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Issue Review
Secret Wars II #6

Direct Market Release Date: August 27, 1985

Credits

Title: Life Rules!
Scripter: Jim Shooter
Penciler: Al Milgrom
Inker: Steve Leialoha
Letters: Rick Parker
Colors: Minny Hands
Editor: Bob Budiansky

Summary

Inspired by Dr. Strange to use his omnipotence to help humanity, the Beyonder builds a giant headquarters near Sparta, Illinois. Using it's monitoring capabilities, the Beyonder notices that the children of Power Pack are in trouble, and he rushes to New York to help them save a train and recover a laser lost by an alien Snark.

Upon his return to Sparta, the Beyonder encounters a local reporter named Dave, and shares his story with him. In an effort to explain his new outlook on being a champion of humanity, the Beyonder outlines the struggle between life and death, as personified by the celestial concepts known as Chaos, Order, Eon, Death, Mephisto, the In-Betweener, Eternity, and the Living Tribunal. Dave gives up his life as a journalist and devotes his time to help the Beyonder running his new Headquarters.

In Denver, Colorado, Owen Reece and Marsha Rosenberg read a newspaper article on the Beyonder's "Fight for Life", and wonder why the Beyonder can't just relax and keep a low profile. Reece, the Molecule Man, senses that the Watcher is eavesdropping, and demands that he reveal himself. Reece, the Molecule Man, senses that the Watcher is eavesdropping and demands that he reveal himself. The Watcher reveals that the Beyonder's power is so great that it has forced the Watchers to abandon their vows to never interfere, and begs the Molecule Man to stop the Beyonder "before he undoes all that is!". The Molecule Man refuses to get involved.

Meanwhile, the Beyonder watches as Kurse attacks Beta Ray Bill, confusing him for his real target - the Mighty Thor. His observations are interrupted by a visit from Captain America and Mr. Fantastic, who are worried that the human race will begin to rely on the Beyonder, and shape their lives to revolve around him. Sensing trouble, Dave dons the mento-projector to insinuate that the heroes are merely afraid that the Beyonder will steal the limelight and make them irrelevant. The Beyonder promises the heroes that he is only trying to help. Captain America's instincts tell him that the Beyonder means well, and the heroes leave.

After watching Beta Ray Bill escape Kurse by transforming into his civilian guise, Dave and the Beyonder call a press conference where the Beyonder announces that he will eliminate Death. Later, the Beyonder takes Dave to dinner at a fancy St. Louis restaurant, where he has invited Death herself for one final drink that will end her existence. As she is about to drink it, Mephisto appears and attempts to stop the act, and is soon joined by the cosmic entities the Beyonder referenced earlier. Dave counters their please by accusing them of acting out of their own selfish interests, and that without Death they would "end up on the unemployment line", and convinces Death to drink from the cup.

The cosmic entities all begin to notice death's absence throughout the universe. In Denver, the Molecule Man notices that the flowers he bought Marsha Rosenberg have sprung back to life, and teleports himself to speak to the Beyonder. He warns that without death, life will begin to be meaningless.

Hearing this, Dave begins to panic, and pleads with the Beyonder to bring Death back. The Beyonder states that it is impossible, and that the only way to bring death back to the world is if a sentient creature were willing to become Death. Dave agrees to fill this role, and the Beyonder transforms him into Death, restoring the natural order to the world again.

Quotes

Zero-G: You're SURE that's the train you saw falling in your special dream, Frank?
Energizer: You mean his stupid baby dream!
Lightspeed: Katie, you're just grumpy 'cause it's past your bedtime!

The Beyonder: These are the images of some of the main participants in the life/death struggle! There are many more, of course! Chaos and Order represent the internal

The Beyonder: Dave, I'd like you to meet DEATH!
Dave: D- D- D- D-...
The Beyonder: She's here to have a drink with us! her last!
Dave: This is really... D- D- Death?
The Beyonder: Yes! Once she's gone, of course, some changes will have to be made! All living things will have to be modified a bit... You know... predation will be history! So will grazing, for that matter... And fungi will have to change!

