In this review of Star Trek: The Last Starship #9, Kirk and Sato fight over the captaincy of the Omega and Lt. Vi makes a decision that carries explosive consequences.
Star Trek: The Last Starship #9
Written by: Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly
Art: Hernan Gonzalez
Main Cover: Francesco Francavilla
Variant Covers: Steph C., Francesco Francavilla
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: July 15, 2026
This review contains spoilers
As Star Trek: The Last Starship #9 begins, Kirk summons Sato to the bridge in order to relieve him of command, but Sato argues this decision, steadfast in not wanting to go to war to save the galaxy.
As the two captains struggle for control, Vi tells Zed to close her up (Zed had opened her chest to discover the thalaron weapon in Star Trek: The Last Starship #8) so she can stop the black hole on Deep Space Hope. He does so and then beams her over to the station.
Sato’s resolve slowly wanes and just as he’s about to give in, Vi comes over the comms to tell everyone what she’s about to do. Shortly after, the thalaron weapon explodes from within her, destroying Deep Space Hope.
After the ship is rocked by the blast, Valqis steps in to side with Kirk, realizing that war is required. Kirk leaves Sato and Zed on the closest M-Class planet before heading off for battle.
Federation ships arrive to pick up the pair and Sato prepares to hunt down Kirk and the Omega, ending the issue.
Analysis
Star Trek: The Last Starship #9 moves incredibly fast, even though it’s filled with dialog and tense moments. Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly fill the pages with emotional struggles within all of the characters. I was so absorbed by the story, it felt like only moments had passed and that there was no way I was already at the end of the issue.
Vi sacrifices herself to stop the black hole and Zed has great difficulty in letting her do this. As a doctor, he wants to save his friend, but her entire life has been lived with such a purpose in mind. He respects Vi’s life choices, even though he is reluctant to do so.
The major struggle between Kirk and Sato is an even bigger one than Vi and Zed’s. This is going to set up the next chapter of the story as Sato chases after Kirk. Everyone realizes Sato wasn’t right for this command, but he still won’t back down from taking the non-war route. Is he correct? It doesn’t seem like it, as the Emerald Chain has a pretty strong hold on the galaxy and won’t want to give it up.
Kirk’s take-charge attitude of bringing the fight to the Emerald Chain may not be the best idea, though, as his resources are somewhat limited. If there’s one thing we know about him, though, it’s that he can be extremely resourceful in order to come out on top. I’m looking forward to seeing if the writers let him “win” in this fight.
I’m still loving the artwork by the team of Hernan Gonzalez and Lee Loughridge. Their focus on facial expressions is especially important in this issue, as this story is so emotionally charged. Anger, sadness, and uncertainty all come across clearly in the illustrations and the gritty style fits perfectly here.
Final Thoughts
Star Trek: The Last Starship #9 continues to deliver an excellent story of struggle for characters finding their place in an ever-changing environment. The upcoming chapter promises to be exciting, as the two captains will collide again while trying to figure out how to save the galaxy. Have fun, comic lovers!
