Gods and Monsters
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 I know Micronauts is a space opera but isn't this a little too on the nose? | |||||||||||||
| "Gods and Monsters" | |||||||||||||
| Publisher | IDW Publishing, Greg Goldstein | ||||||||||||
| First published | May 9, 2018 | ||||||||||||
| Cover date | May 2018 | ||||||||||||
| Written by | Christos Gage | ||||||||||||
| Art by | Paolo Villanelli | ||||||||||||
| Colors by | Alessandra Alexakis | ||||||||||||
| Letters by | Shawn Lee | ||||||||||||
| Editor | David Mariotte | ||||||||||||
| Chronology | Current era (2018) | ||||||||||||
The final battle for Earth begins but not everyone will walk away.
Synopsis[edit | edit source]
Undettered, Rom and the Micronauts charge directly at their foes. While Rom fights Karza, the Micronauts fight D'rge who is now more powerful than ever thanks to the Presence. And it is not just him, across the world, Dire Wraiths shed the disguises they have worn for years and begin open conquest of Earth. The great disturbance is felt by Livia and Orphion who have no choice but to take their leave and fly to Rom's aid, leaving Darby and Camilla to fend for themselves.
In their duel, Rom finds himself outmatched against the supercharged Karza until the Space Knight enacts an enerchange. Though caught off-guard for a moment, Karza melodramatically mocks Rom's control over the craft and seizes control of the process drawing Rom into him. Though Livia wishes to aid him, Rom and Orphion both insist the Presence is the greater threat. While Livia attacks D'rge, Orphion unleashes the full might of his Neutralizer on the Presence but even the firepower needed to shatter a planet is insufficient to fell the goddess who attacks the Knight with energies from the Entropy Cloud. Livia attempts to aid her commander however leave her wide open to an attack by D'rge who's own focus on Livia leaves him wide open to be fatally wounded by the Micronauts from behind. Alas, even Space Knight armor is now found to have limits and with his last vestiges of life, Orphion crawls to D'rge and strangles his old foe to death only to die seconds afterwards.
Examining the Wraith goddess, the Microanuts are dismayed to find that the Entropy Cloud's energies protect her from any weapon. As they query Rom for any ideas, they are greeted by the horrific sight of Rom and Karza having merged into a composite being with the Baron as the dominant consciousness. Though Rom attempts to fight from within, he simply lacks the experience to force Karza's hands. His only recourse is to do what Karza wants: funnel the Entropy Cloud away from Microspace to anywhere else...such as...the room they are standing in. With the Wraiths all dead and the alliance having served its purpose, Karza directs the Cloud's energies, all of its energies, back at the Presence. With the Microanuts and Livia attacking the Absence generated portal, the gateway collapses and the Presence falls back into her dimension with the Entropy Cloud continuing to age and decay her. With the battle won, Karza separates himself from Rom and returns the power he has stolen, laughing at his victory as he returns to Microspace. Though the heroes are confused, there are more immediate issues to tend to. Across the world, humans begin to enjoy countless victories over the Wraiths something confirmed by Darby and Camilla's foes having retreated. Now, all that is left is to pay their respects to a fallen hero...
Some time later, Orphion is buried with full Solstar honors. Rom and the Micronauts discuss the future of their alliance (and romances) before Larissa says that the Micronauts will be taking some time off to see how Microspace is doing. Microtron unfortunately has bad news on that front. Karza has already returned home where he claimed credit for removing the Entropy Cloud. He is now being hailed as a messiah. Though Rom offers condolences, Acroyear is hopeful for at least Microspace's existence is secured and Oziron Rael and the Time Travelers are still out there somewhere, waiting to be found. As the Micronauts take their leave, Phen thanks Rom for giving them what they needed more than ever: hope. In turn, Rom thanks them for something even greater: friendship.
Featured characters[edit | edit source]
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Micronauts | Dire Wraiths | Space Knights | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
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Quotes[edit | edit source]
"You dare –? Usurper! Neophyte! I am the master of the enerchange! You do not control this process, fool...I do!"
- -Yes kids, Baron Karza did use "neophyte" as trash-talk against Rom.
"Livia! Micronauts! A direct attack on the goddess will not not succeed. You must find another way to prevent armageddon. As for me...I shall die as a I lived...in battle against Wraith evil!"
"Come, then, old enemy! To the last, I grapple with thee! I die...so a new age of Wraithkind...can be born..."
- -Sleep tight Orphion. Good riddance D'rge.
"And so, fellow warriors, while Rom and Karza sunder what remains of the barrier...let us drive this evil back to her hell!"
- -Preach it Acroyear!
"And you Micronauts have given me that most valuable of all things: Friends. Fare you well...all of you. We shall meet again."
- -Rom closes out the series.
Notes[edit | edit source]
Continuity notes[edit | edit source]
- A Neutralizer's ability to shatter planets was first established in ROM #10 and first seen in Battle Scars, Part 4.
- Upon returning to Microspace, Karza is flanked by Acroyear IIIs, the latest Acroyear model that served as his army in Wrath of Karza.
- To combat Karza's iron grip on their home dimension, Acroyear says the Micronauts will seek out Oziron Rael, who became a Time Traveler in Wrath of Karza #5 and has been weirdly absent from this mini-series.
- Though occurring before, this issue was released a few days after Unicron #0 which, while we don't want to say spoiled this issue, raised more than a few eyebrows when it featured a conspicuous lack of Orphion in the battle against the Chaos Bringer.
Other notes[edit | edit source]
- This issue is dedicated to Sal Buscema and Bill Mantlo.
Covers (3)[edit | edit source]
- Regular cover: Heroes and Villains in a movie style poster, by Paolo Villanelli and Mattia Iacono.
- Subscription cover A: Rom in a Jack Kirby-esque landscape, by Corey Lewis.
- Subscription cover B: Rom vs Baron Karza, by David Messina.
