Ultimate Endgame #4: Freedom’s End

Peter Parker is dead, and the rest of the Ultimates might soon join him if the Maker has his way. Inside the dome things are reaching a fever pitch, and things are no better on the outside as the Ultimates and their allies are quickly losing ground as the war wears on. As reinforcements from the far future arrive to turn the tide, our heroes quickly find out that they may have run out of time.

After the shocking ending to last issue, the cover for this one seems more like a marketing fakeout than anything else. With Marvel waiting so long to reveal it, you’d think it would inform the plot somewhat, but it really doesn’t beyond the first page reiterating that Spider-Man is indeed dead. Outside of that this is a really solid issue, and in many ways better than the one before it. A lot of the disparate parts start to come together in a satisfying way that continues to build further on Maker’s grand design. His plan for Doom is revealed as well as why Doom was lured to the dome in the first place. Outside of the dome the separate Ultimate characters get moments of both tragedy and triumph and even Captain Britain gets to do something besides being a snobby Frenchman. The Guardians showing up feels a bit like a deus ex machina, but it’s not egregious. I won’t spoil one of the big moments in this issue, but it was well worth the heartache it gives.

Deniz Camp is able to build upon ideas that he started in the beginning of this event, and some that reach back all the way to Jonathan Hickman’s Ultimate Invasion and gets some pretty good results. A lot of the characters get some moments, but there are also a lot who are just here to be cameo queens and some feel like they disappeared altogether (where did Kilmonger go?).

The art team continues to boost the narrative, with Jonas Scharf and Terry Dodson both get big moments to show off. Just like before the issue is all action, the art team continues to match the narrative pace step by step.