Sonja and her ally have been taken to a waterfall by the old man. He claims that all they seek is on the other side of the falling water high above the rocky cliff. They don’t know whether or not to trust him. They’ll find out a bit more about the full reality of that which awaits them in Red Sonja--Empire of the Damned #5. Writer Steve Niles concludes his adventure with artist Alessandro Amoruso. Color comes to the page courtesy of Salvatore Ayala. It’s a simple action story that winds its way down in attractive art that occasionally strikes the page with impressive force.

The old man could turn out to be lying. It wouldn’t be totally unheard of for him--he HAD lied to them before. It’s not like he would necessarily stand to gain a whole lot from lying to them on a cliff next to a waterfall. They wouldn’t even really have to do that much to retaliate against him if he turned out to be lying. Gravity would do most of the work of the retribution if they were truly upset with him. And yet...there is much to suggest that there might be something amiss...

Niles wraps-up the tale with a very brisk set of action-based pages. There’s a little bit of dramatic tension that punctuates things and a few surprises that don’t feel like they come COMPLETELY out of nowhere given the nature of Red Sonja and the type of adventure that she is so often engaged in. It’s a very sharp series of moments that play-out in suitably dangerous dramatic fashion that serve the overall sword-and-sorcery format quite well. It’s a fun wrap-up that doesn’t reach for more than it’s earned in the issues leading-up to the final panels. 

Amoruso delivers the action and drama to the page in a very straightforward fashion. Poses and blows feel respectably kinetic as they cascade across the page. Occasionally Amoruso manages the occasional dramatic framing of the action. The big climax to the entire series feels a bit underwhelming, though. An army of skeletons and overwhelming odds at the end of the story should really feel more potent if it’s going to be something that’s going to be a genuine threat to Sonja...and Amoruso doesn’t quite manage the intensity needed to truly make the action feel dangerous for the hero.

In spite of its shortcomings, Empire of the Damned remains fun...and the final issue continues to develop Sonja’s grace and beauty in another enjoyable outing the continues the legend. Some of Amoruso’s close-ups feel particularly intense here and there as the action moves forward to the inevitable conclusion. It’s been a fun series that has filled nearly every page of its five-issue run quite well. In the long run it might not be terribly memorable, but it’s always fun to follow Sonja on another adventure as she continues to carver her way through danger. 

Grade: B