Summary
Warning: contains spoilers forStar Trek: Defiant#17!
Sela, the daughter of Tasha Yar has a terrifying new title as theStar Trekfranchise doubles down on her villainy. The half-Romulan, half-human Sela has been a major player in IDW’s line ofStar Trekcomics, serving alongside Worf and the crew of theDefiantduringDay of Blood. However, she has since betrayed them, and inStar Trek: Defiant#17, she uses the betrayal to ascend to a new role.
Star Trek: Defiant#17 is written by Christopher Cantwell and drawn by Angel Unzueta. General Revo, Sela’s father, is planning a coup in the Romulan Empire, one that will put him firmly in control. Revo has been using Worf and theDefiantcrew to further his agenda, but he quickly betrays them, and tracks them to a distant, agrarian planet. Revo swears revenge upon them. Most chillingly, Revo promotes his daughter Sela to the head of the Tal Shiar, the Romulan intelligence apparatus.
The Tal Shiar are one of the most feared organizations in the galaxy.
Star Trek’sSela is a Complex Character, and IDW’s Comics Have Shown Why
Sela Is the Perfect Fit for the Tal Shiar
Sela’s backstory is convoluted, existing thanks to the quirks of time travel. Her mother Tasha, died when she was young, and Sela was raised to be a full Romulan. Sela encountered Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of theEnterpriseseveral times, and in each instance she was severely humiliated in the eyes of the Empire. This disgrace has driven Sela’s arc in IDW’s line ofStar Trekcomics. Seeking to restore her lost honor, Sela joins forces with Worf, helping in her own way to stop Kahless duringDay of Blood. Yet her Romulan nature has gotten the best of her.
Star Trek: Defiant’scurrent arc makes it clear Sela gets her conniving nature from her father Revo, whose coup has placed his daughter at the head of the Tal Shiar. The Tal Shiar are feared throughout not only the Romulan Empire, but the galaxy as a whole. Theequivalent of the Federation’s Section 31or the Cardassian’s Obsidian Order, the Tal Shiar engage in espionage, assassinations and other shady practices. Paranoia and suspicion are warp and woof in Romulan society, and this nerviness finds its best outlet in the Tal Shiar.
Sela Is Now in a Position to Be a TrueStar TrekVillain
The Tal Shiar Are Feared Throughout the Quadrant
Now, with Sela at the head of this terrifying organization, the Romulan Empire’s enemies, both internal and external, have good reason to fear for their lives. Despite outwardly embracing her Romulan identity, Sela struggles with it deep down. Sela’s desire to prove her “Romulan-ness” might lead her to mete out severe punishments for those who dare oppose her. Sela is ruthless and paranoid, qualities that will serve her well in the Tal Shiar. Her ascension to this role makes theStar Trekuniverse a significantly darker place.
