Finally, we come to the end of this amazing thrill ride, and I have to be honest about the Star Trek: TNG — Mirror Broken story: I DON’T WANT IT TO BE OVER!

Scott and David Tipton with artist extraordinaire, J.K. Woodward have managed to create something truly memorable with this series, which wraps up this week with Mirror Broken #5.

My only complaint? It’s over too damn quickly. Five issues may seem like a decent length for a story arc, but when you have something this good, it’s only natural to want more.

Just to briefly recap the events from when we last left Picard and his band of freebooters, they were being chased down by Imperial Starships to return the stolen ISS Enterprise. However, before any serious battle could ensue, they were surrounded by an overwhelming number of Cardassian and Klingon warships, making this a heck of a standoff. What’s Picard’s solution? He runs.

But, given that this isn’t the familiar Next Generation universe, we can’t expect a deft ruse or diplomatic solution, right? So, in true buccaneer fashion, Picard turns, stands, and fights… and the battle is monumentally epic!

I don’t want to give anything away – it’s an innovative and creative battle that makes use of this Enterprise’s special nature and needs to be enjoyed without any fear of spoilers. But this is a saga that sees the making of the stuff of legends. In this case, it’s a five-issue origin story that sees the crew of the Enterprise in this universe coming together. In all honesty, I find I actually preferred this adventure to “Encounter at Farpoint.”

Woodward’s art is spectacularly accurate to the finest degree. Not only are his likenesses brilliant, but he manages to fit in little details that might get unnoticed if you aren’t looking carefully. For example, in the mess hall party, watch to see who Riker is trying to impress, with a jealous Inquisitor Troi watching over his shoulder.

Also, when Picard stands up from his chair, just because his tunic is armless, it doesn’t stop him from executing the familiar tunic adjustment fans have come to know as “the Picard Maneuver.” It’s these details that drive home the realism of his imagery.

This iteration of the Mirror Universe makes this tale unexplored territory. The Tiptons and Woodward have created new pathways for these characters to follow and have ultimately made this trailblazing stuff to read. It’s more than just a new spin on old characters – these are new characters in terms of behaviour, dialogue and values.

There are also new potential storylines to explore in this arc as well. For example: what is the nature of the relationship between Guinan and Picard in the Mirror Universe? What about the next adventure, and, in thinking about the crew, to echo Mr. Barclay: how long can this last?

You can expect this to last a little bit more. In all candour, I can give you a full prediction right here and now, that this is NOT the end of this series. There’s too much fun for Woodward and the Tiptons to miss out on continuing the Mirror Universe adventures of the ISS Enterprise-D. So, I’m calling this one: expect another series of adventures from these creators.

• The regular cover by Woodward is the best one by far. Not only does it show a unified crew ready to tackle anything that threatens the Empire, but it also reinforces that sense that there are more stories to come. Boldly looking towards the future is what we’ve come to expect from the regular universe Enterprise crew – why should their Mirror Universe counterparts be any different?
   
• The subscription cover is another one of George Caltsoudas’s stylized representations. In this instance, we see Data striking an intimidating pose, complete with Borg attachments. I don’t know if it fits this particular issue. In fact, it probably would have been a better choice as a variant back-up to the Loot Crate edition that featured Data’s origin story in this universe.
   
• The retailer-incentive cover by Rachael Stott is certainly a dramatic one, with a dominant-looking Captain Picard breaking a window with his fist as the crew looks on from behind him. As this is a story about the crew’s “baptism of fire,” so to speak; this is a better choice of covers that shows a united crew, eager to crush the enemies of the Empire.

Overall, this is a story that’s too good to miss. Mirror Broken #5 ends with the same character this tale started with: Reginald Barclay, who expresses his curiosity about the crew’s future.

As for me, I take comfort in my shared opinion with Barclay that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of the ISS Enterprise-D, and I look forward to new stories set in this universe sometime in the future.