Star Trek Just Unveiled Deep Space Nine's True Successor With One Big Twist

Published Jul 24, 2026, 8:30 PM EDT Shaun Corley has been with ScreenRant for over 5 years, and is currently the Coordinator for PR and Outreach for the Comics Team. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Warning: contains spoilers for Star Trek: Redshirts II: Ghosts of the 21st Century! Star Trek just unveiled Deep Space Nine’s replacement, but there is one huge twist. One of the most distant, and important, bases in Starfleet, Deep Space Nine functioned first as a jumping-off point to missions in the Gamma Quadrant before transitioning to a beacon of hope during a time of war. Debuting in early 1993, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, was a spin-off of The Next Generation, and the first entry in the franchise not to be set on board a starship. Led by Captain Ben Sisko, Deep Space Nine was once a Cardassian space station, in orbit of the occupied planet of Bajor. When the Cardassians withdrew, the Federation took the station over, rechristening it Deep Space Nine. Sisko, anticipating a week-long assignment at best, soon found himself in charge of Starfleet’s most important outpost upon discovery of the Bajoran Wormhole, which led to the distant Gamma Quadrant. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine broke new ground in other ways as well. Deep Space Nine showed the darker side of the Star Trek universe. Even though the Federation technically “owned” Deep Space Nine, it nevertheless had to share it with the Bajorans and a slew of other species, some of which did not abide by Starfleet’s rules. Tough decisions had to be made daily, especially when the Dominion War began. Now, Star Trek has introduced a new space station to the lore, even more lawless and “Wild West” than Deep Space Nine. Stardate 47988.1 · Crew Assessment The Final FrontierTrivia Challenge 🚀ShipsEnterprise! ⭐CrewMake it so ☠EnemiesResistance is… ⚡TechWarp speed! 📖LoreLive long… ENGAGE → 01 The USS Enterprise is the most iconic starship in science fiction. What is the registry number of Captain Kirk’s original Enterprise from The Original Series? ANCC-1701-D BNX-01 CNCC-1701 DNCC-74656 ✓ Correct! NCC-1701 is the registry of Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise. The “-D” suffix belongs to Picard’s Galaxy-class ship, NX-01 is Archer’s Enterprise, and NCC-74656 is Voyager. ✗ Red alert! The answer is NCC-1701. Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise carried this now-legendary registry. NCC-1701-D is Picard’s Enterprise from TNG, NX-01 is Captain Archer’s, and NCC-74656 belongs to Voyager. NEXT → 02 Kirk’s most trusted officer is a half-human, half-Vulcan science officer famous for his logic and iconic salute. Who is this legendary character? AData BSpock CTuvok DSarek ✓ Correct! Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, is the half-Vulcan science officer whose “Live long and prosper” salute became a cultural icon. His struggle between logic and emotion defines the heart of the Original Series. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Spock. Data is an android from TNG, Tuvok is Voyager’s Vulcan tactical officer, and Sarek is Spock’s Vulcan father. Only Spock is the half-human, half-Vulcan first officer of Kirk’s Enterprise. NEXT → 03 Starfleet’s most important regulation forbids interference with the natural development of alien civilizations. What is this guiding principle called? AThe Temporal Accord BGeneral Order One CThe Omega Directive DThe Prime Directive ✓ Correct! The Prime Directive (also known as General Order 1) is Starfleet’s most sacred law. It prohibits interfering with less-developed civilizations — though Kirk, Picard, and Janeway have all famously bent or broken it when lives were at stake. ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Prime Directive. While “General Order One” is technically another name for it, the Prime Directive is the universally known term. The Omega Directive and Temporal Accord are separate, more specialized Starfleet protocols. NEXT → 04 “Resistance is futile.” This chilling declaration belongs to a cybernetic collective that assimilates entire civilizations into its hive mind. What is this fearsome species called? AThe Borg BThe Dominion CThe Romulans DSpecies 8472 ✓ Correct! The Borg are Star Trek’s most terrifying villains — a hive-mind collective that forcibly assimilates species and technology. Captain Picard was famously assimilated and transformed into Locutus in the landmark TNG episode “The Best of Both Worlds.” ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Borg. The Dominion is the Gamma Quadrant empire from DS9, the Romulans are a rival empire, and Species 8472 is actually one of the few species that the Borg themselves fear. Only the Borg declare “Resistance is futile.” NEXT → 05 Captain Jean-Luc Picard commands the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation and later received his own series, Star Trek: Picard. Which acclaimed actor portrays him? AWilliam Shatner BAvery Brooks CPatrick Stewart DScott Bakula ✓ Correct! Sir Patrick Stewart brought gravitas, Shakespeare, and Earl Grey tea to the captain’s chair for seven seasons of TNG, four films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. His “Make it so” is one of TV’s most iconic catchphrases. