Summary
- The Bajoran Prophets stand out among the gods due to their unique “tachyonic” nature, as revealed in
Star Trek
#22. - The Prophets are more powerful than other gods, as shown in their interactions with Apollo in “The Pleroma.”
- The Prophets draw their power from the active Bajoran religion, making them feared by other gods in
Star Trek
lore.
Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek #22!
Star Trek has just confirmed what makes the Bajoran Prophets so unique among its many “gods.” In late 2022, IDW rejuvenated its line of Star Trek comics by introducing a franchise-spanning “god war.” Culminating in Day of Blood, it has also explored the relationship between gods and their adherents, including the Bajoran Prophets. There is something special about the Prophets, and it is revealed in Star Trek #22.
Star Trek #22 was written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Megan Levens. In issue #21, Sarah Sisko, a Prophet who is also Ben’s mother, crashes a gathering of gods at the Pleroma. Issue #22 opens with Apollo asking her to leave, but she brushes him off, calling him a “little god.” The Guardian of Forever is slightly more welcoming, but reminds Sarah that her unique “tachoynic” nature makes her a threat to the Pleroma.
Once again, Sarah is unfazed, telling the assembly she is “of Bajor” and the rest are “of others long forgotten.”
The Pleroma is an exciting new development in the
Star Trek
franchise. It is a dimension outside our own that serves as a gathering spot for the franchise’s many god-like beings.
The Prophets of Bajor’s Place in Star Trek Lore, Explained
Star Trek Fans Have Long Wondered Just How Powerful the Prophets Are
The Bajoran Prophets, introduced in the first episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, are one of the most powerful races in the franchise. A race of non-linear beings living in the Bajoran Wormhole (or the Celestial Temple), they chose Captain Benjamin Sisko as their “Emissary.” The Prophets took Sisko to the Temple to learn of his true nature. Later, when the Klingon Emperor Kahless began slaughtering other god-like races, the Prophets returned Sisko to our reality to stop the genocide.
Since their debut, fans have speculated on where the Prophets rank power-wise against
Star Trek’s
gods.
Since their debut, fans have speculated on where the Prophets rank power-wise against Star Trek’s gods. Other Trek comics, such as The Q Conflict miniseries, posited that the Prophets were quite powerful. In one issue of the series, Q begins harassing the Prophets. They quickly remind Q that the last time he crossed them, they put a serious hurt on him, clearly showing they were at his power level. Later, during “The Pleroma” storyline, the other gods, such as Apollo, seem to give the Prophets a wide berth, almost as if they fear them. Clearly, the Prophets possess a lot of power.
Why Do Star Trek’s Other Gods Fear the Prophets?
The Bajoran Prophets Are at the Center of a Still Very Active Religion
Now, Star Trek has offered more clues as to the Prophet’s power, including where it might come from. When Sarah told Apollo and the other gods they were of those “long forgotten,” she could have meant their followers were dead or extinct. Gods drawing their power from their adherents is nothing new, and classic Star Trek episodes such as “Who Mourns for Adonais?” played around with this idea as well. While the tachyons were a patented Star Trek technobabble way of explaining the Prophet’s power, what truly separates them is the Bajoran people still very much believe in them.
Star Trek #22 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!
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