Patrick Scalisi's Blog - Posts Tagged "time-travel"
Rat Queens Collected Vol. 5 Explained
Midway through the summer of 2018, I discovered the comic series Rat Queens. The first collected volume had been on my to-read list for some time, so I finally decided to pull the trigger.
This elicited a reading and buying spree in which I quickly devoured all of the series that had been collected so far. I also learned about some of the behind-the-scenes drama that has dogged the series almost since its inception.
After an extended hiatus and soft reboot in March 2017, Rat Queens finally seemed to be on an even keel with a steady creative team of writer / co-creator Kurtis Wiebe and artist Owen Gieni. The only problem was that the story didn't quite line up with the events of Collected Volume 3 and individual issue #16, which is not part of any collection (more on this in a moment).
Then comes Rat Queens Collected Volume 5: The Colossal Magic Nothing.
Whoo boy, this one's a doozy. Through magic, alternate realities, and time travel, this volume tries to explain the series hiatus and the seemingly unresolved story lines that were left as cliffhangers before the reboot.
The first time I read it, the story made no sense. But when I went back and reread it again almost immediately, it began to come together.
I personally couldn't find anyone who had comprehensively explained the events of Rat Queens from the end of Collected Volume 3 onward, so this is my attempt to do so.
Note #1: Obviously, there are SPOILERS AHEAD. Proceed at your own risk.
Note #2: When talking about "collected volumes," I'm referring to the paperback collections. The chapters that make up the collected volumes are numbered the same as the individual issues from which they are reprinted.
Unfortunately, the individual issues of Rat Queens are also divided into two "volumes," indicated by individual issue #1 through #16 and individual issue #1 following the 2017 reboot onward. If I'm talking about an individual issue, I will try to refer to it as either the chapter from the collected volume in which it appears (ex. Collected Volume 3, Chapter 12) or the series volume and issue (ex. Series Volume 1, Issue #12) or both (ex. Collected Volume 3, Chapter 12 / Series Volume 1, Issue #12).
RAT QUEENS COLLECTED VOLUME 5 EXPLAINED
(Once again, spoilers ahead)
The initial Rat Queens story takes place over the first 15 issues which are assembled in Collected Volumes 1 through 3.
At the end of Collected Vol. 3, Chapter 15, Hannah has been placed in a void prison outside of time and space by the council at Mage U. Meanwhile, Betty, Violet, and Dee have boarded a ship to continue their adventures without Hannah.
This story continues in Series Volume 1, Issue #16. This issue does not appear in any collected volume. This is because Wiebe and artist Tess Fowler had a major professional clash, and the two would not consent to work together to continue the story arc started in Series Volume 1, Issue #16. Rat Queens went on hiatus and launched Series Volume 2, Issue #1 (Collected Volume 4, Chapter 1) as a soft reboot.
Except Series Volume 2 isn't a reboot at all.
In Series Volume 1, Issue #16, Betty, Violet, and Dee return to Palisade to find that the entire town has been replaced with doppelgangers. Violet kills impostor Orc Dave and the issue ends.
This narrative doesn't continue until Collected Volume 5, Chapter 9 (Series Volume 2, Issue #9). Here's what happens:
* Dee has a flashback to her youth and a romance with a young man named Adua.
* Dee recalls how she met Violet and the rest of the Rat Queens.
* Dee revisits the events at Mage U, where they let Hannah storm off and eventually become imprisoned.
* There is then a brief synopsis of Series Volume 1, Issue #16. Betty, Violet, and Dee return to Palisade to find that the entire town has been replaced with doppelgangers. Violet kills impostor Orc Dave.
* At some point in the future (we know because Dee's hair style and Violet's beard are different), Dee decides she needs to return home to take up the religious mantle she's been running from.
* Time passes. At this point, it has been 20 years since Hannah's imprisonment. Dee, now the religious leader of her people, begins a romance with Adua again. While in bed, Dee receives a message from one of Violet's daughters.
* Dee travels to a reunion with her remaining friends. Betty and Violet are both married with children.
* Violet tells Dee of a corruption in part of her kingdom. The three Queens decide to investigate.
* At a ruined tower, Dee, Violet, and Betty discover the source of the corruption. It's Hannah, who made a pact with her demon, killed him, and has been amassing power for two decades. A battle ensues. Hannah wins and vows to continue her campaign of terror.
* Dee vows that they can still save Hannah. She returns home and communes with the god N'Rygoth, who is kept slumbering by the sacrifices of Dee's people. In the time before N'Rygoth slept, his violent energies threatened not only the world, but the universe (or multiverse).
* Dee asks N'Rygoth to awaken, to "Hear me, and unravel time. Let me control the flow of reality." N'Rygoth awakens (probably a bad thing) and does as Dee asks.
