Star Trek: The Next Generationgon The Inner Light remains one of the series’ most memorable hours, where Captain Picard experiences life as Kamin on a doomed world. The twist—that the entire sequence is a memory within a probe—leaves viewers with a sense of grandeur and lingering questions about closure. In 2012, writer Morgan Gendel told Forbes he had drafted a follow-up, tentatively titled The Outer Light, as an unofficial continuation.
From idea to web comic
Gendel described a concept in which Picard would meet the real-life Eline, Kamin’s spouse, a meeting that would bring emotional weight but would sit outside the show’s canon. He noted that network executives at the time were not inclined to option sequels, so the project never received a formal pitch.
The Outer Light takes shape
Years later, the concept surfaced as a web comic. The story posits that the Kataanians woke after a thousand years in stasis and Picard crosses paths with the revived people to help resolve a crisis tied to their mining ore. The tone leans toward spy-thriller adventure rather than the meditative spirit of The Inner Light, offering a different flavor while continuing to probe memory, identity, and loss.
Gendel noted the work was created without studio endorsement and did not earn him money. He framed it as an unofficial exploration rather than a finished script.
Reception and context
Among fans, reactions were mixed. Some applauded the idea as a way to give Picard new closure; others critiqued the comics art and its alignment with Star Trek visuals. Yet the drive for closure lingered for many.
The Outer Light presents Picard in a more action-driven arc while nodding to the original’s themes of memory and resilience, offering a different lens on a beloved moment in Star Trek history.
Source: Original article
