Second part of four-part comic mini-series further defines T’Kuvma’s history and faith
Rating for Issue #2: ★★★★☆
The second issue of Star Trek: Discovery: The Light of Kahless was a captivating cliffhanger in the four-part comic mini-series, continuing a few years after issue #1 left off.
In part one, we learned that before he was a legendary warrior looking to unite the Great Houses, T’Kuvma was a young Klingon from House Girjah, a once mighty house in deep decline. The last hope to reverse his family’s fortunes is a ruined ancestral ship, long forgotten and hidden deep in the woods, which T’Kuvma’s sister J’Ula has vowed to rebuild. T’Kuvma longs to stay and help his sister, but instead is sent away to the monastery on Boreth in a nearby star system.
Written by Kirsten Beyer and Mike Johnson, issue #2 picks up a few years later on Boreth where T’Kuvma is being put through trials by leaders of the monastery.
Issue #2 is very consistent in the uneasy feelings setting give, just like they were in Issue #1. They truly are Klingon in their colour, appearance, and inhospitable feel. Here, Shasteen and Mettler deliver a scene that conveys the lonely and challenging path T’Kuvma must go through in hopes of one day seeing Kahless in a vision and learning his true calling. Possibly even some day becoming Kahless reborn.
I found that the use of wide shot framing followed by extreme closeups helped me get inside T’Kuvma’s head and perceive his emotion and thoughts as they were intended. Having already watched the television show, I found the imagery and writing of The Light of Kahless fit very well with what I know of the character, and they extended my empathy for him.
In terms of story, Issue #2 kept my attention throughout its entirety, never disappointing. T’Kuvma doesn’t get to finish his education on Boreth and so we don’t learn if he is Kahless reborn or not. There seems to be disagreement on that between the monastery leaders. Instead, T’Kuvma must return to Qo’Nos where is sister J’Ula is to be married, and it’s surprising to learn that she seems to have given up the ambition of seeing their legacy return. In fact she seems to have turned her back on on it.
While comics are not considered canon in Star Trek, these are being co-written by Kirsten Beyer who is also part of the Star Trek: Discovery television series. So we know the comic is likely within the world-building undertaken for the series.
I give the 2nd issue a 4/5 star rating.
