The epic Thunder War saga reaches its end with Storm #12, a glorious issue in which Storm goes head-to-head against the all-powerful and omnipotent storm god known as Hadad. This epic showdown has been building for quite some time now, and Murewa Ayodele, Mario Santoro, Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, and Travis Lanham did not disappoint in giving us a gratifying resolution to this grand chapter of the Storm solo series (check out my review of Storm #10 to learn more about how the Thunder War kicked off). This arc proves without a shadow of a doubt why Storm is, in fact, Earth’s mightiest mutant.
Storm #12 begins amid the Thunder War, with multiple characters reacting to the events as they unfold. Armor is in the Storm Sanctuary, the Alaska X-Men pause their baseball game to watch thunder and lightning, and the Louisiana X-Men barbecue. Rogue remarks, “Storm’s got this,” showing no concern about her friend’s peril as the universe hangs in the balance. When we see Storm, she’s being pummeled by Hadad, but refuses to back down. She stands her ground, ready for Hadad’s next blow. In this moment, Storm acknowledges she and Hadad “take different paths in the face of unforgivable injustice,” yet must defend Earth. She respects Hadad, but as Earth’s protector, has no choice but to stop him. This moment highlights Ororo Munroe’s humanity, as she recognizes qualities she admires even in an enemy.
Storm does her bets to hold her own against the highly formidable Hadad. (Credit: Marvel Comics)
Meanwhile, as Storm and Hadad duel to the death, Eternity approaches his father, The One Above All, in the House of Ideas, hoping to strike a deal that will save the universe from total destruction. Unfortunately, The One Above All is not inclined to make any kind of bargain with Eternity. The One Above all still mourns his other son, Oblivion, and harbors some resentment over Eternity because of that loss. Much to Eternity’s disappointment, The One Above All chooses not to intervene to help stop Hadad. Earlier in the issue, Doctor Voodoo also tries to come to Storm’s aid, but is intercepted by Gorr the God Butcher. With Doctor Voodoo apprehended and Eternity unable to convince The One Above All to offer his assistance, Storm is left on her own to deal with Hadad.
The issue, and the Thunder War, ends with Hadad being taken off the board in a way that is a total violation of Storm’s wishes and how she would have preferred to deal with the threat of Hadad. This action is sure to drive a wedge between Eternity and Storm, and sow seeds of future conflict between Storm and the other storm gods. At the end of the issue, we also learn what fate befell Doctor Voodoo, as well as a tease for “The War Above All,” which we will see when Storm, under the new title Storm: Earth’s Mightiest Mutant, continues next year. Ayodele also teases in the letters column a “mystical confrontation” with the Scarlet Witch next year, which is sure to be something that both Ororo Munroe and Wanda Maximoff fans can look forward to in the coming year. In the meantime, Storm’s story continues 10 years in the future in Rogue Storm as part of the highly anticipated “Age of Revelation” event. Rogue Storm #1 hits shelves on October 15th.
Full of electrifying action, poignant moments of pathos, and jaw-dropping ending, Storm #12 closes out the Thunder War with a bang and a flourish. This arc did a great job of wrapping up season one of Storm and setting up Rogue Storm and what is to come with Storm in 2026. The Thunder War is bound to become known as one of the most iconic Storm stories of all time.
You must be logged in to post a comment.