As you go ...

Poisoned, exhausted, blind, dirty, bearded Thorgal Aergison has nothing of a hero when his latest adventure begins. His family did not lead off either: ragged in the rain, a lord Aaricia beg to offer him hospitality to help her husband who returns in the mud.

But we are at Thorgal eh? So the reader from the first story published in 1977 used to the Deus Ex Machina of the series. For the last time the goddess Frigg agrees to help our hero.
He still has 48 hours to live and so much to accomplish: travel between the two worlds, battle fantasy creatures, convince a demigod help and come back. The kind of routine that our beautiful scarred usually done without sweating.

Except that this time Thorgal no longer believes. For the last adventure, Van Hamme shakes the myth of his hero. We have known young, bold, indestructible. Here it is aged, white and dying temples. Thorgal was the archetype of the hero that nothing can break down? Here he wants to die. Eroded by 15 years of fighting, Thorgal, the child star who wanted to escape his fate to the whims of gods realizes that his quest for freedom has cost him too, that his family has suffered and that he is responsible for innocent deaths. We need the intervention of Jolan, impetuous teenager to become a Thorgal leads his last term adventure. But his body language accuses his fatigue, his sword is there but more energy.

Van Hamme affords a beautiful setting abyss. He is charged at the time by the public to be tired, uninspired and repeat Ad Nauseam recipe. The writer introduces in turn this weariness in the character to better transfigure.
With hindsight vision is consistent: Here are 3 albums that the hero seemed at an end for this final. Against the transfer is powerful and can be declined as follows: I'm tired (Van Hamme), you're tired (the reader), he is tired (Thorgal), we are tired.

This disarming sincerity, Van Hamme built a predictable plot but effective: the appearance of the guardian of the key, death and resurrection and a final nod to Tintin (The Shooting Star).

It's Jolan, his successor who stars here: The argument is both artistic and commercial. Jolan since lChute Brek Zarith (La) with its ability to destroy the atoms is an important figure: he saved his father delivered his mother traveled back in time and creates an imaginary friend.
Enjoying a strong potential for sympathy, at any time the reader is wondering what just plug here.

The business purpose is clear: at the end of Thorgal, the artistic team hands over, after 30 years of loyal service, a writer who will now recount the adventures of Jolan, with cameos of Thorgal, history avoid offending nostalgic.

Jolan will therefore meet the demigod Manthor follower of red magic. Again the double meaning of Van Hamme are significant: This character saves Thorgal in exchange for the allegiance of the adolescent. With its disturbing physique that borrows heavily Dr. Doom Marvel Manthor he is a mentor or a liar?

However, everything is not perfect: the reinstatement of Thorgal among the Vikings seem easy even absurd, wrong Jolan guards Manthor with a facility that does not explain Van Hamme and paint Rosinsky drool a bit on his drawing.

But this epilogue promises beautiful moments of emotion. Van Hamme has chosen to tell his story last through the mutual love of a father and his son, ready to die for each other.

And when Thorgal, aged and weak looking his father's destiny and fulfill his child to leave an uncertain future when this brave and good man pays a farewell tear to his son, to himself, to us, the player who grew up with this ideal father cries turn to himself, to Thorgal to Jolan, oh! I do not know me!