are the star trek comics canon

Make it so: how the keepers of Star Trek are expanding the universe

The vast canon of Star Trek has never been more interconnected. But who keeps all that continuity going when you’re not watching one of the shows?

What keeps a multiverse together? If you ask the people who make Star Trek , the short answer is “planning,” and lots of it.

For the creatives tasked with crafting the expanded Star Trek canon , operating with a space cowboy seat-of-the-pants Captain Kirk vibe doesn’t really work. The long-game of the Trek expanded universe requires more gradual and granular patience. Even when a new Trek show isn’t airing, the franchise keeps boldly going, and that means games, comics, and even high-end starship models. (Don’t call them toys!)

Considering the Trek canon now spans at least twelve centuries of made-up future history, it’s a lot to juggle. As one critical voice behind the franchise tells Inverse , “I think a lot of people don’t really grasp how much goes into making Star Trek. Whether it’s a comic book, whether it’s a game, an episode, or a movie — I don’t know if people know how many moving parts there are, or how much deep-seated discussion there is.”

That voice: John Van Citters , the VP of Creative Strategy and Star Trek Brand Development, effectively the in-house version of the space god “Q” from The Next Generation . Recently, Inverse sat down with Van Citters, as well as three other key members of his “bridge crew,” the brain trust most responsible for keeping Trek’s vast canon consistent. Here’s what they told us about their process, and how they keep Trek going boldly where it’s never gone before.

The Starfleet Behind Starfleet

The Odyssey- class starship in Star Trek: Online . Will we see this in a TV series? It’s probably only a matter of time.

The people who make Star Trek media outside of the shows think about Star Trek fans just as much — and perhaps even more — than the showrunners , writers, and actors who make the various new series.

After all, when a fan is done bingeing Discovery Season 3 or new episodes of Short Treks , they tend to look for Trek in other media to consume. And since 1970, with the publication of the first original Star Trek novel — James Blish’s Spock Must Die! — the world of Trek has beamed into media spaces outside of TV screens. The difference between then and now is the coordination of all that extra canon is far more integrated than it’s ever been before.

Take Star Trek Online , the MMORPG from Cryptic Studios, as an example. Al Rivera, Cryptic Studios’ design director at the helm of the game, gives Inverse a prime example of how Trek synergizes across platforms: “We have a feature in our game that lets players relive the Synth attack on Mars. That’s something that only happens in glimpses on Picard , but we got to show players what it looked like up close.”

It’s an idea born from a bigger conversation Van Citters has with his closest Trek companions. “Every discussion we have is like, What will fans think of this particular thing ?” he says. “But, when you’re talking about fans, you’re also talking about this absolutely vast, broad-spectrum of people from 8 to 80-years-old that are watching and enjoying Star Trek.”

Admiral Picard’s USS Verity , part of the backstory of Star Trek: Picard . But, the design of the ship comes from the Odyssey-class starship, first introduced in Star Trek: Online back in 2010.

Chase Marotz is another figure responsible for one of the many Trek silos — in his case, comic books. An editor at IDW Publishing, Marotz presides over paneled page depictions of Star Trek, such as the comic book Picard: Countdown , released shortly before Star Trek: Picard debuted. The comic serves as an origin story for Jean-Luc’s Romulan compatriots Laris and Zhaban. If you hadn’t read this comic before watching Picard , you wouldn’t have been confused about the new show — but the vast amount of world-building in just three issues is a key example of how the expanded Trek canon crosses mediums.

“A benefit of Star Trek being so active now is that the shows are being produced simultaneously with the comics tied into those shows,” says Marotz. “ We have a level of access that I think is very beneficial to our line that that other series didn't necessarily get in the nineties or eighties.”

Marotz cites Mike Johnson, who co-wrote Picard: Countdown with Picard and Discovery producer Kirsten Beyer , as a secret weapon in facilitating relationships with the various Star Trek series’ storytellers. “He figures out what’s going on on those shows that IDW can use to closely tie into canon,” says Marotz. “Hopefully, that means our comics stand the test of time because it's so linked with the show and what they're doing in the writers' room.”

In Star Trek, what counts as canon?

The Star Trek: Picard models from Eaglemoss; including the La Sirena , Seven of Nine’s Fenris Ranger ship, the USS Zeng He, and three Romulan ships — the Snakehead, the classic Bird-of-Prey, the newly named Romulan “bomber.”

For Star Trek diehards, what counts as true canon is a never-ending debate.

Back in 2009, IDW comics put out a different Countdown comic, one that just addressed the backstory of the 2009 reboot film. Where did Nero come from in the 24th Century? What was Picard’s role in helping build Old Spock’s time travel ship? All of those questions were answered in that comic, even though these days, the events of Star Trek: Picard have made various aspects of that comic mostly apocryphal. Nonetheless, Van Citters cites that 2009 comic miniseries as one of the aspects of the expanded Trek universe he’s still the proudest of.

“That series is a perfect example of what makes this stuff work,” Van Citters explains. “You don't need to read them to enjoy the movie, but if you do read them, you get a whole different layer of meaning. Canon is in the eye of the beholder. If you feel a novel fits in so perfectly, or if a game storyline or some of the comic stories that we've done over time dovetails so nicely with your view of the universe, then, by all means, make it your own canon.”

Sometimes onscreen canon isn’t always the final frontier when it comes to real Star Trek canon. This may sound paradoxical, but when you zoom-in on spaceship parts, it makes perfect sense — and few people know spaceship parts better than Chris Thompson, brand manager at Eaglemoss, the collectible manufacturer responsible for some of the best Trek models around. By and large, Thomspon and his colleagues at Eaglemoss opt for the intent of what the various starships are supposed to look like, rather than strange details that might have been present on the shooting models. For example, back in the 90s, one shooting model of the Enterprise-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation had a “coffee ring stain on top of the ship.” Obviously, when you get the various versions of the Enterprise-D from Eaglemoss, this aspect of accidental canon doesn’t come with the purchase.

“Spoiler, but there’s no coffee stain on there,” Thompson says with a laugh.

Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) holds a phase pistol that used to be a toy.

The idea that a commercially made Star Trek toy or model could be more canon than onscreen canon has an interesting precedent, one that predates the contemporary post- Discovery Trek TV explosion.

Back during the run of the prequel series Enterprise, a toy company called Art Asylum produced a playset that featured the 2151-era Starfleet phase pistol and communicator. But, by the third season of Enterprise , the producers of the show replaced the in-house props with the toy version . In short, the phase pistols created for the fans were actually better than the ones on the show — and so, just like the current games, comics, and spaceship models, merch marketed at Trekkies, it became the real deal.

Recently, Kate Mulgrew, Captain Janeway herself, noticed that Star Trek: Online had rendered a new version of the USS Voyager-J, briefly seen in Discovery Season 3. “Go boldly, with my blessing,” Mulgrew wrote on Twitter.

In Discovery Season 3, this ship wasn’t explicitly identified as a Janeway-class ship. But CBS/Paramount tells Inverse, “ The U.S.S. Voyager you see is a 32nd-century Intrepid-class starship.” So which is it, Janeway-class or an Intrepid-class? Rivera says it’s kind of both.

“That one was trickier,” he admits. “Our game takes place in 2410, that ship is from 3188. So, we went through some gobbledygook that a temporal agent scanned the timeline and found this thing and were inspired to make it with 2410 parts. Whether or not that will become canon on screen, we’ll see.”

Splitting Trekkie Hairs

Lorca and Tyler debate about the “canon” of where Tyler was even born. Spoiler alert: They still get it wrong. And that’s kind of the point.

In Discovery Season 1, in the episode “Lethe,” after Ash Tyler (Shazid Latiff) says he’s “from Seattle,” Captain Lorca (Jason Isaacs) points out that Tyler is lying a little bit because he grew up “24 kilometers from Seattle, which makes you not exactly from Seattle.” Tyler is taken aback. Lorca says: “I like to split hairs.”

Some Trek fans are the same. But, just like you can have a toy phaser also become a real one, and a starship can exist in two different timelines and have entirely different names, Trek likes to change its story all the time, even when splitting hairs.

Are most Trek fans worried about these specific changes to canon? Does it matter if the 2009 Countdown comic isn’t canon, but (for now) the Picard countdown comic (mostly) is? Van Citters thinks that the vast majority of fans aren’t really like Captain Lorca . The cliché of the nitpicking Trekkie is just that: a cliché.

