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Wonderland, Part Four is the fourth issue of the Willow: Wonderland comic book series. Written by Jeff Parker with Christos Gage and illustrated by Brian Ching, it was originally published on February 6, 2013, by Dark Horse Comics.

Synopsis[]

Willow struggles to keep her cool when she discovers that her traveling partner — Marrack — isn't who she thought he was. With magic at her full disposal, she can easily convince him to spill any and all secrets (right?) while they continue their journey to get home with magic in tow...

Summary[]

Aluwyn wakes up on the beach and sees Willow sitting with the in her hand, thinking about what Marrak told her. Aluwyn takes the Scythe from Willow, claiming that she doesn't need it anymore. Willow drinks water from her canteen, and the memory water gives her a vision of the people she left on Earth. She realizes that she needs to stay on her mission.

Aluwyn tries to convince Willow to abandon her other friends for her sake, but Willow stands her ground. Willow realizes that her previous attempt to connect to Earth might not have worked because Aluwyn tried to trick her. The divination trail didn't lead to the source of power she was looking for, but to Aluwyn, who misdirected it so. Willow forgives Aluwyn, who only acted out of love. Aluwyn offers her help, but Willow says she needs the help of someone who wants to escape back to Earth as much as she does.

And so Willow goes to Marrak. He tells her that this world does not have the font of power they are looking for, but that a neighboring dimension does. Marrak wants to put some of his magical power into to Scythe to fuel it, but Willow says she is afraid of his dark side. They perform the divination spell to find out where to go next, and a voice tells them to go to the Liminal Lands.

They go through a portal and arrive in a wasteland dimension. Marrak scouts ahead while Willow meditates. She remembers that Aluwyn said Earth needs a source of power of its own, and she considers that she herself could be the new Seed of Wonder. Willow sees herself approach, but with dark eyes, hair, and veins. They talk and conclude that there isn't a dark or light Willow, but only one Willow.

Marrak approaches Willow and they discuss how they can go from the Liminal Lands to another dimension full of power magical energy. Marrak embraces her to allow them to exchange magical energy, but Willow shakes him off, feeling something familiar. Willow finally realized his true identity, and Rack's original form is revealed. Willow believed she had killed him, but he says she had only drained him of his energy, which he now plans to do to her.

Continuity[]

  • The outfit Buffy wears in Willow's vision is the same one she wore in "Graduation Day, Part Two."
  • Willow wonders if she is meant to be the next Seed, and if she did she would lose herself. She will create the next Seed in The Core, Part Four and have to relearn her magic with the new rules it will bring.
  • Rack calls Willow "Strawberry," the nickname he coined for her in "Wrecked."
  • Rack reveals he survived when Willow absorbed his magic in "Two to Go."

Appearances[]

Individuals[]

Organizations and titles[]

Species[]

Locations[]

Objects[]

Rituals and spells[]

  • Divination spell

Death count[]

  • None.

Behind the scenes[]

Distribution[]

  • Wonderland, Part Four was the 134th best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 15,236 sales in February 2013 at comic specialty stores.[2]

Collections[]

Pop culture references[]

Gallery[]

Covers[]

Cover artwork[]

Quotes[]

Willow: "My friends— And the world's all wrong— And I-I'm drinking and having sex all day and night!"
Aluwyn: "Isn't it wonderful?"
Willow: " No! No, it's terrible! I came here to find a way to bring magic back to Earth! My friends— The whole planet needs me!"
Aluwyn: "Hmph. How did that place ever survive before you came along?"
Willow: "Oh, no. You can't tell me I'm the greatest witch ever to stir a cauldron and then act like it doesn't come with responsibility. I've been telling myself that enough the past few days while the people I love suffer."
Aluwyn: "I thought I was one of the people you love."
Willow: "You know you are. You make me feel... special. Powerful. And that's the problem. I'm afraid I also love power."
Aluwyn: "There's nothing wrong with that. Or there doesn't have to be. Power is your destiny. I wasn't trying to trap you, Willow. Just give you a place where you can be you... and it's safe."
Willow: "Maybe it's safe here... but it's also selfish. It's only about me. I admit it. I wanted my power back. But I want it for my friends, too... for my world."
Aluwyn: "I've been searching for you the moment I lost you, since that last clandestine conversation before the Earth was lost, for any way we could be together again. I never stopped searching. When you arrived in this realm, I knew. Instantly. When you cast your spell, to lead you to a form of power... I knew it would fail. So I... adjusted to it. To bring you to me. To us. I couldn't give you what you wanted. So I lead you to what you needed."
Willow: "Which is what you wanted."
Aluwyn: "Yes. I want you. I'm sorry that upsets you so."
Willow: "You know it doesn't. Not by itself. But I... I can't..."
Aluwyn: "I was trying to restore something I'd lost, too. But my way of doing it was as doomed as yours. As long as you knew those you loved suffered, you would never be with me... I couldn't fix the problem. So I tried your solution. Cover it up with something wonderful and beautiful from somewhere else. But it was all just..."
Willow: "Tricks."
Willow: "Is this the answer? Am I the answer? Aluwyn said Earth needs an anchor. It's own source of magic, before it can bring magic from anything else. But I wouldn't. Not really. I'd be connected to everything. Everyone I love... everyone I've ever loved. They'd all be a part of— Oh. Here I am worrying about what it would do to me. When I should worry about what it would do to them. To everything. To be a part of me... all of me. The good parts... and the black-eyed veiny parts. Could that source... be me? Could I be the new seed? And if I can... what happens to what I used to be? Is that the cost of restoring magic? That I lose myself?"
Willow: "No! I've got enough problems just keeping you locked away! So if this is some kind of... of "dark side taking on a life of its own" thing... Well, you can just forget it! There's only one Willow!"
Dark Willow: "Well, duh."
Willow: "... Th-that's true, isn't it? That's been my mistake. Acting like your a separate person. Something I can close off, or run away from. When really... there's no Light Willow. And no Dark Willow. There's just Willow."
Rack: "Took you long enough... Strawberry."
Willow: "Don't call me that! You pathetic, disgusting junkie! "
Rack: "Takes one to know one, kiddo."

References[]

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