WOW!
'DeadEndia: The Divine Order', one of the best finales in fiction ever, definitely resembles the above-mentioned shows in various, creative, big and little ways.
I won't dare spoil any specific plot and character details in this review, but trust me when I say that 'The Divine Order' is epic, in the truest sense of the word.
It has everything: "angel" and "demon" classes and clashes and wars; "heavenly" and "hellish" battles; multiple apocalypses; time travel; reality changes; history changes (and erasure and censorship); commentary on religion, classism, and every kind of labelling, prejudice, bigotry and division - this is a huge and important theme, and it has to do with everything - 'DeadEndia' knows that dividing people for any reason is a power play and cause, and it is systematic and intentional; how entitlement and an obsession with "purity" and power and control can only lead to misery, loneliness and dystopia; how weaponised hatred and fear, and fighting amongst ourselves, are what really make a "broken world"; unapologetic and beautiful LBGTQ+ content and themes; polygamy; magic; and love and freedom.
And maybe no one is straight after all.
Nothing and no one can be a straight line. Not without cracking, and falling through the cracks.
Nothing and no one can be "pure". That's just unrealistic, in both the real world and in fantastical worlds.
Any "divine order" is a villain. It doesn't even really exist.
With the power of belief, anything is possible.
These are the themes and messages of 'The Divine Order'.
What about the characters?
I adore them all. Practically everyone receives their chance to shine and be brilliant:
The trans, gay Jewish icon Barney Guttman is at his best here - he goes through so much and he is so strong and awesome!
The Pakistani American, autistic and bisexual icon Norma Khan has come a long, long way. To say a lot has happened to her, to the point where she is not wholly human anymore, and is now multiple supernatural beings, would be an understatement. But she pulls through, and comes out the other (dead) end stronger and more determined than ever. Like Barney, Norma has been through so much for someone so young. Her amount of trauma could lead to centuries worth of therapy!
Norma has had her ups and downs, and throughout the comic series I hadn't been so sure about her, but now I love her enough that she might be one of my new favourite fictional heroines ever.
Screw "likeability" in female characters - Norma Khan is relatable and inspirational, dammit!
I absolutely LOVE Badyah Hassan, as well. She is everything. Courtney has come an awful long way, too.
'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' knows how a world can be "perfect" - it is when it is united. Not divided.
An imperfect, "broken" and beautiful world is one where everyone in it is free to be themselves, to be who they want. To be united for the freedom of choice, and the freedom to love.
No divisions. No hierarchy. No hatred. No fear. No distrust. No wars.
With all that, plus every supernatural entity existing, and them and everybody else being able to live peacefully together if they just try, I'd love to live in the utopia as theorised in the 'DeadEndia' series.
'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' - what a wonderful, spectacular end to a wonderful, spectacular series. It more than makes up for the shortcomings of its predecessor, the middle book 'The Broken Halo', which at best is a holy harbinger of 'The Divine Order'. It also makes up for the cancellation of the animated TV adaptation, 'Dead End: Paranormal Park', which this finale comic was made in response to, when it began life as 'DeadEndia', as a webcomic. It makes everything worth it.
Sure, there are some minor characters who, while not necessarily forgotten about, are not really in the comic either - they only exist in the background, and they themselves fall through the cracks, production-wise. And since it has time travel and alternative realities, you are bound to find plot holes and inconsistencies if you think too hard about it. But just relax, and enjoy the ride!
The massive, epic, enlightening, queer and hopeful as %#@! ride.
I wholeheartedly recommend the whole of 'DeadEndia'. Read the comic book trilogy, and watch 'Dead End: Paranormal Park'. Your life will be better for it.
All this is to say, the number one message to take away from 'DeadEndia: The Divine Order' is:
Don't let some white male arsehole make rules, and rule over your life and the world, just because he feels entitled to. He is hateful, joyless, delusional scum who needs therapy, not validation. He is a liar, a fraud, and a conman, no better than a cult leader and a televangelist - indeed he may be those things, and will definitely profit off of the support of people who are. Of course he doesn't believe in his own cause - he doesn't believe in anything, and that includes himself. He's a narcissist, and that means he hates himself more than anything. His overprivileged, relatively easy and consequence-and-obstacle-free life has made him feel profoundly empty, unfulfilled, unsatisfied, and alone, and he thinks he can fill that void of meaning and purpose by making (meaning: declaring loudly and obnoxiously) himself superior to everyone else, regardless of reality, and claiming he knows everything and what is best for everyone else, regardless of evidence, and by forcing his will and leadership, however poorly, upon everyone else. He chose to ignore and change facts to suit his own ends; his own version of reality. He chose to live his life by enforcing division amongst other, "lower" and "lesser" people for his own selfish, egotistical, power-hungry gains. He chose to live without love. He chose to go too far, to the point of sociopathy and even psychopathy; to the point of insanity. Everything he's done, was done deliberately, and nefariously and maliciously. Because he hates himself, and he is dead inside, and in the psychosis of misery loving company, he wants others to feel the same way. To, ironically and paradoxically, feel alone. It has always been about overcompensating, and an insatiable ego trip, and he has made everything a competition and a power struggle - for him and him alone. Therefore he is not worth anyone's time and attention, except for seeking professional psychological help for him.
Hell, any human claiming to be anything resembling a god is not worth anyone's attention. Don't give it to them.
Never trust the ravings of a known charlatan who refuses to learn their lessons and change their ways.
'[...] Twisting the language of religion to push people down? To lie and manipulate and sow division? [...]
They sound like humans to me...'
Continue to follow that rainbow, with your loved ones.
For when you are free to go wherever you want, and be whoever you want, there is no dead end.
For further thoughts on the series, read my reviews of:
'DeadEndia: The Watcher's Test'
'DeadEndia: The Broken Halo'
Thank you, once again, to Hamish Steele.
Final Score (for 'The Divine Order'): 4.5/5
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