Die #13 (September 2): Man, H.G. Wells likes to ramble.
Wells eventually informs Ash that he believes some sort of intelligence - either the former Grandmaster or Die itself - harvested the "real" world's greatest authors' ideas to create each region. Wells describes his horror at learning that the Schlieffen Plan convinced the Germans that they could win a Great War. Wells create a game against war - a book entitled "Little Wars" - in the hope of convincing the Germans otherwise. Instead, he found himself in Die, "a man of peace, trapped in a game of war." In his conversations with the other Masters (like Brontë) he realized that they had similar experiences. Wells says that he's the only Master resisting what he calls "the intelligence." As Eternal Prussia is the "echo" of what his "Little Wars" was trying to oppose, he fought to keep Glass Town free to prevent Eternal Prussia from achieving its goal of capturing it. Wells starts to walk Ash through how his stories influenced Die only to reveal he was stalling so his Invisible Men could capture Ash.
Elsewhere, the Fair inform Angela, Chuck, and Matt that they get three questions. Angela suggests Molly should get a question, but the Fair note that she isn't a player "this time." As Angela is asking what the Fair mean by this time, Matt stops her, reminding her not to waste her question. The Fair tell Chuck that they're not going to cure him and Matt that nothing can cure him. Angela asks the Fair if they're going to tell the team what it actually needs the Fair to tell it. It turns out "the machine of Die" has been assembling itself for 200 years with the goal of combining the two worlds. To Die, D20 represents a world, so two worlds means 20+20 or the year 2020. (Yeah, I'm not sure I get it either.) The Fair came to Die in 1990 to try to stop Die. Instead, they created the time loop: by opening the future to the present, they introduced the Fallen, victims from the "real" world who had yet to fall.
The Fair inform the team that they were an attempt at a cure, to make it about the "real future." (Again, I don't really get this part either.) At any rate, Die sits at the end of the timeline and can reach back through it. It inspires minds and sent two sets of artifacts into the real world. In 1991 the six dice arrived. The Fair used them to bring the team to Die as a "beta test for all humanity's fate." (Again, it isn't clear how they were, but I assume we'll get there.) Sol then created the twelve soldiers and sent them into 1826. The Fair say that Sol then called for the team, setting into motion the events that created their dice: the dice are currently being forged in Glass Town (presumably by Eternal Prussia) and once they're forged Die will reach full sentience.
In Angria, Wells is having the Invisible Men strangle Ash since it abides by his pledge not to spill blood. (Clever.) However, Ash tells him that the Great War happened. Wells thinks that Eternal Prussia is his worst fear, but she tells him it's actually 1914-1918. Wells didn't save the world, as he thought. Most importantly, though, Die wanted Wells to create "Little Wars" so it would one day evolve into "Dungeons & Dragons," bringing the team to Die. Wells is appalled when he realizes that he's been blind and disappears into time, ordering the Invisible Men to kill Ash. Isabelle saves her, using Pyrrhus to burn the Invisible Men. When Ash awakens, Isabelle berates her for once again keeping her outside the loop. She had to beg the gods to let her know where Ash was, just like when they were 16 years old and Ash would disappear with Sol. Ash apologizes, but Isabelle notes that they don't have time for apologies. On the front, Aslan agrees to Ash's promise to abdicate if they can form an alliance to take out Eternal Prussia at Glass Town.
This issue continues Gillen really kicking this story into gear. Both teams converging on Glass Town for different reasons feels organic, not like Gillen pulling the strings. But, Ash realizing at the end that her euphoria over the truce is probably something Wells felt, Gillen's way of reminding us someone is pulling the strings. Is it Gary Gygax? Some future gamer? We'll see, I guess.
Transformers '84: Secret and Lies #3 (September 2): This series has really devolved into Furman trying to link all the various iterations of the original continuity without any real concern about whether it's a good read. It has become almost impossible to follow as Furman has begun introducing Japanese-only characters. As much as I love Star Saber here, I really shouldn't have to read Furman's notes at the end of the issue to understand the story. I'm hoping Furman uses this miniseries to accomplish his reckoning so we can get a subsequent miniseries that tells new stories set in the original continuity.
Star Wars #6 (September 16): Pak has really done a spectacular job with Luke's story here, and this issue is a fitting end to it. What began as Luke's quest to find his lightsaber - and then, when that failed - any lightsaber - turns into a meditation on the horror of Order 66.
Artoo yet again saves Luke's life, stunning Verla into unconsciousness, freeing Luke from the water trap she activated at the end of last issue, and shocking him back to life. When Verla awakens and realizes that Luke didn't kill her when she had a chance, she admits that he may be Vader's son, but he isn't Vader. That said, she desperately tries to convince Luke that the Force sees the Jedi and the Sith as little more than tools in whatever cosmic game it's playing. (I actually love the idea of the Force possibly have masters behind it, and I hope someone explores that one day.)