“Star Trek fans just love watching the shows,” he says. “They love it. But they’re not leaving the house every day clad head to toe in a Starfleet uniform. They’re not constantly searching social media for everything an actor has said about Star Trek. It’s like hardcore New York Yankees fans who sit on the message boards and question everything one of the managers has done. Or, most fans who just wear a Yankees hat every once in a while and catch a game when they can. We make Star Trek for those people, too.”

What’s next?

• All the Star Trek series are currently streaming on Paramount+.
• You can play Star Trek Online here.
• Check out the full line of Eaglemoss ships here and IDW comics here.

This article was originally published on March 24, 2021

• Science Fiction

As Sisko returns in IDW's new flagship 'Star Trek' series, writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly weigh in (exclusive)

Benjamin Sisko is back from the Bajoran wormhole to save the galaxy from deadly god killers in IDW's Trektastic new series.

Accomplished comic book writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly ("Star Trek: Year Five," "Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty") are relishing their dream job of crafting compelling stories within the legendary sci-fi franchise for IDW Publishing's new "Star Trek" series starring "Deep Space Nine's" Commander Benjamin Lafayette Sisko.

Joining the veteran pair on this creative " Star Trek " odyssey is artist Ramon Rosanas (Marvel's "Star Wars,") and colorist Lee Loughridge ("The Batman Chronicles," "Deadly Class") in a planet-hopping mystery to discover why the cosmic gods are being murdered. 

Star Trek (2022-) #1 ebook: $1.99 at Amazon

You can get issue 1 of the relaunched "Star Trek" from IDW for just $1.99 at Amazon for Kindle. 

Here’s the official synopsis:

"It's Stardate 2378, and Benjamin Sisko has finally returned from the Bajoran Wormhole omnipotent. But his godhood is failing with every minute. Sent by the Prophets on a mission to the deepest parts of space aboard the U.S.S. Theseus, he witnesses the unthinkable: Someone is killing the gods. And only Sisko and his motley crew of Starfleet members from every era of 'Trek' can stop them."

"Star Trek #1" landed on Oct. 26 and the second issue of this remastered "Star Trek" project featuring familiar characters pulled from all corners of the canon arrived today, Nov. 30, as "Star Trek: #2." Space.com chatted at length with its eager architects, Lanzing and Kelly, about their bold plans moving forward at warp speed and what inspired them to tackle this Sisko-centric series from IDW.

"We are the nerds who were playing Star Trek role playing games in our living rooms ten years ago and the kids who grew up and used it to bond with our parents," Lanzing tells Space.com. "'Star Trek' is a continuous element in both of our lives. It helped form our friendship. It's helped connect to our friends and family. A lot of people responded well to " Star Trek: Year Five ," and now seeing the response to the new launch, we’re extremely lucky to be here. Not a lot of people get to touch this IP, especially not in comics. It’s a very small group, so getting the chance to come in on it is a real privilege. We just need to do right by "Star Trek" and do the work that we as fans would want to see. Otherwise we’d bury ourselves under pressure."

"Deep Space Nine" holds a special place in both of the writers' hearts and they share a deep affinity for the Benjamin Sisko character. This was the only open story territory that gave them enough runway to do something with and was exactly what they hoped to do for nostalgia's sake, which was to bring Sisko back out of the wormhole and throw him into his next big adventure. If you're as intrigued by the series as we are, check out our guide to the best Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes of all time.

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Star Trek (2022-) #2 ebook: $4.99 at Amazon

Issue 2 of "Star Trek" from IDW is available at its full ebook price for Kindle as of its Nov. 30 release.

"Sisko is the captain who doesn’t have his own show or his own feature film," Lanzing explained. "Avery Brooks seems like he has no intention of ever returning to the character. But his character specifically says he will return, in part because Avery Brooks himself was unhappy with the idea that the first Black captain was going to leave his son and disappear into the wormhole and become an absentee father. So he made them add a line that he was coming back. Then he never came back and so there's this giant question mark of what’s up with Sisko."

Lanzing and Kelly are approaching this project with a fan-first attitude, and their unbridled enthusiasm for the material is what people are most excited about.  

"We just have to keep telling stories that continue to bring us passion," Kelly said. "'Star Trek' is this universal language we can all love and adore and take something out of. But if we start thinking of ourselves as bigger than that I think we'd collapse under the responsibility and legacy we’re now so privileged to be playing a part in."

Relating to this rebooted flagship series that finds Sisko returning as a god and gathering a legacy crew borrowed from the "Star Trek" universe, the writing duo has put a fresh wrapping on a popular fan-favorite character. Lanzing explains the idea:

"We turned in a three-page document for 'Star Trek' and we came in with a very simple phrase, of 'Someone is killing the gods.' Within 'Star Trek' that might feel like an odd way to pivot in. In talking about 'Star Trek' and what made it specifically not 'Star Wars' or 'Battlestar Galactica' is that it plays with species that exist far beyond our technological level. Species that don’t operate the way that we do, that have the technological equivalent of magic. Those things are never threatened in 'Star Trek.' They're always at the top of the food chain and if those start getting taken out, that means you can put in our favorite captain, a character we knew we wanted to center this book around … Benjamin Sisko, the Emissary of the Prophets."

Their elevator pitch was, "Let’s do an 'Avengers' with 'Star Trek,'" and pull characters from different eras by setting it in a time where most of these characters were alive. It's a notion that alludes back to Marvel's "Original Sin" and "Thor: The God Butcher."

"I wouldn’t say we were necessarily riffing off any of those iconic series, however, we are fans of comics first and foremost and we love the power of the crossover," Kelly added. "And "Star Trek" is really the first shared universe in modern big-budget storytelling. With our sister book, ' Star Trek: Defiant ,' which launches next year, there’s nothing more exciting than having them slam into each other."

Ramon Rosanas' illuminating, retro-cool artwork truly captures the authentic "Star Trek" tone and greatly enhances Lanzing and Kelly's carefully composed storyline.

" Art in 'Star Trek' comics has had a certain look for a very long time and there’s only a few artists who’ve done it and done it successfully," Lanzing notes. "When editor Heather Antos came in, her immediate goal was to try to take the "Star Trek" art style and push it well beyond what people were used to, and to open up a space for different kinds of comics artists to come in and play.

"Up until now, there’s been a push to make the art feel like the actors, the likenesses. But at any given time we should see Benjamin Sisko, not just Avery Brooks. Ramon is great at both. He really is a remarkable artist and he’s a lot more understated than people would think. Then Lee Loughridge is a colorist we’ve wanted to work with for ages. He’s got a great eye for it and pushes stuff forward."

Kelly feels that Loughridge's veteran contributions are essential for the book’s ultimate success.

"Lee fills in and creates a lot of texture and depth to Ramon’s pencils," he noted. "Ramon is not hyper-focused on detail in terms of likenesses, which lets Lee play, which is incredibly important to trust your artist. Especially when you think of ' The Original Series ,' which was a very colorful show. They were constantly slamming things with purple lights and hot green."

Moving forward into the second issue and beyond, two temporary artists take over for series illustrator Rosanas, each one with a slightly different take on the style.

"Ramon is taking issues #2 and #3 off as he's doing a big crossover for #4, #5, and #6 later in the run," said Lanzing. "We have two one-off issues, #2 which takes readers deep into Klingon territory, and #3 is our Q issue. Knowing those were going to be two different tones, we brought in other artists to try some different stuff. Oleg Chudakov is going to be doing #2. He's a new Russian artist and much more expressive so you'll see that idea of pushing likeness before we lose the thread. Then we’ve got Joe Eisma, who did 'Morning Glories,' who’s an amazing artist and great at acting coming in to do Q before we bring back Ramon and settle into that tone."

Lanzing and Kelly are having a blast on this "Star Trek" title and the thrill is evident.

"We've been playing 'Star Trek' as a role-playing game for years so really one of the first jobs you have when thinking about 'Star Trek' is what pieces are on the table," Kelly adds. "Sometimes it's important to come in and build new things, but the danger can be getting so into the weeds that it can start to edge into fan fiction. We need to make sure our characters are earning it and everything is diegetic to the universe and the reality of 'Star Trek.'"

