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Overanalyzing Anime
Blog Owner & Lead Writer
Adrian Veidt is the (self-proclaimed) smartest man in the world &, in Before Watchmen: Ozymandias, we see the steps he took to prevent himself from becoming, “the smartest man on the cinder.”
I’m just going to say, right off the bat, that this story is incredible. Of all of the entries, this is probably my favorite - perhaps even more so than BW: #DoctorManhattan. There’s so much of Adrian we never got the chance to learn about during the original series’ run, & this story finally gives us much needed insight on the enigmatic character.
One of the (many) reasons I enjoyed this #story so much was because it covered his story in a completely linear fashion. In fact, it was Adrian himself telling the story in the form of his own Journal - explaining his childhood, his travels around the world, his rise to corporate power, & exactly how he came to adopt his alter-ego, Ozymandias.
I also really liked the fact that I could see elements of many of the other characters BW stories sprinkled into this tale. Moments from a few of the previous entries were retold from Adrian’s perspective - especially those in regard to Doctor Manhattan's story, as the two ultimately have one of the most important relationships in the series. Speaking of relationships, I found it interesting that many of Adrians motivations & decisions were directly correlated to the relationships in his life; whether it be familial or romantic.
To be honest, everything about this story is pretty damn incredible. In fact, my only gripe is with the artwork, but even that has a unique purpose. There’s something about the art that feels pompous and arrogant; like Adrian himself illustrated each panel - depicting himself like a God, & others (specifically those he didn’t respect) as subhuman.
One more thing, I never noticed just how much Veidt reminded me of Doctor Doom in terms of his ideology & self perception. I really liked that.
Of the six titular heroes’ prequel stories, BW: Ozymandias is perhaps the greatest entry in the series, & is a must read for fans of the Watchmen.
My rating: 10/10
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