In this review of Star Trek: The Last Starship #6, the Emerald Chain’s plan to end the Federation is carried out, leaving the Omega in chaos. How bad can it get?
Star Trek: The Last Starship #6
Written by: Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly
Art: Adrián Bonilla
Main Cover: Francesco Francavilla
Variant Covers: Stefano Simeone, Francesco Francavilla
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: February 18, 2026
This review contains spoilers
The ship that threatened the Omega at the end of Star Trek: The Last Starship #5 finishes the job by activating an energy field, disabling the Borg nanite systems and taking out the Borg Queen at the same time. Solara uses the disarray as an opportunity to bring a motion to vote dissolving the Federation’s power while simultaneously allowing member worlds to join the Emerald Chain. The resolution passes easily, wiping out Federation control, setting the stage for worlds to use dilithium again.
Kirk, being partially made of nanites, is affected, but not enough to shut him down like Agnes. He traces Solara’s transports back to her ship and infiltrates the Emerald Chain vessel. The closer he gets to the ship’s core, the more his body wants to rip apart. His plan is to use that explosive power to destroy the Emerald Chain ship, but Sato has other ideas.
The Captain hails Solara and begs her to trust him that her ship is about to be destroyed. She does so, lowering her shields, allowing the Omega to beam Kirk back. Solara immediately departs and Sato is left to deal with the aftermath of the conference, as well as the resignation of his first officer, Wowie, who now realizes his father was part of the Emerald Chain collaboration.
Sato and Kirk meet to discuss the overall situation. Kirk shares his disgust for this life he was brought back into and that all he has left is rage. Sato wants him to understand that they must continue to fight for the future.
As Star Trek: The Last Starship #6 closes out, Sato no longer calls him “Mr. Kirk.” Instead, we see Kirk standing next to the Captain on the bridge being referred to as Commander Kirk, an indication of his return to command.
Analysis
The second chapter of this title comes to an end with Star Trek: The Last Starship #6 and the team of Kelly and Lanzing has set up some interesting future storylines. Obviously, the biggest one is the downfall of the Federation and the rise of the Emerald Chain. With so many member worlds choosing to depart the Federation and return to using dilithium, despite the risk of another Burn, the repercussions will have to be addressed sooner rather than later. I’m looking forward to seeing if the dilithium use will cause another catastrophe or if the crew of the Omega will figure out a way to fix the issue.
The change in commanders is another area of interest. To this point, Kirk has been present, but hasn’t officially been in a command role. Will he now gain more purpose in his resurrected life or will his anger and sadness be too much to overcome? Something tells me that Kirk will find a way. It looks like he’ll be featured much more going forward, so we should get more character development. Crazy to think that a character that’s been around for so long can be more developed, but due to the situation, I think there’s plenty of room to grow.
Some fans will fuss about that possibility, but I welcome it. There’s no doubt we’ll still get the essence of Kirk, but he’s struggling with this existence. How will he overcome this situation without his friends and ship that he’s trusted for so long?
Wowie resigning is somewhat abrupt, but necessary for the story to move forward with Kirk in his new role. At some point down the line, after Wowie’s dealt with his father, he’ll likely rejoin. He’s a solid character, so hopefully there will be plenty of story left for him.
The artwork by Adrian Bonilla and Lee Loughridge keeps chugging right along down the tracks. It has been consistently good. In Star Trek: The Last Starship #6, some of my favorite panels are the ones where Kirk is attacking the Emerald Chain ship’s core. He’s dematerializing / being ripped apart, an effect that looks great on the page. The energy and his anger are expressed clearly by the drawings and colors chosen.
Final Thoughts
Star Trek: The Last Starship #6 brings us to a point where the story can go down many different paths, so get settled in for an exciting ride onboard the Omega, if you haven’t joined up already. The Federation is down, but as long as Kirk exists, it’s not completely out. Have fun, comic lovers!
