The final issue of the first batch of G.I. Joe themed mini-series which for all purposes does not conclude the tale of A Real American Hero, fondly known as ARAH for short. The final chapter of the Duke series hits a satisfying note in which I believe many individuals could relate to, military and civilian alike.
Imagine seeing, knowing, or believing in something which to everyone around you feels is nothing but fantasy or worse, conspiracy. Plainly, what if you believed in something you know for a fact you witnessed, yet no one believed you? The simplest thing such as a robbery or a miraculous save. But yet because no one else was there, your thoughts and feelings were easily dismissed as attention-seeking behavior.
Finally, Duke got his validation.
For Duke, this was a cry for help in the realest sense. In Transformers #2, he witnessed the most unimaginable event take place. A shape-changing jet, turns into a robot and without hesitation kills his co-pilot and friend. Yet all around call him crazy. Hallucinating. Military PTSD. But Duke knows what he saw, and it led him into a deep dive into a believed but yet-to-be-proven independent military contractor in M.A.R.S. With every progressing issue, we could see how each discovery further validated and proved to Duke something was going on, yet we could also sadly feel disheartened this was not the proof he needed.
Until this issue. As Duke fights for his life against a B.A.T. and the true reveal of Destro, we also learn through some crafty dialogue Destro is just as surprised by this revelation of a transforming fighter jet. Regardless, rather than allow the news to shake the villain, he instead appears to attempt to manipulate it into a bargaining chip to sway Duke over. This fails, and with a comical headbutt even Duke knew was futile, sends a message he will never sway from his mission to avenge his friend.
After an epic fight for survival, Destro carries out a plan of sinister proportions, a tax write-off, in which it is believed Duke did not survive.
No clue what I am saying? Then go pick up the last issue at your local comic shop.
The real twister is the final page in which we get the twist in which something very wrong is about to happen. They reveal to Duke they have been monitoring these events for some time, and thanks to Duke’s solo missions, he has exposed MARS and Destro for who they are. While this wasn’t his objective, Duke is then validated by the following reveal. The real payoff comes in the final pages where Hawk and Scarlet then reveal their own knowledge of some certain alien robots waging a battle on human soil.
Duke is shown an image of a robot blasting away, without context of course… Regardless, this robot has a name. A robot named Optimus Prime.
Duke has only one reply.
“Kill them all.”
Wow! What an epic conclusion to the series at the same time we know this is not even close to being the end. With the announcements of two new mini-series coming this summer, Destro and Scarlett, it’s fairly clear this is just the tip of a huge iceberg of a larger story at work.
You just have to praise all involved. Artists Jodie Bellair, Tom Reilly; Letterer Rus Wooton, and of course writer Joshua Williamson who collectively knocked this series out of the park.
One can’t help but be excited for this brand new foray into the Energon Universe.
