Wonderland, Part Two is the second issue of the Willow: Wonderland comic book series. Written by Jeff Parker and illustrated by Brian Ching, it was originally published on December 5, 2012, by Dark Horse Comics.
Synopsis[]
In a strange new dimension, many unexpected encounters guide Willow on the quest to return magic to her world. While she's increasingly better at keeping her darkest self at bay, her mystery companion — Marrak — encourages darkness, making Willow wary of his intentions while dependent on his knowledge of this magically abundant realm. Just how far down the path of volatile magic will she go to get what she wants? And whom might she find there?
- Coincides with events in Buffy Season 9.[1]
Summary[]
Willow and Marrak run from the large Hyberrax. Willow tries to warn the Caterpillar against danger, but he appears to have a magic shield that defend him from any harm. Marrak gets stuck in the roots of the nearby trees, and he calls to Willow for help. She prepares a spell when the Hyberrax bits Marrak, saving him by making the creature explode from within.
The gore from the dead Hyberrax has covered the pool, and the Caterpillar is not amused. Willow uses a purifying spell to clean up the mess and to freshen up her clothes. She offers to do the same spell for Marrak, but he angrily refuses, claiming that she had cast enough magic at him for the day.
The Caterpillar suggests they leave, but as a parting gift and reward for her care, he gives Willow a cryptic message. He tells her she will feel a very special kind of thirst at some point and suggests they take a supply of now clean memory water with them. He also mentions the path of righteousness employing dark gatekeepers and energy being released by opposing forces. Willow admits to not understanding the Caterpillar's parting words properly, but she fills her canteen with the water.
Willow and Marrak continue following the divination spell path. They are attacked by what appears to be blackbirds; when one touches Willow, she experiences a hallucination of Buffy, Xander, Dawn, and other people running without faces in San Francisco to fall into a hole. Willow casts a lucidity spell on herself and wakes up.
Willow helps Marrak fight back the creatures with fire, and they fly away. Marrak explains that the creatures are recurring dreams that became alive and detached from their dreamers. Marrak believes that the dreams used to come to this world through the void but could not return back since all connections to the magic realms from Earth severed. The trapped dreams then started to gather in flocks of nightmares.
Willow and Marrack continue through foggy terrain. Willow says she imagined the path would lead them to this world's equivalent of the Deeper Well, which would be its focal magical point. She hopes to use it to open a portal back to Earth and causing a persistent flow of magic back. Marrak says Willow needs a conduit rather than a simple portal, and that she would effectively be creating a new Hellmouth in the process, which would require enslaved demons to guard it. Willow notices a hissing sound, and Marrack is taken away.
Aluwyn reveals herself, and Marrak cries out for Willow to strike. Willow and Aluwyn kiss, surprising Marrack. Willow introduces Aluwyn and tells her Marrak is "okay." The three witches that accompany Aluwyn are ecstatic to meet Willow, and the centaur gives Willow a ride back to their coven while Marrak grumbles that he is tired too.
They arrive at the Wellspring, the dimension's Deeper Well, known as Witches' Paradise. The other witches are also impressed to meet the famous Willow in person. Aluwyn suggests that Willow rests — they need a lot of catching up to do. That night, Vulcana leads a ritual with the whole coven that restores the Mʔ weapon.
Immediately, Willow casts a rift spell she prepared in advance to opens a portal to Earth. Through it, she sees Buffy, Xander, and Dawn talking about Dowling. As the portal closes, Dawn turns and reveals she doesn't have a face.
Aluwyn consoles Willow and explains the coven tried similar spells, but it was impossible to open a portal for long; to create a steady portal, there has to be magic already on the other side. Aluwyn adds that, if even Willow can't do it, then magic can't return to her world.
Continuity[]
- Restored, the Scythe is now entirely red, assuming its future design from when it first appeared (Fray).
- Willow sees a scene of Buffy, Xander, and Dawn from the issue Welcome to the Team, Part One.
- Willow reunites with Aluwyn, having last seen each other in Last Gleaming, Part Two.
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- Aluwyn
- Caterpillar
- Robert Dowling (Only mentioned)
- Alexander Harris (Only in visions)
- Marrak
- Willow Rosenberg
- Buffy Summers (Only in visions)
- Dawn Summers (Only in visions)
- Vulcana
- Unidentified female centaur
- Unidentified nymph
- Unidentified winged witch
Organizations and titles[]
- Key (Only in visions)
- Scooby Gang (Only in visions)
- Slayer (Only in visions)
- Warlock
- Witch
Species[]
Events[]
Locations[]
- Earth (Only in visions)
- Deeper Well (Only mentioned)
- San Francisco (Only in visions)
- Xander and Dawn's apartment (Only in visions)
- Hellmouth (Only mentioned)
- Wonderland
Objects[]
- Excalibur (Only mentioned)
- Memory water
- Mʔ
Rituals and spells[]
- Binding hex (Only mentioned)
- Divination spell
- Hammer of Govannon
- Lucidity spell
- Prey-inversion spell
- Visigoth pyre spell
Death count[]
- A Hyberrax, exploded by Willow.
Behind the scenes[]
Production[]
- Aluwyn describes Willow as "the supreme witch of Terra Firma" (Earth). In the Marvel universe, Dr. Strange has the title of Sorcerer Supreme of Earth.
- The centaur witch calls Willow "Willow the Red," which follows the wizard naming conventions in Tolkien's works: as Gandalf the Grey, Radagast the Brown, and Saruman the White.
Distribution[]
- Wonderland, Part Two was the 124th best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 16,401 sales in December 2012 at comic specialty stores.[2]
Collections[]
Pop culture references[]
- Willow says, "what the Hello Kitty," referring to the cute Japanese character instead of "hell."
- Aluwyn calls the situation regarding not being able to open a portal a Catch-22, referring to the 1961 novel.
Gallery[]
Covers[]
Cover artwork[]
Quotes[]
Marrak: "You know what's really nasty? Being your bait bomb inside that bastard!" |
Willow: "The great thing about the prey-inversion spell is it totally protected you while nuking said predator. Historically, no one likes to resort to it, though." |
Marrak: "Can't imagine why." |
Willow: "I don't know who was dreaming all their faceless friends plunging in Hell, but they're probably happy to be rid of that image. What nightmare got you?" |
Marrak: "Actually, I got hit by someone's dream about... nurses. Not so bad, but I still freed myself." |
Willow: "Man. Why couldn't I have gotten that nurse dream?" |
Willow: "This lying, deceitful, sexy snake is Aluwyn, the Saga Vasuki. My teacher of high witching arts." |
Aluwyn: "Greetings, Marrak the Okay. Please do not block my view of the greatest witch of the human world." |
Centaur Witch: "Can I at least offer a ride? Please mount me, Great One." |
Aluwyn: "To ride, Willow." |
Willow: "There's just no way out of the double entendre with this one." |
Aluwyn: "I'm sorry, Willow... I should've told you. I've tried this very thing with every spell I know. And every witch helping me. For magic to open a direct pathway, there has to be magic on the other end — what you call a catch-22? I thought you might make a difference. But if even you can't do it... then magic can't return to your world." |
References[]
- ↑ "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow—Wonderland #2 (David Mack cover)." Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved on January 26, 2023.
- ↑ "Top 300 Comics Actual--December 2012." ICv2, January 14, 2013.