Archangel #5, Page 22
Page 22 sees THE PILOT, and he is in our present.
Panels 1-2.
THE PILOT's grabs a newspaper blowing in the wind.
Panel 3.
THE PILOT is in Germany.
Panels 4-5.
The paper states - "TRUMP'S TRIUMPH" - The New York Times, The Economist, and NewStatesman had that as a headline.
This means THE PILOT is in our world, but our world is a product of the Splitter rather than the "right" history, William Gibson explained this in March 2016 in an interview with CBR:
"The Splitter splits timelines, creates forks in history, so it’s really a pretty standard sci-fi plot device. I think we’ve made interesting use of it, though, in part because our timeline here, today, turns out to be a product of the Splitter, and, for all our problems in our real 2016, we got really lucky compared to everyone in the original timeline, where they finally build the Splitter in an attempt to escape. That’s spoilerish, but I think it goes by so fast in the comic that a lot of people could miss it, so I don’t mind underlining it."
The outcome of the U.S. election was undecided when writing commenced on Archangel, so when asked how the end would have differed had Hillary Clinton won the election, William Gibson tweeted, "In the same place, but with the Pilot simply staring in wonder at the city"
Panel 6.
THE PILOT is somewhere amongst us, keep an eye out for him, and be nice to him if you see him, he's going to have serious culture shock.
Panels 1-2.
THE PILOT's grabs a newspaper blowing in the wind.
Panel 3.
THE PILOT is in Germany.
The paper states - "TRUMP'S TRIUMPH" - The New York Times, The Economist, and NewStatesman had that as a headline.
This means THE PILOT is in our world, but our world is a product of the Splitter rather than the "right" history, William Gibson explained this in March 2016 in an interview with CBR:
"The Splitter splits timelines, creates forks in history, so it’s really a pretty standard sci-fi plot device. I think we’ve made interesting use of it, though, in part because our timeline here, today, turns out to be a product of the Splitter, and, for all our problems in our real 2016, we got really lucky compared to everyone in the original timeline, where they finally build the Splitter in an attempt to escape. That’s spoilerish, but I think it goes by so fast in the comic that a lot of people could miss it, so I don’t mind underlining it."
The outcome of the U.S. election was undecided when writing commenced on Archangel, so when asked how the end would have differed had Hillary Clinton won the election, William Gibson tweeted, "In the same place, but with the Pilot simply staring in wonder at the city"
Panel 6.
THE PILOT is somewhere amongst us, keep an eye out for him, and be nice to him if you see him, he's going to have serious culture shock.
THE END.
Archangel #5, Page 21
Page 21 sees THE PILOT arrives in the new future.
Panels 1-3.
THE PILOT's arrival looks a bit like time travel from "The Terminator" movies.
Panel 4.
THE PILOT cannot contact TORRES and the ROBOTIC FLY doesn't work any more, so it's clear he's in an alternative future.
Panel 5.
THE PILOT mustn't have known that TORRES intended to destroy the Splitter.
Panels 1-3.
THE PILOT's arrival looks a bit like time travel from "The Terminator" movies.
Panel 4.
THE PILOT cannot contact TORRES and the ROBOTIC FLY doesn't work any more, so it's clear he's in an alternative future.
THE PILOT mustn't have known that TORRES intended to destroy the Splitter.
Archangel #5, Page 20
Page 20 sees the impact of the destruction of the Splitter.
Panels 1-2.
"AMERICA HAVE BOMBED JAPAN" - So history has been put right.
Panel 3.
FRITZ has no idea what NAOMI is talking about, because he didn't travel in the portal, nothing that occurred in the previous four issues happened, this means that FRITZ's girlfriend survived.
Panel 4.
"NAGASAKI. LIKE SOMETHING IN A CHILDREN'S RHYME." -- there was a song:
Panel 5.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED TO THE PILOT" -- we'll see!
Panels 1-2.
"AMERICA HAVE BOMBED JAPAN" - So history has been put right.
Panel 3.
FRITZ has no idea what NAOMI is talking about, because he didn't travel in the portal, nothing that occurred in the previous four issues happened, this means that FRITZ's girlfriend survived.
"NAGASAKI. LIKE SOMETHING IN A CHILDREN'S RHYME." -- there was a song:
Panel 5.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED TO THE PILOT" -- we'll see!
Archangel #5, Page 19
Page 19 sees NAOMI and VINCE return to NAOMI's headquarters.
Panels 1-2.
NAOMI and VINCE are sent to her headquarters.
Panel 3.
FRITZ doesn't recognise VINCE ... why?
(1) The "prime" universe; the original, where ROBERT HENDERSON is president of the U.S., and the world is in a crappy state.
