The Guiding Light

If you're a New York club performer with your own light show, you'd probably be flattered if an alien known in part for his aloofness toward lesser beings takes notice of you, a single mortal, out of an entire universe of mortals. (That's bound to look impressive on your bill, eh?) But as hard as it is to believe that the being known as Galactus has no desire to take in the New York disco circuit, the songstress named Dazzler discovered that Galactus's interest in her had nothing to do with her talent to work a club crowd. Tapped to retrieve his rebellious herald, Terrax, from the black hole he plunged into to escape his master, a gig that seemed perfect for someone who knows how to wield a mic, Alison Blaire succeeded in her task, and later managed to convince Galactus to spare Terrax's life before the world devourer returned her to Earth.

Six months later (our time), however, writer Danny Fingeroth decides to take his earlier story a little further in concept, as part of a What If tale--and Dazzler's "audience" with Galactus (heh, get it?) has a different outcome, both for Terrax and for herself.

We'd already seen that Galactus had shown a certain amount of not only tolerance but sympathy toward Dazzler in regard to her conscription in securing Terrax for him--but as coldly as he regards her here, it seems that he has put such concerns aside. The only other interpretation left open to us is that he's developed a sort of attachment to her (if a minimal and distant one), ignoring the sobering words of Drone R-11 on the subject. Whatever his thoughts, his reason distills down to the simple need that he has for someone to search ahead for worlds which will sustain his existence. In Dazzler, he has the vessel, and the means to compel her compliance.

And with Dazzler stepping up for the sake of the Earth, it seems Fingeroth's premise is unavoidable at this point:

(Come on, admit it--that question must have been gnawing at you for years!)

It could be argued that things aren't going too badly for Dazzler if beings of such stature as Galactus and the Watcher are interested in her, though it's unlikely that she's looking at this situation with a glass-half-full perspective. Whatever her feelings, however, there appears to be no avoiding her fate.

As someone who passed on Dazzler's solo series (in its sixteenth issue, around this time), her bid here of goodbye to those she knew in her former life admittedly elicited little more than a shrug from me in reading this story, though the thought can't help but occur that her 1982 appearance in What If was possibly intended to raise the character's profile with What If readers who could be tempted to give Dazzler a look. (If true, the fact that this issue of What If splits the cover evenly between herself and an Iron Man alternate tale, with the Dazzler story being first up, seems geared to work in tandem with that intent.) I might have chosen a more enticing montage of her "adventures" rather than characters whose personal connections to her aren't intriguing enough to have me give her comic a second look at the spinner rack; but for the sake of the story, Fingeroth makes the right call given their importance to Alison, since they would naturally occupy her thoughts at such a moment.

And speaking of the new life that beckons for Alison, unfortunately her on-the-job training doesn't present it in the best light, even for one whose powers are based on brightness and illumination.

Yet in time--at least, as one measures time in such an occupation--Dazzler's underlying mission to guide Galactus to only uninhabited worlds begins to show encouraging signs, following an instance where a cursory observation of a planet's suitability nearly leads to disaster for its indigenous population.

Another, more dangerous encounter would put Dazzler's influence over either Galactus's actions or inaction to the test, when an armada of vessels comprising those who have lost their worlds to Galactus crosses paths with his herald, and its occupants draw first blood in their quest for vengeance.

As you might imagine, Galactus's reaction, and subsequent response, put the lie to the notion that Galactus is above such things as emotion and malice. Yet the end result will lead to a confrontation of a different sort, when Dazzler voices her outrage to her master in words mixed with accusation and disappointment, given her belief that her sacrifice made so long ago on Earth's behalf had been worthwhile. Ironically, that perception will factor into the decision she comes to when all is finally said and done.

Fingeroth's ending to this story is well-reasoned on Dazzler's part, though it depends on the cliché that the human race will inevitably cause its own destruction and leave only a dead world to mark its existence. It might have been equally interesting to see her reach such a decision even had she found Earth to be a thriving, vibrant world, though one where everything and everyone she remembered were now gone.

If Dazzler received a sales bump from this appearance, it's difficult to tell at first glance. Her solo book would continue for another four years--though it would be forced to shift to bi-monthly publication in just over a year's time following this story, in addition to making a number of format adjustments along with a few costume changes for the character before finally folding with its 42nd issue.