In this review of Star Trek: The Last Starship #10, Sato catches up to Kirk, but so does the Emerald Chain. Who comes out on top?
Star Trek: The Last Starship #10
Written by: Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly
Art: Adrián Bonilla
Main Cover: Francesco Francavilla
Variant Covers: Esau and Isaac Escorza, Francesco Francavilla
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: August 19, 2026
This review contains spoilers
Star Trek: The Last Starship #10 kicks off with a 25-year time jump after the events of Star Trek: The Last Starship # 9. Now an admiral in command of the U.S.S. Challenger, Sato remains on the hunt for Kirk. He intercepts a transmission from Tellar, where a Borg-enhanced Kirk, in an equally-Borgified Omega, is taking out an Emerald Chain space station.
The Challenger arrives a few moments too late to stop Kirk from destroying the station, but Sato is able to knock out the Omega’s Borg systems, preventing their escape.
Meanwhile, Dr. Zed has stowed away onboard the Challenger. He has a message for Sato about a possible solution to the conflict, but the Admiral has been ignoring him. The doctor fights his way through crew members, knocking them out with various substances, until he reaches the bridge.
Once there, he neutralizes the Challengers’ systems, forcing Sato to listen. He shares the plan, codenamed T’Galatheon Station, with Kirk. Just as the two commanders come to the realization the plan is viable, a fleet of ten Emerald Chain ships arrive, ready to attack. They’re no match for the Challenger and the Omega, though, leading to a quick conclusion to the battle.
As Star Trek: The Last Starship #10 ends, Sato and Kirk sit down at a table, ready to begrudgingly work together to save the remnants of the Federation.
Analysis
Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly have taken Sato on quite the ride through ten issues. He’s struggled with defeat while in command, has had his ship stolen by Kirk and Jurati, and has seen the Federation crumble further because of the Emerald Chain. Now, he has to swallow all of that down and play nice with the guy he hates.
For someone who I initially saw as weak, Sato has been able to hang in there and grow as a character. He’s taken a beating, but looks to be nearing the finish line of a positive resolution. With only two issues left, we can assume he’ll get to save the Federation, but we don’t yet know how that’s going to come about. The details of the secret plan should come to light in the next issue, but it’s apparently similar to the idea of Deep Space Hope. Only time will tell exactly what that means.
I like that the focus has shifted throughout the story from Sato to Kirk and back again. When the series was announced, the big draw was the return of Kirk and it seemed things would fully shift to him, but I’m glad they haven’t. Reading Sato’s journey through this adventure has been more interesting because the writers have allowed him to develop over time.
He hasn’t been a one-dimensional, boring character. Sure, he’s been portrayed as an ineffective captain, but the situation he’s in hasn’t exactly been an easy one to deal with. Given the current state of affairs, I’d say he’s done okay.
Adrian Bonilla returns as artist for Star Trek: The Last Starship #10, and draws some of his best work of the series. An almost full-page shot of Sato standing on the bridge at the beginning not only shows off a new uniform design, but the toll the years have taken on the Admiral. The appearance of the Borg-enhanced Omega and the space battles scattered throughout are excellent.
I also liked the use of mirrored panels that give a clear look into the conflict between Kirk and Sato. The colors choices by Lee Loughridge also stand out here. Whereas he uses clean, cool blues on Sato’s panels, Loughridge employs dark, gritty Borg-green tones with Kirk. The overall look of the issue is perfect.
Final Thoughts
Star Trek: The Last Starship #10 is one of my favorites of the series, for both its story and visuals. Sato’s situation is difficult and full of struggle, but he’s making every effort to save the Federation. The final two issues promise to be as exciting as this one. Have fun, comic lovers!
