Advance Review: Exploring The Mysteries Of A Joined Species In `Star Trek: Trill’

With hundreds of hours of television in its 50-plus year history, Star Trek has the luxury of exploring other species in a way no other science fiction franchise can. One of the most fascinating creatures are the Trill – a joined species with a slug-like creature living in a humanoid. First introduced in The Next Generation and more fully explored in Deep Space Nine, Trill keep their memories of previous hosts, once they are joined.

Not all Trill end up in this symbiotic relationship though. There are more humanoids than slugs, and the competition to receive a symbiont is fierce. In this oversized one-shot from IDW, Vanah Breel is a humanoid Trill who pulled out of the running to receive a symbiont. After an accident, she is guilted into playing the host to the Lors symbiont.

Writer Jody Houser has clearly done her homework with this species. Perhaps a bit too much though. At first blush, this origin story will remind readers of DS9’s Dax symbiont, which was transferred to Ezri after a shuttle accident.

Houser adds in a mystery to deepen the tale, as Vanah is haunted by a lack of past life memories after the joining. Lors is a mystery to her, though she soon finds out that the symbiont seems to be cursed. Those who are joined to it don’t last long.

It’s an interesting enough concept, and through her investigation, we learn more about what makes the Trill tick. Saying goodbye to a loved one who isn’t really dead but also not alive must be a difficult concept, even for aliens.

Artists Hendry Prasetya and Rafael Perez Granados provide something of a mixed bag for readers. Some pages are detailed and great looking. Others are more basic and far less attention-grabbing. Going back and forth between the two styles can be jarring and doesn’t seem to serve an artistic purpose in terms of storytelling.

Star Trek: Trill will be available for purchase tomorrow.