By
Elizabeth Airelle
"Stars Fading, But I Linger On, Dear--Still Craving Your Death!"
The story opens with Roy Harper; he has been taken prisoner by the Blight. They are torturing him trying to find out where Koriand’r aka Starfire. He claims she left him behind, abandoned, so he feels no need to protect her any longer and the stoy unfolds. We flashback to the end of last issue, the Starfire crew wipes out a majority of the Blight’s fleet and the rest flee. While the ship celebrates, Roy notices that Kori is sad so he and Jason talk privately with her in the sickbay.
Starfire’s origin is explained. She and her sister Komand’r grew up together. They were very close and Komand’r cared a lot for her younger sister, until she traded Kori for her people’s freedom. She suffered for years and grew to resent and hate her older sister. After her, Depalo, Orn and K’tten escaped to Tamaran she planned on killing her, until Komand’r held her and they cried for days together. But the damafe was still done. Kori and Komand’r couldn’t reconnect so she left to command the Starfire.
For years Starfire was a slave, and not one person on her planet had tried to save her. Now she really doesn’t want to help them. She claims a part of her wouldn’t care if the planet got destroyed. Jason starts to say she’s not wrong but Roy interrupts and tells Kori she is a good person and if she is going to help, it comes from her own strength not because of what her people did or didn’t do. It’s interesting how one member of the group seems to play the role of a conscience for other at various times.
Starfire leaves to be alone and Roy debates on going with her but stays. Is.Abel aka Isabel aka Jason’s date from last issue catches up with them. Jason starts to explain himself but Isabel says there is no need, and until aliens crashed their date it was the most boring date for her. Interestingly from one issue to the next Jason’s phoney life story for his date went from Dry Cleaning service owner to Real Estate Agent. I sort of wish we’d had an issue of Jason just lying to his date to see how far he’d take it.
We cut to now and the Blight is enraged over what’s deemed a delaying tactic by Roy, telling a whole story instead of answering a simple question of : Where is Koriand’r? A voice off panel says that he is stalling because he thinks Kori will save him, but she won’t because Kori only ever has been worried about herself and her own safety. The voice is Komand’r aka Blackfire and she is demanding to see her sister. Roy states that will happen sooner than later and he can’t wait.
Roy narrates this story which I like because so far we haven’t focused much on him. Isabel handling this situation makes sense when she compares it to a scared kid alone on a plane. I like the space outfits, very nifty. I really like the space adventures but can’t wait for them to get back to Earth. Also was I the only one to catch Roy saying he was wounded?
So we finally get to see some of Starfire’s past. I want more already. From the sound of Komand’r there’s another version of the story and I’m curious to see it unfold. The old origin was Komand’r was born with an illness that made her unable to fly and lost the title of princess to Kori, and that’s where the hatred and jealousy came from. It seems she became queen at a young age so I really want to know what happened. I always liked the Starfire/Blackfire rivalry. Also love Blackfire’s new look. She used to be drawn to be less attractive than Kori but the uniform, claws even hair looks a lot better. Kudos to Rocafort, because this is one of my favorite redesigns for the new 52.
Until next time Hoodies !!
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