Page 1- So this issue is presented in reverse chronology (similar to Morrison's Pax Americana) and is focused on the Anti-Matter counterpart to Hal Jordan known as Weaponeer 666. The backwards narrative really fits in with the whole reverso-verse/anti-world environment we are presented. The whole "begin at the end" places emphasis on the narrative style as well.
Here we begin in the present with 666 being tortured by his superiors, the Qwa-Masters, in an attempt to discover why he destroyed the "Lightning Forge". Remember to keep the pain/punishment mention in mind as we go through this issue.
Starting this season, Sharp has began experimenting with more painted/photo-realistic art to much criticism. It suits this issue especially well due to the sci-fi horror "gigeresque" look that Sharp implements, though I've enjoyed this new technique throughout the entire series.
Page 2- One Hour Ago: Here we have 666 holding what appears to be a dead lover (who will be revealed later on) as he his confronted by the Anti-Matter Trilla-Tru, who calls back to her decapitation by a hulked out Crassus Qwipe 6 in Issue 6. The implication is 666 has screwed up beyond repair, with our pain motif triumphant over the ravaged corpse of love.
Page 3- Trilla seems livid, revealing both her intention to replace 666 for his insubordination as well as her reluctance to stop 666's lover from running into the explosion at the Lightning Forge.
Page 4- One Hour & Ten Minutes Ago: In a great contrast to the Weaponeers dialogue in the positive universe being backwards, now we have Hal and the other Lantern's speech reversed, only natural of course. Morrison's use of the Anti-Verse and its inverted universal order can be seen back in "JLA: Earth 2" where the League discovers that they can only win if they lose.
Hal leaves his counterpart with a realization and a warning: though he and the other Lanterns could eradicate the Weaponeers at any moment, they choose not to.
The Lightning Forge appears to be where the Weaponeer Qwa-Bolts are manufactured, harkening back to Qwardian/Weaponeer mythology of the Thunderers.
Page 5- It appears that 666's intention was to have Jordan destroy the Forge, but our Emerald Knight outsmarted him, leading to him having to do the job himself at the cost of his lover.
Page 6- One Hour & 18 Minutes Ago: Outside view of the Lightning Forge, with the Qwa-Master's going boom-boom in their pants.
Hal's mine projectile constructs are great.
Page 7- A devastated Trilla-tru arises (we'll see what happens to her soon) while 666 apparently informs Jordon of his motives?
Our mysterious lover is revealed as... Sinestro? The Anti-Matter Sinestro first appeared in issue 8 of last season, tasked with hunting down the Qwa-Man/666 for the Sector Dictators for bounty. Now he's apparently Anti-Matter Jordan's lover, in a somewhat understandable reversal of the norm?
Page 8- One Hour & 33 Minutes Ago: By godevil's name this panel economy is brilliant!
We get some great Qwardian geography in this series. I believe "Qwar-deen" was first mentioned last issue, but Sharp's pencils just bring the concept to life.
Page 9- Weaponeer counterparts for Maxim Tox and I believe a cross between John Stewart and Xax against a squadron of four Lanterns: Trilla-Tru, Jordan, Maxim Tox, and Volk.
The Stewart counterpart is referred to as "Qwa-Trawets" in more fun reverse terminology.
Page 10- Qwa-Trawets looks like he gets liquified by Volk's blast just as another counterpart appears. Instead of a volcano head, Volk's analogue is just a flaming beast.
Page 11- Trilla-Tru's roided Xudarian constructs give me life.
Page 12/13- Rematch between opposites, with Trilla-Tru facing off and ultimately defeating her dark twin in classic Lantern fashion. The mention of mutual annihilation via positive/antimatter collision has been brought up a number of times in this series, though the only discrepancy I can find in Morrison's work is from Earth 2; though if this rule was applied, we couldn't have had that story.
Page 16- Two Hours & 18 Minutes Ago: The long awaited return of the Anti-Matter Crime Syndicate!
Superwoman, Ultraman, and Kyle Rayner Power Ring analogues presenting tributes of both human sacrifices and what appear to be various power batteries. I don't believe the emotional spectrum exists in the Anti-Matter universe but I could be wrong.
We get a little bit of lore regarding the Anti-Verse, with Earth and the Syndicate's power in fact being sustained on Weaponeer technology. In a great bit of inversion, where the Lanterns are tasked with protecting/serving their sectors, the Weaponeer's are served by the planets under their control.
We also get a repeat scene from page 9 with a perspective change.
Page 18- Three Hours & 18 Minutes Ago: Post-bath coitus between Sinestro and 666 I presume?
A little background is given between the two, with the Jordan v Sinestro dynamic turned topsy turvy in this reverso-verse.
Looking back now on Sinestro's motive during Season One and the new info on his wanted-ness by the Weaponeer's, I believe that he in fact lied about being paid to bring back 666. Sinestro could have possibly gone after his lover, who had at that point been captured by the Blackstars and smuggled through a myriad of worlds, and was transported back by the Borderman and the end of Issue 12.
I would just like to mention that Sinestro stated that he was able to defeat 666 at full power a couple of times due to his "Achilles Heel". Well, now we know what he meant by that...
We also finally get the explanation for 666's pain fascination, with the Weaponeer creed revolving around power = pain.
Page 19- Never did I think a relationship between Sinestro and Hal would be one of the most heartbreaking things to read.
"But this- losing you would hurt more than I could bear." Foreshadowing, or in this case merely reveal, 666's intention to have Sinestro die as to strengthen him. Twisted am I right?
It also makes a lot more sense why Qwa-Man/666 only got more powerful while he was weakened during his fight with the Lanterns on Weirwimm last season. More pain more gain.
Page 20- 43 Hours & 18 Minutes Ago: Taking place before Issue 6 of this season, the Weaponeers decide to go on a Lantern-Hunt in the Plus Matter Universe; this in fact is part of 666's plan to get Jordan to invade Qward and take down the Weaponeers.
Final revelation for 666's motives: everything to take down the Qwa-Masters.
Page 21- This makes 666 somewhat sympathetic in a macabre way, what with his sacrifice of his true love to aid in eliminating his overlords. Its not explicitly stated if Sinestro wanted to die to help 666 by running into the explosion, or if he just was a casualty, but nonetheless he got what he wanted.
Once again great art by Sharp.
Page 22- "It begins..."
"HATE DEATH PAIN KILL!"
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