SUPREME ILLUMINATION:
Before I go into anything else,I want to applaud JA for making COMMANDER KVVR such a compelling character.Contrary to the easily despicable cruel and evil villain full of moohahaha's relishing unprovoked and unneeded brutality,thrilling to bloodshed,and possessed of stereotypical megalomaniacal ego,JA crafted a truly capable,very intelligent being whom I found easy to relate to.This was a pleasant surprise.KVVR hated excessive bloodshed,but he had the iron will and understanding needed to kill his enemy by whatever means; killing his enemy saved his warriors' lives and ensured that he was a step closer with each fallen enemy to retiring peacefully with his wife.His inner monologue regarding his first kill and the many subsequent kills; his genuine concern for his fellow Skrull warriors; his admission that he simply ceased to dream because the faces of his fallen enemies denied him dreams; all of these things and several others marked KVVR as a unique being that really is a decent being at heart.In other circumstances,I could actually see him being friends with BP.KVVR is a strong leader both on the battlefield and in the political arena.He was a family loving being who cherished his wife.Recall that he had essentially wrangled his freedom from the Skrull Empire and all of its politics and was going to make good on his promise to retire at last with his wife...the name KVVR forever draped in glory.I LIKED KVVR.I even liked the conversation that he had with "BP AND ORORO" in the torture room.I liked his complete self-assuredness when dealing with his prisoners AND I liked the way that his inner dialogue noted both the chill glares of BP and ORORO as well as how he noted "BP" take a look at his wife when the torturers began using their knives on "her".0h yeah; I liked how his bravado covered the real reason for his exit,too.I absolutely and completely disagree with the notion that writing the final arc from KVVR's perspective in ANY WAY detracted from this arc.Instead,it enhanced the coolness and illness and raw dawg DAYAMN factor of the badassery of BP.I really liked that.I also liked--on a completely unrelated note--how the Skrull Pym used BP's reflexes and Quicksilver's speed to dodge an attack that should have atomized him.BP being mentioned in other areas of the MU shows that TPTB at MU are still committed to him in unprecedented ways.
Newho,back on to JA BP...
...it's too bad that KVVR got killed to death.Lol.I liked him.But his momma Skrull shoulda told him as a child:"How do you say 'wtfpwnage' in Skrull? WAKANDA!!" Lol. Furthermore,let us all bask in the wrongness of ourselves.We were all offended or at least quite surprised that JA would write something as seemingly stupid as a Skrull pulling a sword on Storm; and we were all surprised at how easily BP got taken down by some kind of taser.Now we see that BP and Storm were simply setting our Skrulls up for a brilliant reversal that caught them completely and totally unawares.While I did opine that BP and STORM were setting the Skrulls up,the how and why of JA's explanation of our Royal Badass Majesties' actions was absolutely lovely.Gotta give you what Fox news would call a Terrorist Fist Jab...MY BAD,JA!...I meant a "pound" for that one.
On to the issues of Storm,etc.,in this story.
There WERE gaffes and holes in this arc.The Skrulls not shapeshifting.Commader KVVR having the Skrulls entering in a single mass isn't unusual because they initially thought that Wakanda's defense had been compromised by their sleeper agents.Remember that,Luthor Dare? I completely agree that Storm didn't cut loose,and I wondered instantly why she didn't...and I recalled almost immediately that there were other Skrulls who could collapse down upon Wakanda.Even if they came again in a wave,BP would be prepared due to his PRIEST ERA BP Contingency Plans...and I don't think that those plans called for STORM's help or ANYBODY ELSE'S help.
But I agree wholeheartedly with the statement that JA should've let us know this within the story itself.Same with the lack of shapeshifting in Skrulls going h2h with the Wakandans.There SHOULD HAVE BEEN a truly compelling reason ARTICULATED IN THE STORY as to WHY our Queen STORM simply didn't do away with the Skrulls.Yes we can all come up with reasonable suggestions why thus and so did or didn't occur,but it IS the WRITER'S RESPONSIBILITY to MAKE THE PLOT MORE CLEAR to the reader.Basically,if WE THE READERS can come up with explanations on the fly for JA's story? JA has ZERO EXCUSE for NOT having his explanations lined up and ready to go WHEN HE FIRST DREAMED THE STORY UP.I am especially befuddled by this because JA most definitely knows his way around tightly focused plots,pacing,surprise twists,characterization,and all aspects of quality writing.There's no excuse for these slip ups...even if RH is going to answer all of this when he gets back.
But despite all of that? I.LOVED.THIS.JOINT.
All of the aforementioned gaffes would have made the arc EVEN BETTER...no doubt.But this story was still damn good.Period.Was BP whoopin Skrull ass in grand style or wasn't he? Did he not display that oft spoken of,vaunted brilliance and cunning and misdirection? Did Storm and BP NOT just MASSACRE a WHOLE BRIDGE of SKRULL WARRIORS? H2H,no less.AND STORM LED THE CHARGE!!
Even the battle happening off panel--while not as satisfying as a beautifully detailed battle scene specifically showing the King and Queen just wreckin mofos--was tite.JA had the camera zoom in on KVVR in the last moments of his life as he was writing a comforting letter of sweet lies to his wonderful wife,while juxtaposing this tender dying moment with a slowly widening screen shot that showed that STORM and BP just utterly massacred the Skrulls in their command vessel.That was dope.Exactly like pulling back slowly and dramatically for a panoramic shot of a battlefield,cuz that's what it was.I was feelin that shot.
Wtfpwnage in Skrull=Wakanda.Lesson learned.
ENDETH ILLUMINATION