(2) The first "fork", when JUNIOR HENDERSON used the Splitter, where he went back in time and killed his grandfather, and tried to execute the Archangel plan.
(3) The second "fork", when THE PILOT and CARLOS used the Splitter to go back in time to stop JUNIOR, and NAOMI, FRITZ, and VINCE got involved.
(4) The third "fork"; our world, where DONALD TRUMP is president of the U.S., caused by TORRES blowing up the Splitter, and sending NAOMI and VINCE into this fork in 1945, and THE PILOT into the same fork in 2016.
Either that or there are two universes in the Archangel comics:
Panels 1-2.
NAOMI and VINCE are sent to her headquarters.
Panel 3.
FRITZ doesn't recognise VINCE ... why?
It could be that there are four universes in the Archangel comics:
(1) The "prime" universe; the original, where ROBERT HENDERSON is president of the U.S., and the world is in a crappy state.
(2) The first "fork", when JUNIOR HENDERSON used the Splitter, where he went back in time and killed his grandfather, and tried to execute the Archangel plan.
(3) The second "fork", when THE PILOT and CARLOS used the Splitter to go back in time to stop JUNIOR, and NAOMI, FRITZ, and VINCE got involved.
(4) The third "fork"; our world, where DONALD TRUMP is president of the U.S., caused by TORRES blowing up the Splitter, and sending NAOMI and VINCE into this fork in 1945, and THE PILOT into the same fork in 2016.
Either that or there are two universes in the Archangel comics:
When the Splitter was destroyed, it caused a quantum rupture, whereby its destruction not only propagated changes forward, but it also propagated changes backwards, so all of the uses of the Splitter were erased from history, in a way it was as if JUNIOR and THE PILOT and the others never went back in time at all, except Major Aloysius Henderson did die a year earlier, and as a result his son didn't become president, and therefore his grandson didn't travel back in time, resulting in our reality.
Archangel #5, Page 18
Page 18 sees the Fat Man bomb dropped in 2016.
Panels 1-3.
I have to confess, this was a complete surprise to me, I was expecting TORRES to redirect the bomb to Nagasaki, not to the SNAKE MOUNTAIN facility.
For a second I thought she had dropped it on the White House, but then I remembered that there's a replica White House here:
By dropping the bomb here, the Splitter is destroyed. We will see the impact this has had soon.
Panels 1-3.
I have to confess, this was a complete surprise to me, I was expecting TORRES to redirect the bomb to Nagasaki, not to the SNAKE MOUNTAIN facility.
For a second I thought she had dropped it on the White House, but then I remembered that there's a replica White House here:
By dropping the bomb here, the Splitter is destroyed. We will see the impact this has had soon.
Archangel #5, Page 17
Page 17 sees the Bockscar about the teleport.
Panel 1
The Bockscar about the teleport, notice NAOMI and the bomb have fallen out.
Panel 1
The Bockscar about the teleport, notice NAOMI and the bomb have fallen out.
Archangel #5, Page 16
Page 16 sees THE PILOT trying to fly the Bockscar.
Panels 1-3
THE PILOT is trying to steady the Bockscar.
Panels 4-5
NAOMI is slipping out of the bomb bay.
Panels 1-3
THE PILOT is trying to steady the Bockscar.
Panels 4-5
NAOMI is slipping out of the bomb bay.
Archangel #5, Page 15
Page 15 sees us in 2016 with PRESIDENT HENDERSON
Panel 1
PRESIDENT ROBERT HENDERSON, a dick.
Panel 2
TORRES is witty to the end.
Panel 3
THE PRESIDENT orders TORRES to be killed, but in such a way that he has plausible deniability.
Panel 4
"OP LEVEL GREEN" - The Splitter is fully recharged.
Panel 5
THE PRESIDENT is suspicious of JACK.
Panel 6
TORRES makes one final appeal to JACK.
Panel 7
JACK does the right thing.
Panel 1
PRESIDENT ROBERT HENDERSON, a dick.
Panel 2
TORRES is witty to the end.
Panel 3
THE PRESIDENT orders TORRES to be killed, but in such a way that he has plausible deniability.
Panel 4
"OP LEVEL GREEN" - The Splitter is fully recharged.
Panel 5
THE PRESIDENT is suspicious of JACK.
Panel 6
TORRES makes one final appeal to JACK.
Panel 7
JACK does the right thing.
Archangel #5, Page 14
Page 14 sees us back in 2016 at SNAKE MOUNTAIN.
Panel 1
The Splitter is still charging.
Panel 2
TORRES asked JACK to choose a side.
Panels 3-4
THE PRESIDENT's forces break into the Control Room.
