Warning: contains spoilers forStar Trek#29!
For 58 years,Star Trekhas had some tough takes on religion, and it just unveiled its harshest take yet. The topic of religion in theStar Trekuniverse is touchy. Religion has been criticized many times in the variousStar Trekshows and movies, with more balanced portrayals on occasion, but inStar Trek#29,the franchise doubles down on its harsh view of organized religion.
Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly are one of the most exciting writing teams working today, having penned not only otherStar Trekcomics, but multiple titles for Marvel, DC and other publishers.
Star Trek#29 was written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Tess Fowler. Sisko, in a pocket universe created by the Bajoran Prophets, receives a vision of his son Jake, who was seemingly killedwhen Lore destroyed the multiverse.The vision criticizes Sisko for implementing a caste system on Bajor, charging that he has essentially taken away their freedom. Sisko tells the Jake-Vision that religion is “a reduction of options towards a singular ecclesiastical goal.”The vision of Jake is taken aback by this, calling it harsh, even for Sisko.
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Star Trek: The Next GenerationWent Hard on Religion
The Jake-Vision is right:Ben’s take on religion is brutal, but also emblematic of theStar Trekfranchise’s relationship with organized religion as a whole.Star Trekcreator Gene Roddenberry was raised Baptist, but embraced secular humanism later in life, and these ideals are baked into the franchise’s DNA. Never once in the 58-year history ofStar Trekhas a character professed on-screen to adhere to one of Earth’s many religious traditions. Religion and spirituality are left to the other races of the galaxy, whereas humanity seems to have moved beyond these concepts.
Star Trek’sideals have at times put it at odds with traditional, organized religion, and one of its most scathing critiques came inStar Trek: The Next Generation’sthird season.
Star Trek’sideals have at times put it at odds with traditional, organized religion, and one of its most scathing critiques came inStar Trek: The Next Generation’sthird season. In the episode “Who Watches the Watchers,” a race of pre-industrial Vulcans discover a team of Federation scientists have been monitoring their planet. They came to view the Federation personnel, including Captain Picard, as “gods.” With the Prime Directive clearly violated, Picard had to convince the people he was not divine. The episode ended with the Federation withdrawing from that sector.
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Religion had been mentioned offhandedly in otherStar Trekepisodes and movies, but “Who Watches the Watchers” took the franchise’s criticisms of it to a whole other level.Other episodes throughout TheNext Generation’srun criticized religion and spirituality as well, including the fourth season episode “Devil’s Due.” A con-woman used technology and sleight of hand to trick a population into believing she was the devil, as a means of extorting money and resources. The con, named Ardra, maintained she was the devil, but Picard would have none of it, and exposed her ruse.
Star Trek: Deep Space NineTook a Much Different (And Arguably) Better Stance on Religion
The Bajorans Were the Perfect Model For How to Live a Faith
WhileStar Trek: The Next Generationwas harsh in its treatment of religion, its spin-off showDeep Space Ninetook a more balanced and nuanced approach to the topic.The space station orbited Bajor, and its inhabitants were deeply spiritual, worshiping a group of deities they call “the Prophets.” These Prophets were revealed to be a non-corporeal, nonlinear race, but if the Bajorans knew this, it did not matter. Worship of the Prophets helped the Bajoran peoplethrough the Cardassian occupationof their homeworld, and remained a key part of their lives once the occupation ended.
Instead,Deep Space Nineacknowledged that religion is not a black and white issue, and there are plenty of shades of gray.
For the first time,Star Trekdid not outright condemn religion. Instead,Deep Space Nineacknowledged that religion is not a black and white issue, and there are plenty of shades of gray. Many ofDeep Space Nine’sBajorans mainstays were good and honest people who incorporated their faith into their daily lives. To be sure, there were bad apples within the faith, most notably Kai Winn, who became the planet’s spiritual leader, only to shun the Prophets in favor of the Pah-Wraiths. Yet Kai Winn was an outlier among the Bajorans.
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Other races in theStar Trekuniverse have their own faith, religious and/or mystical traditions. The Vulcans, despite their highly analytical, logical ways, are deeply mystical as well. InStar Trek III: The Search for Spock, fans get a front-row seat to a Vulcan ceremony, where a priestess rejoins Spock’s body with his soul. The Ferengi also believe in an after-life, one informed by their capitalist world views. On the opposite hand are the Klingons, who had gods, but according to legend, killed them when they became too much trouble.
IDW’sStar TrekComics Are Offering Their Own Take on Religion As Well
Lanzing, Kelly and Cantwell Have “Humanized"Star Trek’sGods
IDW’s rejuvenatedStar Trekcomics’ line has also dealt with issues of religion, especially the relationship between mortals and gods.Kahless II embarked on a deicidal campaign, killing the universe’s gods, which culminated inDay of Blood. Yet Kahless was hampered by his pride and his anger, but Lore, who had no such hang-ups, took the Klingon’s technology and improved on it. Lore then attacks the gods right in their own home, destroying the multiverse and installing himself as its “god.”The forthcoming LoreWarwill seeSisko, himself a religious/spiritual figure, confront Lore and restore the multiverse.
IDW’s comics have added their own take on the affairs of the gods of theStar Trekuniverse.Star Trekis noted for its “techno-babble,” or high-tech jargon to explain scientific concepts. The gods might seem to be beyond such concerns, but the comics have used techno-babble to explain the nature of the deities as well as their realm, The Pleroma. The Pleroma exists outside the multiverse and can only be accessed with a “Kardashev Drive” that channels anti-tachyons. Likewise, Lore uses these principles to kill the gods and destroy the Pleroma.
The term Pleroma comes from the Greek word for “fullness.”
Perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of the comics’ approach toStar Trek’sgods is that they have emotions and needs, just like humans. In “The Pleroma” storyline, gods such as Apollo,the Guardian of Forever andTrelane debate their existence, and show true fear when Lore arrives. The gods beg Lore for mercy, but the evil android will not hear it–and the gods are destroyed. In essence, Lore has totally flipped the script on the relationship between the gods and lesser beings, being a mortal who has succeeded in killing the gods.
Even though Sisko is a religious figure to the Bajorans, he himself has had a “hot and cold” relationship with this idea.
IDW’sStar Trekcomics have taken a more balanced approach to religion, similar toDeep Space Nine, making Sisko’s harsh comments surprising. Even though Sisko is a religious figure to the Bajorans, he himself has had a “hot and cold” relationship with this idea. Sisko’s assessment is even more surprising given the three years he spent with the Prophets in the Celestial Temple. This, when coupled with his time on Bajor, should have clued Sisko in that religion was not necessarily bad, but instead he gaveStar Trekits harshest take on the subject yet.
