As the above comment implies, I'll admit that it's a little hard to follow, mostly due to the vague hints about Loki's perpetual machinations (or, at least, our constant expectations of them). For example, it took me a second read to realize what the lie that Miss America regrets that she and Loki had to tell Billy was. On my first read, I thought that she was just referring to another of Loki's as-yet-unrevealed schemes and confirming that she may be complicit in it. However, I'm glad that I re-read that, since it's not the case. Instead, it was that Loki lied to Billy when he told him that committing suicide wouldn't stop Mother. It would've and Loki stopping Billy because he believed that "this story has a happier ending than that" casts Loki in a more heroic light than we usually see. Of course, I still don't fully trust that he was acting so benevolently, but it would be nice if it were true. Also, I'm still not really sure that I'm right in the first paragraph, even though Kieron's letters-page comments make it seem like I should be surer.
In addition to some more clarity, it would've been nice to see the Young Avengers interact a little more with the other teenage heroes, since they serve mostly as extras for most of this issue. Kieron squanders a real opportunity in that way, though I guess that it's possible to see such interactions in future issues. (I'd like to have seen Striker awkwardly hit on Velocidad, at the very least.) That said, Kate's, "Avengers assemble, I guess" was pretty freaking awesome.
Overall, it's a weaker-than-usual issue for this series, which still makes it a stronger-than-usual issue for most series.
*** (three of five stars)
I think that the next issues will clarify your first paragraph. But i'm going to say that Leah is something different just as Mother wasn't Tommy's Mother.
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