Warning: contains spoilers forStar Trek: Defiant#27!
Star Trekjust introduced one of its best couples to date with aDeep Space Ninecallback. The franchise has featured numerous romantic pairings throughout its history, some good and some bad. Now, in a dark and blasphemous universecreated by the evil android Lore, twoStar Trekcharacters have found each other. Yet, as seen inStar Trek: Defiant#27, it is a doomed affair.
Star Trek: Defiant#27 was written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Davide Tinto. Captain Sisko is leading a ragtag group of rebels against Lore, in a bid to restore the universe to its rightful state. Among those assembled are this reality’s versions of Tasha Yar and Kira Nerys. The issue reveals that the two women are partners, and share deep feelings for each other.
The two are afraid they will be split when the attack on Lore begins.
Tasha Yar and Major Kira Are the Best New Couple in theStar TrekFranchise
Both Tasha and Major Come From Similar Backgrounds
Colonel Kira and Tasha Yar areStar Trek’snewest power couple, and one that makes perfect sense. Both women had rough-and-tumble childhoods: Kira was a rebelliving under the Cardassian occupationof her homeworld while Tasha fought for survival on a failed colony. These backgrounds affected them deeply. Tasha was given an out by Starfleet, and she took it, and regularly viewed the organization as saving her life. After the Cardassian withdrawal from Bajor, Kira became a liaison to Starfleet and the Federation, who established a presence upon the withdrawal. On boardDeep Space Nine, Kira found a new purpose.
While Kira would go on to bigger and better things, Tasha knew nothing but tragedy. She was unceremoniously killed inStar Trek: The Next Generation’sfirst season. Tasha was later resurrected thanks to time travel, and this time ended up a prisoner of the Romulans. One of her captors offered her freedom if she would marry him. The result of this was a half-human/half-Romulan child named Sela, who has been front and center throughoutStar Trek: Defiant.Tasha was killed again, this time by Romulan guards as she tried to escape with her daughter.
Kira had several relationships while serving aboardDeep Space Nine, including one with Odo.
Bringing Kira and Tasha together as romantic partners is a stroke of genius. OnStar Trek: The Next Generation, Tasha struggled with romance and love, perhaps due to her violent childhood. Tasha famously seduced Data in the episode “The Naked Now,” but she was under the influence of a virus that loosened inhibitions. Thanks to being killed early in the show’s run, Tasha never received the opportunity to grow and develop as a character. All of herEnterprisecrewmates would find love at one point or another, but Tasha never got the chance to do the same.
There is a Precedent in theStar TrekUniverse for Kira Being Queer
Kira’s Relationship With Tasha Allows Them Both to Grow
Ironically, in Lore’s dark vision of theStar Trekuniverse, Tasha has seemingly found true love with Kira Nerys. The issue does not dwell on the details of their relationship: fans do not learn how they met or how long the two have been together. Instead, in the scant space devoted to Tasha and Kira inDefiant#27,readers see just how deeply the two women care for each other. Kira and Tasha have formed a strong bond in Lore’s universe, one that may prove to be the android’s undoing.
At the time, thanks toStar TrekExecutive Producer Rick Berman, the franchise could not openly show queer relationships, meaning the writers had to “code” the characters.
Canonically,Star Trekonly portrayed Tasha Yar in opposite-sex relationships, but certain episodes ofDeep Space Ninegave Kira a queer subtext. The show had several episodes set in the Mirror Universe, home to dark versions ofStar Trekicons. In this universe, Kira was a bad guy, dressing in all-black leather and calling herself “Intendant Kira.” At the time, thanks toStar TrekExecutive Producer Rick Berman, the franchise could not openly show queer relationships, meaning the writers had to “code” the characters. Intendant Kira was clearly coded for same-sex relationships.
Star Trek’sBest New Couple Are Doomed
It Will Be Heartbreaking to Witness Tasha and Kira Seperated for Good
The Kira and Tasha of Lore’s dark timeline are lovers, but the relationship is doomed to failure. Sisko and company will no doubt restore the properStar Trekuniverse, one where Tasha is dead and Kira serves aboardDeep Space Nine.Kira and Tasha appear happy with each other, but all of that is about to be ripped away, another testament to Lore’s cruelty.Star Trekhas been behind the curve in depicting LGBTQIA+ relationships, and Tasha and Kira finding each other goes a long way to fixing this error.