IDW Publishing's "Star Trek #2" lands on Earth on Nov. 30, 2022.

Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or on Facebook .  

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.

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Here’s the synopsis to  Lower Decks #1, in stores now:

Soon after leading her crew on a planetary expedition aimed at building bridges and advancing Federation technology, Captain Freeman begins to suspect that the planet and its people are not all what they seem… Meanwhile, the crew in the lower decks take to the holodeck, enjoying some much-needed recreational time-until a bloodthirsty visitor decides to join in on their games!

Here’s the synopsis to  Lower Decks #2, coming in October:

While the crew in the lower decks deal with the repercussions of bringing Dracula aboard the Cerritos, the away team grapples with its own unfortunate miscalculation on the planet Qvanti.

Here’s the synopsis to  Lower Decks #3, coming in November:

With the Cerritos under attack and Captain Freeman’s away team accused of violating Starfleet’s most upheld principle, can the crew prove their innocence? Or will they end up one of Dracula’s infamous Draquiri cocktails?

Star Trek: Picard won’t be returning for its third season until next February, but IDW has launched this year’s between-seasons comic tale, as Star Trek: Picard — Stargazer begins its three-issue run here in September.

As with many of the previous tie-in comics connected to the modern  Star Trek era, the  Stagazer  miniseries is written by longtime collaborators Mike Johnson &  Picard co-creator Kirsten Beyer, with art by Angel Hernandez.

Here’s the synopsis to  Stargazer #1, released in late August:

When the U.S.S. Stargazer goes missing near a planet from his past, Admiral Jean Luc-Picard enlists Seven’s help to unravel the mystery and save the Stargazer crew!

Here’s the synopsis to  Stargazer #2, coming in October:

While Picard and Seven seek answers to uncover the mysterious disappearance of the Stargazer crew near Jenjor VI, a bold choice from Picard’s past comes back to haunt him.

Here’s the synopsis to  Stargazer #3, coming in late October:

Caught in a deadly crossfire between the Romulans and Remans, Picard and Seven of Nine must draw on their combined Starfleet and Rangers skills to save not only themselves but an entire planet!

Captain Pike’s crew joins the comic adventures this winter in  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — The Illyrian Enigma , a tale set between the show’s first and forthcoming second season.

Like the  Stargazer series, this new comic story is also written by Mike Johnson and Kirsten Beyer, with art by Megan Levens.

Here’s the synopsis for The Illyrian Enigma #1, coming in December:

With Una accused of unlawful genetic modification by Starfleet, Captain Pike sets out in search of evidence that could prove his first officer’s innocence.

Finally, IDW’s next monthly  Star Trek series kicks off this October with Star Trek #1 , a new ongoing tale centered around Benjamin Sisko — after he’s returned from the Bajoran Wormhole — who must bring together characters from many eras of the  Trek saga for his mission.

Written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly (who helmed the recently-concluded  Star Trek: Year Five series) with art by Ramon Rosanas, this new monthly comic — which is the start of a massive new comic-based continuity.

As IDW Publishing’s marketing director Keith Davidson puts it:

It’s the biggest initiative that IDW has ever undertaken for the brand in its now-14 years of Star Trek publication. Essentially, our new Star Trek series is creating a new ongoing IDW continuity, from which we will build offshoots, spin-offs, and epic events for years to come. Benjamin Sisko takes the helm of the Enterprise, supported by a crew of characters pulled quite literally from throughout Star Trek canon — even from The Original Series! Part of the fun will be seeing how the diverse personalities mesh or clash. Honestly, we’re hoping to channel with Star Trek what Marvel did when they launched their Star Wars comics a few years back — respecting the canon that came before while building a new universe for fans that’s wholly unique, unexpected, and accessible.

Writer Jackson Lanzing called the new  Star Trek monthly “a  Deep Space Nine sequel” on social media this week, and in a lengthy new interview with ComicBook.com, described the tale as one which fits into a neat year-and-a-half of time which no on-screen  Star Trek production has yet touched: the era between Voyager’s return home and the events of  Star Trek: Nemesis.

As writer Collin Kelly described it to ComicBook.com:

They’re giving us a lot of access to all the toys, with the understanding that at the end of it, we will put the toys back in the box. There is about a year and a half here of Star Trek timeline that is untouched, and within this, we can make all sorts of trouble as long as we put the characters that need to be back in the box for Nemesis.

Lanzing also talked about how this new storyline will be canon — until it’s not.

This is as close as we can, on the comic side, to being canon. We will be canon until they un-canonize us. But we are working with the shows. We are in communication with the teams… We’re taking this as an opportunity to effectively fill [the space formerly occupied by the Trek novel continuity], because a lot of that stuff was created with the understanding there would never be shows again. [But] now we know that there will be, so we are trying to create new canon that exists inside that space. But these are the characters you know. This is the canonical Benjamin Sisko sequel story. This is the last ride of Data before Nemesis. These are those stories. This is what happened to Tom Paris after he came back from Voyager.

Here’s the official synopsis for  Star Trek #1 — coming in October — where Captain Sisko is joined on his mission by first officer Data, medical officer Dr. Beverly Crusher, pilot Tom Paris, and new characters as well.

It’s stardate 2378, and Benjamin Sisko has finally returned from the Bajoran Wormhole omnipotent. But his godhood is failing with every minute. Sent by the Prophets on a mission to the deepest parts of space aboard the U.S.S. Theseus, he witnesses the unthinkable: Someone is killing the gods. And only Sisko and his motley crew of Starfleet members from every era of Trek can stop them.

Here’s the official synopsis for Star Trek #2, coming in November:

Tasked with a mission from the Prophets, Benjamin Sisko enlists the help of an old friend from Qo’noS to track the ship and persons responsible for slaying the gods.

My design of the USS Theseus for the new STAR TREK comic series. I hope you like it. pic.twitter.com/xXt6LSkLpb — Ramon Rosanas (@RamonRosanas) September 8, 2022

Here’s the official synopsis for Star Trek #3, coming in December:

When strange malfunctions begin plaguing the U.S.S. Theseus mid-warp, Benjamin Sisko and his crew must band together to unveil the source behind the mysterious phenomena aboard the ship. But what initially appear as mere technological quagmires and strange happenings become a test that will determine the very fate of the universe.

The world of  Star Trek comics continues to expand. Keep checking back to TrekCore for more  Star Trek comics news as it breaks!

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Star Trek (IDW)

• View history
• 3 Characters
• 5 Collections
• 6 External link

Summary [ ]

Creators [ ].

• Jackson Lanzing
• Collin Kelly
• Ramon Rosanas

Characters [ ]

• " Star Trek, Issue 1 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 2 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 3 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 4 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 5 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 6 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 7 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 8 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 9 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 10 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 11 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 12 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 13 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 14 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 15 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 16 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 17 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 18 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 19 "
• " Star Trek, Issue 20 "
• " Star Trek Annual "

Collections [ ]

• Star Trek, Volume 1: Godshock (issues 1-6, 400)
• Star Trek, Volume 2: The Red Path (issues 7-10, Annual)
• Star Trek: Day of Blood (issues 11-12)
• Star Trek, Volume 3: Glass and Bone (issues 13-18)

External link [ ]

• Star Trek (IDW) at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Star Trek is canonizing the comics, starting with an homage to the Watchmen

By chad porto | dec 4, 2022.

Star Trek’s newest stories are canon according to the IDW comic writers.

When it comes to Star Trek and the comics they publish, the debate about whether they’re canon or not has been discussed quite a bit. For the most part, these books are not canon, even if they sometimes pull from canon sources. That’s always been the case, but with the newest set of books, and the upcoming new mini-series, that seems to be changing.

At New York Comic Con, the IDW panel which included Star Trek comic writer Jackson Lanzing revealed to the fans (and Daily Star Trek News.com ) that the new stories for the brand will in fact be canon.

"Star Trek has made a real dedication toward all of the books in the Star Trek line being canon and operating not only inside what is happening inside on the shows currently and what happened in the shows in the past but what is going to happen in the shows moving forward.”"

This comes on the heels of a new comic book called Star Trek: Day of Blood. The book will seemingly pit Worf, Lore, Ro Laren, and others against Captain Benjamin Sisko who has returned from the wormhole (which is now canon).