* Dee travels back in time to the events in Collected Vol. 3, Chapter 15, where Hannah is about to storm off. Instead of letting her leave, they vow to help and support her while also tempering her worst impulses.
--
At this point, the timeline in the comic splits in two. Timeline A covers the events up to Collected Vol. 3, Chapter 15; Series Volume 1, Issue #16; and Collected Volume 5, Chapter 9. Hannah ends up in prison.
Timeline B1 begins when the Rat Queens refuse to let Hannah storm off at Mage U. They find a diplomatic solution to the "uprising" started by Hannah's father, Gerard. Hannah DOES NOT end up in prison. Gerard survives and travels back to Palisade with the Queens. Then begins the events in Collected Volume 4, Chapter 1.
EXCEPT ... there's still a version of imprisoned Hannah floating around, presumably because she was placed in a void prison outside of time and space. We don't know if this is the version of Hannah from Timeline A, manifesting in Timeline B, or a second version of imprisoned Hannah. The fact is that the imprisoned Hannah from Timeline A looks markedly different than the imprisoned Hannah that manifests in Timeline B. Their stories, however, are the same: imprisonment, demon pact, demon killed for his power, revenge.
Timeline B1 continues in Collected Volume 5, Chapters 6-8 and 10. The imprisoned Hannah in Timeline B is altering space-time to remove people from reality, notably the Queens and a few townspeople like the barkeeper's daughter. This creates subsets of Timeline B:
* Timeline B2: Madeline, the barkeep's daughter, does not exist. The barkeep is a bitter old man. There is a rival bar called The Brood in town.
* Timeline B3: Violet (and her brother Barrie) don't exist. Braga never joins the Rat Queens. Hannah is imprisoned at Vaale for destroying half of Palisade.
* Timeline B4: We don't know much about this timeline except that Dee realizes she split reality. Dee is erased from existence. Betty discovers that the imprisoned Hannah manifesting in Timeline B is behind everything.
* Timeline B1a: The same as timeline B1. No one has been erased, BUT Betty has the knowledge that the timelines have split and that there's a rogue Hannah moving through time and space.
--
Whew!
Since I haven't read beyond Collected Volume 5, Chapter 10 (Series Volume 2, Issue #10), I don't know what happens after that. But that's how I interpret it al.
As I mention in my review, I don't know if this was brilliant storytelling or pure insanity, but Wiebe does leave a lot of fun breadcrumbs for readers who decide to undertake subsequent rereads.
Did I miss anything? Let me know if the comments!
This elicited a reading and buying spree in which I quickly devoured all of the series that had been collected so far. I also learned about some of the behind-the-scenes drama that has dogged the series almost since its inception.
After an extended hiatus and soft reboot in March 2017, Rat Queens finally seemed to be on an even keel with a steady creative team of writer / co-creator Kurtis Wiebe and artist Owen Gieni. The only problem was that the story didn't quite line up with the events of Collected Volume 3 and individual issue #16, which is not part of any collection (more on this in a moment).
Then comes Rat Queens Collected Volume 5: The Colossal Magic Nothing.
Whoo boy, this one's a doozy. Through magic, alternate realities, and time travel, this volume tries to explain the series hiatus and the seemingly unresolved story lines that were left as cliffhangers before the reboot.
The first time I read it, the story made no sense. But when I went back and reread it again almost immediately, it began to come together.
I personally couldn't find anyone who had comprehensively explained the events of Rat Queens from the end of Collected Volume 3 onward, so this is my attempt to do so.
Note #1: Obviously, there are SPOILERS AHEAD. Proceed at your own risk.
Note #2: When talking about "collected volumes," I'm referring to the paperback collections. The chapters that make up the collected volumes are numbered the same as the individual issues from which they are reprinted.
Unfortunately, the individual issues of Rat Queens are also divided into two "volumes," indicated by individual issue #1 through #16 and individual issue #1 following the 2017 reboot onward. If I'm talking about an individual issue, I will try to refer to it as either the chapter from the collected volume in which it appears (ex. Collected Volume 3, Chapter 12) or the series volume and issue (ex. Series Volume 1, Issue #12) or both (ex. Collected Volume 3, Chapter 12 / Series Volume 1, Issue #12).
RAT QUEENS COLLECTED VOLUME 5 EXPLAINED
(Once again, spoilers ahead)
The initial Rat Queens story takes place over the first 15 issues which are assembled in Collected Volumes 1 through 3.
At the end of Collected Vol. 3, Chapter 15, Hannah has been placed in a void prison outside of time and space by the council at Mage U. Meanwhile, Betty, Violet, and Dee have boarded a ship to continue their adventures without Hannah.
