Ultimate End #5 Spoilers & Discussion

[jackolover]

Well I've been checking the overall reviews for this book and this mini as a whole. By and large, they're not good. I think there's a general consensus that this book ended Ultimate with a disappointing whimper. Basically, the characters involved didn't do anything of value other than fight each other until the end when Miles helped them learn they were being used. It all felt so forced. Compared to what Ultimate once was and what it eventually became, I think this book was more a testament to just how poorly the series declined as a whole. The fanbase it once had is gone, as evidenced by the lack of traffic and discussions on this very message board. It really is tragic, given how great Ultimate used to be.

I don't want to rub too much salt in the wound for this book, but I chose this book as my weekly PopMatters review last week. It just got posted today. If anyone is interested, here's a link:

My Review for Ultimate End #5 via PopMatters

As to your review, yes, it does give an overall sweep and summation of the Ultimate Universes status as irrelevant by the time of Ultimate Ends appearance, so condemning Bendis' account as not befitting of the UU demise is uncalled for. Like you say, the UU had deteriorated a long time ago, so there was no glory to blaze into at the end. Your summation that Bendis' UE reflected the lacklustre state of the UU had become, could be fair enough too, but only in the reflective sense, because I thought Bendis' UE was sensational for what it was on Battleworld - a zoo, kept in an obedient state by the brutal Thor Corp. And on learning all they were but zoo animals, conditioned to repeat fight after fight ad nauseum for Dooms entertainment, (like another Killiseum), the characters were willing to die to get out of it, by attacking the structure of Dooms laws. No, it was not the glorious testament to what the UU was when it started, but it was a testament to the low state the UU became in the end.

[MarvelMaster616]

As to your review, yes, it does give an overall sweep and summation of the Ultimate Universes status as irrelevant by the time of Ultimate Ends appearance, so condemning Bendis' account as not befitting of the UU demise is uncalled for. Like you say, the UU had deteriorated a long time ago, so there was no glory to blaze into at the end. Your summation that Bendis' UE reflected the lacklustre state of the UU had become, could be fair enough too, but only in the reflective sense, because I thought Bendis' UE was sensational for what it was on Battleworld - a zoo, kept in an obedient state by the brutal Thor Corp. And on learning all they were but zoo animals, conditioned to repeat fight after fight ad nauseum for Dooms entertainment, (like another Killiseum), the characters were willing to die to get out of it, by attacking the structure of Dooms laws. No, it was not the glorious testament to what the UU was when it started, but it was a testament to the low state the UU became in the end.

Fair enough. I don't mean to condemn or denigrate Bendis' writing as a whole. He clearly didn't have much to work with in Ultimate End. There just wasn't much he could do with the circumstances. That's not on him. That's on the state of Ultimate itself. I do concede that he made a conscious effort. However, I feel like he didn't make the conflict that unfolded in this issue dramatic enough. He just wasn't able to give them the kind of impact they needed to have to make this issue feel satisfying. There was only so much he could've done. But for what he did do, I think he still came up short. Just my opinion.

[jackolover]

Fair enough. I don't mean to condemn or denigrate Bendis' writing as a whole. He clearly didn't have much to work with in Ultimate End. There just wasn't much he could do with the circumstances. That's not on him. That's on the state of Ultimate itself. I do concede that he made a conscious effort. However, I feel like he didn't make the conflict that unfolded in this issue dramatic enough. He just wasn't able to give them the kind of impact they needed to have to make this issue feel satisfying. There was only so much he could've done. But for what he did do, I think he still came up short. Just my opinion.

I'm okay with what you said.

[exiled]

Given what the domain was used for....the war and punishment of the 616 characters it makes sense that spider man and Cyclops were there. Remember everything died. And Doom saved everyone by recreating the with "god particles or Doon energy ". Since doom had no knowledge of the life craft he would certainly recreate spider man and Cyclops to punish them. So when the life craft opened we had two 616 versions of Spider man and Cyclops. As to why he didn't recreate miles I don't know. Maybe he didn't deem him significant enough to re create.

[Sardorim]

So, that's how it ends?

Also, Rachel still in the wrong outfit?

[Codah]

I finally read this. What fucking garbage. Everything was terrible, the writing all the way down to the lettering, Jesus.