By Cat Wyatt

After the conclusion of the last issue, when they sensed that the Empress was nearby, Rion and Tair know they don’t have much time left to prepare. If they’re ever going to have a chance at taking her out, they must do it soon. Of course, there’s a very good chance that she sensed them at the same time, and thus their attack will not be a surprise. Still, if they’re going to save anyone from her wraith, they must act soon.

Making a move on the Empress would be terrifying, that probably goes without saying. Not only is she ancient and powerful, but there are plenty of other unknowns as well. For example, will the people under her help Rion and Tair, if it means they have a chance of freedom? Or will they continue to work under the Empress? Will Tair and Rion potentially have to go through many warriors to get to the Empress, or will she gladly accept the fight? I know if I were in their positions all of these questions would keep me wondering and worrying.

Before they can go into battle, both children must say goodbye to their fathers. While they would probably be pretty useful in battle, taking them along removes any chance of a stealth mission. And frankly, they need that edge more than anything, or at least that is their belief. Plus, we’ve seen the Empress ruling over other daraka, so there’s a chance that she could take these two over as well (not that I have any idea if the others are willfully under her control or not).

There’s an age old debate; should one rely on their faith in times of need (such as war), or is one better off relying only on oneself? Unfortunately, Tair and Rion are not exempt from this debate, and their heated words quickly and easily distract them from more important matters. Such as their ambush on the Empress.

It’s not terribly surprising, then, that the Empress instead got the drop on them. Theoretically she knew they were coming anyway, since she sensed them as well (granted Tair and Rion don’t know that for sure, but we do thanks to creative storytelling techniques). I’m not sure if they ever had any chance of surprising her, or if she just got impatient waiting for them and headed out to find them. I guess we’ll never know?

I’ll admit that I was surprised to see the Empress arrive with only four guards, but then again, they’re highly trained guards, and she isn’t exactly helpless. In fact, I wonder if she brought the guards in hopes of catching/intimidating the two young ones, as opposed to having to fight them.

Do you remember back in issue one, the first time Rion and Tair met? How their hands sparked with fire, and how they eventually (with lots of practice) learned to control their fire swords? Well…it turns out that their proximity to the Empress causes the same effects in her, only she doesn’t seem to need the same amount of time to figure out how to control her powers (likely because she’s had access to powers her whole life, just not this exact type or power level).

So, in short, pretty much every advantage they thought they had over the Empress is gone. They didn’t sneak up on her, they don’t have access to any abilities that she can likewise gain, and she’s better trained. I’m sure you can imagine how the fight ultimately went.

The conclusion of this issue made complete sense, even though it never occurred to me that this could be a potential outcome. I’ll admit I didn’t really feel emotionally captivated by this issue; despite its climatic moments. Perhaps it was the religious fighting, or the pace of the issue. I didn’t really find myself surprised or concerned about the ending, though of course I don’t want things to continue as they are. There just wasn’t that big emotional hit, considering what was going on.

Trying to place my finger on the why, and I think it may be character development. I love both Tair and Rion stylistically, but emotionally I don’t really feel any connection to them. If I’m being honest, I’m constantly having to look up which is which, because I keep forgetting their names (granted, I’m actually quite bad with names, so grain of salt with that complaint). I would love to have more reason to care about them, beyond their powers and current predicament. And that’s kind of the problem, as those parts make up most of their being.

The artwork is of a flatter style, with minimal shading and only using details when needed. I actually really like this style; it forces the focus on the typography, color palette, and characters. Plus when details are provided I know they’re likely to be important, which is a nice touch.

Score: 3/5

Eternal Empire #8
Image Comics