As an interesting bit of comic appreciation, there is stark parallels to Day of Blood’s first comic cover to that of the iconic cover art from Watchmen #1. This may be a bit of a foreboding fact, as it could mean that Starfleet blood will be spilled and that an icon of the franchise may be killed off.

If you’re curious about the upcoming Day of Blood crossover book by IDW, there’s a free preview book coming out on May 6, 2023, which you can get at your local comic shops.

Will Star Trek recognize these comics down the line?

Now, this normally wouldn’t be such a big deal, canonizing something, yet with Sisko’s return being involved, one has to wonder if this will be honored down the line. If Sisko gets a live-action return, will it reference his return in the book?

Or is this a sign that the franchise has decided to be done with Avery Brooks and move on from the actor that brought Sisko to life?

Next. Ranking every Star Trek film in franchise history according to metrics. dark

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According to IDW, their comics are canon?

Discussion in ' General Trek Discussion ' started by JRoss , Sep 28, 2022 .

JRoss Commodore Commodore

It's here in this article taht IDW's editor stated that their stuff is 100% canon with Paramount. This is news to me. It's kinda crazy because they're launching a comic about Sisko... Paramount’s official Deep Space 9 sequel isn’t what fans really want (stealthoptional.com)  

Shawnster Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

Everything is canon until it isn't.  

JoseNoodles Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

I don't know what IDW is smoking, but comics are not canon, and never will be. Reading the article, it seems to clarify that the comics IDW are producing now are trying to adhere with the new canon established since Discovery, not that they are establishing new canon themselves.  

fireproof78 Fleet Admiral Admiral

JRoss said: ↑ It's here in this article taht IDW's editor stated that their stuff is 100% canon with Paramount. This is news to me. It's kinda crazy because they're launching a comic about Sisko... Paramount’s official Deep Space 9 sequel isn’t what fans really want (stealthoptional.com) Click to expand...

Christopher Writer Admiral

All tie-ins have always been expected to remain consistent with screen canon as it exists at the time they're written. There is nothing remotely new about that. But consistency with canon doesn't make them part of the canon, and it doesn't mean that screen canon will make any attempt to stay consistent with the tie-ins in return. I like to say that if canon is history, tie-ins are historical fiction. The goal is to tell stories that convince the audience they could have happened within the "real" continuity. Maintaining consistency with canon is equivalent to doing thorough research in historical fiction. You try to get as close to reality as possible, but that doesn't make it an actual part of history. It's still just a might-have-been. Even books and comics that are considered "soft canon" -- which Trek books and comics are not -- are still subject to being contradicted by the primary canon, like how the Star Wars Kanan Jarrus origin comic was contradicted in some details by the premiere of The Bad Batch . Heck, even screen canon contradicts itself sometimes, since any ongoing creative work is subject to revision and correction (like how ST:TNG's Data was initially capable of subtle emotion until they retconned him as completely emotionless in the third season, or how he often used contractions until they suddenly declared that he didn't, even though he'd used one earlier in that same episode).  

The Wormhole Fleet Admiral Admiral

On the one hand, IDW should know better than to throw the C Word around, knowing full well their comics are not, can not and will not ever be canon. On the other, they've likely seen how much attention canon arguments drum up for their comics, case in point everyone remembers Orci saying the Kelvin timeline comics are canon despite the fact he was just goaded and manipulated in an interview into saying "comics are canon" so that the interviewer could use that line as a soundbite in a click-bait exclusive "news" article. So with that in mind, I can very much believe IDW is intentionally misusing the C word because they know doing so will attract attention from Trek Fandom. And it's working. Though an alternative theory is that the author of this comic took an overly literal interpretation of the terms of his contract and mistakenly believes the comic is canon as a result. Bottom line is this comic isn't canon and will not be reflected, referenced or acknowledged in the canonical shows or movies, nor in other non-canonical tie-in materials, unless said material is other comics from IDW, and even then it isn't a guarantee. And before anyone tries the whole "it can be canon until the shows/movies contradict it" then guess what? This series hasn't even launched yet and onscreen material has already contradicted it, as it's set prior to Nemesis and is about Sisko's return. However, just last week, .SpoilerTarget"> Spoiler: Lower Decks Lower Decks, which is set post Nemesis, has stated that Sisko has not yet returned. That should be the Final Word on the matter, but I know better than to expect as much on this forum.  

The Wormhole said: ↑ And before anyone tries the whole "it can be canon until the shows/movies contradict it" Click to expand...

NCC-73515 Vice Admiral Admiral

They also said: "This is as close as we can, on the comic side, to being canon. We will be canon until they un-canonize us." Like Countdown back then, they wanna boost sales and get attention. Who could blame them? But there is a contradiction here already: are they as close as it gets... or are they, period. XD No comics, books, games, etc. have so far been canonical, and there is no indication that's ever gonna change. Official tie-in material with series or movie staff on board, like the same writers, of course elevates it somehow to 'seemingly more canonical than random disconnected stuff', because it is tied to canonical productions that happen around the same time, and there are cases that are being respected in canon (like Worf having command of the E as written in the books), but no comic is per se canonical, and future canon can overwrite and contradict comics and novels. Don't let anyone stop anyone from taking non-contradicted beta material as provisional canon, though! I also got excited about Countdown and Last Best Hope being somehow more official. Some comics and novels are so great they should be canonized  

Dukhat Admiral Admiral

They know the comic isn’t canon. It’s just PR BS. I can write a Trek fanfic and declare that ‘it’s canon until it’s not’ and it would hold no more weight than the writer of this comic.  

Daddy Todd Commodore Commodore

NCC-73515 said: ↑ they wanna boost sales and get attention. Click to expand...

I'm still working through DC TNG monthly - why were they disasters?  

Lord Garth Admiral Admiral

DC's Star Trek comics in the '80s are the best run. I was too young for them when they came out and read them after the fact, but nothing will ever beat that run. I'm still trying to figure out how IDW got up to 400 issues of Star Trek.  

Alien Spotlight was good, and Countdown, and PIC Countdown...  

F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

Dukhat said: ↑ They know the comic isn’t canon. It’s just PR BS. I can write a Trek fanfic and declare that ‘it’s canon until it’s not’ and it would hold no more weight than the writer of this comic. Click to expand...

Lord Garth said: ↑ I'm still trying to figure out how IDW got up to 400 issues of Star Trek. Click to expand...

ED-209 Commodore Commodore

Like all material that isn't on screen, they're canon till something onscreen contradicts them.  

Markonian Fleet Admiral Moderator

Christopher said: ↑ Which brings me back to how every tie-in ever is supposed to be consistent with canon until the shows or movies contradict it, so there'd be nothing different about that. Click to expand...

ED-209 said: ↑ Like all material that isn't on screen, they're canon till something onscreen contradicts them. Click to expand...

BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

Are the stories good? That is all that should really matter.  

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Published Apr 29, 2024

29 Years Ago, Deep Space Nine Created The Coolest Trill Canon

From 'Facets' to Discovery, the zhian'tara abides.

StarTrek.com

As a metaphor for the spectrum of human experiences, the Trill are one of Star Trek 's most enduring concepts. But the literal, in-universe workings of the Trill also represent impressive world-building, all of which truly came into its own in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Yes, the Trill were invented for the 1990 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode " The Host ," but the most intricate and downright cool aspects of Trill culture were expanded throughout Deep Space Nine thanks to the stories of Jadzia Dax, Ezri Dax, and the Trill hosts that came before.

On June 12, 1995, one episode leveled-up Trill canon like no previous episode had before. Before this episode, without flashbacks, or characters reminiscing, previous Trill hosts were hard for the audience to access. But, right at the end of Season 3, the Deep Space Nine episode " Facets " changed everything.

"Facets"

Today, Star Trek: Discovery inherited quite a bit of useful lore from "Facets," and the recent episode, " Jinaal ," even gives us touches of what made "Facets" so compelling to begin with. Here’s why this groundbreaking DS9 episode is so utterly fantastic, and influential to this day.

On the surface, "Facets" is a wacky sci-fi set-up in which Jadzia asks to "borrow" the bodies of her best friends. But instead of a Freaky Friday (or " Spock Amok ") style switcheroo, "Facets" is a deeper story, all about Jadzia meeting her previous hosts, physically , instead of those memories just existing inside of her.

