Jeff Smith brings his epic tale of war, sibling rivalries and fantasy full circle in this quiet and fitting concluding chapter. Smith goes out of his way to revisit the same sort of cute, charming and inviting atmosphere that made the first issue of this series so wonderful, and he succeeds in capturing the fun and sweetness of those early episodes. The explosive and exciting ending to the war opens this issue, but it's the latter scenes, in which the cast returns to the village and forest where everything began, in which the true strength of this closing chapter to an ambitious is to be found.
Bone and Thorn, riding on the back of the Great Red Dragon, flee from the underground cavern of the Crown of Thorns, and hot on their tails is a literal tsunami of angry dragons. Meanwhile, Rose and her men find themselves caught between two invading hordes: the Rat Creatures and Briar's soldiers. And what's worse is that the dragon queen, mim, looms over the area, her corruption ready to engulf all in her path. In the wake of the battle, Thorn prepares to assume the throne, and she asks Fone Bone to rule by her side as a trusted adviser. Bone is torn between his devotion to Thorn and his desire to see Boneville once again.
Smith may boast a simple style, but he still manages to capture the immensity of the scope of Mim's presence. I also loved the determination he instilled on the Red Dragon's face as he raced away from his crazed brethren. Let's be honest, though... when it comes to visuals that steal the show, the expressive cuteness of the Bones always come out on top in this series.
The moment that won me over when I first read Bone was the gag about the sudden onslaught of winter in the valley, so I was delighted to see references to that hilarious and cute moment in this bookend to the series. The reference spotlights Phoney Bone's erratic behavior wonderfully, and Fone Bone's reaction demonstrates how long it's been since his adventure began and how comfortable he's become in the valley.
Included in this issue -- and woven into the plotting almost seamlessly -- is a Christmas story that's seen publication before. Where, I don't know, but I'm positive I've read this short story before. Why Smith chose to include it here, I'm not sure, but it serves to bring a couple of the series's best characters -- the pair of bumbling, quiche-loving Rat Creatures -- to the forefront one last time.
One of the most striking things about this final issue is how accessible it is. Smithwraps the plot up quickly and nicely, and one needn't be well versed in Bone lore to follow along. Smith focuses on the relationships that were formed here rather than the greater plotlines that came before, and the story unfolds clearly as a result. It's a touching, sweet and -- I've said it before, and I'll say it one more time -- cute conclusion that maintains the status quo for the Bones while demonstrating how they touched the lives of those they met while in exile and transformed their world.
