Written by: Jason Aaron
Art by: Russell Dauterman
Colors: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover Price: $5.99
Release Date: June 26, 2019

Well, we made it! The War of the Realms journey is over (kind of) and we can all relax now and get some sleep, right? Of course not since there are still so many books to read and enjoy, but I have to say that now that it’s over, I am already looking back at this Event with mostly rose-colored glasses. While I didn’t love everything about it (like Branden!), it had it’s moments and didn’t upset me as much as I was worried it would. So, did the finale stick the landing? Let’s find out…

The issue opens with Jason Aaron kind of tooting his own horn a bit as we get Thor in the Sun and then a peek at the Asgard at the End of Time. Both look great and seeing some Fantastic guests traveling eons to get All-Father Thor was so awesome! After a God of Thunder name drop, Jane Foster shows up and while the whole gang isn’t here (yet), it was a Hel of a way to start this issue!

We then get to the global part of the War and while most of Malekith’s allies have already been defeated (in tie-ins and minis), Laufey is still kicking it in New York City and things are about to get real chill. Using the Casket of Winters Loki stole from Asgard, the Giant powered up and while Daredevil gives him a good fight, you will never guess who does him in in the end!

Meanwhile, at Stonehenge, Malekith is talking crap to Freyja and Odin when the Thors arrive and the baddie also upgrades and the fight is on. The focus is on Malekith and Thor and while it seems as if the God of Thunder has lost his marbles, in the end, he gains everything. Yea, it’s the moment that we’ve been waiting for.

After all is said and done, we get all of our characters thinking, celebrating, moving on… and setting up a bunch of things coming up this summer. It ends with a beginning and it does have me pumped up for the future of Thor.

This finale is all about the big moments. I mean, some of them are HUGE! I still have to take some points off for it all feeling a bit rushed by the end and maybe the focus during the whole thing could have been tighter (I would have loved a bit more of Malekith), but this felt satisfying and it felt big and it felt important. Russell Dauterman’s art was great throughout and this might have been his best issue. Overall, I am glad I was around to enjoy this story…maybe not as much as Branden, but hey…

Final Thoughts:
The War of the Realms is over and this finale was full of big moments that setup a ton of stuff going forward. Jason Aaron got me by the end and Russell Dauterman’s art was incredible as usual. Overall, this was a pretty good Event!

8.9/10