Posted - September 7, 2015

Previous: Annihilation In The Trenches

I can't give an article the title "War of the Gods" without showing this guy first.

Now for the pain. This image:

Un-effing-believable. What happened!?

And yes, that second picture shows Galactus, Devourer of Worlds, laid low and bound. This is even worst than when he got thrown out by the Beyonder in Secret Wars.

Okay. Blame Thanos.

I should've known this guy would be major trouble. He created the technology keeping Galactus in thrall. It's actually quite interesting in a ruthless sort of way. Thanos has divined that Galactus is a huge processing plant that converts planetary matter and energy to Cosmic Energy. What that machine does is it continues to use Galactus to process the Power Cosmic but it feeds the power to specialized storage batteries for the subsequent consumption of Annihilus. Galactus is allowed a trickle of energy, enough to keep him alive as a part of this machine. It is both cruel and humiliating. Signature Thanos.

We've taken a peep at the gods and we'll go back to them shortly. Right now let's go back to the demigods. Namely the Heralds of Galactus. Because a picture paints a thousand words:

Yes! It was in issue 50 of the Fantastic Four since last we saw the Silver Surfer as the Herald of Galactus, but now he's back! And not just back. Galactus has seemingly increased the power of the Surfer referring to him as "most favored one" and allowing the Surfer to do this:

The panel above shows the Surfer destroying Annihilation Wave ships.

Now what of the other Heralds? Red Shift, Firelord and Stardust are supporting the Kree resistance as I've described in Annihilaton: In The Trenches. Gabriel the Air Walker is dead at the hands of Annihilus' hunters. It turns out that the Heralds and Galactus himself are key objectives for the Annihilation Wave - evidently the vast amounts of Cosmic power they wield is a much desired commodity - thus Annihilus' deal with Thanos. Terrax the Tamer, the Herald that was located by the Fantastic Four as part of their agreement with Galactus in the tale In Search of Galactus has been taken by the Wave and forced to serve the cause of Annihilus.

I did mention that Galactus was "laid low and bound". But laid low by whom? What power can do such a thing? Once again, a picture that says a thousand words:

Jaw-dropping isn't it? Over Galactus are Aegis and Tenebrous. It was Galactus and the Surfer against these two. I've never seen the Surfer so beaten up.

He's literally cracking.

The question must now be asked: Who the F are Aegis and Tenebrous? These two literally came from nowhere and took out the G. Who are they? Once again, Marvel chooses to widen our vocabulary. Aegis and Tenebrous are referred to as proemial beings. That is, they were created at the very beginning of the Universe, together with many others, to maintain the cosmic balance. Here's the entire team at at the start of the universe.

It turns out that these are old gods and they fought an equally ancient war with Galactus. A war that they lost, and, as a consequence, Galactus imprisoned them. Now, it seems, they have finally avenged themselves on their old foe. From this fall it is a short journey for Galactus to the "tender mercies" of Thanos' nefarious machine.

And with the fall of Galactus night descends on the universe. The war is lost.

Fortunately, somebody forgot to give Drax the memo. The need to destroy Thanos seems to be grafted into Drax's DNA. To be fair, Drax seems to have succeeded because Thanos does not defend himself (no surprise, why should a lover of Death be afraid to die?). In the end Drax finally achieves his prime imperative.

The Destroyer's victory could not have come at a worst time. Thanos was within moments of releasing Galactus. The Mad Titan tiring at last of serving Annihilus he was about to use his vast power as a trigger to set the Devourer free - but he died before that could happen.

Nonplussed, Drax compels yet another source of vast power to free Galactus.

A moment more and . . .

I've never seen Galactus angrier. So angry that . . .

This cataclysmic explosion will forever be known as the Galactus Effect and it lays waste to the Annihilation Wave. Just like that the war has turned.

But what of Annihilus?

It is only fitting that the last of the Nova Corpsmen gets to - how do I put it? "Step on the cockroach".

The Annihilation Wave is over but he universe will never be the same.

Next: Annihilation Aftermath