The final issue of Psylocke: Ninja is here, and it’s set the stage for a hell of a showdown. Psylocke and Elektra are on their way to one last showdown with the Hand’s Snakeroot Clan, while also attempting to rescue Jubilee from their clutches. The showdown is taking place atop the highest mountain in Madripoor, resulting in truly treacherous terrain. Further complicating matters is the presence of Matsu’o Tsurayaba, who is willing to do anything to bring Psylocke back under his thrall.
What’s made Ninja stand out from other X-Men “flashback” series is that it’s primarily been a character study of Psylocke trying to find the balance between Betsy Braddock’s mind and Kwannon’s body. Writer Tim Seeley has done an excellent job of exploring this inner turmoil, and it comes to a head as Psylocke faces the ghosts of her past in the Snakeroot Clan. Seeley also leans into the connection between Psylocke and Elektra, as both of them were manipulated by the hand, and even resolves the tension between Psylocke and Jubilee.
Speaking of Jubilee, she doesn’t just play damsel in distress; she gets to have her own kickass moment when she briefly breaks free and gives one of the Snakeroot warriors a face full of fireworks. It’s just one of many expertly crafted action sequences that Nico Leon brings to life, and it makes sense. We have a group of undead ninjas versus a psychic ninja warrior and one of the deadliest assassins ever to live, resulting in a ballet of brutal blows and bloodshed. I’m not kidding about the bloodshed by the way: Leon depicts one warrior getting cut open, exposing his ribcage, and another getting his head cut in half.
Marvel
Dono Sanchez-Alamara’s color art adds plenty of vibrant visuals to the page, especially for the Snakeroot Clan. Some fans might wonder why Ninja warriors are wearing such brightly colored armor, to which I remind people that it was the late ’80s/early ’90s, and comic readers were about to be hit with an excess of design. In contrast, Psylocke and Elektra stand out thanks to their signature purple-and-red outfits, and that same sense of purple runs throughout the issue, whether it’s Psylocke’s psionic powers or Ariana Maher’s captions.
Throughout all of the bloody violence and flashy colors, one moment stands out, and it’s when Psylocke and Matsu’o find themselves on the edge of a cliff. What makes this significant is that a similar thing happened to Kwannon before she fell comatose, meaning that Matsu’o has the chance to finally reclaim his lost love…or so he thinks. Instead, it serves as the culmination of Psylocke’s journey, and brings new meaning to the subtitle “Rise from the Fall.”
The ending is a bit abrupt, as the series has to maneuver to get Elektra back into place for her eventual return in Daredevil: Fall from Grace, and Psylocke ends up reuniting with Wolverine and the rest of the X-Men. For what it’s worth, Psylocke: Ninja #5 is a solid end that closes the book on the first chapter of Betsy Braddock’s new life, and an intriguing glimpse into the past.
You must be logged in to post a comment.