Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Resurgence #2!The Talarians are one of the many hostile species in the Star Trek universe, and a new preview shows the potential the television shows wasted. The Talarians have only made one canonical on-screen appearance, during Star Trek: The Next Generation’s fourth season. Now, in a preview for Star Trek: Resurgence #2, the Talarians have returned, and they're being led by a familiar face. The issue goes on sale in print and digital December 14.
The Talarians first appeared in The Next Generation's fourth season, in the episode “Almost Human.” The episode presented the Talarians as a warlike, misogynistic culture - one that had clashed with the Federation in the past. One notable conflict occurred 14 years before the episode, when Talarian forces overran a Federation colony. They took a small boy prisoner, and raised him as one of their own. Many years later, the crew of the Enterprise encountered the boy, now thoroughly integrated into Talarian culture and sporting the name Jono Endar. During the episode, the Federation nearly went to war with the Talarians over the boy, but in the end, he returned to the Talarians. The Talarians were not seen on-screen again, but a new Star Trek video game, Resurgence, is set to position the Talarians as major players in the galaxy - and a preview for issue two shows their potential.
Warp design specialist Leah Brahms has been lost in Talarian territory, and the USS Resolute has been dispatched to find her. The Resolute rendezvous with a Talarian ship - captained by Jono Endar. The Resolute’s captain, Solano, is invited aboard the Talarain ship to discuss Brahm's disappearance. Accepting the offer, Solano transports over. Endar apologizes for the hostile reception, saying the "Talarians stand alone" and have a need to defend themselves. He goes on to reveal that the recently concluded Dominion War took a heavy toll on the Talarians and as the preview ends, he reveals that Talarian society is now "looking inward" to improve the lives of everyone. The issue is written by Andrew Grant and Dan Martin, drawn by Josh Hood, colored by Charlie Kirchoff and lettered by Neil Uyetake.
The Talarians Have Potential to Be Great Star Trek Enemies
The preview ends there, and readers must wait until release to see just what Endar meant by transforming Talarian society - but it's unlikely to work out the way the Federation wishes. The Talarians were shown to be a formidable species, one that struck terror into the hearts of the Federation. The glimpses seen of their society were horrifying as well; they were a culture that condoned violence, kidnapping, child abuse and sexism - all of which makes them the perfect foils for the utopian Federation.
Hopefully, if Talarian society is refocusing itself, it may address the issues that are facing it, and the human Endar may be in the best position to guide the society. However, it's unlikely the videogame prequel will see the Talarians become anything but a major threat, as the marketing has promised the game will find two alien societies "on the brink of war." If the Talarians remain a threat and Doctor Brahms’ experimental warp technology falls into their hands, it could spell doom for the Federation. The Talarains are one of the many underused hostile races in the Star Trek universe, and now they have returned, transformed in a mysterious new way.
Star Trek: Resurgence #2 is on sale December 14 from IDW Publishing!