Reading Secret Six #27, I found myself a lot more entertained by the handful of pages with Amanda Waller and Spy Smasher than the conflict between the two Secret Six squads. The fact the two costumed teams wound back where they started by the end of the issue didn't help. The location had changed, and there were extra people involved, but they started the issue fighting, and they ended it fighting. Running in place.
The subplot though, that was great. Waller handled it so easily, not just covering her own tracks, but pinning everything on Katrina in the process. It's strange, but if Batman had been in Waller's spot, I might have been annoyed, since it could play as another example of Batman being 10 steps ahead. The difference here for me is twofold. One, Katrina's plan wasn't overly complex. She baited Waller into doing something, then tried to plant more evidence to seal the deal. It didn't feel like the product of years of meticulous planning. Two, Waller seemed to be fooled at first*, but was naturally suspicious enough to that she took certain precautions. It's less that letting Katrina spring her trap was all part of Waller's trap, and more Waller finding a way out of the trap once she was in it. Which doesn't mean Waller didn't have plans to deal with Katrina if necessary, just she wasn't planning to use them at that time, until the situation forced it.
Whatever. Point remains, I was highly impressed with Amanda Waller. Again.
Now here's a question for you. Do you think Waller will honor her promise of a presidential pardon for her group if they succeed? Based on Dwarfstar's comments, it appears Spy Smasher offered her group the same, but considering they were only pawns in her scheme to oust Waller, I think it's more likely she'd try to have them killed when they came back. If she didn't simply strand them in Skartaris**. The Wall, near as I can tell, sent her group in because she truly believed Katrina was serious (and heck, Bane and Co. don't know it's bull, so they are serious about conquering), so her offer could really be legit. Especially if Spy Smasher was working on a personal vendetta, with no higher authorization.
The downside for Waller would be that Deadshot would have a clean record, and we know Amanda loves to have Floyd on her team. Still, she could always just hire him, or wait until he commits another crime. Even if his record was expunged, I can't see Deadshot no longer shooting people. It's only a matter of time until he'd be back at it, then Batman beats him up and throws him in prison, and there ya go, Waller's got her shooter back. I think Waller will try to get them the pardons, but the higher-ups will nix it, or the Six will go right on doing what they do, thus racking up brand-new criminal charges.
* Or she fooled me as the reader into thinking she believed Spy Smasher's line about an imminent nuclear strike that would be allowed to happen, which Waller hadn't been informed of. She did still seem determined to stop the annexation of Skartaris, so I think she bought it initially.
** Katrina and Peter Gyrich should have a crossover some time. With any luck, they'd stab each other in the back and free their respective universes from their presence.
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