Star Trek: The Last Airship Creators Break Down Issue 4’s Powerful Perspective (And Tease the “Rough Ride” Going Forward) (Exclusive)

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Star Trek: The Last Starship is easily one of the strongest additions to the Star Trek universe so far. Taking place in the distant future following the devastating event known as The Burn – which wiped out most of Starfleet – the series, written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, has delivered a surprising and engaging story. Highlights include the return of James T. Kirk and the recent issue #3, where the U.S.S. Omega faced The Black Path with dramatic and unexpected results.

This week’s issue of Star Trek: The Last Starship (#4) takes a more intimate turn, focusing on a personal story. First Officer Wowie Carter visits their family, but a unique aspect of the Omega transport system causes time to pass differently for them. Wowie ages very little, while years go by for their parents and on Earth, creating a poignant and impactful narrative. ComicBook spoke with writers Kelly and Lanzing about the issue’s emotional core and offers a sneak peek at issue #5. Be warned: spoilers for Star Trek: The Last Starship #4 follow.

Star Trek: The Last Starship #4’s More Personal Scale Was Necessary

Following the high-stakes action of issue #3, this issue takes a more intimate turn, focusing on Wowie and their personal journey. We see Wowie grapple with their role in everything that’s happened, and experience how Earth reacts to the recent events. The story follows them as they return home over several years. The creators felt it was important to shift the focus from the larger, cosmic perspective of ‘Omega’ to Wowie’s personal experience and Earth’s response.

Collin Kelly explains that making this story change was crucial because the timing was perfect for telling it. They learned through Discovery that Earth left the Federation within a year of ‘The Burn,’ a development that, as lifelong Star Trek fans, they found difficult to accept. However, they realized fear is a stronger force than hope, and their character, Wowie – someone completely without fear – was the ideal person to explore a world consumed by terror.

Jackson Lanzing explained that the story’s focused, personal scale allowed them to showcase a unique aspect of The Last Starship within the Star Trek universe: relativistic time dilation. Because the ship doesn’t have warp drive in this post-Burn galaxy, time passes much more slowly for those on board the Omega. This means that whenever they travel, they witness the galaxy aging and changing at a faster rate than everyone else. Wowie’s visits home during the Babel Conference beautifully illustrates this concept in a way a large-scale space battle never could.

What struck me most about this storyline is that Wowie’s doubts about being First Officer aren’t immediately obvious. It’s not until we see their meeting with Solara that we begin to understand they’re reconsidering their position. Their conversation with the man in the park also feels significant. It makes you wonder what finally led Wowie to decide to step down.

Lanzing believes Wowie’s internal struggles truly started in issue #3, after witnessing Kirk’s heroic sacrifice to save the ship and Earth. However, the heavy cost of that victory overshadowed any sense of triumph. Seeing Earth’s reaction to the tragedy naturally led the characters to question whether they could truly help, or if they were even suited to the task. This questioning is central to the story; it explores how people change when the foundations of their world crumble, what choices they make in that chaos, and how much control they actually have over those decisions.

I’d rather not discuss the conversation I had with the man in the park. I believe it’s the most important part of everything, and I hope its meaning is clear without further explanation.

We also see the disagreement between Wowie and their parents – they don’t share the same views on what’s happening with Earth and the Federation. Wowie’s father leaves them a message, and I’m curious how that message affects Wowie. Could you tell me more about that impact?

“The opposite of fear isn’t courage, it’s control.” That statement struck Wowie deeply. While they never questioned their father’s love – he was distant, but not unloving – they always doubted his intentions and the outcomes of his actions. This line, however, makes Wowie realize their father was right, perhaps always had been. Wowie was raised to be a beacon of human potential, someone who would inspire greatness in others. Joining Starfleet once felt like the perfect way to fulfill that purpose, but things have changed. Now, Wowie is grappling with a difficult question: are they staying on the Omega station because they’re committed to the mission, or because they’re afraid to live up to the high expectations placed upon them? They were raised to be the best humanity has to offer – shouldn’t humanity actually get their best?

It’s also interesting how Kirk’s blaster was something Wowie had when he was a kid. I don’t really have a question about it, but I thought it was a cool way to connect things in the story. Was that something you planned from the beginning?

We needed something from childhood to help develop the character of Wowie, and the phaser ended up being a great find. Wowie is a lot like us – they grew up a huge Star Trek fan, dreaming of exploring space. So, we thought, what would have been the ultimate gift for us as kids? A classic Star Trek phaser, especially one signed by William Shatner – or rather, Captain Kirk! That would have been priceless. But as we wrote the scene, the phaser became more than just a prop. It started to represent Wowie’s feelings about Kirk and whether they could still see him objectively, considering they used to idolize him. And learning that the phaser wasn’t just a store-bought toy, but something lovingly made by their father, created a heartwarming surprise – a hidden expression of affection that was rarely shown. It’s a simple toy, but it also symbolizes Wowie’s deepest insecurities. That’s why, after hearing his father’s words, Wowie chooses to leave it behind.

It simply feels authentic. It’s the sort of small gesture you’d make for your child, something that unexpectedly becomes very meaningful later on. And given that this issue explores how meaning evolves, that small detail really sparked a powerful idea.

The final page of this issue has a major reveal! Can you give us a hint about what it means for the story going forward?

The Babel Conference has arrived, and it won’t be a simple negotiation like those seen in classic Star Trek. The series has brought back the Emerald Chain – an organization that acts like both a criminal enterprise and a powerful nation – from the Discovery storyline. With The Last Starship focusing on core Federation values, it was inevitable that the story would explore what happens when leaders prioritize their own interests. Solara, a key figure, is more nuanced than she initially appears. Just as issue #4 delved into themes of loss and change, issue #5 is a political thriller examining how much trust is possible when past alliances no longer guarantee safety.

Check Out a First Look at Star Trek: The Last Starship #5







In the latest issue of Star Trek: The Last Starship, representatives from across the Federation are meeting for the Babel conference, hoping to restore Starfleet and establish peace. However, a significant time difference complicates matters: while Captain Sato and the crew of the U.S.S. Omega have been traveling for just four months, the rest of the galaxy has experienced 23 years.

For over two decades, these representatives have been left to operate independently, forming plans and shifting loyalties. While the U.S.S. Omega initially united them, the devastating event known as the Burn has driven them apart. Not everyone is interested in finding a peaceful solution, and a former Starfleet ally may now become its biggest enemy.

Star Trek: The Last Starship #4 is on sale now. Issue #5 goes on sale February 18th.

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2026-01-21 18:17