Luckily, this doesn’t require her symbiont to be moved out of her body, because the zhian'tara  — a nifty Trill ritual — allows the the personality of one of Dax's previous hosts to be "temporarily removed from the symbiont and imprinted," via telepathy, onto another person. Jadzia Dax chooses the seven people she's closest to on the space station, and then, we, briefly, get to see other Daxes in the bodies of Quark, O’Brien, Bashir, Sisko, Kira, Odo, and Leeta.

While Odo merging with the personality of Curzon Dax is the most dramatic, and enduring aspect of "Facets," the significance of this episode cannot be overstated not just for the creation of a very profound Trill ability, but because this episode snuck Leeta (Chase Masterson) into the Star Trek family forever.

At the time "Facets" was written, Leeta had only appeared in one episode previously, very briefly in the episode " Explorers ." But, suddenly, in the penultimate episode of Season 3, "Facets" retroactively established that Leeta, someone who worked at the Dabo tables in Quark's bar, was very good friends with Jadzia Dax.

"I thought I was only going to be in one episode," Chase Masterson revealed in 2020, on the DISCO Nights podcast . "It was my second episode! Suddenly, I got a call from wardrobe that I was going to be Emony Dax, and I was like, 'What’s that mean?'"

In the episode, Masterson plays Leeta, of course, but, through the zhian'tara , also plays Emony. In the Trek timeline, Emony was an Olympic gymnast who lived in the 23rd Century, and, as we later learned in " Trials and Tribble-ations " was also cozy with Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy. So, thanks to "Facets" and the zhian'tara , not only did we get details about Emony Dax, but also, later, a connection between DS9 and The Original Series . And even though we never saw Leeta and Dax growing closer on-screen prior to this episode, bringing Chase Masteron back as Leeta had a massive impact on Star Trek fandom. "It kinda meant I was in the group," Masterson remembers. "I felt lucky and of course, it changed everything."

Fans who attend conventions and events like Star Trek: The Cruise are fully aware of just how active and integral Masterson is to modern Trek fandom. As a co-founder of the  Pop Culture Hero Coalition , Masterson helped create an anti-bullying program which is the only social emotional learning program used by the YMCA nationwide. Would any of this have happened if Chase Masteron hadn’t been brought into the family in "Facets"? It seems unlikely!

Masteron remembers "Facets" as an "intense episode," and it's that intensity which made it such an important part of Star Trek history. In fact, the emotionally-charged nature of "Facets" is part of what made Discovery ' s recent zhian'tara episode so compelling.

"Jinaal"

When Dr. Culber takes on the memories of the titular “Jinaal," we certainly get shades of Curzon Dax in Odo's body. Jinaal is direct, jovial, and more than a little evasive. Like Curzon inhabiting Odo's body, there's a ticking clock in play, a time limit to how long Jinaal can stay in Culber's body without the effect becoming more permanent.

Both Jinaal and Curzon are also hiding part of their motivations, keeping a past memory to themselves, for fear of what the current members of Starfleet might do with it. In "Facets," Curzon was keeping a very personal memory close to him, the idea he was in love with Jadzia. For Jinaal, he's not too sure Starfleet in the 32nd Century can handle the power of the Progenitor tech.

Somewhat appropriately, and in a sense, with a poetic connection, Jinaal Bix was a Trill working for Starfleet back in the 24th Century during the Dominion War; very close to the same timeframe that Jadzia had her zhian'tara in "Facets."

Did Jinaal Bix know Curzon Dax, or even Jadzia Dax? While we don’t know the exact answer to that question, Discovery ' s recent return to the zhian'tara , and to a storyline that honors Deep Space Nine isn't just fan service. It creates a meaningful connection across generations and centuries, which, appropriately, is exactly what the Trill do, too.

In Star Trek , the Trill teaches us that we're never too old — or too young — to learn something new.

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Ryan Britt is the author of the nonfiction books Phasers on Stun! How the Making and Remaking of Star Trek Changed the World (2022), The Spice Must Flow: The Journey of Dune from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies (2023), and the essay collection Luke Skywalker Can’t Read (2015). He is a longtime contributor to Star Trek.com and his writing regularly appears with Inverse, Den of Geek!, Esquire and elsewhere. He lives in Portland, Maine with his family.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Every Star Trek Movie Comic Book Adaptation, Ranked

• Star Trek movie comic book adaptations have been released by various publishers throughout the franchise's history.
• Some of the adaptations took liberties with the original scripts, but still featured awesome and poignant moments.
• The comic book adaptations provide fans with additional scenes and perspectives that were not in the final movies.

Comic books have been an essential component of the Star Trek franchise for most of its history. Publishers such as Gold Key, Marvel, DC and IDW have taken turns with the Star Trek license, giving fans new and exciting adventures in the final frontier. Nearly every incarnation of the franchise has appeared in comic book form, and some publishers have also created original material.

Another component of the Star Trek comic book experience is the movie adaptations. In the 1980s, it was common practice for major publishers to release books adapting popular movies—and Star Trek was one of them. Here are all the Star Trek movie comic book adaptations, ranked.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Published by dc comics, 1984.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is arguably the best of the odd-numbered Trek films, but its comic book movie adaptation takes some liberties with the script, namely in the sequencing of events. For example: the comic adaptation begins with the arrival of the USS Grissom at the Genesis Planet, an event that occurred a third of the way through the actual movie. However, the adaptation is not without awesome and poignant moments that did not make it into the final movie, including an epitaph spoken by Edith Keeler in “City on the Edge of Forever.”

Related: 2023 Proved Star Trek's "Deep Space Nine Sequel" More Than Deserves the Name

Star Trek: Generations

Published by dc comics, 1994.

The first Star Trek: The Next Generation movie adaptation would be the last published by DC Comics , as they would lose the license shortly afterward. Fan opinion on Generations remains divided, with its critics pointing to numerous plot holes, such as the Nexus. DC’s adaptation of Generations does not plug any of these holes, but is still an enjoyable read nonetheless. The comic book version of Generations is notable for including a scene not in the original cut of the film, such as Captain Kirk’s orbital sky-dive. While rough cuts of it are now available to watch, for many years this was the only way for fans to see it.

Related: Star Trek vs Alien Crossover Was Meant to Give Picard His Ultimate Challenge

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Published by dc comics, 1986.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is probably the most accessible of the original Trek films: a light-hearted romp with a serious environmental message. The Voyage Home’s comic book adaptation is a faithful one , largely sticking to the original film’s script. Writer Barr adds some dialogue, including a brief exchange between former Enterprise officers Doctor Chapel and Yeoman Janice Rand . Artists Sutton and Villagran are, like Barr, firing on all thrusters here. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is widely regarded as one of the best films in the franchise overall, and its comic book adaptation is worthy of the name.

Star Trek: First Contact

Published by marvel comics, 1996.

Star Trek: First Contact is a tense, nail-biting film , and its adaptation reflects that. Published by Marvel as part of their short-lived “Paramount Comics” imprint, Star Trek: First Contact stays faithful to Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore’s original screenplay, but is forced to cut some scenes due to spatial limitations. However, this does not deter one bit from the adaptation. Star Trek: First Contact’s movie adaptation was one of a few to receive a reprint years later from IDW, who currently holds the Trek comic license.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Published by dc comics, 1991.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was the last ride of the original crew of the Enterprise , a bittersweet end to a glorious run, and its comic book adaptation perfectly captures this tone. Part of the adaptation’s success can be attributed to Peter David , who has written numerous Trek comics and novels, many of which are fan favorites. David and artist Gordon Purcell, who also illustrated a good portion of DC’s Star Trek output, deliver a first-rate adaptation, one that flows just as well as the source film. The Undiscovered Country is one of Trek’s finest hours, and its comic book adaptation is just as good.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Published by dc comics, 1989.

Among fans, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is regarded as one of the weakest entries in the franchise, but its comic book adaptation shines. Peter David, who had just finished up on DC’s first Star Trek comic, turns in an excellent adaptation that makes the original shine. Drawn by James W. Fry, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier’s comic adaptation hits all the right notes, perfectly distilling the film’s best parts. The comic book version of The Final Frontier was then used to inaugurate DC’s second line of Star Trek comics, which launched shortly thereafter.

Related: 10 Biggest Changes to Star Trek Canon Delivered By Its Epic 'God War'

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Published by idw, 2009.