The In-Betweener: Though Mephisto is the great deceiver, he spoke truth to you! It must have pained him grievously--! Truth... and frontal assault from the lord of treachery! Surely this is his day of last resorts! he is DESPERATE... as are we!

Celestial: Do you sense it? IT BEGINS!
Eon: The absence of death ripples through the ether like a shockwave!
The Gardener: The simpler life-forms are already affected! The energy-sustained forms... plants...
Master Order: Soon, the full effect will reach ALL life in the Multiverse!
Living Tribunal: Thus passeth the old way!

Molecule Man: Great! Just GREAT! Now nothing can die! Look! With ALL MY POWER I can't kill this rose!
The Beyonder: What's wrong with that?
Molecule Man: Oh, NOTHING -- Except why should I bother watering the flowers in the garden anymore? Why should I even bother to EAT? Hah! What is there to eat? ROCKS?! Why bother with anything? It's OVER! There's nothing left to do! You, an outsider, brought us to our destiny!-- And we're stuck with it! Death is gone, and all the powers of the Multiverse TOGETHER can't kill something to get it started again! Nice work...

Commentary

While inviting Death herself to a classy St. Louis restaurant for a final drink isn't the series' high point, overall this issue succeeds, mainly because it finally explores perhaps the best use for the Beyonder - that of an all powerful, omnipotent hero. Here, the Beyonder channels unlimited amounts of power to save the world. In a way, it's eerily similar to the modus operandi of a more recent Marvel creation - the Sentry. Even Dave, the Beyonder's 'agent' fulfills a role in the same manner as the Sentry's C.L.O.C. robot. For a while, I had speculated that the Sentry was in fact the Beyonder, who had simply retconned his essence into past Marvel events, but there is no evidence that I can find that supports this theory. Still, the similarities are there.

Another issue where not a lot of Marvel heroes show up, and the ones who do don't really do anything of note. But the appearance of the Multiverse's powerful cosmic pantheon adds a bit of energy to the pages, although some of that excitement may be relative, considering the high point of the issue prior to their arrival is a press conference held by the omnipotent personification of an infinite universe. There's not many opportunities for an immortal character like the Gardener to participate in comics. It's nice to see him get a speaking line here, commenting that the removal of Death from the Multiverse has started to affect plant life.

What I do find interesting is the destinations we arrive at through the Beyonder's distortions of Dr. Strange's advice to foster good and prevent evil - namely the elimination of Death itself. It sounds like a good idea on the surface, but Shooter does a thoughtful exploration of some of the problems this could cause. So, if I understand correctly, since 1985, Death was brought back to life with the body of a man, which makes Thanos' desires for "her" that were highlighted during the Infinity Gauntlet of the 1990's a little unintentionally eyebrow raising. The same can be said for Mephisto's motiviations in Secret Wars II #7.

Unlike some of Secret Wars II's earlier issues, the tie-ins this month are a jigsaw puzzle. This month's reading order works best as follows:

1. Secret Wars II #6 pg 1-8
• The Beyonder sets up Beyonder Headquarters.
2. Cloak and Dagger #4
• During his travels around the planet aiding humanity, the Beyonder and Cloak and Dagger encounter some drug dealers.
  
3. Power Pack #18
• The Beyonder takes Margaret Power to the hospital after she was injured by Kurse. Later, the Power kids tackle Kurse himself, collapsing a building on top of him.
4. Secret Wars II #6 pg 9-14
• The Watcher begs the Molecule Man to stop the Beyonder.
5. Micronauts #16
• The Beyonder explores the Microverse.
6. Thor #363 pg 1-3
• Kurse climbs out from under the building, angrier than ever.
7. Secret Wars II #6 pg 15-25
• Kurse defeats Beta Ray Bill. The Beyonder kills and resurrects Death, and then destroys his Sparta Illinois headquarters in favour of an Atlantic Ocean base.
8. Thor #363 pg 4-22
• The Beyonder observes the final battle between Kurse and Thor.
9. Power Man and Iron Fist #121
   

Up next...

Secret Wars II continues in Cloak and Dagger #4!