Wonderland, Part Five is the fifth and final issue of the Willow: Wonderland comic book series. Written by Christos Gage with Jeff Parker and illustrated by Brian Ching, it was originally published on March 6, 2013, by Dark Horse Comics.
Synopsis[]
- Willow's search for magic has led her to some strange worlds with mysterious creatures, fantastical spells, lost love, and new friends (as well as enemies). As her journey speeds toward its end, Willow lands within a rather morbid landscape where the greatest evil she'll have to confront is herself if she's ever to make it home again.
- Buffy Season 9 continues with Willow's story![1]
Summary[]
Willow and Rack engage in a magic duel. Rack reminds her of their time together, but Willow is quick to point out he didn't mean that much to her. With Willow distracted, Rack gets near to the Scythe and use it to tear a rip in the walls of the dimension. It reveals a gargantuan source of magic power that resembles the inside of a human body.
Willow doesn't want Rack to go near it, so their duel resumes. Willow says Rack just uses magic to destroy things, but he accuses her of the same thing. They throw spells and accusations to each other until Rack decides to just enter the portal. Their battle continues there until Willow decides to run from the trap Rack was setting up for her. He catches her though, but, just as Rack is about to drain the life out of Willow, beings resembling blood cells attack him.
Willow gets away as Rack is consumed, and the body she is inside begin to speak to her. It explains that, now that Willow realizes that light and dark are both essential parts of her being, she is granted the magic at that source.
Willow is allowed passage back to Earth. Magic is not back on Earth, but it is back in her, and she can share it.
Continuity[]
- The flashback features Willow's first high on magic from the episode "Wrecked."
- Rack reveals that he spent a month in a coma after Willow attacked him in "Two to Go."
- Rack accuses Willow of being hypocritical for complaining when he killed a bound Hyberrax (Wonderland, Part One) but then exploding the larger one who was about to kill Rack (Wonderland, Part Two).
- Rack recalls Willow spent her life guarding a Hellmouth, referring to the seven years she spent fighting to save the world in Sunnydale ("Welcome to the Hellmouth"–"Chosen").
- Willow states she forgave Angel, despite saying she couldn't forgive him in Family Reunion, Part Four.
- Willow passes by a boy and sparks his inspiration to draw. She passed by the same boy holding the crayons in Wonderland, Part One and noticing that she needed to bring magic back because "it's the inspiration. The dreams. All the things that make life so wonderful."
- Willow returns to San Francisco after leaving in Slayer, Interrupted. She will reunite with the Scooby Gang in The Watcher.
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- Aluwyn (Only in visions)
- Angel (Only in visions)
- Caterpillar (Only mentioned)
- Rupert Giles (Only in visions)
- Faith Lehane (Only in visions)
- Rack
- Willow Rosenberg
- Buffy Summers (Only in visions)
- Dawn Summers (Only in visions)
- Unidentified nymph (Only in visions)
Organizations and titles[]
- Key (Only in visions)
- Scooby Gang (Only mentioned)
- Slayer (Only in visions)
- Warlock
- Witch
Species[]
Locations[]
- Earth
- San Francisco
- Sunnydale (Only in flashbacks)
- Hellmouth (Only mentioned)
- Rack's residence (Only in flashbacks)
- Liminal Lands
Objects[]
- Memory water (Only mentioned)
- mʔ
Death count[]
- None.
Behind the scenes[]
Distribution[]
- Wonderland, Part Five was the 143rd best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 15,010 sales in March 2013 at comic specialty stores.[2]
Collections[]
Pop culture references[]
- Rack mentions the animal rights organization P.E.T.A. when recalling Willow's reaction when he killed a Hyberrax.
- Willow says Rack would have hoarded magic like "Uncle Scrooge and his money pit."
International titles[]
- German: Wunderland, Teil Fünf
Gallery[]
Covers[]
Cover artwork[]
Quotes[]
| Willow: "Hate to bruise your ego, Rack, but yeah... I did forget about you. You were just my first dealer. You didn't introduce me to magic— or abusing it. I was already on that road. You just saw an opportunity because you're a leech. A leech I thought I squashed." |
| Rack: "When you went dark? You pretty near did, girl. I spent a month in a coma. Best trip of my life." |
| Rack: "I may be scum. Let's face it, I am. But you're a brat. You want what you want when you want it, and if you don't get it, people suffer. And the rules apply to everyone but you. You wanna call P.E.T.A. when I kill a monster, but when another one's about to mess up your precious quest, boom! It's giblets! You spend your life guarding a hellmouth, but when you lose your power, you decide to make a new hellmouth to get it back, and damn the consequences! And that quest of yours... it's the most important thing in history. 'Till you run into a coven of horny witches who worship you and keep you juiced. All of a sudden, screw Earth! Problem solved!" |
| Willow: "You think I don't know that? I've been weak and selfish. Left my friends 'cause I wanted power more than them. But I'm better. I didn't just use Angel. I forgave him. That helped me control my dark side." |
| Willow: "Real power isn't something you steal. It's something you earn. And once you do... it comes to you from everywhere. You tried everything to make me go dark. And it didn't work. Told you I wasn't the same girl." |
| Embodiment of Magic: "I sense your frustration. I explain as best I can. But some things are complex. All beings are complex. Like you." |
| Willow: "Oh... wow. It's— It's—" |
| Embodiment of Magic: "Beautiful, yes. Not despite the imperfections, but because of them. The way they shape the whole. Because you have stopped fighting them... and begun learning from them. Rack was right. Opposing forces can exist in the same place. They must." |
| Willow: "Story of my life. My grand quest is over, and I don't know if I succeeded or failed. I didn't restore magic to Earth. But I restored magic to me... and me to Earth. Rack would've hoarded it... reveled in it. Like Uncle Scrooge in his money pit. Who am I kidding? That's what I would've done. But not anymore. Being the only one with magic... makes me want to share it. I can still give magic back to the world. Kinda. It's just gonna have to be more up close and personal. I hope that's good enough." |
References[]
- ↑ "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow—Wonderland #5 (David Mack cover)." Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved on January 29, 2023.
- ↑ "Top 300 Comics Actual--March 2013." ICv2, April 8, 2013.