WARNING: The following contains spoilers for DCeased: Dead Planet #5, by Tom Taylor, Trevor Hairsine, Gigi Baldassini and Rain Beredo, and Saida Temofonte, available now.
The world of DCeased is filled with misery. Countless heroes have died from the virus that spread throughout the DC Universe. Seemingly all hope is lost in this dystopian story. Though the survivors are doing the best they can, they're living in a world that's overwhelmed with suffering on every front. But the series' latest issue offers a bright spot to serve as a powerful reminder that, even in the darkest times, people can still find happiness.
In DCeased: Dead Planet #5, the main cast meets up with Jason Todd, who reveals he's married to Rose Wilson, aka Ravager. The two heroes have been happy together, despite the chaos that surrounds them. Unfortunately, their romance reaches a tragic conclusion by the end of the issue.
DCeased: Dead Planet #5 focuses on a mission led by Batman (Damian Wayne) and John Constantine. In an effort to save the world, DC's resident mystic has assembled a team that includes Swamp Thing, Batgirl (Cassandra Cain), Red Hood and Ravager. When Damian meets this quartet, he emotionally reconnects with Jason, and approves of his marital bliss. He hugs the couple and officially welcomes Wilson into the Bat-Family. This moment is packed with emotional significance for the daughter of Deathstroke.
Batman and Deathstroke have been rivals for decades, and Slade Wilson is one of the most dangerous characters in the DC Universe. Deathstroke's feud with The Dark Knight has extended to the hero's children, as he has often clashed with Damian and the other Robins. The history of this bitter rivalry makes the revelation of Ravager and Red Hood's marriage even more surprising. But she actually has a lot in common with Wayne and the rest of the Bat-Family, and the two began working closely together in the DCeased: Unkillables series earlier this year.
This similarity is evident as soon as Wayne comes face-to-face with Wilson in this issue. When he welcomes her to the family, he jokes about their comparable backgrounds. "You'll fit right in... especially if you brought complex, unresolved father issues," he tells Ravager. Wilson has the perfect response: "I brought so many," she quips. Just like that, Wayne and Wilson find common ground in their shared experience of having a complicated relationship with their father. After this light intermission, the team returns its focus to the deadly matter at hand, but their mission ends in a heartbreaking fashion.
Wayne and his allies travel to Nanda Parbat, where they battle hordes of zombies. Constantine betrays Deadman, the city's guardian, and steals the Spear of Destiny, and his deception has lethal consequences. At The Rock of Eternity, an infected Captain Marvel Junior rips Todd in half in front of Wilson, and even with her precognitive abilities, she can't save her husband. Todd's first death is a famous moment in comic book history, but his second demise is even more distressing. As he dies, he tells Wilson that he's glad his second chance at life allowed him to have the love they shared together. Wilson then tearfully kisses her husband as he dies, and the moment adds more emotional weight to an already heavy story.
The hits keep coming in DCeased: Dead Planet #5. Another hero falls during the survivors' quest to find a cure for the destructive virus. But at the same time, Jason Todd's relationship with Rose Wilson is a shining light in the midst of darkness. Their marriage granted a character often defined by tragedy to experience true happiness, even if it is for a brief, fleeting moment.