Leonard Nimoy’s loss has been keenly felt since his passing in 2015, particularly as his portrayal of Spock was pivotal in the success of Star Trek. If his depiction of the half-Vulcan, half-human character had not been so compelling and well-realised, there may not have been any franchise to speak of. Spock’s death and resurrection (it’s been 40 years, so it sure ain’t no spoiler) were even at the very heart of a loose trilogy of the original crew’s big screen outings.
Whilst he was, like his Enterprise shipmates, once the one-and-only Spock, we now find ourselves in a world where we have a parallel timeline iteration being played by Sylar from Heroes, as well as having a younger version where Gregory Peck’s grandson is donning the bowl cut and pointed ears. It feels as though, in the future, everyone will have a chance to be Spock, much like actors doing their own take on the Prince of Denmark. However, a recent video by OTOY showed quite startlingly how it may even be possible to bring back Nimoy’s Spock one day.
Moral, legal and ethical arguments about that kind of post-mortem revivification aside, it does look as if the only way to now see the OG Nimoy-brand Spock is in the pages of IDW’s Star Trek comics. As well as having him turn up alongside his crew mates in the brand new Star Trek: The Motion Picture – Echoes, the elder Spock is also playing his part alongside a ragtag assemblage of rebels, misfits and even a killer android in Star Trek: Defiant. Here, Spock is acting as First Officer to Captain Worf, with the Klingon having found himself caught at the end of the second issue by Orion pirates.
One of the hardest things when writing any story set within established Star Trek continuity is giving any real feeling of jeopardy or consequence to proceedings. For example, we all know Worf goes on to turn up in the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard, so nothing can happen to him before that, right? Well, even so, writer Christopher Cantwell does such an incredible job here of creating a genuine sense of peril, he manages to make you feel concerned about Worf’s survival, even though his story beyond Defiant has been written and played out on screen.
Managing to achieve something like that is the sign of a top flight scribe, and Cantwell just ratchets up the tension throughout. Not only is Worf right in harm’s way while facing off against the Orions on their vessel, back over on the Defiant, Spock finds himself in a dilemma when the ship faces a crisis, and logic dictates over common sense that the enemy of his enemy is his only way of being able to have a shot of saving everyone on board from a catastrophe. Time for Lore to step into the fray, literally so now that Spock has seen fit to reunite him with his body.
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The sight of Worf going full-on berserker rage thanks to the life-saving use of Klingon adrenaline really is quite the sight to behold, particularly when faced with the rather more zen, chamomile tea drinking sage warrior who turns up in Picard. The passionate, fiery Klingon also makes a rather interesting contrast with a comparatively emotionless, rational Spock, a person who knows that logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end. The pair complement each other well, with Spock’s years of experience helping him to demonstrate just what a valuable counsel he is to the more impulsive Worf.
Added to the mix is some aid from a mysterious new source whose loyalties are as-yet unknown, plus the reappearance of a former foe who now offers their services in Worf’s quest to seek out and stop Kahless from using his god-killer weapon again. These past couple of issues of Defiant have sent the whole story spinning off in a new and exciting direction, promising much for what is still to come.
Star Trek: Defiant #4 is out now from IDW Publishing.
