The Legion of Super Heroes v5 #13 - The Conclusion of Terror Firma!

Released January 18, 2006
DC Comics, Color
31 Pages

Mark Waid - Writer
Barry Kitson - Layout
Mick Gray - Finishes
Sno Cone - Colors
Stephen Wacker - Editor

Synopsis

Lemnos orders Terror Firma troops to storm the worlds beyond the transmatter portals as the Legion team attacks those in the staging area. The portals flicker and go out as the first few troops step through, bisecting them, and the troops start to panic. One portal is left open and the other Legion teams enter to support the fight. Each Legionnaire brings their powers to bear in their own way.

On Dormir, Cos has the Legionnaires remove their rings so that he can broadcast their success against the foot soldiers of Lemnos' army. The core of the Terror Firma team squares up against the Legionnaires while Cos communicates a strategy to Sun Boy. The Legionnaires show they can work well one-on-one against the Terror Firmans just as they did with the larger groups.

Cos communicates directly with Lemnos as a distraction so Sun Boy can get the jump on him. A defeated Lemnos throws back in Cos' face the fact that he's coopted the Public Service and suggests that he's been compromised by the system he's dedicated to resist. Cos fades out as he realizes Dream Girl is dead. 

Colossal Boy, again large, crashes through the wall full size with a bunch of other Terror Firmans.  Apparently they have gained the upper hand and neutralize Sun Boy to evacuate Lemnos.  The chaotic fight continues outside as the Legionnaires whittle down the enemy. A brute stalks Saturn Girl and Projectra, and Brin gives the brute a beat down.

Lemnos orders his escorts to kill Colossal Boy and Star Boy, but his rescuers question Lemnos on his motives and consider him a fraud and they want out of the group. Both Lemnos and Cos' projection freak out.  Cos starts to lecture them about not being able to quit and walk away after the destruction, but the others respond by asking where the Legion & UP was when their planets were abandoned. Lemnos uses the debate as an opportunity to try and escape. He loses Sun Boy as a portal appears, Brainiac 5 emerges, stuns Lemnos, then takes his body from whence he came, Sun Boy arriving too late. 

Outside, the Legion wraps up the fight, everyone wants Ultra Boy to get the last punch in. They take stock of their injuries as Brainy appears via his temporary portal. The plan is to leave the Terror Firma soldiers and agents on the world they are on now.  Sun Boy quits to act as their leader, seeing something of himself in that group. Cos turns over the Public Service back to the UP, but not before giving a congratulatory speech. 

In an epilogue, Brainy implores a frozen Lemnos to save Dream Girl.

BACKUP - "The Hours"

Stuart Moore - Writer
Ken Lashley - Penciller
Paul Neary - Inks
Richard & Tonya Horie - Colors
Stephen Wacker - Editor

Synopsis

We get a "moving backwards" story of the last hours of Dream Girl, recalling the events of issue 10 when she first experiences the blackout into the future. Two hours prior, she talks with Star Boy and has a feeling of unease about the future darkness with a flash of an upset Brainiac 5. 

Three hours prior, Imra asks Nura if she and Brainy are a thing. She gets deep and admits she's never had a boyfriend, but that she kind of likes Star Boy.  She has another feeling of foreboding and has a flash of Brainy.

Commentary

So we're finally here. The big conclusion to the epic first year of the Threeboot Legion. Overall, I really liked this in the fact that we have a lot of great moments of the Legion acting individually as well as together to be an effective force.  Each member in this battle gets to show off their powers pretty effectively. I'm even ok with Ultra Boy in this issue! The focal points, outside of the battle, are Lemnos, Cosmic Boy, and Sun Boy, respectively. Its an interesting contrast between three people with specific visions - Lemnos, who wants to shake up society via violet upheaval, Rokk, who wants the same but by means of defending the UP, and Sun Boy, who sees them both as people whose ends justify their means and wants to chart his own path.  And Dirk eventually does that after the stragglers who attempt to rescue Lemnos ditch him after he can't justify his actions. Brainiac 5 comes off as a turd again, souring the milk, but at least Cosmic Boy gets another good closing speech before turning over the Public Service to the UP again - an interesting move that contrasts his methods with Lemnos'. 

One of the digs on this particular scene is that I'd have expected for Lemnos to put up a bit more of an argument in front of his followers versus cutting and running. Surely his powers still work on them? He's also been a bit more articulate with his position, and we've only had one or two instances of Lemnos or Elysion even considering joining with the Legion, so these flunkies saying that Lemnos told them they'd be allying with the Legion rings hollow to me. I also thought Cos should be pushing back more on Lemnos' flunkies.  So an exiling would make people resentful, but it doesn't justify the death and destruction to the level they caused, so Cos' initial point IS valid.

A few other weird continuity errors that were either badly written or badly edited:

If the Rings also provide their costumes, how come they are still on when they deactivates their rings?  That makes no sense. 

The final fight is a bit chaotic with a few things that don't make sense.  There was the flight ring issue I mention above, then Colossal Boy.  He was clearly INSIDE with Lemnos, but at the end is rubbing his head OUTSIDE. Then smaller Gim is walking behind Sun Boy's 'prisoners' a couple panels later. Also Cham swallowing the "water guy" is odd, as it assumes that he has the powers of whatever creature he is assuming when several issues prior he clearly stated he couldn't do that.  It provides a kind of funny gag when Ayla asks if he "yarked up" the water guy, but it makes no sense in continuity. All up. some minor complaints, but they stood out to me.

The backup story was just OK to me.  It mainly provided us with three pieces of information - Nura was more bothered by her lack of vision than she let on, she secretly likes Star Boy in callback to the previous eras, and she's never had a boyfriend; the last element being probably the most surprising.  It's kind of a retcon, since Waid was really leaning into the Brainy/Nura thing. But it doesn't matter cause she's dead.  Right?  :)

A few other things:

I'll admit that the bit with Jo yelling "Micro Lad" to get Gim to shrink was a neat little touch, but I still don't like him :)

Shady - "You don't get many dates, do you?" Shut up, Tasmia. I really dislike this version of her.

Brin screams "Jekie!" - the first time I think that's been used here. Apparently this is the first time that folks know they are a couple. 

Brainy is back to being uselessly dickish here again.  Just state where Lemnos is. 

Jo actually seems sad to see Dirk go.  Probably because he has no other pals to prowl on women with anymore

More letters! Shadow Lass and Karate Kid this time. They talk about how the comic is written, get in a Polar Boy gag, a rectal tissue gag, and a crossover gag.

Grade: A-.  A great action-packed wrap up of a year-long storyline with a few misfires.