ElrazielMoon

You weren't here for the conversations about Milligan's run on the title. Trust me, there was a lot of uncomfortableness during the whole unfolding Epiphany debacle.

I'd rank her as one of the worst female leads in the entire run of HB (perhaps the worst, but I fear I'm missing one). Milligan wanted everyone to love and accept her, but she wasn't anywhere near as interesting as Milligan found her.

Emma, Kit, Dani were all far more interesting love interests. Angie I wasn't as fond, but she had more redeeming characteristics than Epiphany. John's sister and niece were important parts of the book, adding far more to the series than Epiphany ever could....with Milligan going out of his way to ruin Gemma. Those are the only major female characters I can remember.

 

I wouldn't mind the idea of John making a sacrifice in order to spare Epiphany. That fits well with John's character, of wanting to be in the role of a martyr over the guilt he feels, but being unable to move beyond making selfish decisions. It works as well as any other interpretation, even though I'd rather think he just woke up one day and thought, "Why am I with Epiphany?", and decided to just move on with whatever his plan was at the end.

Well, I must ask: why didn't you liked Epiphany? I wouldn't see her as a Mary Sue, she had her defects and failures (beggining with her father :v ) and you must understand that her potential would not be completely realiced because of the decision to end the history at chapter 300 (keeping apart the negative viewpoint about Milligan) but she maybe would not be the best love partner for John, but her disfunctionality maked her a great complement to the disfunctional John Constantine (well, maybe that's my viewpoint as a colombian) Kit was the best love partner of John, and would be the one that redeemed John, but John didn't want to be redeemed (and yes, it hurted when Kit left John and hurted every time John remembered Kit)

About Gemma, I agree that what Milligan did with her was, as we say in Colombia, una chambonada, in many aspects the history with her was too forced, but the psicologic evolution of her sould be very logic in general. Just think about it: her mother was weak of will and her father was a bothersome fanatic, her family life was literally a tragedy (leaving the Constantine out of this) and her decitions with the magic weren't the most correct, so she had two options: blame herself or blame John. The general idea for her had sense, was the realisation that failed terribly, but being she the one that would execute the sentence of death of john was an asset in my viewpoint

Another option for the beginning of the history i thought (Thanks to Pfedor):

After managing to trick the tree fates into believing him finally dead, John was in pain in the bar, so finally arrived Chantinelle to give him the antidote of the poison of the dart, they were talking about this when the three fates showed up, telling them that they always knew their trick, and that they wanted him to fool them, so they could trust him with a last mission: help them fool the destiny of this world, about to be destroyed. For that, the arrival of the Golden Child is the key.

Pfedor, your viewpoint is very interesting and makes very sense, but i don't entirely agree. More for sentimentalism and charachter evolution sense than any other motive.

//Spoiler: I'd like to think that John really cared about Epiphany, so he decided that she didn't have to keep following his way of doing things. About Terry Greaves, remember that the relationship between Piff and Terry at that point were too destroyed, so i doubt that Piff would care about her father being reclaimed by the Devil (Is too much name him TFoTF :v ). Now, I have another theory that implies that John learned some humility, but I must admit that your theory makes more sense, so I am divided in two. Now, remember that the Devil told Piff about a great plan he had and he needed Terry for that plan, maybe John proposed the Devil of a more efficient way of making that plan (maybe even offered him some help and advice) and that for the purpose of taking revenge for Terry beating Gemma.

Now, I completely agree with your notion of the open ending, in fact, I also thought of this, and more with the poor decitions that had been made lately in Norteamerican cómic in general, but I really loved the charachter of Epiphany, so I'd like her to fight for the love of John (Yeah, I am a romanticist) so i'd like you to see a proposal I made for future chapters of this great history: http://hellblazer.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=10513

Enemy:

Nergal: His hatred for John knows no limits, despite the order of the First of the Fallen to stop harrasing John, but his efforts are very focused in the war against his daughter

The Masons: After the incident with Jullakuntilliokan, they were waiting and planning for their next chance, now the catastrophe seems to be the oportunity they were waiting for.

