R.E.B.E.L.S. #13 - DC

I'm not exactly sure what Lyrl is actually up to, but . . he appears to be playing both sides against the middle. We already see that he's setting up Smite and Starro. But, I'm guessing, he's also appears to be in the process of setting up his father, Vril. And . . I'm not really sure why he felt he had to warn Smite. I mean, when he transports Starro over to the Psion ship where his father and the rest of the REBELS are, Smite doesn't really help him and wouldn't have even know if Lyrl hadn't of told him. Smite does have a yearning though to take his master's place. So I'm guessing that he was feeding into that. Although I don't really know what for. 'Between rebuilding our central computer and pulling the fleets together, I ran half a billion threat scenarios. . specifically, the identify which individuals pose the greatest danger to the master. You name, Smite, came up more often than my father's. I'm trying to help you. I am psycho-mathematically certain that you plan to betray Starro and take his place. I just want you to know there's no need. Within the hour Starro will be dead.' With Despero's help, Vril has constructed a weapon capable of depowering Starro. Effectively making him human, at which time Despero can tear him limb from limb. He's constructed gun out of the shards of the Gamma-gong. 'The Gong's paralytic effects should shut down Starro, physically. The warhead contains Gene bomb tech that should cut Starro's psionic link with his slaves, and then . . .' Then Despero performs his part of the plan, which he is relishing after what Starro and his hordes have done to his planet. The final step is for Despero to use the Flame of Pytar to charge the psionic matrix of the weapon. They were planning on going after Starro, but . .within minutes Lyrl delivers him right to their doorstep. It doesn't come a moment to soon as Starro's next conquest is to be Earth. Also, the Omega Men have retrieved some agent that the original inhabitants of Starro's home galaxy used to drive him out. They died in the process, but . . a thousand years later, they were still able to figure out how they did it. I'm just not sure what use it's going to be, considering that Vril has constructed the weapon the take Starro down. Maybe it's a contingency plan. Next issue this concludes, so . . we'll see how all these plans and schemes come to fruition. I love the way Tony Bedard handles this book, and these characters. I'm just wondering, after this story-line . . what's he going to do with Lyrl? Vril won't be happy with him running around out there. First because he could disrupt his plans, but also because . . I don't think he wants someone smarter than him on the loose. Maybe he'll figure out a way to dampen his intelligence again. Who knows? I just really like this book. It's a team book, but . . it's not. Not really. It's actually more like Vril is playing a constant game of chess. And all the members of REBELS are his pawns. Including Despero. If they're successful, he'll have to find a way to take him down also. Schemes within schemes. I also think that Claude St Aubin is doing a terrific job with the art. I really like his details and style. And after this arc . . Starfire joins the merry band. And Vril begins rebuilding LEGION. Finally!