Star Trekis revisiting one of its biggest mistakes, and it will have huge ramifications for the Federation. The Maquis storyline was one of theStar Trekfranchise’s most controversial, as itpainted the Federation in a dark light. In retrospect, the Maquis story was not handled well, but now,with the franchise heading towardsThe Lore War, the Maquis are making a shocking return inStar Trek: Defiant#26.
IDW released their April solicitations, with first looks at variant covers.Star Trek: Defiant#26 will be written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Davide Tinto. The second installment of the five-partThe Lore War,Star Trek: Defiant#26, sees the return of the Maquis, now repurposed as the resistance to Lore’s rule. IDW’s solicitation for the issue reads as follows:
Variant Covers:
JK Woodward & JJ Lendl
On one side of the war, Worf, Shaxs, Alexander, and others who once valued honor above all have now been designed by the malevolent android Lore to uphold his dictatorial rule; on the other side, a rebel Maquis fleet, Kahless II, Beverly, Sisko, and all those who know the truth behind their current reality endeavor to tear it down with what little resources they have. But not everything is as hopeless as it seems: There are allies hidden in the unlikeliest of places and assets — like the famous U.S.S. Phoenix — that escape even the all-seeing positronic eye of Lore.
The Lore Waris a crossover event, similar to 2023’sDay of Blood. In it, the android Lore, using a Bajoran orb, has destroyed the universe and remade it in his image.
The Maquis Represented a Trend in theStar TrekFranchise
Star Trek: Deep Space NinePaved the Way for Better Storytelling in the Franchise
For most of theStar Trekfranchise’s history, the United Federation of Planets has traditionally been depicted as being “the good guys,” who do not resort to sneaky and underhanded tactics. This was in part due to franchise creator Gene Roddenberry’s Utopian ideals, and his vision for humanity’s future. The early seasons ofStar Trek: The Next Generationembody this philosophy, but by the third season, the stories have become more nuanced.This richer, deeper look intoStar Trek’sguiding philosophies went a step further with the premiere ofStar Trek: Deep Space Ninein 1993.
For the first time, fans saw that the Federation was not always in the right, and they did make bad decisions—often.
Star Trek: Deep Space Ninewas the first show in the franchise not to be set on a starship, but on a stationary base in orbit of a newly liberated planet. Previously, when theEnterprisesolved that week’s dilemma, they took off to the next destination, often oblivious to the consequences of their actions. Out of the gate,Deep Space Ninesubverted this formula. For the first time, fans saw that the Federation was not always in the right, and they did make bad decisions—often.The Maquis were one such mistake on the Federation’s part.
The Maquis Showed the Federation Was Not Always Right
Introduced inDeep Space Nine’ssecond season, and crossing over withThe Next Generation’sfinal one,the Maquis were the direct result of the Federation’s “good intentions.”At some point in the 24th century, theFederation fought a protracted warwith the Cardassians. The two parties signed a treaty, and one of its stipulations was to hand control of former Federation territory over to the Cardassians. After the handoff, reports began to emerge that the Cardassians were mistreating the colonists, but the Federation turned a blind eye towards their suffering. This would have serious consequences.
Star Trek Officially Admits the Federation Was Wrong About the Maquis
The Maquis are a sore spot for the Federation in the Star Trek universe, but now the former has finally admitted they were in the wrong.
Angered at their treatment by the Cardassians, and resentful of the Federation’s indifference, the Maquis began striking out at both. Both Captains Sisko and Picard watched as former officers, including Ro Laren, defected to the Maquis. Branded as terrorists by both the Federation and the Cardassians, the Maquis made a stand against their oppressors. However, the Maquis came to an ignoble end at the beginning of the Dominion War. The Cardassians allied themselves with the Dominion, who lended their Jem Hadar shock troopers to wipe out the remaining Maquis.
Star TrekDid Not Do the Maquis Story Right
The Maquis Were Right About the Federation
The Maquis were intended to become adversaries onStar Trek: Deep Space Nine, but from the get-go, the story was not handled properly. It was hard to hate the Maquis, as they had valid complaints against the Federation. Many of them were Federation citizens, who had spent their lives internalizing its values and beliefs–only to have the Federation turn their backs on them. While the reason the Federation turned some of its territory over to the Cardassians in the first place was never revealed, it did not need to happen.
The Maquis name comes from a group of French resistance fighters during World War 2.
No matter how hardStar Trek: Deep Space Nine’swriters tried, the Maquis never once came across as total villains, at least not on the scale of the Cardassians or the Dominion.Instead, they made the Federation look bad–which may have been the intent ofDeep Space Nine’swriters. In one notable episode,Captain Sisko committed war crimes by trying to arrest his former Chief of Security, J. Michael Eddington.Deep Space Nine’swriters regularly skewered and deconstructedTrektropes, and the Federation’s “good guy” status was one of them.
The Maquis Are Reborn in Lore’s Twisted Version of theStar TrekUniverse
This Time,Star TrekCan Do the Maquis Right
Now, with the mainstreamStar Trekuniverse destroyed, and a twisted version created by Lore in its place, the Maquis have experienced a rebirth as a resistance to the evil android’s positronic rule. Captain Sisko, who so ruthlessly pursued the Maquis through the galaxy, is now a member. While IDW has not revealed any more specifics about the new Maquis, such as their history, it seems this timeStar Trekis handling the group right. There are no more questions over whether the Maquis are right or not, and this time, they will save the Federation, and the universe.
Star Trek: Defiant#26 is on sale April 16 from IDW Publishing!
