Coup D

Updated Sunday 15 May, 2011 12:18 PM

Coup D'etat: The Authority

It’s the final battle for the future of the world as the Authority finishes its conquest (or takeover) of the United States. Add in the aliens who were hit in the first issue coming for revenge and trouble within the team itself makes a serious situation worse.

Synopsis: The authority is finishing the task of disabling the US armed forces. The Doctor moves the entire navy to dry land (it looks like the Grand Canyon), the engineer uses electromagnetic pulses to knock out the air force and Apollo and the Midnighter defeat the US super-troopers. As that task is finished, the Vigil (powerful alien race from Coup 1) arrives on earth and launches an attack. For a race that’s been described as extremely old and powerful, the Vigil’s first attack is defeated rather easily, while the Midnighter ‘convinces’ the president to surrender and brings him to board the carrier. Confronting the Vigil, the Authority rewrites the records to place the blame entirely on President Kent – and then execute him in front of the aliens. As the reminder of the world recognises the Authority’s new position, the team has to face up to the question: “What now?”

Analysis: This is a stunning conclusion, although it was a little understated, and a fitting conclusion to the first part of the story. End of the beginning, as Churchill would put it, as the team now have to face up to their new role in the world.

There are some wonderful moments. The powers of the Doctor and the Engineer are developed further, while the sheer deadliness of the Apollo/Midnighter team is nicely understated. That said, characters we love to hate from Stormwatch, notably the Civil Defence Squadron (Stormwatch: TA 17-19), were probably wiped out in the single page. It’s not hard to imagine Ivana going underground, like Stormwatch, and Santini having to work with her to fight the authority. The president’s collapse in the face of disaster is a remarkable change from the US presidents in history, as is the decision of the Pentagon to support the Authority.

There are a couple of grating moments as well. The much-hyped Vigil aliens were just giants, but no match for the Authority, and their claim to have abandoned war for 500 years does not quite jibe with the high status they hold in the multiverse. Their comment about the Authority – “savages” – does not fit with their willingness to convict all of Earth for the crimes of a small cabal.

Which leads to the final problem. The Authority are very aware that the disaster was caused by a small team within the US government. Having decided to frame Kent for the whole disaster, the Authority lost one of their main justifications for the coup. As Swift points out, the Authority should not compromise, even with the need to convince the Vigil to leave Earth alone. The repercussions for the Sleeper cast (next series coming soon) should be severe.

Just what happens next is the main question. The authority, like the US in real life, has shown little ability to solve a problem permanently. The surviving Garmorrans were allowed to terrorise the normal people for a year before the Authority returned (Authority V2.1). Chechnya was left to the mercy of Islamic super terrorists (Stormwatch: Team Achilles 1-6). God alone knows what happened on Sliding Albion (authority V1 4-8), but the ‘God creature’ from Authority V1 9-12 was used as a time machine and could have reawakened at any moment (The Establishment 10-13). How able will the Authority be to handle the problems of governing a continent?

The signs are not good. The authority has disabled most of the US military, who, I suspect they expect, might have served the Authority. Yes, the Authority (as both Santini and Hawksmoor point out) are living weapons of mass destruction, but you need infantry to hold the ground the heavy hitters have taken. The authority is comprised of only six individuals, no matter how powerful, they cannot solve all the problems that would result from having no one to hit. Elections will probably remain suspended for an indefinite period, so elected officials won’t exist, so add that to a purge of the US power structure and there would probably be a complete collapse of the US administration system. Who will act as the intermediary between the Authority and the people? Who will make sure that the Authority’s commands are carried out? Who will make the trains run on time? Millions of people could starve, states could try to declare independence (not a chance) or supercriminals might attempt to take over chunks of the US. There will be millions of small nagging problems that the Authority cannot fix, no matter how hard they try.

There will be resistance to the coup. The main opponents, of course, will be Stormwatch. If they can operate undetected, they might be able to set up an ambush and defeat individual Authority members. It is also hard to see Tao allowing the Authority unimpeded actions, while Grifter’s weapon is presumably kept in reserve. Will Marlowe get off his butt and make a stand? Many of the Stormwatch cast might still be able to fight. The new citizen solider, even though a child, still has her powers and a fine tactical mind. Its hard to imagine Ivana Baeul staying put in the White House for the Authority, she might have gone underground and taking Giant and his team with her. Finally, although a long shot, the Planetary organisation – which expressed concern about the Authority before – might also join the fight. It’s hard to see how the Authority can win, without creating a superdictatorship.

Also, where were the US allies? What about those who built Seth? They might be lying low, but they’ll be seriously concerned about the situation in America.

"Patrick Kent and his administration are a bunch of corrupt slime, but that's what elections are for, right? Or impeachment? So who the f#ck appointed these superf%cks to be the almighty arbitrators of how free people run their countries." Tefibi, Coup 2

Which leads to the next question: Where the Authority right to overthrow the government of the United States? Certainly, the US government in the wildstorm universe is far less moral than our present one, not to mention having 37 levels above the president. The group who made that decision were probably far above President Kent – the Authority’s scrapegoating of him being necessary – and they may well have missed the real perpetrators.

The Doctor clamed that this was the most bloodless coup in history – and he should know – but the fact remains that the Authority used forces that almost certainly killed innocent citizens and servicemen. Further, the Authority’s actions will destabilise America and cause untold hardship for millions – making the great depression like a tea party – as well as stretching their own team to breaking point. Surely, there were other options available.

So, the Authority is now the Government of the United States of America. To quote the Midnighter, “what now?”

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