After 37 Years, Star Trek Makes Its Biggest Starfleet Retcon Yet With the Borg

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Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: The Last Starship #5!

After 37 years, Star Trek has made a major change to its established history, involving Starfleet and the Borg. For a long time, the Federation and the Borg have been fierce enemies, and the Federation only recently achieved a seemingly final victory over the Borg Collective.

Season two of Star Trek: Picard introduced a new group of the Borg, called the Borg Cooperative, led by Agnes Jurati. This faction seemed like it could take the Borg in an interesting and different direction. However, like many storylines in Star Trek, it was ultimately never fully developed.

I was really excited when I heard about Star Trek: The Last Starship! It picks up right after the devastating event called ‘The Burn,’ which basically shattered galactic civilization. And get this – the Borg are back, and they’ve brought Captain Kirk back to life! It’s a really interesting setup because Agnes and her Borg Collective think Kirk could unite the Federation. But things are getting complicated – this alliance was already shaky, and now it’s about to get even more tense.

The Borg Have Joined the Federation, Ending Centuries of Hostilities

Agnes Jurati Is Leading the Borg in a Totally New Direction

In issue #5 of Star Trek: The Last Starship, written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing with art by Adrian Bonilla, Agnes Jurati defends the Cooperative at a galactic peace conference. She argues to the delegates that the Cooperative is a vital part of the Federation, just like any other member, and is motivated by good intentions.

As a longtime fan, I have to say this is a huge shift for both the Federation and the Borg! They’ve always been total opposites. Sure, both are made up of lots of different species, but that’s where the similarities stop. The Borg just take other species, forcing them into their Collective – it’s always been a core part of what makes them the villains!

The Federation and the Borg Were Once Bitter Enemies

The Borg Nearly Defeated the Federation. Several Times

Throughout the late 24th century, the Borg and the Federation clashed repeatedly. The Borg posed a massive threat to Starfleet, coming dangerously close to defeating the Federation on multiple occasions. The Battle of Wolf 359 was a particularly devastating conflict, with tens of thousands of Starfleet personnel losing their lives.

The devastation caused by the Burn and the collapse of galactic society have led to unexpected partnerships. The Borg haven’t just teamed up with the Federation – they’ve actually become members. The Borg Collective realized there was value in joining forces with the Federation, and so far, it’s proven to be a wise decision.

Star Trek: Picard Had Many Abandoned Plot Lines: The Borg Cooperative Being One of Them

Star Trek: The Last Starship Is Taking This Dangling Plot Line in New and Cool Directions

The creators of The Last Starship are building on a fascinating unresolved story from Star Trek: Picard by bringing the Borg Collective into the Federation. Writers Kelly and Lanzing, along with artist Bonilla, have expanded on this idea and taken it in exciting new directions with their comic.

This new situation understandably brings up a lot of questions, especially how long it will remain this way. While the Collective feels far away to the crew of The Last Starship, stories of their wickedness continue to circulate. We even see one of the attendees at the Babel Conference bring up this history when challenging Jurati.

Will The Borg Remain in the Federation Long-Term?

The Differences Between the Two Enemies Might Be Too Much to Sustain an Alliance

A major concern with allowing the Borg into the Federation is their history of forced assimilation. They previously conquered and integrated countless species into their Collective, making them commit terrible acts. We still don’t fully understand how the Borg add new members to their society, but if it involves the same assimilation process as the Collective, their membership would be unacceptable.

If the Borg were to separate from the Federation, the Star Trek universe would descend into chaos. Captain Kirk and the crew of the Omega would then face a difficult battle on two fronts: defending the Federation and simultaneously fighting the Borg.

Star Trek: The Last Starship #5 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!

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2026-02-20 17:59