Willow Wonderland #5 Review
SCORE: 8/10
Read a review of Willow Wonderland #4 here .
The true villain is revealed and as is so often the case, the clues to their identity were there all along if you looked closely enough. Thankfully, it wasn’t so obvious that the twist was spoiled too soon in the story (at least for me) and the big fight scene in this issue was a great climax to Willow’s adventures. Epic is a word oft overused but it suits the locations this battle ends up taking Willow and the Big Bad; across dimensions into an unfathomable locale. All throughout the fight, this villain is taunting Willow, trying to call out and bring forth her dark side. Preying on her weakness, he hopes to distract her enough to let it surface because as scary as it is, it would also be easier to beat in many ways. Willow’s true strength is as a good witch; turning to black magic makes her sloppy. Her dark side falls prey to expending a lot of energy through large displays of power without considering the next hit. Crazy scary and intimidating but also sloppy enough that a good run around should wear her down for the final blow. Assuming anyone survives that long.
She doesn’t submit though and she’s learned that this side of her is something that not only can she control, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s all part of the Willow Rosenberg we’ve known and loved for years, she’s just finally realizing how strong she is, before any magic even comes into play. I like that magic in the Buffyverse is influenced by the type of person you are, not necessarily something that automatically corrupts those who test its boundaries. Sure, some will submit to dark impulses more than others but even dark magic isn’t necessarily inherently evil. It’s simply the easy way and that costs more—spiritually, emotionally and physically—than hard work.
The story concludes on a relatively high note, with Willow’s quest finally at an end. She’s found the answers to her questions but they are definitely not what she thought they would be. The solution is grounded in realism, not a mystic cure all for their universe’s lack of magic. It’s refreshing actually, since it’s so easy to depend on magic to swoop in and fix whatever may have gone wrong. The problem will need to be solved with a lot of hard work and Willow essentially volunteering on a regular basis to make sure it does.
Overall this was a great solo arc for a beloved Whedon character, adding and continuing the main Buffy story without feeling forced or unnecessary. If you haven’t already been following along with this series, definitely pick it up as a trade paperback later this year. Read a review of Willow Wonderland #4 here.
The true villain is revealed and as is so often the case, the clues to their identity were there all along if you looked closely enough. Thankfully, it wasn’t so obvious that the twist was spoiled too soon in the story (at least for me) and the big fight scene in this issue was a great climax to Willow’s adventures. Epic is a word oft overused but it suits the locations this battle ends up taking Willow and the Big Bad; across dimensions into an unfathomable locale. All throughout the fight, this villain is taunting Willow, trying to call out and bring forth her dark side. Preying on her weakness, he hopes to distract her enough to let it surface because as scary as it is, it would also be easier to beat in many ways. Willow’s true strength is as a good witch; turning to black magic makes her sloppy. Her dark side falls prey to expending a lot of energy through large displays of power without considering the next hit. Crazy scary and intimidating but also sloppy enough that a good run around should wear her down for the final blow. Assuming anyone survives that long.
She doesn’t submit though and she’s learned that this side of her is something that not only can she control, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s all part of the Willow Rosenberg we’ve known and loved for years, she’s just finally realizing how strong she is, before any magic even comes into play. I like that magic in the Buffyverse is influenced by the type of person you are, not necessarily something that automatically corrupts those who test its boundaries. Sure, some will submit to dark impulses more than others but even dark magic isn’t necessarily inherently evil. It’s simply the easy way and that costs more—spiritually, emotionally and physically—than hard work.
The story concludes on a relatively high note, with Willow’s quest finally at an end. She’s found the answers to her questions but they are definitely not what she thought they would be. The solution is grounded in realism, not a mystic cure all for their universe’s lack of magic. It’s refreshing actually, since it’s so easy to depend on magic to swoop in and fix whatever may have gone wrong. The problem will need to be solved with a lot of hard work and Willow essentially volunteering on a regular basis to make sure it does.
Overall this was a great solo arc for a beloved Whedon character, adding and continuing the main Buffy story without feeling forced or unnecessary. If you haven’t already been following along with this series, definitely pick it up as a trade paperback later this year.