization that he is not the man he thought he was: he’s less. io9: We also seemingly have our first major casualty post-Burn when Hana is grievously wounded by a Star Trek classic exploding console. What can you tease for her future and this moment’s impact on Valqis, or is this you telling the audience that Last Starship will keep up the brutality even with so few Starfleet officers left? Lanzing: I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Hana Kelis isn’t grievously wounded—she’s dead. The first casualty on the Omega, but certainly not the last. And how the impact of this moment is felt on Valqis is immeasurable—it is the very soul of her coming arc, a death that means more to her than any caused by the Burn.
Kelly: As for how right he is on that particular point, well… stay tuned for issue #3. Folks aren’t gonna be ready for what Kirk unleashes.
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Source: Gizmodo