Star Trek Mystery: Who Is the Obsidian Tholian?

In Star Trek: Year Five, the five-year mission begun in Star Trek: The Original Series is coming to a close. That doesn’t mean the Enterprise is taking a victory lap. The galaxy is still full of unexpected surprises and Star Trek: Year Five #7 introduces a brand new mystery. Capt. Kirk and company have once again found themselves entangled in a Tholian web. But it seems someone is pulling the strings of the Tholian Assembly. Which raises the question, who is the obsidian Tholian? SPOILERS for Star Trek Year Five #7 by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Stephen Thompson, and Charlie Kirchoff follow.

Star Trek: Year Five began with the Enterprise discovering evidence of a massacre on the planet Lloyd-Zeta 9. It seemed that one group of Tholians had slaughtered another group of Tholians. The Federation is ignorant of the Tholians’ societal structure, but the crew discovered a path to new understanding. That key is a survivor found on the planet.

The crew took the Tholian, assumed to be a child, aboard the Enterprise. Uhura set about trying to communicate with it, giving it the name Bright Eyes. She’s had a breakthrough and completed a Tholian translation matrix, but communication still proceeds at a slow pace.

In Star Trek: Year Five #7, readers catch a glimpse into the Tholian Assembly. They are being addressed by an obsidian-colored Tholian who speaks in black balloons. But it isn’t a true Tholian. The being’s speech implies it has taken this form with some effort. The obsidian Tholian warns the assembly that it must take action against Enterprise and its commanding officer, Capt. James T. Kirk.

But who is this obsidian Tholian? Co-writer Jackson Lanzing invited speculation on Twitter last week. Fans guessed the obsidian Tholian is a Romulan or Garak in disguise or Q up to no good. But going into the weekend, Lanzing said that no one had yet solved the mystery.

Who do you think the Obsidian Tholian is? Let us know in the comments. Star Trek: Year Five #7 is on sale now.

Star Trek: Year Five #7
AUG190802
(W) Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly (A/CA) Stephen Thompson

Just as the crew is finally able to communicate with their Tholian passenger, the Enterprise runs into a new obstacle-a Tholian web! But as the crew works with other trapped ships to figure out how to escape, new questions about what the Tholian Assembly is planning to darken the horizon.

* The return of first arc scribes Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly (Green Arrow, Nightwing)!

* A continuing series about the end of the Five-Year Mission!

* The classic crew is back in all-new stories featuring your favorite characters from the Original Series!

In Shops: Oct 30, 2019
SRP: $3.99