The Gift of the Sureen (3/3)
Charles Soule (w)
Jesus Saiz/Javier Pina (a)
Matthew Wilson (c)
Travis Lanham (l)
This issue opens with Miki revealing "her" true nature. As Avatar of the Grey, she has long ago neglected her duties to leave an immortal yet human existence. "She" offers to show him how to live forever as a man rather than a plant.
Elsewhere, at the false Sureen facility, we see what their game is - to manipulate the powers of the Green for profit.
Back in India, Alec hears Miki's sales pitch. Troubled by her words, he nonetheless decides to accept "her" offer to be an eternal companion. The process requires a transition into an Avatar body before jumping into another host. Alec uses the opportunity to get his body back, and in the process discovers some ways that the Grey differs from the Green, gaining some understanding of why Miki found it so easy to turn away from "her" Avatar duties. He destroys the facility and leaves with his true body.
Back in India, he ensnares Miki and gets the Sureen to perform the transition ritual, putting "her" back in her rightful body while he regains his own. She flies off the handle but he restrains her and threatens to create a new Avatar of the Grey if she refuses to do her job.
In Louisiana, the mansion is currently undergoing reconstruction thanks to the Wolf who was most likely "the top" of the false Sureen's operations and continues to scheme for his personal gain.
Final page sets up the confrontation between Aquaman and Alec.
Thoughts:
There's really not much to say about this issue that hasn't been said about previous issues. This is a creative team that just clicks with the subject. Everything works. The Sureen arc is wrapped up well enough. The revelation of their being other fields outside of the Green, Red and Rot along with Miki being forced into the avatar body will probably have much larger implications down the line.
I'm also very curious to see what Wolf is really scheming at. Does he desire the avatar powers or is he just after wealth?
And finally, it's great that Alec seems to have fully accepted the responsibility of being an avatar and his role as a protector of man and plant. I'm still loving his interactions with Capucine, and can't wait to see how the plays out once Etrigan comes along.