Verla walks Luke through the horrors she faced as the Inquisitors and Vader chased her over decades simply because she had some meager talent in the Force. Pak makes us see just as young Luke is here as he's convinced that it's his destiny to become a Jedi, despite Verla telling him that's exactly like the Force to use "destiny" to convince its tools to do its bidding. When Luke makes it clear that he's not giving up his quest, Verla tells him to travel to a temple on Tempes. She found a holocron and lightsaber there but left them there when she realized it was time to abandon the quest her dead master gave her.
Undeterred, Luke travels to Tempes and is thrilled to find the holocron and lightsaber. But, the ghost of one of the Inquisitors attacks him, informing him that he's murdered every prospective Jedi to enter the temple. Luke defeats him - a hint at the power he wields - and returns to Leia and the Rebels as a sign of hope as they plan to launch Operation Starlight. Meanwhile, Vader travels to Tempes to examine the sprung trap, denying the Inquisitor's request for death by reminding him that he's simply a tool.
Again, this issue is just so packed with action and emotion I found myself surprised every time I turned a page and it wasn't the last one. Verla's warnings to Luke hint at the bitter man that he'll become, living alone on a desolate planet just like she does. For now, though, he continues to be a symbol of hope for the Rebels at a time when they desperately need one.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #5 (September 16): If "Star Wars" #6 is about the horrors of Order 66, this issue is about how Anakin's actions on Mustafa set his fate.
Vader finds himself unable to open Padmé's tomb as he remembers choking her, and it's Zed-6-7 (his inquisitor droid) who uses a med implant in her corpse to lead them to a Rebel base on Polis Massa. Vader learns the truth: Obi-Wan took a dying Padmé there to try to save her life. Their investigation is put on hold as the Amidalans arrive, and Vader springs his trap, eliminating them entirely. In the broken remains of the Rebel base, Zed-6-7 discovers a midwife droid whose memory banks are still functional. Vader watches Padmé's last moments, as she insists to Obi-Wan that there's still good in Anakin. Enraged when Zed-6-7 mentions how important Obi-Wan was to Padmé - with the flashbacks reminding us that he told Padmé she was lying when she said that she loved him - Vader destroys Zed-6-7 (another great droid lost) and returns to the Emperor.
The rare moment of weakness that we see in Vader at Padmé's tomb - one of the few moments that I recall in any of these series where he has any noticeable reaction to his memories - is the sign that Anakin is still in there somewhere. After next issue though, as Vader will face the Emperor's punishment for his weakness, it's clear that Anakin will disappear even further in Vader's psyche.
The Last God #9 (September 23): When I asked a friend if I should read "Game of Thrones," he told me that he wasn't sure if he'd decide to do so again if he had the chance, since the better the person you are the worse the things you suffer. "The Last God" is definitely treading that territory.
In the past, the fellowship battles a Starro-esque monster as they make their way through the Abyssal Realms. When a scavenger bird arrives, Tyr ignores Jorunn's warning that they're clever and falls into a trap...literally. Stepping on a piece of canvas covering up a hole, he falls through it, barely managing to get his axe on the ledge before falling into the bird's nest full of hatchlings ready to feed. Cyanthe not only doesn't help him but removes his axe; he's saved only when Haakon grabs him. Cyanthe reveals that she knows that he tried to have sex with Veikko and, when he begins to claim Veikko is lying, she warns him that he has no one to blame but himself.
In the present, Shyf struggles to hold off the "Dwarrow wraiths," as the introduction calls them. Cyanthe asks Kolba for help, and he wryly notes that, had they asked the Djorruk for help 30 years earlier, they could've led them through the Abyssal Realm. Now, he refuses to help her. Outside, Jorrun manages to grab Eyvindr. Before he can use Ruarc's blade, Jorrun severs his arm. I'll admit I was stunned - stunned - at this part. Eyvindr definitely had the hero tag going for him here, and in most books it would mean that he'd escape relatively unscathed. But, again, we're in "Games of Thrones" territory now. Eyvindr grabs the blade with his magic - careful not to touch it for long - and jams it into Jorrun.
Inside the cavern, Shyf informs Cyanthe she can't sense Eyvindr or Valko anymore. Cyanthe approaches Kolba who informs us that all the Djorruk opened their eyes at the same moment when the Abyssal Realm was full of beauty and wonder. It underscores the point that he was making earlier, that the fellowship immediately trusted the powerful because they though that they'd be the most useful. Now, Kolba notes that the Abyssal Realm may never be beautiful again, but it may be quiet after all the Dwarrows and Djorruk die. He asks her if she's sorry she won't see the Black Stair. Here, Cyanthe turns the tables on him: she informs him that she's Mol Uhltep's vessel, so she never intended to climb the Stair. She tells him that, when they met Mol Uhltep, they committed a sin even greater than the one that they did with the Djorruk and were all suitably cursed. She expressed hope that Evindyr, Shyf, and Valko will succeed where the fellowship failed, since they're free of poison and weakness. Taking on board Cyanthe's promise to kill herself once she's led the team to the Black Stair, he opens a door through the rock, telling her that he understands that she was punished and that he won't ask her to die for his sake.
