In this review of Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #5, with most of the Voyager crew currently prisoners of Species 8472, how can Captain Janeway make sure everyone gets home to Earth safe and sound?
Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #5
Written by: Susan and Tilly Bridges
Art and Main Cover by: Ángel Hernández
Variant Cover: Rachel Perciphone
Page Count: 28 pages
Release Date: February 11, 2026
This review contains spoilers
Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #5 begins with Captain Janeway and most of the Voyager crew held as prisoners by Species 8472 in a facility called The Aberraton, and are designated to become new test subjects for the hostile aliens. Admiral Paris (Tom’s dad) is found in the cell, apparently replaced by an 8472 and held prisoner there for years.
Boothby and Archer, both renegade 8472 in human form (from the Season Five episode “In the Flesh”), are also prisoners and agree to help Janeway and her crew escape (with a timely assist from the holographic Doctor and some Borg nanoprobe weapons launched from Voyager).
The nanoprobes begin to eat through the Aberraton, allowing fluidic space to run rampant throughout the facility and creating an opening for a prison break. Janeway, her crew, Boothby and Archer make their way through the damaged facility to where Voyager is docked and make their escape (after tricking a hostile 8472 into a nanoprobe trap). Voyager and an older model 8472 vessel take flight and are able to open a wormhole back to normal space.
As the ships travel, Janeway stays onboard the 8472 vessel, using their special pod to communicate telepathically with the entirety of Species 8472, especially those in the resistance movement against the paranoid Prime Hierarch. Janeway attempts to assuage their fears, offering an apology for Voyager’s previous alliance with the Borg and assures them that she wants a peaceful coexistence with them.
As Janeway’s message continues, Voyager arrives back on Earth, and the command crew disperse to reunite with former friends, loved ones and colleagues. Admiral Paris meets his granddaughter Miral, the holographic Doctor is welcomed by Doctor Pulaski and others. Harry Kim rekindles a lost love, Seven of Nine and Chakotay make romantic plans, but not with each other.
Janeway makes up for lost time with a special someone and B’Elanna is surprised by the appearance of her long absent father, who attempts to make amends for abandoning her. Meanwhile the ailing Tuvok is healed through a Vulcan ritual with his wife and is introduced to his own grandchild.
Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #5 ends with a formal welcome back ceremony for the Voyager crew at Starfleet Command as the Doctor snaps one final photo of the entire Voyager bridge crew for old times sake and before everyone follows their own disparate paths towards the future.
Analysis
Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #5 manages to wrap up the various plot threads from this series as well as providing the actual homecoming fans want to see for the characters. However for whatever reason, the issue doesn’t entirely stick the landing. Writers Susan and Tilly Bridges provide more accurate sounding dialogue, a little bit of tension and some nice wrap up scenes for the various Voyager crew members but the finale feels rushed and would have benefitted by another issue or extra pages.
The opening sequence unpacks a lot of revelations, from Admiral Paris as the last human prisoner of Species 8472, and almost the entirety of Starfleet’s Pathfinder project were 8472 in disguise (except for Reg Barclay). This reveal is shocking and also borders on feeling forced. But on reflection, maybe it’s likely that Starfleet security dropped the ball by being infiltrated by two dangerous, shape-shifting alien races (including the Dominion).
Other than the brief use of Borg nanoprobe-infused weapons and Captain Janeway tricking a hostile 8472 into an infected communication pod (shades of Superman II), Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #5 is light on action, but the expectation wasn’t necessarily an all out space battle, but it’s more that the danger dropped precipitously without much incident or explanation. The return of familiar faces is a nice touch.
Janeway’s voiceover as she telepathically reaches out to the 8472 renegades is touching, as is the welcome return of Boothby and Archer as allies. The revelation that 8472 has a rebel faction is heartening as the Prime Hierarch (8472’s leader) has been driven insane by paranoia and perceived betrayals, vowing vengeance upon almost everyone. The Borg allies (minus Nine) are given short shrift.
Angel Hernandez’s artwork is stunning as usual, effortlessly shifting from action or alien spacecraft interiors, to small, poignant moments between the fan-favorite characters. Hernandez nails the characters likenesses without making them static portraits.
Final Thoughts
Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #5 stumbles as it reaches the endpoint, but the creative team builds up enough good will from the previous issues and the clever touches in the finale. The story and art for the most are solid, but the finale would have benefitted from another 10 pages of story.