Panel 1
The Splitter is still charging.
Panel 2
TORRES asked JACK to choose a side.
THE PRESIDENT's forces break into the Control Room.
Archangel #5, Page 13
Page 13 sees VINCE in jeopardy.
Panel 1
NAOMI draws blood.
Panel 2
Everyone's an expert ;-)
Panel 3
The attacker falls out the bomb bay doors.
Panel 4
NAOMI is falling out as well - "VIIINCE!".
Panel 1
NAOMI draws blood.
Panel 2
Everyone's an expert ;-)
The attacker falls out the bomb bay doors.
Panel 4
NAOMI is falling out as well - "VIIINCE!".
Archangel #5, Page 12
Page 12 sees NAOMI fighting for her life.
Panel 1
The attacker punches VINCE.
Panel 2
NAOMI punches the attacker.
Panels 3-4
The attacker tries to choke NAOMI.
Panel 5
Notice the ring on NAOMI's finger has a blade on it, we could call it a micro-knife, and a ninja would call it a Kakute.
Panel 1
The attacker punches VINCE.
Panel 2
NAOMI punches the attacker.
The attacker tries to choke NAOMI.
Panel 5
Notice the ring on NAOMI's finger has a blade on it, we could call it a micro-knife, and a ninja would call it a Kakute.
Archangel #5, Page 11
Page 11 sees THE PILOT trying to save NAOMI and VINCE again.
Panel 1
THE PILOT is freaked!
Panel 2
TORRES is planning ahead again, just in case she loses contact with THE PILOT.
Panel 3
THE PILOT emphasises the importance of getting NAOMI and VINCE safe.
Panel 4
TORRES is trying to think of the bigger picture, and doesn't want the mission to fail because of distractions.
Panel 5
THE PILOT knows better.
Panel 6
TORRES agrees to take care of them.
Panel 1
THE PILOT is freaked!
Panel 2
TORRES is planning ahead again, just in case she loses contact with THE PILOT.
Panel 3
THE PILOT emphasises the importance of getting NAOMI and VINCE safe.
Panel 4
TORRES is trying to think of the bigger picture, and doesn't want the mission to fail because of distractions.
Panel 5
THE PILOT knows better.
TORRES agrees to take care of them.
Archangel #5, Page 10
Page 10 sees JUNIOR come to an end.
Panels 1-3
The portal doesn't transport JUNIOR anywhere in time, just in space!
Panels 1-3
The portal doesn't transport JUNIOR anywhere in time, just in space!
Archangel #5, Page 9
Page 9 sees TORRES come to the rescue.
Panel 1
We see the Bockscar from the front.
Panel 2
THE PILOT seems to be stunned for a moment.
Panel 3
THE PILOT does a one-handed somersault.
Panels 4-7
JUNIOR attacks, but TORRES uses the ROBOTIC FLY to open a portal.
Panel 1
We see the Bockscar from the front.
Panel 2
THE PILOT seems to be stunned for a moment.
Panel 3
THE PILOT does a one-handed somersault.
JUNIOR attacks, but TORRES uses the ROBOTIC FLY to open a portal.
Archangel #5, Page 8
Page 8 sees NAOMI and VINCE prepare for an ambush.
Panel 1
NAOMI appreciates the problems of combat in an aircraft.
Panel 2
Could this be Wilson, out of radio contact?
Panel 3
NAOMI is in charge.
Panel 4
An attack!
Panel 1
NAOMI appreciates the problems of combat in an aircraft.
Panel 2
Could this be Wilson, out of radio contact?
Panel 3
NAOMI is in charge.
Panel 4
An attack!
Archangel #5, Page 7
Page 7 sees combat in the cockpit.
Panel 1
JUNIOR is in charge.
Panel 2
JUNIOR seems to like shooting people.
Panel 3
JUNIOR fires at THE PILOT.
Panel 4
The bullet ricochets.
Panel 5
...and kills the pilot (instead of killing THE PILOT ;-)
Do bullets ricochet in real life? yes.
Panel 1
JUNIOR is in charge.
Panel 2
JUNIOR seems to like shooting people.
Panel 3
JUNIOR fires at THE PILOT.
Panel 4
The bullet ricochets.
Panel 5
...and kills the pilot (instead of killing THE PILOT ;-)
Do bullets ricochet in real life? yes.
Archangel #5, Page 6
Page 6, THE PILOT strikes.
Panel 1
This page shows what a confident and strong writer William Gibson has become in the comics medium, using pictures as easily as text to tell the story. As I see it, the first two issues of Archangel were still a novelist writing comic books, but by one third of the way through issue #3 Gibson became a superb comic book writer. It is a testament to his genius that he has been able to adapt to a new medium so quickly.
