Warning: contains spoilers forStar Trek: Defiant#18!
The Maquis are a sore spot in theStar Trekuniverse, but now the Federation has admitted they were in the wrong. Introduced duringDeep Space Nine’ssecond season, the Maquis menaced the Federation until they were wiped out. The legacy of the Maquis is a complicated one, and inStar Trek: Defiant#18,the Federation finally confesses they treated the Maquis unfairly.
The Maquis played huge roles across all three 24th centuryStar Trekshows. They were introduced inThe Next GenerationandDeep Space Nine, and former Maquis were crucial toVoyager.
Star Trek: Defiant#18 is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. Worf reflects on his current situation: trying to marshall a group of nomadic aliens against a Romulan invasion fleet. With him are Ro Laren and B’Elanna Torres, both former Maquis. As the three debate strategy,Worf says he will stay and fight, as it is what “Starfleet would do.”
Ro Laren reminds Worf of the Maquis, andhe thoughtfully concedes the Federation should not have left the Maquis to their own devices.
The Maquis Role in theStar TrekUniverse, Explained
In theStar Trekuniverse, the Federation is depicted as the “good guys,” and almost always right–but the Maquis challenge this conception.
In theStar Trekuniverse, the Federation is depicted as the “good guys,” and almost always right–but the Maquis challenge this conception. The Maquis were Federation colonists whose territory was given to the Cardassians as part of a treaty. The Cardassians began immediately oppressing the colonists, leading to uprisings. The Maquis also felt betrayed by the Federation, who they perceived abandoned them, which in a sense they did. The Maquis carried out guerrilla warfare against both the Cardassians and the Federation. Unfortunately, there was never reconciliation, as Gul Dukat ordered the Maquis killed in the buildup to the Dominion War.
Star Trek Officially Brands a Surprising Deep Space Nine Hero as a War Criminal
Difficult decisions were made during Star Trek’s Dominion War, and one in particular is coming back to haunt a member of Deep Space Nine’s crew.
The Maquis storyline was controversial amongStar Trekfans, largely because it, for the first time, portrayed the Federation in a negative light.Star Trek: Deep Space Ninespent its seven seasons subverting franchise tropes, and the Federation’s moral high ground was one of them. The Maquis had a legitimate claim to their land, but it was taken from them without their input and handed over to one of the Federation’s worst enemies. When the Maquis dared to retaliate, they were met with opposition from not only the Cardassians, but the Federation as well.
Worf’s Admission Goes A Long Way to Healing Old Wounds
The Maquis' Legacy Will Be a Difficult One to Unpack
Worf’s confession about the relations between the Maquis and the Federation is a stunning admission. The Maquis story comes to a tragic end, and the survivors stillharbor a mistrust of the Federation, Ro Laren among them. No amount of formal apologies from the Federation and Starfleet will ever make up for what happened, but Worf’s goes a long way to acknowledging a great wrong in theStar Trekuniverse. The Maquis are a dark spot in the history of the Federation, and one they hopefully have learned from.
