Traveling in the mountains is difficult. Wynd and his friends do not know that Duke Yadriel is trying to find them as is General Eks. Who will reach them first? Find out in Wynd: The Throne in the Sky #3 from BOOM! Studios.

WYND: THE THRONE IN THE SKY #3

Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Michael Dialynas
Letterer: Andworld Design
Editor: Eric Harburn
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $5.99
Release Date: October 19, 2022

Previously in Wynd: The Throne in the Sky: Merien learns that Bastian’s father (the Duke) has been imprisoned. Wynd’s plans change – they must get to Northport and the Dukes allies. This will be a difficult trip in winter, especially for Merien. She is also fearful of General Eks. General Eks is a Faerie general, who has decided to bring peace to Esseriel by the sword. He has also heard of Wynd as a return of the Winged Ones, and he wants to find him quickly. Even in prison, Duke Yadriel learns much of what is happening. He also makes contact with Basil, who can tell him more. He decides they must escape and try to reach the young people before Eks does.

CONFLICT FROM THE OUTSIDE AND FROM WITHIN

Wynd: The Throne in the Sky #3 opens as one of Duke Yadriel’s men makes his way through the prison camp to a guard tent. He finds Roderick, Oakley’s dad, there and tells him the Duke would like to speak with him. The Duke is frank about his brother, the King of Pipetown, and he is also frank about the fact that his son and nephew, as well as other young people, are being hunted and if they are killed, it could mean war. Roderick sees Oakley’s name on the list of young people and agrees to help.

Basil talks to Ash. They do not agree about much, including the Duke. But Basil tells him that Thorn is still alive and the Duke is trying to reach the children before Eks can. Ash may have betrayed them, but Basil suspects that he still wants to see his son alive more than anything else.

Eks travels through the snow with one of his officers, who is frank with him about how their men are getting restless. It is cold in the mountains, and it is dark. They cannot fly in these temperatures and do not see the value of chasing after children. Eks explains his plot. People have stories and beliefs about the Winged Ones. Wynd’s existence is enough to disrupt their troops with hope. He plans to kill Wynd and blame his death on the humans and take advantage of people’s reactions to support his plans for war.

Wynd and his friends make their way through the cold and snow. Merien in particular suffers from the temperatures. Exploring ahead, Wynd finds some welcome relief – a cave with a hot spring. Taking a break to soak and warm up also gives the writer a chance to explore Yorrik and his issues further. I like the way it is handled. He is the only one in the mixed group who is appalled at the idea of undressing and getting into the pool in a mixed group. Then he discovers that there are Sprytles in the water and leaps out in terror of turning into a freak. He immediately realizes that this offends Thorn, who is now a Weirdblood, and he also realizes that he cannot unsay what he just said. Thorn also thinks about how he has changed and wonders what his father will think. I love the way this book does a couple of things in this scene. Gender identity among the kids is shown as not being a big issue (and the scene is so wholesome), but the writer has yet another way to explore prejudice in people. We can see the fears that exist at the same time, we can also see how people can live in harmony.

With Roderick’s help, Yadriel escapes that night from the prison camp along with Basil – and Ash. A trip into the mountains looks imposing. Meanwhile, up at the cave, Yorrik sits up while the others are sleeping. He hears someone behind him. He hopes it is Merien, but it is only Oakley. Still, in the quiet, she is someone he can open up to. He is worried that he upset Merien with what he said, and he is not worried about how Thorn might see it. Ultimately, we come to realize that everything is changing for him, and it is hard, and he wishes he could just go back. Frankly, Oakley understands this all too well, and she also knows that at least some of them have nothing to go back to. It is also a wonderful metaphor for growing up.

But while they are talking, General Eks reaches the cave and drops in.

INTO THE ICY MOUNTAINS

One thing that the art does particularly well in Wynd: THe Throne in the Sky #3 is to capture subtleties in people’s thoughts and reactions. At this point in the story, we are following a large number of characters who all have their own reactions to what is going on, and their own private motivations for what they choose to do. A fine example of this is in the meeting between Yadriel and Roderick. Roderick is a commoner. His involvement in politics is to not be involved. He is someone who has lived his life trying to muddle along and not get caught in the tide. For his part, Yadriel is both confident and charming. He is honest about his brother, and tries to bring Roderick in to help them by being honest and treating him as more than a mere subordinate. But for all his charm, that is not what brings Roderick around. Roderick is swayed by Oakley’s name, and he keeps his motivation hidden.

I really like how the young people differ along their journey. The mountains are snowy and obviously it is cold. They are all seriously bundled up. Out of all of them, Wynd seems to be the least affected. He is also still able to fly well, and we see his increasing exuberance as he gets more used to being himself. Oakley has some share of exuberance as well. Out of all of them, she seems determined to put the past behind her and to make the most of the presence, no matter what they encounter. On the far other end of the spectrum, Merien suffers in the freezing weather. She looks absolutely miserable. Yet she, too, has nowhere to return to and she is willing to grit her teeth and do her best to keep up.

BOTTOM LINE: ENGROSSING AND SUSPENSEFUL

Wynd: The Throne in the Sky #3 deftly entwines an adventure story with a coming-of-age story in a way that is relatable, positive, and exciting. It continues to be full of twists and surprises and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

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