Panel 1
This page shows what a confident and strong writer William Gibson has become in the comics medium, using pictures as easily as text to tell the story. As I see it, the first two issues of Archangel were still a novelist writing comic books, but by one third of the way through issue #3 Gibson became a superb comic book writer. It is a testament to his genius that he has been able to adapt to a new medium so quickly.
Archangel #5, Page 5
Page 5 takes us in to the cockpit with JUNIOR.
Panel 1
"WILSON" - In Count Zero, a Wilson is a slang term for a screw-up.
Panel 2
[No comments].
Panel 1
"WILSON" - In Count Zero, a Wilson is a slang term for a screw-up.
"A wilson. A fuck-up. It's hotdogger talk, I guess."
Did it again. Shit.
The Finn gave him a very strange look. "Jesus. That's your word for it, huh? Christ, I know the guy."
"Who?"
"Bodine Wilson," he said. "First guy I ever knew wound up as a figure of speech."
"Was he stupid?" Bobby asked, immediately regretting it.
"Stupid? Shit, no, he was smart as hell."
Panel 2
[No comments].
Panels 3-5
TORRES is using a ROBOTIC FLY to attack JUNIOR.
TORRES is using a ROBOTIC FLY to attack JUNIOR.
Archangel #5, Page 4
Page 4 brings us back to 2016. SNAKE MOUNTAIN with TORRES and JACK
Panel 1
It appears that each time the Splitter is used, it takes time to recharge, so it must have massive capacitors to store the charge.
Panel 2
Interestingly JACK seems sanguine about the fact that if the past is changed he might cease to exist.
Panel 3
I was wondering why TORRES didn't just eliminate JUNIOR HENDERSON in the original transport, this explains it.
Panel 4
TORRES also realises that her's is a suicide mission.
Panel 5
TORRES is super-smart and seems to have done everything she can to get a successful outcome to the mission, including the fact that JACK could be convinced to switch loyalties.
Panel 1
It appears that each time the Splitter is used, it takes time to recharge, so it must have massive capacitors to store the charge.
Panel 2
Interestingly JACK seems sanguine about the fact that if the past is changed he might cease to exist.
Panel 3
I was wondering why TORRES didn't just eliminate JUNIOR HENDERSON in the original transport, this explains it.
Panel 4
TORRES also realises that her's is a suicide mission.
Panel 5
TORRES is super-smart and seems to have done everything she can to get a successful outcome to the mission, including the fact that JACK could be convinced to switch loyalties.
Archangel #5, Page 3
Page 3 sees THE PILOT formulate a plan
Panel 1
[No comments].
Panel 2
Note the oxygen masks visible in the right of the panel.
Panel 1
[No comments].
Note the oxygen masks visible in the right of the panel.
Panel 3
It's just as well NAOMI and VINCE did come along, otherwise THE PILOT's mission would have been much more difficult.
It's just as well NAOMI and VINCE did come along, otherwise THE PILOT's mission would have been much more difficult.
Panel 4
"WE'LL GET YOU BACK HOME." I think either NAOMI or VINCE are really, really important in the future, given how careful THE PILOT and TORRES are in trying to get them home.
"WE'LL GET YOU BACK HOME." I think either NAOMI or VINCE are really, really important in the future, given how careful THE PILOT and TORRES are in trying to get them home.
Archangel #5, Page 2
Page 2 sees THE PILOT getting upset with VINCE and NAOMI
Panel 1
"TIGHT SQUEEZE, TORRES..." I'm assume THE PILOT means that the exit of the portal was smaller because of energy demands.
Panel 2
I still think in THE PILOT's future language is restricted, like Newspeak.
Panel 3
THE PILOT is trying to protect NAOMI and VINCE.
Panel 4
It's not a happy outcome to be partially merged with the vessel:
Panel 1
"TIGHT SQUEEZE, TORRES..." I'm assume THE PILOT means that the exit of the portal was smaller because of energy demands.
Panel 2
I still think in THE PILOT's future language is restricted, like Newspeak.
Panel 3
THE PILOT is trying to protect NAOMI and VINCE.
Panel 4
It's not a happy outcome to be partially merged with the vessel:
Archangel #5, Page 1
Page 1 sees the travellers arrive
Panel 1
"1945. SOMEWHERE OVER EASTERN EUROPE". Pictured is the "Fat Man" atomic bomb, that was detonated over the Japanese city of Nagasaki by the United States on 9 August 1945, dropped from the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Bockscar.
Panel 2
"FZZZZZZZZ". The travellers are coming.
Panel 3
NAOMI, VINCE and THE PILOT arrive.
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