Star Trek’s Voyager Sequel Is Finally Giving Fans More Of The Show’s Most Underused Villains

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Fans of Star Trek: Voyager are finally getting a continuation of the show’s story after over 20 years, focusing on a powerful alien race that wasn’t featured enough in the original series. While a full reunion with Kate Mulgrew and the original cast isn’t likely soon, this new comic book series offers the next best thing. Issue #2 of IDW Publishing’s Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming is being released to celebrate the show’s 30th anniversary and provides a sequel to the series finale, giving Captain Janeway and her crew one last adventure.

For a big celebration, you need a memorable villain – one that’s exciting but not completely out of left field. IDW seems to have found the perfect choice with Species 8472, also known as the Undine. It’s great to see them return! While incredibly powerful and visually impressive, this enemy only appeared in four episodes of Voyager, but they definitely left a lasting impression.

A Threat Even the Borg Couldn’t Assimilate

Species 8472 first appeared in a two-part episode of Voyager called “Scorpion.” They originated from a dimension called Fluidic Space, a completely separate realm accessed through rare quantum singularities. These beings were unlike anything seen before in Star Trek: roughly three meters tall and lacking mouths, as they didn’t need to breathe. What truly set them apart was that they were the only species the Borg genuinely feared. When the Borg attempted to invade the Undine’s home dimension, they discovered that, for once, resistance wasn’t futile.

Species 8472 possessed an incredibly strong immune system that could instantly eliminate almost any threat, making them the first – and possibly only – species the Borg couldn’t assimilate. They didn’t just defend themselves; they launched a powerful counterattack, destroying Borg ships and entire planets. Seven of Nine noted that the Borg themselves considered Species 8472 to be the pinnacle of biological development – high praise indeed – and acknowledged they were the first to truly resist the Borg’s assimilation efforts.

In a daring move typical of Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Voyager formed a short-lived alliance with the Borg. The goal was to defeat a shared enemy, Species 8472, by using modified Borg nanoprobes to destroy their ships. While this temporary partnership saved Voyager, it didn’t last. Predictably, the Borg betrayed Janeway and her crew as soon as Species 8472 was defeated, refusing to allow them safe passage. As a result, Species 8472 now considered both humanity and the Borg to be enemies.

Voyager Barely Scratched the Surface

Despite being a powerful and memorable enemy, Species 8472 only appeared in three episodes of Voyager: the two-part “Scorpion” and the single episode “Prey” and “In the Flesh.” After almost thirty years, these villains could finally receive the attention they deserve.

The episode “In the Flesh” reveals that the Undine, in their final appearance, had a complex plan to invade the Alpha Quadrant. They intended to disguise themselves as humans using advanced genetic engineering and even built a replica of Starfleet Headquarters to rehearse their invasion. This was one of Voyager‘s most creatively ambitious storylines. While Captain Janeway managed to peacefully resolve the conflict with this group of Undine by proving the Federation wasn’t a threat, they disappeared from the show afterward, leaving fans to speculate about their fate.

The Undine, a remarkably well-developed and frightening species, deserved a more substantial role in the show. They were complex enough to carry an entire season’s storyline, even without being connected to the Borg. Sadly, their storyline ended abruptly, which was a real missed opportunity. They weren’t just another weekly threat; they represented a classic ‘first contact’ scenario gone wrong, and could have allowed Star Trek to delve into the themes of xenophobia – something the show has explored with mixed results over time. As the only species known to originate from fluidic space, Species 8472 was extremely protective of its territory, considering all other lifeforms to be threats. When the Borg invaded and ‘polluted’ their dimension, Species 8472 reacted with frightening determination, vowing to wipe out all life in the Milky Way.

As a huge Star Trek fan, I always thought the Species 8472 storyline had incredible potential – so many stories could have come from that concept! And it’s interesting to hear Kate Mulgrew, who played Captain Janeway, felt the same way. She’s even said they were her favorite villains, and she described them as ‘cool’ and genuinely different from anything else in the show – truly alien, which is exactly what makes a great sci-fi foe.

Homecoming Finally Delivers On Their Potential

As a huge Star Trek fan, I’m really excited about Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming! The new comic book, specifically issue #2 by Susan and Tilly Bridges with art by Ángel Hernández, picks up right after the Voyager series finale. The first issue showed the crew finally getting back to the Alpha Quadrant, but the homecoming didn’t last long. Just when they thought they were safe, Species 8472 started an invasion, took over Voyager, and declared war on the Federation! It’s a thrilling continuation of the story.

In the latest issue, Species 8472 launches a full-scale attack on the Federation, believing the advanced technology given to Voyager by a future version of Janeway threatens the entire galaxy. Janeway needs to reunite her former crew and confront this frightening enemy, but can she defeat a species that once overpowered even the Borg?

This story delivers the kind of intense, character-focused drama that Voyager excelled at, and it’s a great way to reintroduce these previously overlooked villains. After nearly 25 years of waiting, fans of Species 8472 will finally get the epic confrontation they’ve been hoping for – and it could have devastating consequences for the Voyager crew. Even when things seem calm in the Alpha Quadrant, peace is never easy to achieve! Upcoming issues will delve into what happens after the Undine return, and will also tie up other loose ends from the Voyager finale, Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming. It seems this series will finally give fans the satisfying conclusion they’ve been wanting.

Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #2 is out now from IDW Publishing.

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2025-10-23 19:29