This story continues in Series Volume 1, Issue #16. This issue does not appear in any collected volume. This is because Wiebe and artist Tess Fowler had a major professional clash, and the two would not consent to work together to continue the story arc started in Series Volume 1, Issue #16. Rat Queens went on hiatus and launched Series Volume 2, Issue #1 (Collected Volume 4, Chapter 1) as a soft reboot.
Except Series Volume 2 isn't a reboot at all.
In Series Volume 1, Issue #16, Betty, Violet, and Dee return to Palisade to find that the entire town has been replaced with doppelgangers. Violet kills impostor Orc Dave and the issue ends.
This narrative doesn't continue until Collected Volume 5, Chapter 9 (Series Volume 2, Issue #9). Here's what happens:
* Dee has a flashback to her youth and a romance with a young man named Adua.
* Dee recalls how she met Violet and the rest of the Rat Queens.
* Dee revisits the events at Mage U, where they let Hannah storm off and eventually become imprisoned.
* There is then a brief synopsis of Series Volume 1, Issue #16. Betty, Violet, and Dee return to Palisade to find that the entire town has been replaced with doppelgangers. Violet kills impostor Orc Dave.
* At some point in the future (we know because Dee's hair style and Violet's beard are different), Dee decides she needs to return home to take up the religious mantle she's been running from.
* Time passes. At this point, it has been 20 years since Hannah's imprisonment. Dee, now the religious leader of her people, begins a romance with Adua again. While in bed, Dee receives a message from one of Violet's daughters.
* Dee travels to a reunion with her remaining friends. Betty and Violet are both married with children.
* Violet tells Dee of a corruption in part of her kingdom. The three Queens decide to investigate.
* At a ruined tower, Dee, Violet, and Betty discover the source of the corruption. It's Hannah, who made a pact with her demon, killed him, and has been amassing power for two decades. A battle ensues. Hannah wins and vows to continue her campaign of terror.
* Dee vows that they can still save Hannah. She returns home and communes with the god N'Rygoth, who is kept slumbering by the sacrifices of Dee's people. In the time before N'Rygoth slept, his violent energies threatened not only the world, but the universe (or multiverse).
* Dee asks N'Rygoth to awaken, to "Hear me, and unravel time. Let me control the flow of reality." N'Rygoth awakens (probably a bad thing) and does as Dee asks.
* Dee travels back in time to the events in Collected Vol. 3, Chapter 15, where Hannah is about to storm off. Instead of letting her leave, they vow to help and support her while also tempering her worst impulses.
--
At this point, the timeline in the comic splits in two. Timeline A covers the events up to Collected Vol. 3, Chapter 15; Series Volume 1, Issue #16; and Collected Volume 5, Chapter 9. Hannah ends up in prison.
Timeline B1 begins when the Rat Queens refuse to let Hannah storm off at Mage U. They find a diplomatic solution to the "uprising" started by Hannah's father, Gerard. Hannah DOES NOT end up in prison. Gerard survives and travels back to Palisade with the Queens. Then begins the events in Collected Volume 4, Chapter 1.
EXCEPT ... there's still a version of imprisoned Hannah floating around, presumably because she was placed in a void prison outside of time and space. We don't know if this is the version of Hannah from Timeline A, manifesting in Timeline B, or a second version of imprisoned Hannah. The fact is that the imprisoned Hannah from Timeline A looks markedly different than the imprisoned Hannah that manifests in Timeline B. Their stories, however, are the same: imprisonment, demon pact, demon killed for his power, revenge.
Timeline B1 continues in Collected Volume 5, Chapters 6-8 and 10. The imprisoned Hannah in Timeline B is altering space-time to remove people from reality, notably the Queens and a few townspeople like the barkeeper's daughter. This creates subsets of Timeline B:
* Timeline B2: Madeline, the barkeep's daughter, does not exist. The barkeep is a bitter old man. There is a rival bar called The Brood in town.
* Timeline B3: Violet (and her brother Barrie) don't exist. Braga never joins the Rat Queens. Hannah is imprisoned at Vaale for destroying half of Palisade.
* Timeline B4: We don't know much about this timeline except that Dee realizes she split reality. Dee is erased from existence. Betty discovers that the imprisoned Hannah manifesting in Timeline B is behind everything.
* Timeline B1a: The same as timeline B1. No one has been erased, BUT Betty has the knowledge that the timelines have split and that there's a rogue Hannah moving through time and space.
--
Whew!
Since I haven't read beyond Collected Volume 5, Chapter 10 (Series Volume 2, Issue #10), I don't know what happens after that. But that's how I interpret it al.
As I mention in my review, I don't know if this was brilliant storytelling or pure insanity, but Wiebe does leave a lot of fun breadcrumbs for readers who decide to undertake subsequent rereads.
Did I miss anything? Let me know if the comments!
