Team Phoenix Volume 5: A Stellar Conclusion to a Legendary Crossover

Team Phoenix, created by Kenny Ruiz, brings together Osamu Tezuka's iconic characters in a sweeping space opera crossover. After a surprising fourth volume that reshuffled the narrative, this final installment had the tall task of wrapping up the series while satisfying fans’ high expectations. Thanks to a clever narrative twist, it succeeds brilliantly.

Protocol Renaissance: A New Hope

The rebel Team Phoenix, determined to overthrow Atlas’s robotic tyranny, launches a daring operation deep in the Hermetic Zone to rescue Astro, who has been in a coma since the war between Humans and Machines. The mission turns into intense duels with the Union's top robotic warriors, while Uran, Astro's sister, initiates the Renaissance Protocol.

With the Phoenix—a being created to heal the world—Uran embarks on a space-time journey with Fire, revealing their true origins. Together, they must extinguish the flames of anger consuming the heroes and reset the universe before the Phoenix releases its full power.

The Spotlight on Fire and Uran

This volume shifts focus to two key characters—Fire and Uran—whose arcs take center stage. Fire’s enigmatic nature and unknown origins are finally unraveled, revealing her profound connection to the Phoenix. Similarly, Uran’s ambiguous role, torn between servitude to Atlas and her inherent humanity, finds resolution here.

In a masterstroke of storytelling, the narrative pivots from battle to introspection as Uran and Fire set out to heal hearts and charge the Phoenix with positive energy. Their mission: to restore natural order, remind the heroes of their true roles, and erase the frustrations that have fueled hatred and conflict.

The Farewell to Heroes

This fifth installment serves as a poignant farewell to the heroes. The Renaissance Protocol entails a complete reconfiguration of the universe. For Uran and Fire, the challenge lies in creating a better world free from the destructive passions that pitted the heroes against each other. These characters have lived in a doomed reality, one that Uran knew needed to end—but she lacked the strength to act alone.

Kenny Ruiz brilliantly subverts the premise of a grand crossover by dismantling what he built. To heal the fractured world, the narrative returns each character to their original timeline. Heroes who coexisted are separated, those transformed revert to their former selves, and mechanical worlds are restored to natural harmony. Fire reboots creation, leaving a fragment of her being in each timeline.

A Celebration of Tezuka’s Legacy

This deconstruction serves as a profound homage to Osamu Tezuka’s boundless creativity. Comparable to Avengers: Endgame, where timelines are restored to preserve balance, Team Phoenix returns its characters to their origins, emphasizing their individual stories’ importance. Their coexistence had destabilized time itself, necessitating their separation to safeguard the future.

The finale is also a reflection on the richness of storytelling. By dispersing the characters, the narrative allows each hero to continue their journey, offering fresh perspectives and inspiring diverse imaginations. The closing pages affirm that every story crafted by Tezuka holds the power to heal the world in its unique way.

Ending a story is never easy, yet Kenny Ruiz delivers a masterpiece with this magnificent conclusion. It highlights Tezuka’s immense legacy and the enduring power of myths in shaping our world.

The complete series is available through Vega-Dupuis.