Warning! Spoilers for Destro #4Destro was at war with the Crimson Twins in the Energon Universe, but it turns out the real problem is a much more obscure one. GI Joe Villain. Like these Destroy Miniseries reaches its thrilling conclusion, Destro finds himself under attack from all sides, with one big bad revealed to be behind it all.
I was caught up in the events of the previous issue, Destroy #4 by Dan Watters and Andrei Bressan opens with the title character believed to be dead. In fact, the arms dealer is working with General Flagg and the US military to uncover who is trying to have him killed.
Destro learns the attack seen in the first issue was against the Darklonian arms bazaar Led by Overkill, an experimental AI developed by rival company Hybrid Technologies. Designed to identify and neutralize threats before they happen, Overkill has destruction in its sights, and the result could change the Energon Universe forever.
The GI Joe Villain Overkill is revealed in Destroy #4
Destroy #4 by Dan Waters, Andre Bresson, Adriano Lucas and Russ Wootton
Even more intriguing is Overkill’s new origins in the Energon Universe. The wealthy heiress Astoria Carlton-Ritz inherited Hybrid Technologies after her father died. wanted to see her father’s dream of a “Fully autonomous, automated global defense system“realized, Astoria received support from a mysterious donor, allowing her to finance and build a system that would eliminate threats before they happen. Designed to learn and adapt, Overkill quickly began to make decisions for himself, Including staging the attack on Destru’s arms bazaar in the first issue.
It’s a pretty drastic revamp of the old one GI Joe Villain, traditionally portrayed as the autonomous commander of the Cobra Bats in the classic continuity. Recasting Overkill as a renegade AI plays perfectly into modern fears and concerns, and ties into the larger themes of the Energon universe.
Overkill is a threat to the entire Energon Universe
What role will the revamped villain play in the Autobot/Decepticon war?
With various organizations investigating the arrival of the Transformers on Earth, a rogue AI carrying out missions of its own volition adds even more complications to the ongoing storyline. Does Overkill survive the final issue of Destroy It remains to be seen, but his arrival in the new continuity could change the landscape of the Energon Universe. “Overkill makes his own decisions about how to end war on Earth“ Astoria explains to Destro, which raises many interesting story possibilities.
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Fans have to wonder what will happen when Overkill becomes aware of the Autobot/Decepticon war, for example. Fans also have to wonder who the mysterious benefactor who helped Astoria build Overkill will be. The issue ends with Cobra Commander meeting with Tomax and Xamot to form a new alliance in their hostile takeover of MARS Industries, so it’s possible that Commander is the one who set this all in motion. GI Joe Fans will have to keep reading Destroy To find out what happens next in the Energon Universe.
Destroy #4 is available now from Skybound Entertainment.