Close to the surface, Tyr approaches Cyanthe, and she taunts him, telling him that he isn't the "big man" anymore with Grey and Haakon. He again tries to blame Veikko, but Cyanthe tells him that she saw him try to assault Veikko. She then confirms what I suspected: she used the Soul Ember to speak with her father, who cursed her for a whore, cursed her for letting him die, and cursed her for bedding his murderer. Haakon interrupts the conversation, and Tyr leaves. Cyanthe asks why he's with them, since they're all so broken and false. Haakon tells her that to live is to be broken; it's what makes us strong. (I need to remember that sentiment myself in the future.) He tells Cyanthe that her heart guides them, something the Fey see in her. Haakon pledges not to abandon the Djorruk, to save them after they climb the Stair. But, Kennedy Johnson reminds us his pledge doesn't come to pass, as Skol see Haakon's dead body - with a wound in the back - in the Bloodglass.
In the present, Valko carries Eyvindr's body up the mountain, chased by Dwarrow wraiths a little less terrifying than Jorunn. He uses his magic to destroy them and arrives on a plateau. After spending the last two or three issues trying to teach Eyvindr magic, Valko tells him that he has to do it now to save his life. As Eyvindr tries, he just tells him that he feels death coming as a noise reverberates through the mountain. Days later, the remaining team exists the Abyssal Realm. Cyanthe informs Shyf that they're about two days from the Fellspyre. They then hear the same noise the guys did. Djorruk comments that "one" hasn't been this far south in a certain amount of time. Before they can flee to the caverns, a black dragon appears!
As we approach the Stair, I realize now that we're still short a pretty important fellowship member in the present: without Haakon and the Fey, how exactly does Cyanthe think the team with defeat Mol Uhltep? I don't see why she'd lead them to their doom on his behalf, but I also don't see how they're going to defeat him.
Undiscovered Country #8 (September 23): This issue is surprisingly straight-forward.
Sam implies that he exists in each of the 13 zones and encourages the team not to ask questions beyond that. He confirms that "walking the Spiral" means that they're going to need to get through all 13 zones before they get to Aurora. A frustrated Chang seems not to understand that Destiny isn't Unity, assuming that they're going to have to engage in some elaborate game involving American lore to move to the next zone. When he suggests they're going to have to steal Davy Crockett coonskin hat and use it to unlock a secret door hidden in Abraham Lincoln's asshole, Sam responds that Davy Crockett is in Possibility not Unity. Chang throws up his hands and starts walking into the forest when Unity's snake-like "automated security and integration system" attacks him. Daniel tries to help, but he's also wounded. Sam eventually calls off the system, and they all head to Unity City in a car Sam creates whole-cloth.
In the past, we see the Graves sending off Charlotte and Daniel. Sam reminds them that they made a deal: Aurora would watch over the kids in the outside world (an interesting twist), and the Graves would help the Sealing happen in 72 hours.
As the team marvels at the advanced Unity City, Valentina asks Sam how it's all possible. Sam reveals to Valentina that time in Unity is only running three times as fast as opposed to five times as fast in Destiny. As such, he's hopeful if they can find a zone that runs at the same time they can go home. But, it means 100 years have passed since the Sealing, so it explains how they managed to build such a technological marvel of the Pacific Northwest. Although relatively cagey about how exactly Unity works, he does explain that essentially everything is connected to each other via "psycho-active nano-material," explaining how he created the car.
Sam introduces them to Dr. Naira Jain, the "first among equals" in Unity. Chang and Janet immediately try to negotiate with her, but she demurs, telling them that they need to rest. She then shows them to a replica of the Graves' house. Charlotte and Daniel are taken aback, even more so when replicas of their parents greet them. Jain tells the two horrified Graves children that it's her "little gift" to them, which is as creepy as it sounds. Meanwhile, the Destiny Man arrives in Unity, proclaiming it "his land."
Unity definitely has an edge that it's trying to hide. After the "security and integration system" attacks Chang and Daniel, Sam comments that it's "always looking for new meat," which doesn't sound super-Utopian to me. In the "backmatter," as Kieron Gillen calls it, Snyder and Soule introduce two new narratives. First, a message-board post by a young Ace contemplates that America has sealed itself from the world because it's planning something: the America he knows wants to be in control of everything. Here, the time issues begin to make sense, as Destiny and Unity alone show us the new capabilities America would have when it emerged. Second, the history of the post-Sealing days mentions that no one specifically says what the plan for Alaska is. I've been wondering that, since this history makes it clear that Hawai'i is cut loose. How do you travel the Spiral to Alaska? Vamos a ver.
Also Read: Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #5 (September 23)
No comments:
Post a Comment