Despite being regarded as one, if not the best, Star Trek films, The Wrath of Khan never received a comic book adaptation when it was released in 1982, as Star Trek comics were in limbo at the time, with DC acquiring the license soon after. IDW rectified this problem in 2009, releasing a three-issue adaptation of the movie, which bucked the trend of Trek movie adaptations being one-shots. Thanks to the extra space afforded writer Andy Schmidt and artist Chee Yang Ong, this adaptation shines. Ong’s art especially compliments the movie’s dark tone.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Published by marvel comics, 1979.

The modern era of Star Trek comics began with Marvel’s adaptation of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Initially released as the first three issues of Marvel’s Star Trek comic, The Motion Picture’s adaptation is easily the best of the franchise. Some of its success can be attributed to the legends that worked on it: writer Marv Wolfman and artist Dave Cockrum. Wolfman and Cockrum were on a roll in the late 1970s, and they brought this energy to the adaptation of Star Trek: The Motion Picture . Later released as a one-shot edition by Marvel, the adaptation was reprinted by IDW in the 2000s, giving fans the chance to experience this amazing book again.

The practice of adapting movies to comic book form has largely fallen by the wayside. While the Star Trek movie adaptations may seem relics of a bygone era, they are in fact an important part of the lore.

Screen Rant

Did fallout's vault-tec reveal break game canon convincing theory claims s1's biggest twist was a lie.

A convincing theory claims that Fallout season 1's big reveal about Vault-Tec doesn't mean what it suggests about the start of the apocalypse.

Warning: Spoilers for Fallout season 1

• Vault-Tec's meeting doesn't prove they dropped the first bomb, leaving room for ambiguity in Fallout's lore.
• Fallout creating plot holes if Vault-Tec dropped the first bomb, as other sources point to China as the instigator.
• Comments from Fallout's showrunners hint that the big twist in season 1 may not be as definitive as it seems.

A convincing Fallout theory makes the claim that the show's big Vault-Tec twist is actually a massive fake-out. Via the Vault-Tec meeting hosted by Barb Howard and Bud Askins, the Fallout season 1 finale featured what appeared to be a major change to the lore of the games. When asked about how the company could ensure that their plans for the future would eventually go into action, Barb shocked both viewers and all those present with the response, " by dropping the bomb ourselves ."

What makes this reveal such a game-changer is how it directly contradicts pre-established notions about one of the most important events in the Fallout timeline . It's long been understood that China bombing Alaska is the reason for the Great War that ravaged the surface and created Fallout's apocalypse . Surprisingly, Barb's comment has challenged that perception. However, it's important to note that what was said during Vault-Tec's meeting doesn't dismiss it entirely. It's entirely possible that Barb's big moment doesn't mean what it implies.

Vault-Tec's Meeting Doesn't Prove They Dropped The First Bomb

The obvious takeaway from the Vault-Tec meeting in Fallout is that Vault-Tec is the real instigator of the Great War and the party responsible for the dropping of the first nuke. But while Barb's line does indeed create that initial impression, it and of itself isn't a retcon of Fallout lore, nor should it be taken as proof that Vault-Tec started the Great War. Because the show doesn't reveal the aftermath of the scene, the only thing that Barb's comment proves is that Vault-Tec was willing to drop the first nuke . Essentially, all Barb did was suggest that they drop it; whether or not they went through with it hasn't been covered in flashbacks yet.

As for why Barb would propose this solution and not execute the plan, the explanation could be quite simple. It could be that Vault-Tec intended to make the first move but was beaten to the punch . China could have surprised them with the sudden bombing of Anchorage, which would have given Vault-Tec what they wanted in a way that wouldn't have forced them to take matters into their own hands.

What happened during the birthday party flashbacks supports the notion that China is still the cause of the Great War in Fallout canon. Regardless of what ultimately happened between Cooper and Barb after what he learned during the meeting, it's hard to imagine Vault-Tec setting their plan in motion with Barb's daughter in danger. As her role in the meeting confirms, Barb has a lot of authority within the organization and should have had some level of control over the timing of the launch. For that reason, it's likely that she would have arranged for her family to be out of harm's way - if, of course, Vault-Tec was behind it.

Vault-Tec Dropping The First Bomb Would Create Huge Video Game Plot Holes

Fallout season 2 confirming that Vault-Tec didn't drop the first bomb would make a great deal of sense, considering that the alternative would amount to some significant plot holes. While Vault-Tec being at fault would make for a great twist, the evidence that the perpetrator was China is overwhelming . Tim Cain, who created the franchise, has confirmed China's role in the history of Fallout's world [via PC Gamer ]. According to Cain, China hit Alaska with a nuke after discovering that the United States had secretly developed biological weapons.

The idea that China started the apocalypse has been corroborated by various in-game sources , such as a computer terminal in Fallout 4 , the diaries of Roger Maxson in the original Fallout game, and more. On account of all the backstory Fallout has built for its post-apocalyptic universe, making Vault-Tec the heart of it all would drastically change the lore and go against several confirmed elements of the franchise's history. It would lead to some unfortunate inconsistencies, as it would be difficult to reconcile the reveal that Vault-Tec dropped the first bomb when other details implicate China.

Comments From Fallout's Showrunners Make Vault-Tec Starting The Apocalypse Even More Unlikely

Fallout hasn't finished the story yet, meaning more reveals are to come.

Image via Prime Video

The franchise is full of reasons why the season 1 finale's big twist may not be what it seems, with Vault-Tec's lack of preparation and the plot holes it would create being among the biggest. Another stems from comments made by the showrunners themselves. When asked about it, Fallout co-showrunner Graham Wagner noted that there's still " more story to tell " and not to treat anything from this scene as " definitive. " Wagner clarified that while this scene did happen, the series has not shown what happened between that and " the actual bombs falling ."

Confirmation that the scene leaves things unfinished and that it's not " definitive " when it comes to Vault-Tec's role goes hand-in-hand with the theory that the company never acted on its intentions to drop the bomb. If that's the case, Fallout season 2's flashback storyline could culminate in Barb, Bud Askins, and the others hurriedly putting their plan to use the Vaults in motion when the bombs arrive ahead of schedule. Going in this direction could finally put speculation about the start of the Great War to rest.

What The Real Point Of Fallout's Bomb Twist May Have Been

Whether vault-tec was responsible or not, barb's line didn't happen for nothing.

All things considered, there's a good chance that China really did start the war as the original lore indicated, but Vault-Tec not being responsible despite season 1's big twist would beg the obvious question: why would Fallout imply that Vault-Tec drop the bomb at all if that's not what happened? After all, Fallout wouldn't have included this line just to temporarily mislead viewers. But this too could have a very plausible explanation, as Lucy's storyline gives the big reveal an additional purpose. It was during the same episode that Fallout confirmed yet another controversial twist - Hank MacLean nuked Shady Sands .

The Shady Sands retcon hinged on the Vault-Tec revelation from Barb. In other words, Fallout revealing that Vault-Tec only wanted to drop the bombs served a narrative goal even if they ultimately didn't cause the apocalypse. By establishing Vault-Tec's interest in making sure the surface would be destroyed by a nuclear war, Fallout effectively laid the groundwork for the reveal that Vault-Tec had access to nuclear weapons. So while Barb's " by dropping the bomb ourselves " line may not have necessarily reshaped the history of the Great War, it was still an incredibly consequential line nonetheless.

Source: PC Gamer

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• April 29, 2024 | Preview ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Episode 506 With New Images. Trailer And Clip From “Whistlespeak”
• April 28, 2024 | Interview: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Writer Carlos Cisco On Unmasking The Breen And Revisiting The ISS Enterprise
• April 26, 2024 | Michael Dorn Wanted Armin Shimerman To Play The Ferengi That Worf Killed In Star Trek Picard
• April 26, 2024 | Podcast: All Access Gets To Know The Breen In ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ 505, “Mirrors”
• April 25, 2024 | Prep Begins For ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 3 Finale; Cast And Directors Share BTS Images

Interview: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Writer Carlos Cisco On Unmasking The Breen And Revisiting The ISS Enterprise

| April 28, 2024 | By: Anthony Pascale 31 comments so far

The fifth episode (“ Mirrors “) of season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery was co-written by Carlos Cisco, working with Johanna Lee. Cisco joined Discovery in season 3 as a writers’ assistant, moved up to staff writer during season 4, and is now a writer and story editor in season 5.

