Angela, Asgard's Assassin #3. Review with Spoilers.

[Raye]

Rescuing Loki wouldn't really be an issue to her since she never met the old version of him so she's got no qualms with him unlike the other Asgardians. No to the second one, although she wouldn't be too thrilled with it, I don't think she would be too upset with going to battle, of course it's for Odin so that would stick in her craw as it were. Taking the throne as the All-Mother would be interesting, but I don't think he's ready to give that to anyone just yet.

I'm curious about this baby though. I don't know if Gillian's going to pull what they did in well, I know this is an odd reference but it's the only one I can think of at the moment, Rainbow brite pilot episode where the baby turns out to be nothing but an energy thing in physical form and it vanishes to fix whatever issue is going on. That would be one heck of a lame cop out for the whole "Fixing" the issue. Although, on the other hand...if the child does survive it would lead to a few good things, such as King Thor not gaining power in that the child would trump him on the role of King, something I don't think Thor really honestly wants to have.

Could it be King loki wants the child so he can have what he desires? Or is he actually trying to protect the kid so that he can change the story? I hope we get some answers, as that black magic may be something that might be tied to those that watch the cycles.

On the subject of the baby.... clearly there is something not right with it. It's got weird black smoke stuff coming out it's mouth, and then there was this solicit released last month, which kinda confirms that:

ANGELA: ASGARD’S ASSASSIN #5
KIERON GILLEN & MARGUERITE BENNETT (W)
PHIL JIMENEZ & STEPHANIE HANS (A)
Cover by STEPHANIE HANS
• Superheroic to-do lists are quite the thing. Today, Angela’s read “INVADE MY HOMELAND, WHILST PURSUED BY ASGARDIANS, CARRYING A DEMONIC CHILD WITH ONLY MY SARCASTIC SPACE FRIENDS FOR COMPANY.”
• What will Starlord do when he discovers that Belinda Carlisle has totally lied to him? BECAUSE HEVEN IS A PLACE FULL OF ANGELS OUT TO KILL HIM.

So... yeah. That probably is relevant. I am not sure how Angela would have known it was 'demonic' and maybe she doesn't. But the fact that there's clearly something not right about it will no doubt be relevant, and is likely the reason it never does end up on the throne in King Thor's future.

i more meant her disliking the thought of rescuing loki in the sense that he's her sibling (though we are in the rare position where loki is the nice one)

as for the throne; perhaps odin sees that angela has a better chance of surviving the secret wars (And thus a chance for her to do as thor did and revive everyone on the other side)?

of course, it could be any number of parties who arranged for sera's resurrection (or even creation); Asgard is not exactly short of powerful enemies, enemies who are actively recruiting in fact.

I do not think Odin will send her to rescue Loki simply because I think it's Odin that tosses him into Jotunheim in the first place. It's his punishment, and it's up to him to get through it. Also, I can not see her working with any of the Asgardians at this point for any reason. they are too mad at her over the kidnapping, and she hates them. The only one is possibly Loki somewhere down the line, he has been the nicest to her of all of them. (and this IS Kieron Gillen writing, and he is dealing with some JIM plot threads, so... it could make sense.) But we know he doesn't, because this takes place prior to Agent of Asgard 10 where (for the first few pages anyway) Thor and Loki are fine with each other, and if Loki had joined with Angela, they would not have been. Maybe afterwards, though.

I do think Angela has a good chance of coming out of Secret Wars unscathed though simply because unlike most characters she has NO alternate versions that could possibly replace her because she is so new to the MU. Then again, Marvel has shown recently that they are perfectly willing to create NEW alts for Secret Wars. still though, she has an excellent chance of coming through it unscathed.

good point about those who watch.

in fact; i'm wondering if King Loki is in fact, any version of loki at all; and if his monologues have actually been a lie for our (and the watchers) benefit?

I've said this in the Loki thread before, but if you pay very close attention to King Loki's dialogue, you will notice that he actually NEVER lies. ever. At least not directly, he does lie by omission a couple times, and there are times where he tells a technical truth, but a misleading one. So... I don't think he's technically lying about who he is, but I do not think he has given us the whole truth. But yeah, as i said above when talking about Sera, I do not think King Loki is strictly real, and he's just neglected to mention this bit. I think the real guy pulling the strings is Loki in the future, scribbling away in a book, and we just do not have enough to go on at the moment to say what his intentions may be.

[JKtheMac]

I have been taking my time digesting this issue, it was high on my read pile but after reading it I knew I needed to reread it. Not because it is particularly complex, but because this is clearly one of those stories that is going to build and transform. There are a lot of things going on under the surface. This is potentially a long form story.

I really like the way Sera's story is told and the way she phrases everything. "I was among them, once." Was a wonderful and subtle line. There is a certain amount of mirroring between her and Angela also. Both have a heritage that they are struggling to transcend. Both have a physical rebirth and a costume change in this issue (the walk through the flames for Angela is clearly going to be an important element down the line). Both have deep feelings for the other that they find themselves unable to express.

I like that we are starting to get references to the Journey into Mystery storyline, with the introduction of Loki, the Everything Burns reference, the notable inclusion of Tyr and of course Hela. The return of the Disir suggests that they have an unresolved plot thread.

I have heard a few reviews that suggest the nested story structure is getting a little forced, but this is by far the best thing about the book for me. I am very interested to see what happens when the writers switch roles for the next arc (which they are apparently decided upon).

All in all I really love this issue and I hope it can keep going long enough for its potential to be fully realised.

[JKtheMac]

Also, as mentioned in Loki's thread, I think I know how Sera was resurrected...

I suspect Sera's past and resurrection may be more related to her own magic which is tied up with her meta-textual position as narrator. She is a storyteller who has already taken action to rewrite her own life path by transcending the role she was placed in by her society. She may be representing another form of trickster (a term I always hate using because it is a horribly clumsy label out of shamanic context), that of shape changer.

Her magic may be a form of word-smithing in the same way a black-smith performs magic. The transformation and moulding of stories to serve a practical purpose.

In this issue for example she has made use of an obscure and so far untold snippet of mythology to aid Angela's escape. This is not shown as a magical act, but the 'arming of the hero' is a mythological act. An act that is often preceded by ritual cleansing as seen here in the 'fire walk'. So not only has she hidden Angela from Heimdall she has cleansed her, armed her and possibly set her on a ritual path towards marriage.

As her power grows she may be able to rewrite her own story.

[Hypestyle]

I'm blown away that Freya/Frigga can apparently still get pregnant and apparently gave birth. Usually she's depicted as an elderly woman. So what gives, here?

[evangelionofasgard]

I'm blown away that Freya/Frigga can apparently still get pregnant and apparently gave birth. Usually she's depicted as an elderly woman. So what gives, here?

1.) She is a god
2.) When the all mother came back in fractions run she got de Aged and has looked like a woman in her 50s at most.

[hunter_peterson]

Clearly Freya's ovaries lay unlimited golden eggs, duh.