Abandoned Love is a feature where we examine storylines, plots, and concepts in comic books that have been set aside or altered by subsequent writers, without directly contradicting previous narratives. This edition focuses on how the new Star Trek: Voyager comic series reinterprets critical events from the show’s final season.
Fans of Star Trek: Voyager were recently treated to exciting news with the announcement by IDW of a new comic series that explores the crew’s adventures following their return to Earth. The original series concluded with the ship and its crew en route home, leaving many questions about their journey ahead. This new series picks up from that unresolved finale, delving into the complex emotional landscape of the characters as they navigate a new reality after having forged deep connections during their lengthy mission.
In the debut issue of Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #1, authored by Susan and Tilly Bridges, with art by Ángel Hernández, a significant retcon shakes the foundation of the series, suggesting that viewers may reconsider critical threads of the Star Trek: Voyager saga.
In the sixth season of Star Trek: Voyager, the episode “Pathfinder” depicted the efforts of Starfleet to re-establish contact with the long-missing crew of Voyager, which had been displaced in the Delta Quadrant since the pilot episode. By the conclusion of that episode, Admiral Owen Paris (portrayed by the late Richard Herd) successfully communicated a heartfelt message to his son, Tom Paris, and the crew:
ADMIRAL PARIS: This is Admiral Paris.
JANEWAY: Hello, sir.
ADMIRAL PARIS: How are your people holding up?
JANEWAY: Very well. They’re an exemplary crew, your son included.
ADMIRAL PARIS: Tell him, tell him I miss him.
ADMIRAL PARIS [OC]: And I’m proud of him.
JANEWAY: He heard you, Admiral.
ADMIRAL PARIS: I want you all to know we’re doing everything we can to bring you home.
This familial bond amplified Admiral Paris’s role as a paternal figure to the crew, culminating in his anticipated reception of Voyager’s triumphant return. However, the opening pages of Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #1 unveil a disconcerting twist: when the admirals overseeing the Pathfinder mission come aboard Voyager for its homecoming, doubts about their identities emerge.
Faced with suspicions, the crew conducts blood tests that reveal these supposed admirals to be, shockingly, Species 8472—the formidable alien race feared even by the Borg.
The implications of this revelation expand dramatically as Admiral Paris’s reunion with his son and grandchild takes an awkward turn, culminating in the unnerving conclusion that the Admiral himself is also one of the Species 8472 infiltrators.
Could it be that Admiral Paris and the other admirals were replaced moments before boarding Voyager? While it remains a possibility, the narrative poses questions about their motives. As Captain Janeway inquires why they would choose to assist in returning the crew to Earth if they intended to launch an attack, the impersonator Admiral Paris claims their strategy was to eliminate any potential threats—only for Janeway’s expedited return to Earth to reignite their fears of Voyager being a danger once more, triggering their aggressive posture.
This retcon raises significant questions regarding the entire Pathfinder initiative. If Species 8472 has orchestrated events behind the scenes, what fate has befallen the real Admiral Paris? The notion that Species 8472 has maintained a doppelgänger of Admiral Paris for a year prompts concerns about whether Tom Paris has permanently lost his father after finally reconnecting.
Moreover, fan-favorite character Reg Barclay, who proposed the wormhole theory to reach Voyager, complicates matters. While he appeared genuine during his original calculations in Star Trek: Voyager‘s sixth season, it raises unsettling possibilities regarding his true identity in light of these developments.
At this stage, with only one issue released for Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming, there remain ample opportunities for clarity in forthcoming installments. For Tom Paris’s sake, let us hope the real Admiral Paris is simply being hidden away.
Based on reporting by CBR.com. Read the full story at CBR’s detailed coverage of the new Voyager comic series.