Synopsis and Review by Rachel Grey: Thanks!
Synopsis: Vulcan watches the Shi’ar cheer at the return of their former emperor, D’Ken and remembers how he got to where he is…

After freeing Deathbird (Issue #480), the two battled their way to a jumpship to escape. Aboard the jumpship, Vulcan asks about the Secret Order that freed him and led him to her. Deathbird only warns Vulcan she does not trust easily and reveals she did not die in space, as the Shi’ar Imperial Guard captured her and imprisoned her before she could die. Vulcan asks what to do next. Deathbird sinisterly smiles.

The two continue to terrorize and kill the Shi’ar. During this time, Vulcan realizes he’s found a kindred spirit in Deathbird. Before long, the two are involved with each other and sharing each other’s company in bed. Later on, the two arrive on a planet to a palace only to meet Araki. Deathbird asks the man if her brother D’Ken is still alive, much to Vulcan’s surprise. Vulcan remarks that he thought Deathbird was going to become the new ruler. Deathbird tells him that she lost her taste for the throne a while ago. Araki warns that Vulcan can go no further into the palace, but Deathbird says he can go anywhere she does. Araki protests that Vulcan was mindscanned and revealed that he wants to kill D’Ken. Vulcan smiles and tells Araki there’s no way he can stop him either, but Deathbird calms her champion, saying she’ll help him leave his past in the past. As the trio enter the palace, Deathbird again asks if her brother has recovered. Araki explains they’ve spent years slowly knitting D’Ken’s mind back together after his exposure to the M’Krann crystal using the best telepaths the Empire could find, but even the smallest link to D’Ken has left the telepaths insane. However, recent scans of the former Emperor’s mind reveal that the telepaths did manage to cure him to some level, although he still remains unconscious. The three divisions of his brain can’t communicate with each other but they eventually will. But it will take time. Disheartened by the news, Deathbird and Araki try to figure out a plan, when Vulcan chimes in that the neural pathways are partly constructed of electrical impulses. They might have another option…

Up in space, a Shi’ar patrol ship locates Deathbird’s escaped ship and call in a strike. Back on the planet, Araki protests letting Vulcan near the Emperor, as he might kill him. Deathbird supports her love and Vulcan says he’s doing this for Deathbird. With a gentle touch of his powers, Vulcan reignites the paths through D’Ken’s brain, finally awakening the old Emperor. Deathbird marvels at Vulcan’s abilities while Vulcan sternly says he will kill D’Ken. Deathbird replies he won’t and she’ll tame his urges to do so. As Araki helps the Great Emperor, they get a warning about the impending Shi’ar troops. Araki declares its time for their Secret Order to come out. As they fight, Vulcan realizes this is the start of restoring D’Ken to the throne and turning the Empire back to its old ways. Part of him tells him to just kill D’Ken, but the other part says to stay and listen to Deathbird. The latter side wins out as Gabriel joins Deathbird as they escape. Aboard the ship, D’Ken has a private word with Vulcan. D’Ken remarks he does not remember killing Vulcan’s mother and enslaving him. But he does know he is in debt to Vulcan and he plans on repaying it. According to ancient Shi’ar texts, any child born in the High Palace may rise to royalty (remember Vulcan was technically born in the palace). Vulcan doesn’t quite understand so D’Ken clarifies. He wants him to marry his sister and join him in ruling the Empire.

Review: Interesting. So it seems it will be Vulcan and Deathbird who wed in this space opera. It’s kind of surprising as most people guessed it would be Corsair and Hephzibah or Polaris and Havok, or even Marvel Girl and Korvus. It does seem kind of odd that Vulcan would go from wanting to kill all of the Shi’ar to sleeping with one and joining sides with the man he wanted to kill most in such a short comic time. But it actually makes sense. Remember how much time Vulcan has lost from his time in Krakoa. He’s never really been in love or had a girlfriend. Emotionally, he’s quite underdeveloped for his age. His rage and almost infantile hatred are examples of these playing into this. So it doesn’t surprise me that he’d fall for someone emotionally like him. But this shows some growth and shows Vulcan isn’t quite so one-dimensional as other scorned, revenge-only fueled villain. Would it have been better to have maybe had Vulcan mature into this in more than this issue and the last page of last month’s issue? Yes. But it still works.

Clayton Henry again handles the Vulcan issue and it’s just as good, if not better than his last issue. Again, the use of colorist Frank D’Armata really helps link the art. The faces look good and varied. The action is there. Nothing looks out of proportion. Yup, this is great art here.

Last time, I stated that I thought this Vulcan issue wouldn’t break up the flow as much as the last ones had and I can see that it happened exactly like that. While it’s still more of a flashback issue, the end of last issue sets it up well for this moment and pull the final pieces together and head into the all out conclusion. Clearly, Brubaker’s story has really picked up the pace after laying the ground work and its paying off quite well. Can’t wait for the next issue!