Beta Ray Bill: The Green of Eden (one-shot) Analysis

[Kevin W.]

Secret Invasion Aftermath: Beta Ray Bill: The Green of Eden
Written by Kieron Gillen
Pencils by Dan Brereton
Inks by Stefano Gaudiano, Mark Pennington and Scott Hanna

Appearances: Beta Ray Bill, Skuttlebutt, and new(?) characters: Voidian, S'Kann, (a super-skrull), and the Remnants, (a race of benevolent robots).

Synopsis:

Following the events of Earth's "Secret War", Beta Ray Bill has returned to outer space. At the start of the story, he is helping a race of benevolent robots, (the Remnants) by destroying a giant monster attacking their spaceships. The monster was a creation of a mad scientist/priest called, "Voidian", whom the Remnants have captured and imprisoned.

As he was about to leave the Remnants, Bill is approached by a group of aliens who ask for his help in dealing with a race they are at war with. Bill follows them back to their "home", an asteroid they have taken shelter in. It isn't long before Bill and the aliens are attacked by Skrulls, and Bill discovers that the aliens who sought his help are actually Skrulls as well, in disguise.

The first wave of attacking Skrulls defeated, Bill gets answers from the Skrulls who are seeking his help: they were a part of the Skrull Battalion that attacked Asgard in the "Secret Invasion: Thor" mini-series. Since the end of that battle, these Skrulls have renounced violence and the Skrull God, and are seeking a new God to worship. They've chosen Beta Ray Bill.

Bill talks them out of worshipping him, when the other Skrulls attack again, (they're seeking to wipe out these "heathens"). This time, they have a freshly created "Super Skrull" with them, (with the powers of the "Warriors 3" Asgardians). Bill battles the "evil" Skrulls and beats the Super Skrull, but refuses to deliver the killing blow. The "peaceful" Skrulls take in the Super Skrull as one of their own.

Bill leaves them, (and announces he's heading back to Earth). The "peaceful" Skrulls decide that Bill is not their new God, but he is a prophet who has given them good advice, to "spread good". The story ends with the "peaceful" Skrulls, (now roaming the universe, searching for their new God) stopping back by the Remnant's space colony to help the robots: the "Voidian" character has escaped, and unleashed new monsters, which do battle with the peaceful Skrull's new champion (the now reformed Super Skrull, who's name, we learn, is " S'Kann").

References:

Pg. 22: The narration notes, "To build a super-skrull is a task most delicate. In the few days since the end of the great folly of the Earth War, there was no time for such art." So it's been a "few days" since the end of the Secret Invasion.

And is it just me, or is there no MCP listing for Skuttlebutt!?! Granted, it's a spaceship, but it's a sentient spaceship...thus, it deserves a character listing in the MCP.

MCP Listings:

I'm not sure how best to abbreviate the title to this comic...The "fine print" inside the comic has it listed just like the title reads: "Secret Invasion Aftermath: Beta Ray Bill - The Green of Eden" I'll use"SIA:BRBGOE" for now...

BETA RAY BILL
SI:THOR
*SIA:BRBGOE

SKUTTLEBUTT
*SIA:BRBGOE

VOIDIAN
*SIA:BRBGOE

S'KANN
*SIA:BRBGOE

[Russ Chappell]

Welcome back, Kevin.

[Kevin W.]

Welcome back, Kevin.

Thanks, it's good to be be back.

[Paul Bourcier]

Thanks for the analysis, Kevin. One question: does this story take place over the course of a single day?

[Kevin W.]

Thanks for the analysis, Kevin. One question: does this story take place over the course of a single day?

The main part of it, more than likely, does occur on the same day, (though the passage of time in these outer space stories is never clear).

On the other hand, the last page epilogue, (pg. 30) probably takes place as some point either days, (or weeks) later. Enough time has passed for S'kann to heal from his battle with Beta Ray Bill, and for him to come around to the "peaceful" Skrulls way of thinking.

Hope that helps.

[Paul Bourcier]

Sure does. Thanks.