In our SPOILERS interview, TrekMovie had a chance to talk to Cisco about getting a chance to expand on some big pieces of Trek lore in “Mirrors” and more.

Can you give a bit of background on your fandom and how you came to work on Discovery ?

I am a huge fan now, but I wasn’t always that way because I didn’t have TV growing up in the ’90s. I had seen some of the original movies, a handful of Next Gen episodes and the J.J. Abrams movies before coming onto Discovery . It was intimidating because didn’t know the franchise really well but I love sci-fi and genre. Once I started on season 3, I began to watch Next Gen episodes and when it became clear we were dealing with Andorians and Orions, our then-staff writer Brandon Schultz suggested I watch Enterprise because that is when they were the most featured and I really came to appreciate it. I had been a huge fan of Jeffrey Combs before any knowledge of Trek, and to find how deep he was in Trek was a delightful surprise. So I watched Enterprise all the way through, I watched all of Next Gen , DS9, TOS, I got up to season 4 of Voyager …

So you did an almost complete binge of the franchise during your first year as a writers’ assistant?

Yeah, I was watching like two to four episodes a day. It was a lot. I am an extremely online person and understand how fandoms work and understand that Trek is the fandom that created the sort of framework for all modern fandom. I also love researching things. I love fake histories of and diving into the lore of something. So yeah, I went through all of it and eventually finished up Voyager during the pandemic and kept on, I am current with all the Trek shows.

Was this just extra obsessiveness because it was your job, or because you were you getting into it?

I really enjoyed Next Generation . Deep Space Nine is among my favorite TV series of all time and the one I go back and rewatch the most because it’s just that good, I love it. I will go back to other ones like if we are referencing it in the room.

Carlos Cisco beamed to the set of Star Trek: Discovery

So having watched it all so recently, did you find yourself as one of the quasi-experts in the room?

Yeah. I would have upper level writers texting me asking like, “What’s something I can inject in here?” Yeah, I became one of the experts in the room. I feel like the most passionate people about a religion are the recent converts, and that became one of my positions in the room. So I was always trying to push how could we recontextualize Trek canon for the 32nd century? How can we better worldbuild each season? That was something that was important to me.

For an episode like “Mirrors,” it must occur to you that you are about to double the page on Memory Alpha for the Breen and also the Kelleruns and even the Mirror Universe. Do you find that exciting or terrifying?

Both. Trek fans, they know their shit. It’s a really terrifying and great responsibility to get to be that additive to canon. The Breen were one of my strongest pushes for the season. Early on a couple of us who were really into the lore were asked for ideas on the season big bads and [staff writer] Eric [Robbins] was pushing for the Vidiians and I was like we should do the Breen.” Because, A: They’re not going to have horrible makeup, and B: We can just put a bunch of big guys in suits and they don’t need to talk. Being mindful of the COVID protocols, the suits and masks would be really great. And then there were all the possibilities for the Breen because in every season Discovery is trying to do something we have never seen before. And getting to unmask the Breen was a really big privilege.

“Mirrors” showed how there was more to just unmasking them with the two faces. Can you talk about the look and inspiration behind that?

I don’t remember where in the process we landed on “gelatinous” but when we hit the art team with that they came back to us with deep sea fish like the Barreleye Fish with a see-through head. We got really excited about that. So we started talking about what is this species? Why do they wear the suits? So, the thing we landed on is they have this soft gelatinous form and also a hardened form. Our thinking was that the Breen came up on a very harsh planet with a harsh environment. So they developed a way to protect themselves which was hardening their outer shell into basically a skin, but that takes an immense amount of concentration and energy, making them slower, more sluggish, less intelligent, basically. Over time, they compensated for that by creating the refrigeration suits. Then culturally, it became anathema for them to display that solid face, especially to outsiders, because it was essentially a sign of weakness.

L’ak in his gelatinous state

This idea of a taboo reminded me of episodes like “The Outcast.” So L’ak is part of a segment of Breen society that chose to go against this norm?

Yeah, I think that the Breen that would do that would be outcasts in their society. We still wanted to leave a lot of mystery with the Breen. One of the most appealing parts of being a writer in Trek, is you can see something that was mentioned once in Trek and go, “I’m going to build a whole episode about this, or a whole character arc that explores this.” The Breen started as a single line in TNG and then got one of the most important arcs in DS9. Getting to build and expand off that of that was really cool.

One quick question: Is this the same Breen ship we saw next to the destroyed Federation HQ in the future in the time travel episode?

Yep, that big honking thing next to Federation HQ is the Breen ship. It’s not a space station, it’s a ship. That was one of the things I was super proud of pitching. I had been looking at Breen ship designs, including the Star Trek Online ones, which were these colossal, city ships that could house entire armies and fleets inside of them. And again, talking about what haven’t we seen and what could we have as our adversary. Like, Osyraa’s ship was big in comparison to Discovery, but we wanted to do something – this thing was just a behemoth. Like a Discovery-sized ship could fly into its shuttle bay.

Using the ISS Enterprise was a way to sort of visit the Mirror Universe again. What came first: a creative way of using the available Strange New Worlds set in Toronto, or the decision to revisit the Mirror Universe?

We were given access the sets so we could pitch ideas that could take place on those sets, whether it is the Enterprise or not. There were a few pitches, like one with an old science vessel from the 23 rd century stuck inside a planet of liquid mercury. And one pitch was it was a Mirror Universe ship sort of trapped like a ship in a bottle, which became the pocket of dimensional space. We even considered fluidic space, trying to bring in one more little reference [laughs]. So once it was settled to do the Mirror ship, the opportunity to define what happened to the ISS Enterprise after the events of “Mirror, Mirror” was really cool.

Was there any talk about also bringing in some Mirror characters?

We had considered Ethan [Peck] as Mirror Spock early on but there might have been availability issues, I don’t know.

Burnham and Book on the ISS Enterprise bridge

So you say you are the lore guy, so how about a nitpick speed round? Starting with: The Breen aren’t supposed to bleed, right?

They don’t have a circulatory system, it’s just the jelly spilling out. I know they don’t bleed! Come on. [laughs]

The solution to open the wormhole was to replace the photon torpedoes with antimatter, but aren’t photon torpedoes anti-matter torpedoes?

I think they were adding more, okay? [laughs]

Final sort of nitpick: Owo and Detmer were tasked with taking the ship back to HQ, but the warp drive was disabled.  We don’t see it go to warp, so are they not going to show up at HQ for years?

In my headcanon, they are being met by a Federation tug, the 32 nd century version of the California-class like the Cerritos. They are heading off to meet them and it will tug them to spacedock. [laughs]

ISS Enterprise leaves for Starfleet HQ

We have talked a lot about lore, but season 3 was a way for the show to kind of jump past all of Star Trek canon. Now in season 5, it feels like the show is reembracing the lore, is that by design?

Yeah, I think the studio and Secret Hideout, [co-showrunners] Alex [Kurtzman] and Michelle [Paradise] all wanted this season to sort of connect Discovery back to the greater body of Trek a little more. That didn’t mean we had to really dig into canon, but there was a greater desire to see what we are familiar with from the past and what it looks like in 32 nd century and how it’s different or how it’s not different, and why. Obviously, this is a season that has focused on an episode from the 24 th century [TNG “The Chase”] and so naturally because of that, every episode focused on the clues is going to be focused on the whims of a 24th-century scientist. So that is naturally going to have more connections back to what people would consider classic Trek.

Discovery is ending and the writers room wrapped up a while ago. Are you hoping to return to the franchise? If there is a second season of Academy , are you hoping to get back to the 32 nd century?

I’d love to, if they’d have me. But if this is the last episode I get to write of Star Trek, I’m very proud that this is my final contribution. I’m hoping to pitch some games to the franchise and stuff like that as well down the line. I’m a game designer on the other side of my career. But yeah, I would love to come back and write for Trek, anytime. We’ll see if that happens.

Finally, last year you played a big part in organizing for the WGA strike, which included rallying Trek writers. Can you talk about that?

