Divinity II #4
-
The good
Great conclusion to the series opening the door for further exploration of the Divinity mythos. Story flows smoothly with exciting action and beautiful panels
-
The bad
Abram returning to same situation
-
The ugly
- Total score
Divinity II #4 has the Valiant Universe on the verge of changing forever due to the battle between Abram and Myshka. It opens up with Abram pleading with Myshka to rethink her goals and use of her divinity powers. He tells her not to mistake his compassion for weakness but also reminds her that they can’t truly harm each other physically. Myshka tells Abram that she’s disappointed in what he’s done, or rather didn’t do, with his powers because he could’ve brought glory to a restored Soviet Union. She doesn’t hear when he states that their needs are relatively small to the bigger things at stake. He asks her to remember her childhood when she was just an orphan in the streets of Moscow and how she acquired her necklace. Her memories are filled with times people were harsh to her growing up but now that she has these divinity powers there is no one who can treat her that way again. Can Abram truly reason with Myshka or is there even more to her story motivating her current actions?
Even though there weren’t permanent monumental changes to the Valiant Universe due to Abram basically reversing all the changes Myshka made, the first 3 issues were still riveting for many reasons. The character development was great, and the exploration of the Divinity powers was fascinating. So I wouldn’t say that the conclusion to this series made it feel as if nothing happened overall just for those reasons but the subtleties and the revelation at the end reinforced the significance of everything that took place.
The opening of this issue with the 2 of them exchanging blows was handled well considering neither could hurt the other physically. The action was still entertaining, and what made it better was the way it pointed to the resolution as something more complex than just sheer force. This exchange along with the dialogue served to further expand on their philosophical and personal differences framed as the understanding Abram gained since returning to Earth and Myshka still dealing with the shock of everything she knew being gone. It says a lot about Matt Kindt’s writing when two beings with the power to reshape reality are pitted against each other and the dialogue is just as compelling as their reality-bending actions. And referencing Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Poor Folk as an analogy for Abram and Myshka was brilliant.
SUMMARY
Divinity II #4 is a satisfying conclusion to the series providing solid character development that makes the Divinity characters more intriguing while remaining exciting. The action gets intense but the real entertainment value is in the subtle ways Abram and Myshka can and do influence each other expressed in Matt Kindt’s use of a Russian classic. I’m a Divinity fan so I’m always looking for more, however, the conclusion to this series is also a great starting point for the next. And I can’t wait.
Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: Trevor Hairsine
Release Date: 7/27/16
Leave a Reply