Summary
- Star Trek: Defiant #19 reunites fan-favorite characters Chief Miles O'Brien and Doctor Julian Bashir.
- The issue is set three years after Deep Space Nine's finale, exploring the characters' new lives and potential conflicts.
- Doctor Bashir's involvement with Section 31 adds intrigue to the story, as the characters' friendship faces challenges.
Warning: contains potential spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #19!
The Star Trek franchise is home to more than a few great bromances, and now one of the best of all time is returning. IDW’s Star Trek line, including Star Trek: Defiant, has crafted a large, overarching story bringing together characters from many iterations of the franchise. Now, in a first look at September’s Star Trek: Defiant #19, two fan-favorite characters seemingly resume their classic bromance.
IDW shared their September solicitations, including Star Trek: Defiant #19, with League of Comic Geeks. The issue, which will be written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta, will reunite the classic duo of Chief Miles O’Brien and Doctor Julian Bashir.
IDW’s solicitation for the issue reads as follows:
Miles O'Brien and his trusty holo-helm set course for the planet Antara as Romulan forces prepare to besiege the population with Worf, B'Elanna, and Ro among them. A menacing Romulan blockade stands between him and his friends, but as he braces to brave the Romulans alone, matters are further complicated when an old friend-none other than Dr. Julian Bashir-delivers an urgent message from Section 31. Meanwhile, on Romulus, Commander Sela and Spock uncover a dark secret that General Revo is willing to kill to keep secret!
Previously, IDW announced that Chief O’Brien will return in Star Trek Annual 2024, but did not specify if that story would connect with the one in Defiant.
Star Trek Is Home to Pop Culture's Greatest Bromances
Chief O'Brien and Doctor Bashir Were Star Trek's Odd Couple
Although Kirk and Spock may reign as Star Trek’s premiere bromance, Julian Bashir and Miles O’Brien also rank as one of the best. The two met early in their tenure on Deep Space Nine, and became fast friends. In addition to the missions they went on, the two bonded over their love of miniature wargaming or whitewater rafting in the Holo Suites. The young, idealistic Bashir perfectly complemented the older, gruffer O’Brien. The two parted ways in Deep Space Nine’s finale, and fans have clamored for the two to reunite. Now, they get their wish in Star Trek: Defiant #19.
IDW’s solicitation also contains another intriguing bit of information: that Doctor Bashir has seemingly joined Section 31. From their first appearance onward, Section 31 tried to recruit Bashir, but he waved them off. Bashir’s fate post-Deep Space Nine is unknown, but some licensed tie-in media had him eventually join Section 31. This idea got a boost from Deep Space Nine’s writing team in the retrospective documentary What We Left Behind. Speculating on a potential Deep Space Nine revival and what it might look like, the original writers put Bashir in Section 31.
How Will Time and Distance Impact Star Trek's Greatest Bromance?
O'Brien and Bashir Were Perfect Together
Why Bashir would align himself with Section 31 remains to be seen, but the return of his bromance with Chief O’Brien is noteworthy as well. IDW’s Star Trek line is set roughly three years after Deep Space Nine’s finale, meaning the two have had time to build new lives. The paths the two have taken since leaving Deep Space Nine will make for interesting and compelling stories, particularly if Doctor Bashir has defected to Section 31. How this will square with Chief O’Brien remains to be seen, but hopefully, it will not impact Star Trek’s greatest bromance.