The Opus Dei: The armed hand of the Church realiced that was John who stole the Evangely of Constantine, and now they had decided to hunt for him, for revenge and for political convenience.

The ISIS Qabbalah: A faction of the Qaballah that is working with terrorism for the global domination, recurring to dark secrets long forgotten.

The Archangels: They never were very happy with John causing the fall of Gabriel, now, even the order from the Lord to no attack him isn't enough to keep them from searching their revenge.

Terry Greaves: After Knowing that was his daughter who sold him to The Devil, and after a time in hell, he become full of hatred against John and Epiphany, and now seeks revenge

Neutral:

The First of the Fallen: Despite his efforts to destroy and defeat John now the war in hell had focused all of his attention, now he realices that is better be on the friendly side of John.

Lucifer Morningstar: The catastrophe had alerted him, and now he is planning the protection of his family and his own universe, and he realices that the key to both objectives is The Golden Child, so he has decided to influence John's life and environment.

Lillith: Her intentions and her objectives are unknown, but her affinity with the original role of hell as a place of punishment rather than a place of evil, also her disdain for the First of the Fallen is obvious

Rosacarnis: Now that she is in a weak possition of power in hell, and being grateful with John for taking care of her daughter, she had to acept Lillith's support in the war against her father.

Gemma: Despite being her who searched for John to face the catastrophe, her feelings for her uncle are very conflictive and she is very confused.

A list of characters and factions and their dispossition towards John:

Family:

Epiphany Constantine: Despite being abandoned by John, her pregnancy and the arrival of Mary in her life had given her more determination to fight for the love of John and fight alongside with him against the catastrophe.

Mary Constamtine: Her life as the head of House Nergal was too hard for her, and her questioning of her hellish origins became stronger, she decided to resign her post and search for her true identity, and her father may be the key.

Ally:

The Pagan Nation: After all those years isolated from the rest of the world, the global catastrophe that menaces the world has reached them. Now their only hope isThe Golden Child, and Lucifer revealed to them that Constantine is the only one that can bring him back, despite Mercury growing distrustful of him

Chantinelle: The old friend of John, now working as an agent of Lucifer, but something has changed with her, and now is more determined to protect John and his family. But is very reserved with her motives

Gloria: She had the will to resurrect in little time, and now her hatred for Nergal and her respect for John make her a true asset. Now she is working for Lillith

Chas: A great calamity is scourging London, he and his family were about to leave when Gemma showed and told him that John was alive and she needed his help to find him. Now they recognice that John is the one that can fight the catastrophe.

Angie Spatchcock: Now more resigned with John not loving her more, but with a little hope inside her, had decided to fight the catastrophe with all her might, and join John in some of his adventures

Hello. I am from Colombia and I'd like to propose a following from the chapter 300 of Hellblazer (please, excuse me for my english):

Sinopsis:

After the shoot that John receive from Gemma, and after appearing at the A Long Journey's End tavern, John is very confused, as he is suposed to be dead, but is alive an older, then the three fates show before him, telling that he was being tested, and by facing his destiny instead of fleeing from this, he passed the test. They warn him about a catastrophe menacing the world, and the only posibility for the world to survive is the Golden Child, and the only one that can bring him is John, but eventually will die for aging, as the demon blood no longer rund in his veins, so he must hurry.

By the way, Epiphany realices that she is pregnant, and Jhon is the father, so she decides to search for him. At that moment appears Mary Constantine, and tells her that she is concerned about the appearance of the First Woman, Lillith, and the trouble she could bring into Hell, so the both of them join forces to search for John.

The Pagan Nation has received the revelations, the constant wrongs of mankind finally will be discharged for the Mother Earth, and the only hope is the Golden Child, But Lucifer Morningstar makes them an interesting proposal.