Somehow, Star Trek Just Made the Most Depressing Part of Deep Space Nine Even More Tragic

Somehow, Star Trek just made one of Deep Space Nine’s most depressing parts even more tragic. The Star Trek universe is currently embroiled in The Lore War, in which the evil android has recreated reality in his image, and Captain Sisko must lead a rebellion against a mad god. Lore has come prepared, however, and he reaches deep into Sisko’s past in Star Trek #32, hitting him where it hurts.

Star Trek #32 was written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Davide Tinto. Sisko and his rebels have successfully neutralized Lore’s galaxy-wide network, effectively robbing the android of his godhood. Lore confronts Sisko, and brings Ben’s wife Jennifer and son Jake to his headquarters. Lore promises Sisko that if he goes back to his normal life of making food cubes, then the android will allow him to live happily with his family. Sisko, however, declines, knowing that this universe is not right.

Sisko loses his wife all over again, and this time it was his decision.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Upended the Franchise Formula

Ben Sisko Was Deeply Troubled When He Was Sent to Deep Space Nine

The fourth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Deep Space Nine, was unlike its predecessors. For starters, it was set aboard a space station, as opposed to a starship. More importantly, Deep Space Nine was much darker than the Original Series or The Next Generation. The titular space station was in orbit of Bajor, an unaligned world. The Cardassians had just ended a brutal, decades-long occupation of the planet, and in the power vacuum that followed, the Federation moved in. The newly freed Bajorans were initially skeptical of the Federation, but then something unexpected happened.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s pilot episode “The Emissary” introduced Ben Sisko to the mythos. The former first officer of the Saratoga, Ben’s wife Jennifer, was killed at the Battle of Wolf 359. Escaping the ship with his son Jake, Ben would eventually find his way to Deep Space Nine, where he was to serve as commanding officer. During his first day on the job, the Kai, the Bajoran spiritual leader, proclaimed him “the Emissary” of the Prophets. Later in the episode, Sisko meets the Prophets, who helped him begin to work through the pain of losing Jennifer.

At first, Sisko was initially skeptical of his role as the Emissary, but grew into the role as Deep Space Nine progressed. His time on board the station helped Sisko find himself once again. Sisko found his zest for life and resolved to become an even better officer. This was fortunate, as Deep Space Nine became a front line in the Dominion War. Sisko’s leadership during the War was crucial to morale, and his actions, especially using treachery to convince the Romulans to join, saved many lives. Yet through it all, he never forgot Jennifer, even when he remarried.

Captain Sisko Returned to the Star Trek Reality to Save the Universe

Yet Sisko Made a Fatal Mistake: Trusting Lore

Deep Space Nine ended with Sisko leaving his family and Starfleet behind to study with the Prophets, but his time was cut short. In late 2022, IDW revitalized their line of Star Trek comics, launching two new titles, one of which was headed by Sisko. The Klingon Emperor Kahless II had launched a genocidal campaign against the gods, which threatened the fabric of space-time. The Prophets sent Sisko back to stop the mad Klingon before he destroyed the universe. As the war against Kahless escalated, shortcuts were taken, including recruiting Lore, Data’s evil brother.

Lore initially helped Sisko and company, but as was his desire, he quickly betrayed everyone. As seen at the conclusion of Day of Blood, Lore took Kahless’ technology, as well as his followers, and launched a mission of his own against the gods, only his was successful. Lore destroyed the Pleroma, the “Realm of the Gods,” which allowed him to remake reality in his image. Meanwhile, in the wake of the multiverse’s destruction, Sisko was sent to a pocket reality by the Prophets, where he could live safely from Lore’s influence. Yet Sisko left to stop Lore once and for all.

Lore's Version of the Star Trek Universe is Dark and Ugly

And Through It All, Lore Continues the Tactics That Have Made Him One of Star Trek's Best Villains

The universe Lore has created is a twisted and blasphemous version of the ones fans know and love. Lore traveled back before the beginning, to attack Zefram Cochrane two years before first contact, allowing the android to manipulate the galaxy more effectively. Lore implemented a fascist, totalitarian universe where he was not only the ruler, he was its god. In essence, Lore took Kahless II’s campaign against the gods a step further: Kahless only wanted to kill them, but Lore wanted to be one, and he achieved this goal.

Lore’s dark version of the Star Trek universe also features evil versions of beloved icons, such as Shaxs. In the Prime Star Trek reality, the Bajoran Shaxs is a devoted follower of the Prophets, and a committed anti-fascist. Yet Lore has twisted Shaxs into one of his most devoted acolytes, a true believer willing to kill for the android. Likewise, Doctor Beverly Crusher, a galaxy-class medical officer, is simply a factory working grunt in this reality, with no real ambitions of saving anyone. Lore has also taken engineers, such as Scotty, and is using their brains to power his omnipotence.

In the reality Lore has created, Sisko’s wife Jennifer is still very much alive, and the family is still together. On the surface, this is everything Sisko could have wanted, yet he also knew in his heart this life was a lie. While he was living a life of (presumably) married bliss with Jennifer, the rest of the galaxy was under the thumb of a tyrant, something Sisko could not abide. Thus, Sisko made the painful decision to let Jennnifer go a second time, only in this case, Lore forced him to make the choice.

That Lore would do such a thing speaks volumes to his evil nature. Lore knew that Jennifer was going to be a sore spot for Sisko. Whether Lore planted Jennifer in reality as a way of getting under Sisko’s skin is unknown, but when Ben rises up against the android, Lore immediately reaches for his family. Lore offers Ben a happy life with Jennifer, even offering to spare Sisko’s life. Sisko refused on the grounds that he was going to overthrow Lore, but part of him may have known Lore would not hold up his end of the bargain.

Losing Jennifer Again Will Haunt Sisko Forever

Even Though It Was the Right Thing to Do, It Was Not Easy

Yet just because Sisko made the decision to part with Jennifer again does not mean it was an easy one to make. As Jennifer fades away at the end of Star Trek #32, Sisko looks anguished, angered and saddened over being put in this position. Far from breaking Sisko, it strengthens his resolve to overthrow Lore and restore reality to its rightful place. Deep Space Nine was a heavy show, beginning with Sisko losing his wife. This tragic aspect became even sadder, but may have also given Sisko the drive he needed to stop Lore.

Star Trek #32 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!