Meet the Skrulls #4 opens with a battle scene and ends with a shooting. Every moment in between is a goldmine of compelling action and deepening character. As the second-to-last issue of this spectacular spy miniseries, this issue is packed with reveals, returns, and reversals.

After the significant reveal from the last issue, the Warner family has to move fast to uncover the mysterious anti-Skrull Project Blossom. The new mission is full of tense action beats as Alice comes into her own as a member of the team and Gloria regrets bringing the children into her world.

Writer Robbie Thompson continues to mix dense, twisty plotting with in-depth characterization. Alice’s growth from where she began the series is an organic choice, as is Gloria’s rising doubt. The major twists and double-crosses that happen in this issue are surprising but have been seeded throughout the series in such a way that they seem inevitable.

Niko Henrichon's art, with Color Assistant Laurent Grossat, continues to shine. Henrichon plays with multiple scenes of carnage and mayhem here, but every moment is legible and compelling. VC’s Travis Lanham shines as the letterer, as well.

Meet the Skrulls has been a beautifully structured series from the beginning, introducing four immediately likable new characters and putting them--and the reader--through the wringer. This issue lays a bunch of cards on the table, but there’s one more issue to come; hopefully, the landing is executed as skillfully as the ride.

Grade: A+