The focus of this part of the story is personal, but the scope of the story is growing and becoming the epic and galactic space opera we’ve been building towards to this point. She never falls to pieces none of our characters do because even while strong, terrible, dramatic things are happening our brains are capable of processing them alongside the other more mundane needs to keep us functioning. Her emotions can cause her to think and act rashly she clearly isn’t whole, but isn’t portrayed as broken. She’s tough as nails, and a part of that strength is built from rage, the rage she feels at the entire situation she is in, but that she tamps down. In this chapter she is something extra, something more.

Gwendolyn has grown on me, my interest in her story growing as she moves away from being revenge driven. While there are arguably only a couple of main characters in Saga the “supporting” characters are just as well-developed, sympathetic, and alive as Alanna and Marko. There is simply no end in sight to the struggle Alana and Marko will continue to endure to protect and rebuild their family, welcome to the middle of the story. The children, Alanna, and Marko’s mom are with their kidnapper and other terrifying new enemies who bring an entire new area of danger to light. Marko’s uneasy alliance with Prince Robot IV to find their missing children is underway (and it is just as awesome as I hoped). We pick up with Gwendolyn, Sophie, Lying Cat and The Brand are looking for the ingredients to a cure for The Will. *As a note, I am refusing to grade these against themselves, they are collectively some of the best storytelling I have read this year and they will all be given five stars, regardless of swings in execution from volume to volume.

Vaughan and Fiona Staples partnership has managed to accomplish. These books continue to be fantastic and I am in awe of what Brian K. Instead, I went on vacation, came back, and then slowly continued my journey through Hazel’s story. At the end of Four I was devastated, I both simultaneously wanted to start the next volume immediately and knew I wasn’t emotionally ready for it. I’ve finally finished the remaining available volumes of Saga.

Saga, Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan