Fractured Mirror - Part Two: Through the Looking Glass - Sonic Universe #26
I last posted a review way, way back in May of 2019 and now here it is May 2025!!! It's been six years!
I know. I know.
I can't believe I'm still here either. But while I'm here, I would like to actually finish this series before I die so let just jump right on in to the next issue.
Silver has followed the alternate Vector from the previous issue back to his world where he meets the rest of the alternate Chaotix. .
I can't decide if this ups the tension or not. On the one hand they're a constant reoccurring threat that can't be gotten rid of easily, but on the other hand the emotional turmoil of fighting your friends and family is somewhat stunted as they can't really be hurt.
Silver is rescued by Jani-Ca and this world's version of the Freedom Fighters. Which included alternate versions of Bunnie and Antoine.... maybe.
So there's some debate if the characters here are alternate universe versions of the main book's characters, older versions of the main characters in a bad future, or the descendants of the mains in an alternate timeline.
What makes things so hard to parse out is the fact the very comic itself can't decide the difference between an alternate timeline and different dimensions. The rules fluctuate to fit whatever story whichever writer is telling at the time.
Then there's the issue of making Archie Sonic characters actually look older. Like Jani-Ca talks about her trip to the past from issue 106 and says that she was younger then, but how much younger I couldn't tell you as she doesn't really look any different. And that might be an older Fiona Fox over there with graying hair or she could just be her future daughter who happens to be blonde.
Now add in the fact that everyone goes by different names (even though code names wouldn't serve any functional point in this instance) and the slight behavioral differences from certain characters and yeah... I've no idea.
I personally favor the 'it's a different dimension idea' and will present my evidence for this as we go along, but the comic heavily implies an alternate timeline with the idea that the split happened when Knuckles became Enerjak.
Speaking of whom, Enerjak's kind of boring as villain isn't he?
I mean we care cause he's Knuckles underneath, but otherwise he's pretty generic. Making grand speeches about his power and showing off but not having any real goals to work towards.
Like yeah you subjugated the planet, but why? What did that gain you? What is even the point of fighting anymore? What are you trying to keep beyond power for power's sake?
Anyways we'll do more of deep dive into fan theories and head cannons in the next issue. See ya then.
