You Still Got It Lover (5/21/12)

[brasca]

Well Marc got to go out in a blaze of glory, but I'm worried that Link might've transferred his consciousness to someone else. At first I thought it was Shanna since she got stabbed by him, but now that I think about it he had a coil around Tiki Wiki's neck and drew blood right before he got sucked in. I don't think it's over yet what with the Big Bad going down this early in the chapter.

[Alice Macher]

I disagree. The turn-around in AEGIS's fortunes didn't begin with the current chapter, after all.

"Betrayal" was where it all went wrong: Joseph and one of the Xenochiclets killed, the surviving Xenochiclet turning on Team Alpha in anger, Rikk captured before Animal's blood could be shed on him, Tiki Wiki seemingly murdering Will, and Bellhop seemingly pulling Rumy over to the Hand's side.

About midway through "Breakdowns," AEGIS and Team Alpha began to come out ahead. Not flawlessly, and not without setbacks (mainly, Jayespin's personality reasserting itself at the worst possible time), but Jared revealed he had a plan; Baxter and Marc stepped up and showed gumption; Shanna pulled herself together amazingly quickly, and Julie proved a capable leader. Even Dotty wasn't a total waste of space.

In "Backstory," Ally came back on the scene to stop Rumy's rampage (although the fruits of that weren't seen until the current chapter); we learned Will wasn't truly dead and Tiki Wiki not really a traitor; and most importantly, Link--and the Hand as a whole--was finally exposed to both the President and the public as the menace it is.

So what we're seeing now, in "Beginnings," is all the pieces of this turnaround coming together.

The battle against the Cuckoos hasn't been without casualties. But AEGIS has had its D-Day. The Cuckoos are going down. They're Hitler in his bunker, now.

[danslepoubelle]

Check Tiki Wiki getting his butt in gear in the second last panel. Will really made an impression with that little apocalypse speech

[retrophrenologist]

Check Tiki Wiki getting his butt in gear in the second last panel. Will really made an impression with that little apocalypse speech

To him, Will is a legendary historical figure. It would be like having Davy Crockett threaten to kick your ass.

[brasca]

I disagree. The turn-around in AEGIS's fortunes didn't begin with the current chapter, after all.

"Betrayal" was where it all went wrong: Joseph and one of the Xenochiclets killed, the surviving Xenochiclet turning on Team Alpha in anger, Rikk captured before Animal's blood could be shed on him, Tiki Wiki seemingly murdering Will, and Bellhop seemingly pulling Rumy over to the Hand's side.

About midway through "Breakdowns," AEGIS and Team Alpha began to come out ahead. Not flawlessly, and not without setbacks (mainly, Jayespin's personality reasserting itself at the worst possible time), but Jared revealed he had a plan; Baxter and Marc stepped up and showed gumption; Shanna pulled herself together amazingly quickly, and Julie proved a capable leader. Even Dotty wasn't a total waste of space.

In "Backstory," Ally came back on the scene to stop Rumy's rampage (although the fruits of that weren't seen until the current chapter); we learned Will wasn't truly dead and Tiki Wiki not really a traitor; and most importantly, Link--and the Hand as a whole--was finally exposed to both the President and the public as the menace it is.

So what we're seeing now, in "Beginnings," is all the pieces of this turnaround coming together.

The battle against the Cuckoos hasn't been without casualties. But AEGIS has had its D-Day. The Cuckoos are going down. They're Hitler in his bunker, now.

I'm referring to the Big Bad or leader, Link who has just seemingly defeated. And that's more like Hitler getting killed during the July Plot when you still have enough capable generals and soldiers to impede victory. Moreover, T said the conclusion of this arc would have some big ramifications and not just save the day and sweep up the mess kind of resolution. So far the most important people lost is Jared and probably Marc (technically Joseph is still alive in a fetal state). In fact the damage done by the Hand is probably less than what happened when the Alphabet died. I know AEGIS HQ is gone, but there aren't massive casualties due to plane crashes and riots breaking out.

[Arky]

I assume Marc is within Tikiwikiville with Link, and Will is calling paramedics for Shanna (if Marc's injured body is still with us, it would be a cheap move to not show him in the last few panels and leave it ambiguous).

The turn of the tide was definitely Jared. Jared's plan:

1. Freed Donna.
2. Dealt with Ult.

Freeing Donna enabled everything else- stopping the orbital bombardment strategy, allowing Marc and Shanna and General Julie to go after Link, allowing Jackie to stop Rumy's rampage, allowing Di to go help Rikk keep Bellhop, Animal and Wheaties occupied.

I'm kind of hanging out for the moment when Feddyg puts a spanner into the works (the hell he died offscreen). As far as world shattering threats go, Mechtech/Cloud will probably not go easy and General Julie could potentially go Maxie on us, so it's not plain sailing for AEGIS yet. But it's looking a lot better than it was at the end of Betrayal.

[Thray]

This just feels so heartbreaking and unfair. Marc, who had the most potential of all the recruits and was certainly the future leader of AEGIS, sacrificed himself to save Shanna...only to die without realizing that Shanna was doomed anyway. ugh.

Not to mention, the war *still* isn't won. If even one of the Cuckoos survives, they can retreat to space, breed, and prepare a more careful attack. Unlike our heroes, it's very, very easy for them to pull victory from the jaws of defeat.

[Arky]

This just feels so heartbreaking and unfair. Marc, who had the most potential of all the recruits and was certainly the future leader of AEGIS, sacrificed himself to save Shanna...only to die without realizing that Shanna was doomed anyway. ugh.

Not to mention, the war *still* isn't won. If even one of the Cuckoos survives, they can retreat to space, breed, and prepare a more careful attack. Unlike our heroes, it's very, very easy for them to pull victory from the jaws of defeat.

Eh, if MechTech goes down it's curtains. Bellhop miiiiiight still help Animal and Wheaties run away but the comic won't run long enough for us to ever see the Cuckoos come back even if that happens.