Accurately Inexplicable

Faced with a demand to tell the truth, Astoria states her belief that Tarim is called Terim and is female, not male as believed by the Church of Tarim. Even Powers is reciting the words along with her until he realises what he is saying and screams accusations of heresy at Astoria.

Scenes of Astoria talking are intercut with the messenger pigeon soaring on the night skies.

As Astoria speaks about the futility of a patriarchal religion Cerebus' perspective changes. He and Astoria swap places. He is the bound prisoner awaiting sentence and she is the Pope with the power of life or death over the accused.

Cerebus agrees with Powers that what Astoria has done to him is sorcery and there is only one sentence for that: death by flames.

Again there was a filmic quality to this, with the panels focussing on a single image, whether that was the speaker or just a scene outside of the cathedral, it was like a court room drama. I'd never been aware that a comic could create so much tension. I sometimes wonder if Dave was really aware of what sort of a masterpiece he was creating with this work.