Supreme issue 39 came out in May 1996. Jim Valentino did the story. Tom and Mary Bierbaum are back for the script. Pencils by Joe Bennett. Inked by Norm Rapmund. Lettered by Kurt Hathaway. Eric Stephenson was the editor and did the co-plotting again. Dan Fraga did the Kirby-inspired cover, which will also serve as the inspiration for Supreme: The Return 6.
We start the issue with the three Supremes (Old Bearded Supreme in Supreme's Body, Supreme in Old Bearded Supreme's Body, and Lady Supreme/Probe/Probe in Val-En's Body But Turned Into A Woman During Babewatch... it's a little confusing) facing off against Loki. Old Bearded Supreme in Supreme's Body tries to confront Loki physically, but Loki just makes himself intangible.
Probe asks Enigma for help. Enigma contacts himself in the future at Star Guard's headquarters.
Meanwhile Probe tries to attack psychically. She gets into his memories and fills us in on some stuff we didn't know. We knew Star Guard initially came back to warn Supreme (but then didn't). Apparently they came back to warn him about Loki. In his future, he went into the future to escape Loki, and Star Guard then went back in time with Supreme to fight Loki. Loki is the one that blew up Star Guard's ship, which is when Probe took over Val-En's lifeless body and became Amnesia Supreme. And apparently Future Supreme found some weapon that can harm Loki.
It's nice that they're filling in these gaps in the plot since early in the series and trying to make it seem like there was a big story going on from the beginning. But it doesn't really pass the smell test. Loki was never treated as a major villain until last issue. This flashback doesn't make us feel like all the clues are falling into place. It makes us feel like, hey, this explanation will work if we don't have people think about it too much.
Anyway, Loki shows up in his own mind's flashback and starts fighting Probe.
We then cut to a hospital where Balthazar is writhing in pain from having been severely injured by Probe last issue. A Doctor D'Prave shows up and offers Balthazar the chance to avenge himself.
Back in the future, the Enigmas decide to erase the memories of Star Guard so they don't know about Probe and Val-En. Ok. I'm not sure anyone was worried about that plot point, but I guess it's fixed now.
Back in Loki's mind, he is imagining Probe all naked and tied up for some S&M action, because this is an Extreme comic with the subtlety of an anvil.
With Loki occupied in his mind, Old Bearded Supreme in Supreme's Body hits Loki, while Supreme in Old Bearded Supreme's Body shoots him and Enigma does... whatever Enigma does. And that forces Loki to let Probe go.
Loki then kills Supreme in Old Bearded Supreme's Body. But Old Bearded Supreme in Supreme's Body and Probe keep fighting.
Meanwhile, the doctor gives Balthazar a chair with a whole bunch of weapons on it. Don't worry, this plot goes nowhere.
The Supremes and Enigma keep attacking Loki until he's all bloody. He teleports away and talks about tormenting Supreme's prodigy. I think this is a clumsy attempt to suggest he's going to teleport into the past or future or whatever and attack Supreme and Star Guard, setting a time loop in motion. If so, it's not done well.
Old Bearded Supreme in Supreme's Body goes to bury Old Bearded Supreme's body when it vanishes. He accuses Enigma, but he says it wasn't him and takes off for more pressing matters.
And there's one issue left to wrap this up!
