The Ravagers #12

Despite the sad tone of my title, I loved this issue. The tone had an amazing "final battle" feel, and the action was fast paced. There will be spoilers.

Okay, so first things first, why does DC have to cancel this title? Granted it had a rocky start, but after I would say issue six it really picked up. As the issues progressed, they became more and more like a team, until the tragic death of Ridge. Then came a huge shocker, as Deathstroke broke into the base and killed Niles Caulder. This all led up to a killer final issue. A lot of people wondered why Terra was with Deatstroke in his 20th issue. That is explained. Beast Boy in Teen Titans? That is explained. Caitlin a clone? Explained. Everything comes to a well-written end.

The story goes that Deathstroke quickly kills off Thunder and Lightning, this sadly makes Thunder's only line in the issue "Ungh!" Then, in a tragic scene, Terra jumps in front of Beast Boy, and takes a blade to the stomach. In fact, this was one of two things that I didn't like about this issue. I realize that that needed to happen in order for Beast Boy to gain the rage that he has throughout the rest of the issue, but what a cliche way to die. Anyways, that was a small flaw that I can easily overlook because of how it actually affects the reader. The expression on Beast Boy's face as Terra disappears into flames, and after she is completely gone, shows you how he has lost everything. You feel an intense sadness for him at this time. Instantly Beast Boy becomes a werewolf-like creature, shattering Deathstroke's mask and exclaiming "I loved her you son of a bitch!" Deathstroke's response is a blood-filled smile, saying that perhaps Beast Boy isn't a waste of space after all.

We cut to Caitlin and Rose, in a room full of Caitlin clones. Rose taunts her about being a clone. This pushes Caitlin too far, who slams Rose into one of the tanks. This does two things: It seals that Caitlin and Rose will never again be friends, and releases every clone, who proceed to attack Caitlin. This is where the action picks up as we rapid-fire switch between Beast Boy and Deathstroke and Caitlin and the clones. Deathstroke further taunts Gar, saying how he murdered Ridge and Niles as well. This causes Gar to become a triceratops in his rage which bring the building down on top of him. As Deathstroke looks at Gar's lifeless body lying in the rubble, he remarks that he has killed 7 including Warblade, and wonders where Caitlin and Rose are, revealing that Warblade and Rose are in fact other targets. We go back to Caitlin, who is brutally murdering her clones, repeatedly yelling that she is the real Caitlin. Deathstroke takes out Rose sayin that he will see her on the other side. Caitlin is the last character alive, and kills the last clone. It is then that Deathstroke reveals that he killed the real Caitlin for killing his friend. He then stabs Caitlin saying "I don't have a lot of friends!" With Terra's, Thunder's, Lightning's, Ridge's, Caitlin's, Rose's, and Niles' ashes on the floor, Warblade decapitated, and Beast Boy crushed, Deathstroke's work is done.

We cut to the colony, where Harvest stands, as ugly as ever and Deathstroke stabs the blade into the ground in front of him. Deathstroke then asks for his payment, and an alive and well Rose steps out of the shadows. As the two enter a room, everyone but Warblade and Beast Boy are asleep in tanks. I is revealed that the blade didn't kill them, but it sent them to the colony. Deathstroke then takes Terra away. Leaving with Rose and Terra, Deathstroke tells Harvest that he can do whatever he wants to the others, as long as they stay out of eachother's way. This ending was the second thing I didn't like, as the entire point of the series was to get away from Harvest. Anyway, now the reader wonders:"But wait, Beast Boy is dead, that sucks." But the final pages show Raven finding Beast Boy, revealing that he is still alive. We are then left with "Beast Boy's saga continues in Teen Titans" and "The end of The Ravagers...for now..." There will be more, we will just have to wait.

This is a 5/5 for an amazing finale.