The Catharsis That Never Came
I remember watching Star Trek: Voyager's finale, “Endgame,” back in 2001. The ship made it home, B'Elanna Torres gave birth, and Admiral Janeway sacrificed herself to rewrite history. And yet… something was missing.
No reunions. No emotional embraces with loved ones. No decompression after seven years in the Delta Quadrant. Just a quick shot of Voyager flying past Earth, and cut to credits.
For a show built on the desperate hope of getting home, the lack of payoff was—frankly—criminal.
Now, 24 years later, IDW's Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming (launching September 3, 2025) is finally giving fans what Endgame denied them: closure.
Why “Endgame” Left Fans Hungry
Voyager's finale was a paradox—simultaneously thrilling and frustrating. On one hand, it delivered a bombastic time-travel showdown with the Borg. On the other, it skipped the emotional core of the entire series: what coming home actually meant 716.
- No reunions. After years of longing for Earth, we never saw Chakotay embrace his family, Tom Paris reunite with his estranged father, or Seven of Nine confront her lingering humanity.
- Rushed romance. Chakotay and Seven's abrupt relationship felt unearned—more like a last-minute checkbox than a natural evolution 16.
- Reset-button storytelling. The finale leaned on time travel to fast-track Voyager's return, sidestepping the messy, human consequences of their journey 16.
Fans have spent decades filling in the gaps with novels, fanfiction, and headcanons. Now, Homecoming is making it official.
“Homecoming” Isn't Just Fan Service—It's Necessary
At San Diego Comic-Con 2025, co-writer Tilly Bridges admitted the daunting task of living up to expectations:
“Everybody who has been wanting to see that ending, that reunion, for thirty years, has a version of it in their heads. And obviously we cannot match all of them. So please don't hate us. We're doing our best.” 7
The comic picks up right where Endgame left off—Voyager's crew stepping onto Earth for the first time in seven years. But (because this is Star Trek) their homecoming isn't smooth. A “deadly secret” forces them back into action, testing their bonds in ways the Delta Quadrant never did 1.
Key plot points from the first two issues:
- Tuvok's deteriorating health (a lingering consequence of his neurological condition) 1.
- A betrayal from within Voyager, forcing Janeway to prove Starfleet's peaceful intentions—while her ship is hijacked 1.
- The emotional fallout of reintegration, something the TV series never explored.
This isn't just nostalgia—it's narrative justice.
The Tightrope of Fan Expectations
The risk with Homecoming is obvious: No one agrees on what Voyager's “perfect” ending should be.
Some fans wanted a bittersweet homecoming, with lasting scars from their journey. Others wanted a triumphant parade, Starfleet medals, and Neelix opening a Talaxian restaurant in San Francisco.
Bridges and her team are threading the needle by:
- Honoring the characters' arcs (Tuvok's illness, Seven's humanity, Janeway's leadership).
- Adding new stakes (because simply going home was never going to be easy).
- Balancing fan desires with fresh storytelling 7.
It's a thankless job—but if anyone can pull it off, it's this creative team.
Final Thought: Better Late Than Never
Voyager's ending was rushed. We all knew it. The writers knew it. Even Kate Mulgrew has hinted at her frustrations over the years.
But Homecoming isn't just a Band-Aid—it's a second chance. A chance to see Janeway's crew earn their happy ending. A chance to finally answer: What happened after the credits rolled?
Will it satisfy everyone? Of course not. But after 24 years of waiting, I'll take any resolution over that abrupt, blue-balled finale.
Star Trek: Voyager – Homecoming #1 arrives September 3, 2025 from IDW. Pre-order it, read it, and then—finally—let yourself feel something.
