Obsession #5 (of 5) Story: Haden Blackman Art: Brian Ching Coloring: Sno Cone Studios Lettering: Michael David Thomas Cover: Brian Ching, Brad Anderson Released: 05/18/2005 Reviewed by: JF Boivin (05/18/2005) SUMMARY: It's a showdown on Boz Pity. As Republic forces fight General Grievous and his army, Obi-Wan finally finds the object of his quest: Asajj Ventress is in a bacta tank inside a medical center. Count Dooku arrives and wakes up the hate inside her, and she fights with Obi-Wan, later joined by Anakin. Meanwhile in the battlefield, Jedi and clone casualties rise until Grievous comes face-to-face with Master Mace Windu. With the droid general down, Dooku decides to flee the scene, betraying and leaving his former apprentice Asajj Ventress for dead. At the end of her life, Ventress confesses to Kenobi that maybe he was right about having some good left in her. But is it really the end of her life?

[final cover] [preview cover]

THE STORY

A mostly satisfying conclusion to this important series. There's is a good balance between story and action. Mace Windu gets a chance to show his fighting skills. ARC Trooper Alpha gets seriously injured but keeps on fighting. Adi Gallia is killed (a lot of that happening lately, now that writers know which Jedi have to survive until Revenge of the Sith, and which ones can be killed.) I think Dooku turning on Ventress and her starting to understand Obi-Wan is a nice twist. I don't think it's against her character. She is her same old insane self right until the last moment, prompting Anakin to attack her to save Obi-Wan. In fact, I think the title refers as much to Asajj's obsession with killing Obi-Wan as to Obi-Wan searching for her across the galaxy. The story resolves itself with enough drama until the last page.

The one-page epilogue seems strangely tacked-on at the last minute. I am not sure if that was the goal all along to have her survive, or if it was a last minute decision by the powers-that-be to keep Ventress as a recurring villain. If the intent was to have a convincing enough death so the Jedi think she is dead, then the goal is achieved. But without that ending, the impact of the series would have been much more rewarding.

Revenge of the Sith preview: Grievous' MagnaGuard IG droids appear in this issue.

THE ART

I have no more comments about the art that wasn't covered in the previous issues. Only thing that bugs me is on the last page, the Republic apparently gave Ventress' corspe a new change of clothes because all traces of damage from blaster and lightsaber wounds are gone.

The cover is amazing, one of the best Brian Ching cover I've seen so far.

CONCLUSIONS

Obsession turns out to be a very entertaining series, an important event in the Clone Wars and a must on any fan's bookshelf (once the collected edition comes out).

Rating: 8 / 10 Recommended