RIP, Star Trek Just Killed Off Scotty In the Most Horrifying Way Imaginable

Scotty, the Enterprise’s engineer, has suffered a terrible fate in one of the most disturbing twists in Star Trek history. IDW’s line of Star Trek comics is currently embroiled in The Lore War, in which Data’s brother has reshaped reality into his own image. In Lore’s perversion of the franchise, beloved characters meet terrible ends. In Star Trek #31, Scotty’s chill-inducing fate is revealed.

Star Trek #31 was written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Davide Tinto. Throughout the issue, Descheeni, who in the mainline Star Trek universe serves aboard the Theseus, is here a lowly engineer. She converses with a disembodied computer voice, albeit one with a slightly snarky personality. Later, at issue’s end, the truth is revealed: the voice was none other than Scotty, who Lore has mangled beyond recognition. Wires and cables run into Scotty’s crucified body, and most disturbing of all, Lore has removed his brain, using it like a computer.

Scotty Returned In IDW's Rejuvenated Star Trek Comics Line

Scotty Helped Stop the "God War," But Now Has to Face an Even Greater Evil

The Lore War is the endgame for IDW’s revitalized line of Star Trek comics that began over two years ago, and Scotty has been front and center throughout. Still alive and well in the 24th century, Scotty did not find retirement to his liking, and returned to Starfleet. When a mysterious force began slaughtering the galaxy’s gods, Scotty joined Captain Ben Sisko aboard the Theseus, serving as the ship’s engineer as they frantically worked to save the galaxy. Scotty’s know-how and engineering prowess, which saved the Enterprise on many occasions, was put to good use here.

The god-killer’s identity was revealed, and instead of bringing peace back to the galaxy, it only made things worse. Lore took the god-killer’s technology and used it to reshape the universe, as seen in Star Trek #24. He was successful, leading to the creation of blasphemous versions of beloved icons such as Shaxs and Worf, as well as setting the stage for the final conflict between the forces of good and Lore’s evil army. Others were not corrupted, but are suffering nonetheless under Lore’s rule.

Scotty Is Suffering the Most Under Lore's Rule

Will Scotty Have to Die to Stop Lore For Good?

And no one may be suffering worse than Scotty. Others, such as Sisko, Doctor Crusher and Shaxs, have simply had their memories wiped, and are living and working relatively unnoticed in Lore’s new universe. Yet others have been imprisoned, such as the Vulcan T’Lir, or enslaved, like Scotty. Star Trek #31’s final page depicts Scotty in a gruesome and disturbing mockery of Jesus’ crucifixion. Scotty is highly intelligent, capable of feats of engineering that have earned him the title of “Miracle Worker.” Here, however, Lore has harnessed Scotty’s intellect for dark purposes, leaving him without a body.

What makes Scotty’s fate disturbing is that, per T’Lir, he must die in order to stop Lore and restore the mainstream Star Trek universe. T’Lir did not elaborate on what this means, but it does not bode well for Scotty. He is one of Starfleet’s finest engineers, and if left unattended, would find a way out of his predicament. Lore nipped it in the bud, not only stopping Scotty but taking his formidable intellect and using it for dark purposes. The sight of Scotty hung up and disemboweled ranks as one of the most disturbing in Star Trek history.