The “Lore War” storyline running through IDW’s Star Trek books has fundamentally altered the Star Trek universe, featuring beloved characters in surprising new roles. It’s also painted a very bleak picture in the process, but that’s the point: if Star Trek is about charting a better future, what’s a better roadblock to that than a psychotic android bending the past, present and future to his will? Thankfully, Star Trek #31 starts to turn the tide as Ben Sisko gathers more allies in his battle against Lore.
He has help from former Klingon emperor Kahless, whose bat’leth has the ability to restore people’s memories of their past life. Utilizing this, Sisko and Kahless – alongside Beverly Crusher – encounter the Enterprise, which is led by Worf. But rescuing their former friend is easier said than done, especially once Sisko learns how Lore rewrote the universe…and what it might require him to sacrifice.
Throughout their Star Trek run, Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly have thrived on displaying different character dynamics, especially with how Sisko’s crew pulled in members from all different eras of Trek history. Here, they have a chance to either explore different angles to these relationships (especially Beverly, who hasn’t been hit with Kahless’ memory-restoring whammy) or establish why those bonds are so strong in the first place (when Tom Paris gets his memory restored, he immediately does everything he can to help Sisko so he can save his wife B’elanna and daughter Miral).
The emotional weight of the story hits as hard as it should thanks to Davide Tinto’s artwork. Tinto has been the secret weapon of “Lore War”, due to his ability to draw awe inspiring images like the I.S.S. Enterprise bursting out of warp, dwarfing Sisko’s stolen vessel in the process, and his ability to draw some major emotional beats. A key moment features Paris’ old friend Harry Kim leaping in the way of a blast for him, proving that there are some elements of the universe Lore can’t reshape. And the final page of this issue delivers one of the most horrifying images I’ve seen in a Trek book, which showcases just how far Lore’s manipulations have gone.
To underline the extent of Lore’s reshaping of the universe, Lee Loughridge applies various shades of blue to backgrounds and interiors, resulting in a cold, unfeeling touch that feels like the designs of a machine. But there are more bursts of colors, especially in Clayton Cowles’ lettering; I still love that Klingon speech is represented via a bright, angry red.
Star Trek #31 brings the Lore War to its halfway point, continuing to upend the Star Trek universe and shift what fans think of beloved characters. With only two issues and two one-shot specials left, the story has plenty of room left to surprise readers or bring in some fan favorites. I personally hope it goes for both.
