Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek #19!

The Star Trek universe is full of species that strike fear into the hearts of Federation citizens, but the most feared of all will blow fans’ minds. Species like the Borg or the Jem’Hadar are scary and feared throughout the galaxy. Yet in Star Trek #19, as T’Lir, the last of the Organians, reflects on their life, they reveal another species is an even bigger potential threat.

Star Trek #19 is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Megan Levens. Prior to incorporating as a Vulcan, T’Lir lived on Organia. They recall a conversation with their father, who shed light on the status of the universe’s god-like beings. Their father tells them that if they want a bright future, they must remain hidden. He goes on to explain that the galaxy is full of life, many of which have gods.

They conclude their exile is necessary, as these lower life forms fear the gods.

Star Trek’s Day of Blood Explored What The Gods Mean to the Galaxy

Not All of the Gods Were Friendly

In 2022, IDW gave their line of Star Trek comics a shot in the arm with the landmark Star Trek #400, which seeded the god war storyline. This story, which culminated in the Day of Blood crossover event, saw Kahless, the Klingon Emperor, launch a genocidal campaign against the gods. In quick succession, Kahless killed all but one of the Organians, Gary Mitchell and the Crystalline Entities. The book has used this war as a way to explore what it means to be a god–and what it means to be an adherent.

God-like beings have been a part of the Star Trek fabric since its inception. The aforementioned Gary Mitchell first appeared in the show’s second pilot, establishing a precedent that would stretch across multiple shows and movies. In Star Trek’s 58-year history, fans have met the likes of the Metrons, the Q, Trelane, Charlie X and many others. Each one of these possessed fantastic powers beyond mortals, and not all of them were friendly either. For instance, Trelane toyed with the crew of the Enterprise, and was only defeated when more of his species showed up to take him back home.

The Gods Have Good Reasons for Avoiding Mortals

The Gods of Star Trek Inspire Fear In the Hearts of the Galaxy

Entities like Trelane ensured demagogues like Kahless would take up arms against them, seemingly confirming T’Lir’s father’s observation. Lesser beings fear that which they do not understand, and the gods, being so far beyond them, are the ultimate unknown–and thus targets of fear. The Organians understood this, and took steps to hide their existence. They initially appeared to Kirk and company as pre-industrial peasants, which undermined their great power. Other god-like beings in the Star Trek universe take similar approaches when dealing with mortals, and given the fear and mistrust, it may be a rational course of action.

Star Trek #19 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!