Star Trekis revisiting one of its biggest mistake , and it will have huge ramifications for the Federation . The Maquis storyline was one of theStar Trekfranchise ’s most controversial , as itpainted the Federation in a blue luminance . In retrospect , the Maquis story was not handled well , but now , with the franchise channelize towardsThe Lore War , the Maquis are make a shocking recurrence inStar Trek : Defiant#26 .

IDW released their April appeal , with first looks at variant screening . Star Trek : Defiant#26 will be written by Christopher Cantwell and draw by Davide Tinto . The 2nd installment of the five - partThe Lore War , Star Trek : Defiant#26 , sees the paying back of the Maquis , now repurposed as the resistance to Lore ’s rule . IDW ’s solicitation for the issue reads as postdate :

Star Trek : Defiant#26 ( 2025 )

Maquis members Thomas Riker and Ro Laren in Star Trek: The Next Generation

Release Date :

April 16 , 2025

author :

Robin Curtis and Kirstie Alley as Lt. Saavik in Star Trek.

Christopher Cantwell

artist :

Davide Tinto

Far Side, cowboys with hands in the air (foreground) Union soldier giving general

Cover Artist :

Malachi Ward

Variant Covers :

Kenneth Marshall as Michael Eddington in DS9 and Michelle Forbes as Ro Laren in TNG

JK Woodward & JJ Lendl

On one side of the war , Worf , Shaxs , Alexander , and others who once valued accolade above all have now been designed by the malefic android Lore to uphold his dictatorial rule ; on the other side , a rebel Maquis fleet , Kahless II , Beverly , Sisko , and all those who know the truth behind their current reality strive to displume it down with what little resource they have . But not everything is as hopeless as it seems : There are allies hidden in the unlikeliest of plaza and assets — like the illustrious U.S.S. Phoenix — that escape even the all - see positronic eye of Lore .

The Lore Waris a crosswalk upshot , similar to 2023’sDay of Blood . In it , the android Lore , using a Bajoran eyeball , has destroyed the universe and remade it in his image .

Star Trek Defiant 26 Preview Cover A

Custom image by Ana Nieves

The Maquis Represented a Trend in theStar TrekFranchise

Star Trek: Deep Space NinePaved the Way for Better Storytelling in the Franchise

For most of theStar Trekfranchise ’s history , the United Federation of Planets has traditionally been depicted as being “ the good guys , ” who do not repair to stealthy and underhanded manoeuvre . This was in part due to dealership creator Gene Roddenberry ’s Utopian ideals , and his vision for humanity ’s time to come . The early time of year ofStar Trek : The Next Generationembody this philosophy , but by the third season , the story have become more nuanced . This rich , deeper look intoStar Trek’sguiding philosophy decease a step further with the premier ofStar Trek : Deep Space Ninein 1993 .

For the first prison term , fan saw that the Federation was not always in the right , and they did make bad decisions — often .

Star Trek : Deep Space Ninewas the first show in the franchise not to be rig on a starship , but on a stationary base in sphere of a fresh liberated satellite . Previously , when theEnterprisesolved that hebdomad ’s quandary , they take off to the next address , often unmindful to the consequence of their actions . Out of the gate , Deep Space Ninesubverted this rule . For the first time , fans saw that the Federation was not always in the rightfield , and they did make bad determination — often . The Maquis were one such mistake on the Federation ’s part .

Commander Sisko (Avery Brooks with hair and no goatee) in Star Trek Deep Space Nine and the DS9 space station

Custom image by Ana Nieves

The Maquis Showed the Federation Was Not Always Right

The Maquis Had Legit Issues With the Federation

stick in inDeep Space Nine’ssecond season , and crossing over withThe Next Generation’sfinal one , the Maquis were the lineal result of the Federation ’s “ good intentions . ”At some point in the 24th C , theFederation fought a prolonged warwith the Cardassians . The two political party signal a treaty , and one of its stipulations was to hand restraint of former Federation soil over to the Cardassians . After the handoff , reports began to go forth that the Cardassians were abuse the colonist , but the Federation turned a blind eye towards their distress . This would have serious consequences .

The Maquis are a sore spot for the Federation in the Star Trek population , but now the former has lastly admitted they were in the damage .

Angered at their handling by the Cardassians , and resentful of the Federation ’s indifference , the Maquis start striking out at both . Both Captains Sisko and Picard watched as former officeholder , including Ro Laren , desert to the Maquis . Branded as terrorists by both the Federation and the Cardassians , the Maquis made a standpoint against their oppressors . However , the Maquis came to an ignoble goal at the beginning of the Dominion War . The Cardassians allied themselves with the Dominion , who lended their Jem Hadar shock troopers in decree to pass over out the stay on Maquis .

Tuvok and the Maquis crew in the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Learning Curve”

Star TrekDid Not Do the Maquis Story Right

The Maquis Were Right About the Federation

The Maquis were intended to become opposer onStar Trek : Deep Space Nine , but from the get - go , the floor was not handled by rights . It was hard to hate the Maquis , as they had valid ailment against the Federation . Many of them were Federation citizen , who had drop their life internalizing its values and beliefs – only to have the Federation turn their backs on them . While the rationality the Federation turned some of its territory over to the Cardassians in the first place was never revealed , it did not need to happen .

The Maquis name comes from a grouping of French underground fighters during World War 2 .

No matter how hardStar Trek : Deep Space Nine’swriters tried , the Maquis never once derive across as total baddie , at least not on the musical scale of the Cardassians or the Dominion . alternatively , they made the Federation look bad – which may have been the intent ofDeep Space Nine’swriters . In one notable sequence , Captain Sisko committed warfare crimes by judge to arrest his former Chief of Security , J. Michael Eddington . Deep Space Nine’swriters on a regular basis skewered and deconstructedTrektropes , and the Federation ’s “ good guy ” status was one of them .

Comics

The Maquis Are Reborn in Lore’s Twisted Version of theStar TrekUniverse

This Time,Star TrekCan Do the Maquis Right

Now , with the mainstreamStar Trekuniverse destroyed , and a twisted version produce by Lore in its place , the Maquis have experienced a conversion as a immunity to the malevolent android ’s positronic rule . Captain Sisko , who so ruthlessly pursued the Maquis through the galaxy , is now a member . While IDW has not revealed any more specific about the new Maquis , such as their account , it seems this timeStar Trekis wield the group right . There are no more dubiousness over whether the Maquis are right or not , and this time , they will save the Federation , and the universe .

Star Trek : Defiant#26 is on sale April 16 from IDW Publishing !