Originally published April 8, 2015. Updated April 14, 2018.
Zeb Larson reviews Descender #2…
As the brutal robot hunting Scrappers close in on TIM-21, the events that first brought him to the mining colony on the outer edges of space are revealed.
Descender is back after its strong opening issue, and most of the focus is on Tim’s immediate survival as he flees a group of bounty hunters. This issue feels a lot quieter than its predecessor, in part because it focuses almost exclusively on Tim to the exclusion of Jin Quon. The fact that it ends on an ambiguous and dark note makes me wonder what the next step in the book will be, or if Lemire is throwing a red herring our way. Consequently, this issue is largely set-up for what comes next. I will be avoiding all of the major spoilers for this issue, so read on without concern.
Tim flashes back to the moment of his creation and a meeting with his creator, Jin Quon. Jin Quon sends him off to see his new family, which he describes as an assignment. In the present, Tim flees the bounty hunters sent after him and goes to hide in the mines. We’re treated to a few more flashbacks of life with his adopted family, who grew to treat less as a robot and more as one of their own children. Tim is able to fight them off temporarily, but he’s not a model designed for combat. When they do close in on him, what comes next?
It’s interesting to see a creator that doesn’t have a lot of empathy for its creation, at least not at this point in the book. More interesting than the human characters is Tim, who is such a fascinating mix of child and robot. On the one hand, we see him remembering time with his family before they died with what appears to be nostalgia. On the other hand, he also fights and kills some of the bounty hunters sent after him, a reminder that he’s not necessarily imbued with childlike innocence. Tim can be violent. Then again, are children really innocent? It depends on who you ask. So what exactly is he, and what is he going to become? Does he feel affection, or is he programmed to? These metaphysical questions are what make this book interesting.
It’s frustrating not being able to discuss the ending, but I don’t want to spoil the conclusion of the issue. It has a strong enough emotional impact that it should be left alone, even if the discussion of the issue suffers because of it. Suffice it to say that its eventual import is hard to say, because it may be permanent, and it may not. One thing I can say is that it’s a hell of a cliffhanger to leave the issue on. I’m already looking forward to issue #3.
Zeb Larson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszFLSgML6ddazw180SXMvMz5&feature=player_embedded&v=ONsp_bmDYXc