Yeah, one of the proudest things I’ve contributed to the franchise didn’t even take place while I was employed on Star Trek. Or [employed] at all. I was a lot coordinator and strike captain. Followers of the strike might remember we did theme days to boost morale and turnout. I, along with fellow captain and Strange New Worlds writer Bill Wolkoff was one of the architects of the Star Trek strike day in May. It was one of the first theme days, and we didn’t advertise. But the turnout from franchise was immense. We had actors, writers, and designers from every single Trek TV show attend. It was, as a fan and a writer, an immensely emotional day and an incredible few hours where folks who worked on the show could fan out on other folks whose shoulders we stand on. There were reunions that hadn’t happened in years and it was a really joyful celebration of the shows we all put our blood, sweat, and tears into.

Carlos Cisco (highlighted) at Star Trek-themed picket day in May 2023 (Photo: JW Hendricks)

The fifth and final season of Discovery debuted with two episodes on Thursday, April 4 exclusively on Paramount+  in the U.S., the UK, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and Austria.  Discovery also premiered on April 4 on Paramount+ in Canada and will be broadcast on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada. The rest of the 10-episode final season is available to stream weekly on Thursdays. Season 5 debuted on SkyShowtime in select European countries on April 5.

Note: The interview has  been edited for brevity and clarity.  

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I’m not sure I like the reveal. To me, this is one of those things like the Klingon headridges where I think the mystery was more interesting than the answer they came up with. I so wish Enterprise had not explained the headridges and Worf’s “we don’t discuss it with outsiders” joke in DS9’s “Trials and Tribbleations” was the end-all be-all for it.

Also, the behind-the-scenes thinking and explanation for the Breen doesn’t fit with DS9.

Their idea that the Breen come from a harsh planet and harsh environment is directly conflicted in dialogue by Weyoun, who states the environment of the Breen homeworld is actually normal. In DS9, it gave the Breen a mysterious quality that I think made them stand out.

Good point. Pretty much everything about this episode was badly done.

Frankly, given what a disappointment Discovery seasons 3-5 have been, I truly hope Carlos Cisco and Johanna Lee are not invited back. They just aren’t good writers.

as all Disco writers are…

You dislike all the writers on all current trek shows. Not actually sure what you consider a “good” writer.

Just to be sure, it would be nice if we can put all Disco writers in one big box and ship them to Antartica.

DS9 built up a real mystique about the Breen. To find out that they are really green jello people was a bit anti-climatic.

In fairness, though, what would have been exciting enough as an answer to the mystery? Some things are better left unanswered. It brings to mind Steven Moffat teasing a reveal of The Doctor’s (as in Doctor Who) name, abut then admitting he never would. To parapgrase, he said, “What could it possibly turn out to be? Keith?”

but on the other hand, who trusts anything Weyoun says?

The Typhon Pact books dug into the Breen in an interesting way, and this doesn’t stray too far from that (in some respects) which is refreshing to see.

Two unnecessary reveals in one episode.

Anyone who says DS9 is their favorite show is already alright in my book!

However I did have a lot of problems with this episode. The whole MU connection and it also being the Enterprise just felt beyond a stretch and very unnecessary. And he confirmed what I think a lot of us assumed and that they were able to use the Enterprise sets and just came up with a story around it instead of the opposite and came up with a story first that warranted it. I really wish it was just another Constitution class ship from the prime universe instead of the ham fisted stuff they came up with that added really nothing to the story.

As for the Breen I do like they are using them again since this is a species many fans wanted to see again. I’m torn with the head reveal but OK with it. But would’ve been fine if they didn’t show them.

I also like the idea of using the Vidians too although IIRC weren’t they already cured by the end of Voyager? But this is why it’s fun to go so forward in the future because now you can use species from any part of the galaxy.

And I suspect we will see a lot more of them in the Academy show.

Agreed on all fronts.

agree on everything ;)

Yep Jason Alexander cured the Phage.

Yeah, I don’t think every mystery or open question needs to be answered by our franchises. I don’t understand the compulsion to answer every open question from past series or movies.

Things like the Breen and Bobba Fett were cooler with less said.

yes. for sure. let the secrets be secrets, don’t explain them, create new ones!

The shame of it all, though, is that this just wasn’t a good episode. It was badly written, L’ak and Moll were really boring, and the Breen’s other face was cheesy-looking. This may have been the worst episode of DISCO since the ship left the 23rd century. What a disappointment this season has turned out to be; after two really fun opening episodes, it’s gone downhill fast and has turned into the same padded schlock that was seasons three and four.

You literally complained about the first two episodes when they aired and now you are saying that were great? And you’re making sweeping judgements about a season being disappointing even though you haven’t seen it all? There’s a word for this: trolling.

That’s nonsense, and you know it. I don’t know why you have a bug up your butt about me, but if you don’t like my posts, stop replying to them. I’m clearly not a troll. I’ve been an active member of this group for years.

Also, I just looked up my comments about the early episodes on this board.

Episode 1: “Now THAT was good.”

Episode 2: I made no comment at all.

Episode 3: “Oh, boy. After two stellar episodes, this was one of the worst in the show’s history. If this is setting the tone for the rest of the season, I’m frankly worried.”

So, M1701, when exactly did I “literally complain about the first two episodes when they aired?” It’s pretty clear which one of us is the troll. So get off my back. You don’t out-rank me and you don’t have pointed ears.

I don’t know. I thought it was a very good episode. The pacing was great. I like the added backstory to Moll and L’ak. I found it added depth and meaning to their characters. And I did love that the MU ship was the Enterprise. As a long-time fan of Trek and loving “Mirror, Mirror” – I often wondered what happened to the ISS-E. This was quite satisfying to me to know where she ended up. Being a writer myself (I wrote several episodes or ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK and other series from time to time), I quite enjoyed the story telling here and in this season. I work more in the technical field now but I still write from time to time. Funny enough, I did write a fan fiction years and years ago that find the ISS-E in the future with Mirror Spock at the helm.

Oh neat I used to watch AYOTD when I was a kid good show.

This awful story is what you get when you assign a novice to write this episode. No offense to Carlos Cisco, but the ‘Mirrors’ episode is a huge mess.

The ‘no offense’ made a huge difference indeed… LOL

What they should’ve done with the extra pages they got in the end (to wrap up the series) is go back and ‘fix’ certain things they would’ve done, had they known it was their last episode. Like bringing in Ethan for at least a cameo or recorded log scene and Lorca in the previous one. Would’ve fixed the ‘talk in stead of show’ issues.

Guess we can add the Breen to the list of things the First Splinter did better (a list that already includes the MU).

I still hate the 32rd century, the entire thing completely destroys world building in the Star Trek Universe to me.

If it was the late 25th century or early 26th century, just a difference in Number really, the jump in tech capabilities would be entirely reasonable and no more than from the late 23rd to the late 24th century. All of the things that happened in the meantime, the burn, the reunification of vulcan etc would have all been much more plausible in a shorter period of time and honestly opening the possibility for many more interesting stories to tell. Even the federation continuing on as a shadow of its former self, the way it is presented in the show, would make much more sense if the burn had been just, say, 30 years ago – and not over 100!

Look at how our real world changed just within the last 80 years since WW2, how a society such as Korea could evolve into two completely different cultures, how entire populations were displaced in Europe, yet that reality became totally normal now. In star trek, on the other hand, somehow progress and change completely ground to a crawl, apparently, following the 2400s.

Again, that baffling decision completely destroys world building and plausibility of the events in Disco for me. Such a minor thing as the number of the date has have such profound ramnifications towards the plausibility of the story (which was probably only chose because it was beyond ANY mentioned events in Canon) and it is just so disappointing that this decision has been apparently been made on a whim.

And now they are doubling down with SF Academy. Just leave it in peace and call it an “alternate Timeline/split timeline” or whatever.

This. I just can’t even bring myself to watch Disco anymore (stopped after season 2). Have seen every episode of every other series excluding Prodigy (am getting to that one), but Disco just doesn’t feel like the same universe, and I’m simply not interested.

This episode was damn fantastic and I find Trekmovie’s comments section for this article a bit more wearying than most.

Ah, thank you. The comments here are becoming grumpy central. I liked the episode and this interview was honest and fun.

I liked that TNG mostly didn’t revisit TOS aliens (but when it did, it overused them – see: Klingons — or made them lame – see: Vulcans and Romulans).

I wish Discovery had tried to do its own thing.