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Patrick Stewart. William Shatner plays Captain Kirk, Avery Brooks is Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine, and Scott Bakula captains the NX-01 Enterprise. Only Sir Patrick Stewart portrays the legendary Jean-Luc Picard. NEXT → 06 Starfleet vessels travel faster than light by bending space around them using a matter-antimatter reaction. What is this propulsion system called? ATranswarp Drive BWarp Drive CSlipstream Drive DSpore Drive ✓ Correct! Warp Drive is the standard faster-than-light propulsion in Star Trek, powered by dilithium-regulated matter-antimatter reactions. Zefram Cochrane invented it in 2063, which led to humanity’s first contact with the Vulcans. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Warp Drive. Transwarp is an advanced Borg technology, Slipstream is an experimental quantum drive, and the Spore Drive uses mycelial network navigation (from Discovery). Standard Starfleet vessels use Warp Drive. NEXT → 07 At Starfleet Academy, cadets face a notorious no-win scenario designed to test their character under impossible circumstances. James Kirk is the only cadet who ever beat it — by cheating. What is this test called? AThe Prometheus Trial BThe Omega Simulation CThe Corbomite Maneuver DThe Kobayashi Maru ✓ Correct! The Kobayashi Maru is an unwinnable rescue simulation that tests how cadets handle certain death. Kirk reprogrammed it so he could win — earning a commendation for original thinking. It was memorably featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Kobayashi Maru. The Corbomite Maneuver is a TOS episode, not an Academy test. The Kobayashi Maru is the famous no-win scenario that Kirk defeated by reprogramming the simulation — because he doesn’t believe in the no-win scenario. NEXT → 08 In the widely regarded greatest Star Trek film, a genetically enhanced superhuman from Earth’s past seeks revenge against Captain Kirk. “KHAAAAN!” Who is this iconic villain? AKhan Noonien Singh BGeneral Chang CQ DGul Dukat ✓ Correct! Khan Noonien Singh, played by Ricardo Montalbán, is Star Trek’s greatest villain. First appearing in the TOS episode “Space Seed,” he returned in The Wrath of Khan (1982) for a devastating revenge plot that cost Spock his life. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Khan Noonien Singh. General Chang is a Klingon from Star Trek VI, Q is TNG’s omnipotent trickster, and Gul Dukat is DS9’s Cardassian antagonist. Only Khan inspired Kirk’s legendary scream across the cosmos. REVEAL MY SCORE → Mission Complete Your Starfleet Record / 8 Are you an Admiral — or still a cadet on deck-scrubbing duty? ↻ RE-ENGAGE Star Trek Fans, Meet Marianas, the Space Station That Makes Deep Space Nine Look Tame In Star Trek: Redshirts II: Ghosts of the 21st Century #1, written by Gerry Duggan and drawn by Scott Buoncristiano, fans are whisked away to the Marianas, a space station described as “decades-old,” and the result of a collaboration between various civilizations. Starfleet maintains a nominal presence on Marianas, but Harry Deubert, Redshirts’ central character, states they are not the law there. The station’s population is diverse, stretching from across the galaxy, and fans get an impression it can be a dangerous place. Sure enough, Deubert runs afoul of illegal activities at Marianas, only they are being perpetrated by a renegade faction of Starfleet called Section Null. Under the command of a Romulan asset named Miller, Null is engaged in drug trafficking and other shady enterprises, and has been using Marianas as a base of operations. Deubert likens Miller and Section Null as “just another gang” in Marinas, a place already full of criminals. Deep Space Nine Took Star Trek In Dark Directions, But Marianas Goes a Step Further Star Trek: Deep Space Nine may have taken the franchise in a dark direction, but Marinas makes it look tame. While criminals and smugglers regularly found their way to Deep Space Nine, Constable Odo was always there to catch them. In addition, he had help from Starfleet, who maintained a strong presence aboard the station. Yet at Marianas, Starfleet’s authority is nominal at best, and indeed they have found themselves caught up in the dark dealings going on throughout the station. Both Marinas and Deep Space Nine show the grittier aspects of the Star Trek universe, allowing for deeper looks into the human condition. The Starfleet officers aboard Deep Space Nine contended with some of the galaxy’s worst criminals, and they were forced to confront the workability of the Federation’s high ideals. Deep Space Nine ultimately reaffirmed Star Trek’s philosophy. On the other hand, Marianas does not. Those who are not already corrupt when going there soon find themselves dragged into it. What Will Become of Marianas? Custom image by Ana Nieves And it is the lack of Starfleet authority on Marinas that makes it even wilder and more chaotic than Deep Space Nine. Redshirts 2: Ghosts of the 21st Century also depicts a more violent and brutal side of the Star Trek universe, and picking Marianas station for one of its settings will allow for some gory and R-rated kills. The successor to Deep Space Nine has arrived, and it is far darker than anyone could have imagined. Star Trek: Redshirts II: Ghosts of the 21st Century #1 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!