Forget the Klingons, Star Trek Has Found Its Most Brutal Alien Race and They're Terrifying

Forget the Klingons, because Star Trek has revealed its most brutal alien race, and they are absolutely terrifying. The Star Trek galaxy is replete with species both friendly and not. One of the most violent and war-like races to grace the screen was the Jem’Hadar, the Dominion’s bioengineered storm troopers, but in Star Trek: Lore War #1, the evil android unveils the franchise’s newest, and deadliest, races ever.

Star Trek: Lore War #1 is written by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly and Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Davide Tinto. Lore has recreated the multiverse in his image, unleashing distorted versions of some of Star Trek’s most beloved icons, including Lower Decks’ Shaxs as well as Worf. Lore asks Data for updates on his new reality, and his brother informs him that the “Lore’Hadar have completed their conquest cycle and will soon begin the next,” in the Gamma Quadrant. This news greatly pleases Lore, and the two move onto other matters.

The Star Trek Universe is Vast, and Full of Races, Both Friendly and Not

The Jem'Hadar Makes the Klingons Look Weak

Not every species encountered by the Enterprise is friendly, or willing to talk their problems out. These races include the deceptive, cunning Romulans or the fascist, Nazi-like Cardassians. While the Romulans and the Cardassians are some of Star Trek’s most popular species, the Klingons have them beat. A war-like people, the Klingons have been both allies and enemies, depending on the timeframe. A disastrous first contact with the Klingons in the 22nd century set the tone for nearly 200 years' worth of hostility and bloodshed, culminating in a destructive war in the mid-23rd century.

Yet by the 24th century, the Federation and the Klingons had worked their differences out, necessitating the creation of new menaces. Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced several new, hostile races: the Ferengi, the Cardassians and the Borg, among others. Its spin-off, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, kept this streak going, revealing the existence of the Dominion, a fascist mirror of the Federation positioned in the Gamma Quadrant. Consisting of many different races, all subjugated, the Dominion fought a bloody war with the Federation, and the Jem’Hadar were on the frontlines.

The Jem’Hadar made their debut at the end of Deep Space Nine’s second season, and would become a massive presence on the show for the remainder of its run. The imposing Jem’Hadar are the soldiers of the Dominion, brutally enforcing the will of its Founders across the galaxy. Once a normal, unaltered race, the Founders have over the years bred the Jem’Hadar to be more intelligent and stronger, but also unwaveringly loyal, thanks to the drug Ketracel-White. Synthesized by the Dominion, the Jem’Hadar must have regular injections of Ketracel to survive.

The Lore'Hadar Are Kept Off-Screen, But They Conjure Terrifying Visions

Will the Lore'Hadar Make Their Presence Known in the Lore War?

Races such as the Klingons or the Romulans inspire fear in the hearts of Federation citizens, but the Jem’Hadar can make the blood run cold. They are relentless in battle, with physical strength easily rivaling that of a Klingon. Their blind loyalty to the Founders, to the point where they commit suicide-runs on Federation starships when the battle is seemingly lost, makes them truly terrifying opponents. The Federation likes to talk its problems out, but the zealous Jem’Hadar cannot be reasoned with, forcing Starfleet to resort to further violence to stop them.

And now, Lore has given the Jem’Hadar an upgrade, remaking them in his image. Unfortunately, fans do not get to see the Lore’Hadar in action in this issue, instead leaving them up to the imagination, at least for now. There are still more chapters in Star Trek: Lore War to go, meaning they may make an appearance before it's over. Leaving the Lore’Hadar off-screen for now helps build the menace and suspense, much in the same way that Jem’Hadar’s introduction over 30 years ago took Deep Space Nine to another level.