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Overanalyzing Anime
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Wielding the power of his Iron Man armor, Tony races towards Mallen and company, intent on apprehending them before they can do any more damage.
This issue starts off by giving us a better understanding of just how the Extremis Serum works. Unlike the Super Soldier Serum that helped create everyone’s favorite patriot, this serum acts very differently, essentially serving to, “hack the body’s repair center,” in an attempt to rewrite the very “blueprint” that makes up our physical make-up. In doing this, the user goes into a comatose state for several days, however, upon emerging from their “cocoon of scabs,” they possess not only enhanced strength, speed, and durability, but also the ability to forcibly hack technology with no more than a touch and, as we saw in the last issue, the ability to spew fire from their mouth. That last one seems a bit random, but it doesn’t make it effect any less terrifying.
Having insight on how the serum works is interesting, because while its very much like Dr. Erskine’s original Super Soldier Serum, it’s very different in that while it seems to be superior in regard to the abilities it gives its user, it also has some drawbacks in regard to what the individual has to go through in order to obtain the power, as well as the effect it seemingly has on the individual. While I fully imagine that Mallen was crazed before taking the Extremis Serum, I can’t help but think that the Serum has, in one way or another, amplified it.
A battle between Tony and Mallen was inevitable, and while I imagined that Tony might struggle in the ensuing battle, I didn’t imagine it would go so abysmally for him. This battle was completely one-sided, as even the full power of Tony’s repulsers did absolutely nothing to keep the monstrous Mallen at bay. Writer Warren Ellis has built up Mallen to be a worthy threat - as we’ve already seen him decimate an entire FBI Headquarters with apparent ease - and this issue only served to make him all the more terrifying. While we’ve yet to see the conclusion of this battle - as the chapter left us with an epic cliffhanger - one can only imagine that it will take a miracle to save Tony this time around.
One thing that was surprising in this issue was the brief interlude that served to give some insight into Mallen - who, up until this point, has been more of a plot device than an actual character. In providing us with some backstory for the character, we can gain a better understanding of what may be motivating his actions. We’re aware that he’s part of a domestic terrorist sect, but this snippet into his past may be the answer to helping us understand how he joined them, and, how it ultimately led to him taking the Extremis Serum. While I doubt it’ll be expanded on too much, it is interesting to see them focus on fleshing out the villain, at least somewhat.
In addition to Mallen, we also got to see of Tony being Tony. While the fight between Tony and Mallen was mostly entertaining due to them trading blows, it also provided a bit of comedy when it came to some of Tony’s comments - such as when he let out an exaggerated “okay..” when his repulsers didn’t effect Mallen as much as he thought they would. It is also interesting seeing a version of Tony Stark that chooses to hide the fact that he is operating the Iron Man suit as it seems incredibly inconvenient when it comes time to finally suit up. I think the way the MCU has handled Tony’s secret identity - or lack thereof - is superior because it more-so aligns itself with Tony’s relatively self-centered nature.
All in all, the third entry in the “Extremis” arc left on a thrilling cliffhanger that has me anxiously awaiting diving into the next issue.
My rating: 8/10
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