Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Defiant #16!

Star Trek calls out Spock’s “false modesty” as the one weakness that defines him. Spock is a legend in the Star Trek franchise, both in-universe and out. Spock recently threw his lot in with Worf and his crew in the pages of Star Trek: Defiant. Also along for the ride is the Romulan Commander Sela, and in issue 16, she makes some uncomfortable observations about Spock’s character.

Star Trek: Defiant #16, part five of “Hell is Only a Word,” is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. In the wake of an attempted mindmeld with the “Conspiracy” parasites, Spock’s mind has been taken over. He is in communication with the parasite’s hivemind, but unable to act. Frustrated, Sela attempts to snap Spock out of his trance. She screams at him that his “false modesty” is his weakness.

Sela, invoking Spock’s Reunification attempts, says that Spock only “pretends” to be a servant, but in fact he believes himself a god.

Spock’s Star Trek Journey Took Him All Over the Universe–And Out of It

Spock’s Attempts at Reunification Would Ironically Spell His End

Spock’s arc through the Star Trek universe has been a long and winding one. Spock served as the Enterprise’s Science Officer under Captains Pike and Kirk, before becoming an instructor at Starfleet Academy. Later, Spock left and followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a diplomat, and eventually began working towards the reunification of the Romulans and Vulcans. As part of his efforts, Spock attempted to help stop the Romulan Supernova depicted in 2009’s Star Trek, but failed, creating the Kelvin timeline in the process. The Kelvin universe became Spock’s resting place.

Spock’s failure to save the Romulan Empire may seem to prove Sela’s point, even though it is still a few years away in the timeline. Spock undertook the attempt with the best of intentions, and his success would have guaranteed lasting peace with the Romulans. However, his desire to be remembered as a great ambassador led him to use “red matter,” which proved unstable and directly led to Romulus’ destruction. Spock’s act of hubris cost countless lives, and set the peace process between the Romulans and the Federation back centuries.

Was Sela Right About Spock After All?

Is Spock’s Modesty All a Sham?

However, in considering this analysis of Spock’s life, it is also important to consider the source: Sela. Sela struggles with her dual Romulan/human heritage, and to compensate, she resorts to aggressive posturing to prove her loyalty. Spock’s reunification effort would upend everything about Romulan society, and loyalists like Sela do not want this. As such, Sela’s perceptions of Spock are distorted and should be taken with a grain of salt. However, Sela still makes valid points about Spock and his role in the Star Trek universe.

Star Trek: Defiant #16 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!