Warning: contains spoilers for “The Final Masterpiece,” appearing inStar Trek#500!TheEnterprisehas received a shocking redesign, making it theStar Trekuniverse’s ultimate warship. TheEnterpriseis a ship of peace and exploration–as far from a battleship as one can get. Yet in the story “The Final Masterpiece,” appearing inStar Trek#500,the evil android Lore, who is attempting to create a universe in his image, unleashes a terrifying version of theEnterprise.
“The Final Masterpiece,” appearing inStar Trek#500, was written by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly and Christopher Cantwell, and drawn by Davide Tinto. Lore, using the Bajoran Orb of Destruction, has destroyed the universe, and conscripted his brother Data into helping him shape a new one. They run through various permutations of the universe, andin one, the crew of theEnterprise, including Captain Picard, have been turned into Soong-model androids.The story’s conclusion sees an entire fleet of Federation starships waging war on Lore’s behalf–and they are pure nightmare fuel, with spikes and dark colors.
Lore Has Destroyed theStar TrekUniverse
Lore Now Seeks the Perfect Universe–No Matter the Cost
Lore’s destruction of the universe marks the beginning of the next phase of IDW’sStar Trekline. In late 2022, IDW launched a newStar Trektitle, followed several months later byStar Trek: Defiant.Together, these books raised the bar forStar Trekcomics, serving as building blocks towards the epicDay of Blood.Day of Bloodsaw Kahless wage war against the galaxy’s gods, and a ragtag team ofStar Trekcharacters from across the franchise came together to stop him. Among them was Lore, who betrayed everyone and struck out on his own.
The Pleroma, or the “Realm of the Gods,” is the most exciting development to hitStar Trekin years. “Gods” from across the franchise reside there, as do the Travelers and the Supervisors.
Star Trek’scurrent storyline, “The Pleroma,”has revealed the depth of Lore’s evil, as he plans to finish what Kahless started—and take it a step further. Kahless merely sought to kill the gods. Lore wants the same, but he also wants a universe to rule. Throughout “The Final Masterpiece,” Lore tries out several incarnations, but none are to his liking. The final version, glimpsed only briefly at the end, shows what Lore is after: control and subjugation. Before he and Data make their new universe, Lore tells him to “write my name” on “every fragment of matter.”
Star Trek’s Forgotten ‘Theme Song’ is Now Part of Official Canon
Star Trek fans may not know it, but the original series theme has lyrics, and now they have become an official part of the franchise’s canon.
And the result, as glimpsed at the conclusion of “The Final Masterpiece,” is chilling: theEnterprise is convertedinto a massive ship of war. Throughout the franchise’s history, theEnterprisehas been depicted as a vanguard for discovery and tolerance.Star Trekhas flirted around with the idea of battleships in Starfleet, namely theDefiant.Star Trekhas also shown, in alternate universes and timelines, theEnterpriseas a warship. In the third seasonNext Generationepisode “Yesterday’sEnterprise,” the ship was heavily armed and had no traces of scientific or exploratory personnel.
The Lore WarIs Coming for theStar TrekUniverse
Has Lore Already Been Victorious?
Now, as theStar Trekfranchise barrelstowards next year’sThe Lore War,theEnterprisehas gotten its most extreme makeover ever. Lore has reshaped theEnterprise,and seemingly all of Starfleet, into battleships. Lore is one ofStar Trek’smost dangerous villains, and with access to a fleet made in his image, he will become even deadlier. Lore has visited a horrifying indignity upon his enemies aboard theEnterprise:turning them into instruments of his will. Lore has perverted theEnterprise’smission, giving it a new purpose as a warship.
