And they don't call Hadeon the destroyer because she doesn't always destroy everything and everyone that gets in her way. 
- — Jonah Panghammer
Fairest #5 is an issue of the series Fairest (Volume 1) with a cover date of September, 2012.
Synopsis for "Wide Awake, Chapter Five: A Waltz in Frost and Shadow"
Struggling through the ruins of the ice castle Ali Baba and Briar Rose argue over whether to run from the witch's duel currently going on between the Snow Queen and Hadeon, the Destroyer, or whether to help in some way. Over the course of their argument, Briar Rose frustratedly realizes that Ali has developed feelings for the Snow Queen - who has promised several times to kill them both.
They are distracted from their bickering by the impending crash of some kind of flaming missile nearby. Throwing themselves to the ground, they look up to see Jonah Panghammer, alight with flames. He explains that Hadeon cursed him to burn from the soul outwards, but given that he has no soul, he's just innocuously on fire.
Meanwhile, the Snow Queen and Hadeon face off; the latter of the two surprised at how well her opponent is holding up, given her history in administration. The Snow Queen explains that she has had plenty of practice, but she is curious as to what they are fighting about in the first place. Hadeon responds that any fairy knows that it is generally a good idea to stop people who are using their names over and over. Lumi points out that it was Jonah Panghammer, the bottle imp, who was using the name. He is her bottle imp, though, and all the same, Hadeon likes to start a fight once in a while.
Watching from afar, Ali hopes that their side is doing well. Briar Rose is confused as to which side they're supposed to be on, and Jonah responds that they are on the side of the Snow Queen. He has been wearing her down; taming her. Besides, if the Snow Queen falls, Hadeon will come for them too. Hearing the name, Briar Rose realizes that the evil fairy is the same one who cursed her to die when she was a baby, and angrily marches toward the battleground, only to be held back by Ali.
The Snow Queen thrusts her sword through Hadeon's chest, but the fairy has apparently moved her vital organs elsewhere - which means she cannot be killed by conventional means. Lumi determinedly increases her size, announcing in a booming voice that regardless of how much more powerful Hadeon is, she believes that she can succeed. For once, she has something to live for. The revelation that she was freed from the thrall of Gepetto when Ali Baba kissed her has given her a new lease on life - and perhaps a new love interest too. Hadeon mocks the Snow Queen's determination, pointing out that the dream she bears isn't especially ambitious. The Snow Queen muses that small dreams are perhaps the best kind.
Ali Baba sits on Briar Rose in order to prevent her from going after Hadeon by herself, knowing that she would die if she faced the fairy. She becomes verbally abusive, and he wonders why she is always so cruel to him - especially considering that one of the blessings she was imbued with was to be nice.
Hadeon believes that she is winning, but the Snow Queen has a plan up her sleeve. She has been listening to Jonah's stories in the Western genre, and she is aware of the cliché of the cavalry arriving to save the day. Likewise, she was told a certain group of names, which she has learned will be useful to her, given Hadeon's own reaction to her name being called. She begins calling out the names of the fairy godmothers who had gifted Briar Rose with all of her blessings before Hadeon's curse was lain. Within moments, the godmothers appear, and Lumi invites them to aid her in bringing an end to the witch's life once and for all.
As he sits on Briar Rose, Ali Baba muses that this would be a fine moment to plant an earth-shuddering kiss on her, now, at the climax of their journey together. However, she has been such a bitch that he simply has no desire to kiss her. Angrily, Briar Rose complains that the reason she has been acting coldly is because she sensed from the beginning that he liked the Snow Queen instead. After dozens of times being wakened from sleep by true love's kiss, Briar Rose has never once had that true love last - and it's sickening. Jonah comments that while he had promised it would be a love story, he had not said that it would be her love story.
Appearing in "Wide Awake, Chapter Five: A Waltz in Frost and Shadow"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Jonah Panghammer
- Briar Rose
- Ali Baba
Antagonists:
- Hadeon, the Destroyer
Other Characters:
- Fairy Godmothers
- Katrya
- Sofiya
- Nyura
- Ionna
- Alyas
- Yeva
- Leysa
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- Issue features a special thanks to Zander Cannon
See Also