After embarking on a mystical quest given to him by the witch Baba Yaga in Wiccan: Witches’ Road #2, Billy Kaplan-Altman, aka Wiccan, continues his journey down the Witches’ Road to restore his magical abilities and return his husband Teddy Altman, currently trapped in puppet form, back to his original body. Last issue, Billy came face-to-face with someone claiming to be the Demiurge, and it turned out to be someone from Billy’s childhood with whom he was once close. In Wiccan:Witches’ Road #3, we also learned that the talking fox character known only as Nameless was actually the sorceress Morgan Le Fay. At the end of the issue, Morgan captures the Demiurge, and in a shocking twist, delivers them to Baba Yaga, revealing that Morgan and Baba Yaga have been working together all along.
SPOILERS AHEAD for Wiccan: Witches’ Road #4!
Wiccan:Witches’ Road #4 opens with a flashback to the events of Imperial, in which a galactic civil war led to the Kree-Skrull alliance falling apart, resulting in Teddy Altman, aka Hulkling, being deposed as emperor. In the flashback, we see a grief-stricken and remorseful Billy and Teddy surrounded by corpses following a deadly battle. Mourning the fallen, Teddy blames himself, saying that as emperor, it was his job to keep the peace, but he failed.
When Billy tells his husband that there was nothing he could do, Teddy redirects his guilt to Billy, with Teddy raising the argument that Billy could have used his powers as the Demiurge to rewrite reality and prevent the carnage and bloodshed. Billy refutes this argument, saying that Teddy should understand the consequences of tampering with reality. Teddy apologizes to Billy for pushing the idea on him, but not before asking if Billy would use his powers to fix things if something were to happen to Teddy or if he died. The flashback ends with Billy alone with his thoughts, thinking about the weight of his powers and the bad things he could change or prevent with his abilities.
Billy and Teddy being pursued by Elementals. (Credit: Marvel Comics)
Billy struggling with the full weight and responsibility of his powers is a recurring theme throughout this issue. About halfway through the issue, Billy has a vulnerable moment that mirrors the opening, but instead of Teddy, it is Billy who is the one ruminating on his failures. He admits to excising the Demiurge from his body because tired of the weight of all of that power and having people try to use it against him. He also speaks very candidly about how Teddy himself was one of those people who used the power of the Demiurge against him by trying to pressure Billy into using the power of the Demiurge for his own wishes or desires.
Billy also expresses concern with becoming like his mother, Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch, by rewriting reality to satisfy his own vision for how reality ought to be, with complete disregard of and in violation of the free will of others. Teddy apologizes to Billy, not realizing the effect that he was having on his partner, before the pair set off to try and save the world. This moment between Billy and Teddy shows the love and respect these characters have for each other. They might struggle along the way, but their love for each other is strong enough to see them through any adversity they come up against. Billy and Teddy are stronger together than they are apart, and no matter what challenge or obstacle they come against, they will face it together, always.
The issue ends with Billy and Teddy being aided by Wanda, Storm, and Billy’s speedster brother, Tommy, aka the Young Avenger Speed, in defeating Morgan Le Fay and Baba Yaga. Next month concludes the series with Wiccan: Witches’ Road #5, and based on the cover and solicitation, the Young Avenger Kate Bishop, aka Hawkeye, will be joining Billy and his allies as part of the final showdown between Billy, Morgan Le Fay, and Baba Yaga. Based on the solicitation, we also know that we can expect additional cameos from other Avengers as well in the next issue.
Wiccan: Witches’ Road #4 works really well as a penultimate issue, in the sense that it sets up the big climactic conclusion that is coming and telegraphs what readers can expect in the final issue. We also see a great moment between Billy and Teddy in which Billy reveals his biggest fears and anxieties surrounding his powers. While Billy expresses concern over possessing the power of the Demiurge and the burden it had on him while it was under his control, perhaps the only way to defeat Morgan Le Fay and Baba Yaga and prevent them from obtaining the power of the Demiurge is for Billy to take back the power and embrace his destiny as the Demiurge.
You must be logged in to post a comment.