- Army of Darkness Forever explores the movie’s fractured ending in the medieval setting, the alternative ending, and the “happy” theatrical ending.
- The comic reveals that Ash is actually Bad Ash, the evil-infused version of the character thought to be defeated in the movie.
- The future of the Evil Dead franchise will continue without Ash Williams, but there are rumors of a possible animated series and plenty of exciting developments in the Evil Dead universe.
Despite Evil Dead Rise delivering a solid horror film earlier this year, it did not completely satisfy many fans of the Evil Dead franchise who associate it with Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams. The sequel comic book series Army of Darkness Forever, however, addresses this by returning to the continuity of the third movie and turning the “happy ending” on its head.
Army of Darkness, which debuted in 1992 as a direct follow-up to Evil Dead II, saw Bruce Campbell back with his iconic boom-stick and chainsaw, battling Deadites in a medieval setting. The film also included two alternative endings. The new Dynamite comic series, Army of Darkness Forever, delves into the fractured nature of the movie’s ending, with stories taking place in the medieval setting, the alternative ending where Ash awakens years in the future to find an apocalyptic wasteland, and the “happy” theatrical ending where he returns to the 1990s to continue his life in relative normality. However, it seems that the latter ending has a twist of its own to deliver.
In Army of Darkness Forever #1, the storyline follows Ash after the final scene of the movie as he leaves the S-mart with his female coworker. The twist is that the woman calls him bad Ash, revealing that he is actually Bad Ash, the evil-infused version of the character who was thought to be defeated in the movie.
Though this new narrative will continue in the next issue, the Starz TV series, Ash vs Evil Dead, had previously expanded on this storyline, developing it into a three-season show that depicted the Deadite armies being unleashed in the present day. While popular among fans, the show ended with the tease of an apocalyptic world before it was canceled.
The future of the franchise will seemingly proceed without Ash Williams, as Campbell claims he is getting too old to play the role. However, Evil Dead Rise has shown that there is a taste for a new direction in the franchise. Furthermore, rumors of a possible animated series with Campbell returning to voice Ash Williams indicate that there is plenty to look forward to in the Evil Dead universe.