Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek #26!In 2009, the Kelvin Universe saved the Star Trek franchise, and the time has come for a new series set in its bold, new reality. Star Trek was limping along by the mid-2000s, and Paramount needed a new approach: enter the Kelvin Universe. While the idea was solid, it is now going to waste. Star Trek #26 shows why this is not a good thing, and makes the case for its return.
Star Trek #26 is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Angel Hernandez. Part two of “When the Walls Fell” throws Captain Sisko and the crew of the Theseus into the Kelvin Universe, where they rendezvous with the Enterprise. The two crews then work together to save the multiverse, which is in danger thanks to Lore. The Kelvin Enterprise crew once again show themselves as heroes, as they work selflessly to save not only their universe, but all creation as well.
Star Trek's Divisive Kelvin Timeline Saved The Franchise
Star Trek's Kelvin Timeline Was Born Out of Necessity
Although the Star Trek franchise did extremely well in the 1990s, by the early 2000s, fatigue had begun to set in. Both Star Trek: Enterprise and Star Trek: Nemesis were viewed as both artistic and commercial failures, particularly the former, as it became the first Trek show since the Original Series to be prematurely canceled. After Enterprise ended in 2005, Star Trek went dormant for the first time in years. There were no television shows on the horizon, and even the movies seemed to be done for.
Then, in late 2007, Paramount made an announcement that would have both short and long-term ramifications for the franchise: a big budget reimagining, complete with modern special effects and established stars. The movie would be overseen by JJ Abrams, who was a hot commodity at the time thanks to the success of shows such as Lost. Abrams brought with him Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, who would write the movie. Thanks to his work on both Star Trek and its sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness, Kurtzman would go on to oversee the current batch of Trek shows airing on Paramount +.
The Kelvin Star Trek Movies Have Influenced the New Television Shows
Despite Its Success, the Kelvin Star Trek Series Appears to Be Stuck in Limbo
Released in 2009, Star Trek was a massive success, with both critics and fans, and helped rejuvenate the venerable pop culture icon. The movie would inspire two sequels that continued the Kelvin Universe’s story. Furthermore, the film’s sleek and futuristic aesthetic influenced the look of later Star Trek shows, such as Discovery, Picard and Strange New Worlds. 2009’s Star Trek made stars out of Chris Pine, Zoe Saldaña, Zachary Quinto and the late Anton Yelchin. Karl Urban especially drew praise for his spot-on depiction of Doctor McCoy, which seemed to channel DeForest Kelly.
Despite the Kelvin Universe’s box-office success, it appears to have fallen into “developmental hell.” Since Star Trek Beyond in 2016, Paramount has attempted, several times, to get a fourth Kelvin movie off the ground. Numerous writers and directors, including even Quentin Tarantino, all lined up to take a crack at the Kelvin Enterprise, only to fail. While rumors continue to fly of a fourth Kelvin film, Paramount seems to be moving on from it, instead focusing their attention on a Star Trek “Origins” movie. This movie will tell a completely new story, independent of the others.
The Star Trek: Origins Film is rumored to be set post- First Contact , but before the founding of the Federation.
Paramount Needs To Do More With Star Trek's Kelvin Universe
Star Trek's Kelvin Timeline Has Appeared in Two Different Comic Book Series
Star Trek’s Kelvin Universe is ripe with story potential, but it is one that Paramount seems willing to squander, which does the concept and the characters a huge injustice. The Kelvin Universe was created to tell new types of Star Trek stories, ones that would not be hampered by years of continuity and lore. It was supposed to be a fresh start for Star Trek. While it can be argued that it was just that, it also seems like it is falling by the wayside. However, there is a solution: a new Kelvin set comic book series.
So far, IDW has released two Star Trek comics series set in the Kelvin Universe. The first, simply titled Star Trek, took a unique approach: it retold certain classic episodes, only using the likenesses of the Kelvin crew. The book also sprinkled in new stories, including one dealing with the Vulcan diaspora in the wake of the planet’s destruction. The second, Boldly Go, picked up where Star Trek Beyond left off. Instead of retelling classic stories, it presented new stories and characters. The series featured the first Romulan to serve in Starfleet, as well as an encounter with the Borg.
If Star Trek Won't Continue The Kelvin Universe, IDW's Comics Are The Perfect Solution
IDW Teased More Kelvin Stories Two Years Ago, But They Never Appeared
Boldly Go proved the Kelvin Universe had plenty of stories left in it, but neither IDW nor Paramount, seemed interested in returning to it. IDW teased more Kelvin stories in 2022’s Star Trek #400 one-shot, but it failed to materialize, leaving the timeline in limbo. Star Trek #26, with its emphasis on the heroism of the Kelvin Enterprise crew, is the perfect back door pilot for a new series.
While the issue ends with the Kelvin Universe being destroyed, it will inevitably return, all the more ripe for a continuation courtesy of IDW's Star Trek comic storytellers.
