Summary
Warning: contains spoilers forStar Trek Annual 2024!
Star Trek: Voyagerlore has changed forever, thanks to a shocking death. Although the Klingon scientist Korath was only in one episode ofVoyager, he nevertheless was instrumental in helping the ship get home.Korath has thrown his lot in with Lore, the new head of the Red Path, and as seen inStar Trek Annual 2024, it is a move that costs him–and sets up a deadly time paradox.
Star Trek Annual 2024was written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Rachael Stott. Data has been on Lore’s trail for months. Realizing he needs help,he goes to Chief Miles O’Brien. After traveling to Farius Prime, the duo is joined by Geordi La Forge. They then track Lore to a space station orbiting a black hole. The station is Korath’s laboratory, and the trio confront the scientist. Data points out that joining Lore was folly, but Korath brushes them off.
Then, out of nowhere,Lore emerges and snaps Korath’s neck.
Korath Was Only in OneStar Trek: VoyagerEpisode–But He Made it Count
Korath Returned DuringDay of Blood
He may not have known it, but Korath was important toVoyager’sreturn.
Korath, played by Vaughan Armstrong, was a Klingon scientist living in the early 25th century. Korath invented a rudimentary time machine, arguably the first of its kind in the quadrant. In theVoyagerseries finale “Endgame,” a future version of Janeway stole Korath’s time machine. She then traveled back to her time onVoyager, where she gave the ship upgrades that would get them home considerably faster. Janeway’s plan worked, andVoyagerreturns to the Federation 16 years earlier than it originally did. He may not have known it, but Korath was important toVoyager’sreturn.
Vaughan Armstrong, who played Korath, also played other characters in the franchise, most notably Admiral Forrest onStar Trek: Enterprise.
Now, with his death at Lore’s hands,Voyager’sreturn is no longer guaranteed. Bythe time ofDay of Blood,Voyagerhad been home for at least a year, but Korath’s time machine, so instrumental in their getting home, will not be invented for another 20 years. If Korath is indeed dead, then he will never live to create his time machine. Without this time machine,Voyagerwould not get home until much later, after having suffered massive losses and damage. Korath was assured of his victory, even boasting about it to Data–but Lore had other plans.
Korath’s Death Creates aStar TrekTime Paradox
Without Him,VoyagerDoes Not Get Home\
Killing Korath creates a massive time paradox, one whereVoyagerdid not make it home in the 2380s. Several characters from the show have been involved in IDW’sStar Trekline, and if Korath is indeed dead, they will find themselves back in the Delta Quadrant, with no knowledge they ever saw home. Furthermore, otherVoyagercharacters, such as Tuvok and Chakotay, have returned toPicardandProdigy, and Lore’s actions in this issue have thrown those comebacks into question. Korath was the epitome of a minor character, but his death had a butterfly effect that alteredStar Trek: Voyagerlore.
