This is one of this book's rare spreads that advances both the modern story and the historical story. First, Martin and Renate continue their discussion about her willingness to see the neo-Nazi punks executed rather than put on trial.

“What I think doesn't matter. I hope you can forgive yourself.”

“My father was killed by people like Steiner, who have always gone unpunished. He and his men were part of the police force. Do you really think they could have been brought to justice?”

“Were you able to read the diary?”

“I started, then Steiner arrived. With what happened, now that the Venerable Dzhordzh is also dead, I don't think they will allow us to get close to the monastery again. What remains is what you found at the Eagle's Nest, but that alone is worth very little.”

“That alone is worth nothing. But do you really want to make this story public, and without any proof at all? You've seen what people like Steiner would like to do with it.”

Then in the historical portion, Prince Rudolfo's obsession with the future evils of his son Adolf Hitler reaches a fever pitch. Still at the Russian monastery that Martin would eventually visit, he talks to his girlfriend Maria Vetsera:

“Verchotur’e, November 1888.”

“You’ve been working on that diary for hours, Rudolf... do you want to tell me what happened?”

“I have to write, Maria. I have to write down what I saw. I can’t risk forgetting...”

“What did that man make you see? Assuming it wasn’t all a hoax and that you weren’t influenced...”

“God willing! But do I feel like it’s all true? I saw the future! And now I have to go home right away and talk to Klara.”

“That woman again! It’s all her fault! If it hadn’t been for her...”

“No, you don’t understand! It’s about her son. My son! He’ll become a monster! I saw him! And I can’t let that happen!”

The trouble is that Rudolf has no clear path to prevent the future Nazi disaster from happening. Even if he took possession of Adolf and raised him personally, would that prevent the future or fulfill it? Rudolf is not exactly a great role model. The only sure way would be to murder the infant, which would be unthinkable.

The ending of this story misses an opportunity for Renate to claim some agency. She hasn't really done anything in this issue except accompany Martin. But as she discusses here, she has very personal reasons to hate Nazis and resist their return to prominence. I can easily imagine an alternate ending here in which Renate deliberately destroys the diary, over Martin's protests. That would have given her story arc a strong conclusion.

For that matter, Martin didn't do much himself, except lead Steiner right to the diary. It was the Russian militia that popped up at the end to end the threat. I've seen this quite a bit in European comics stories though, where an American story would place a high value on the protagonist being instrumental to the story's outcome, preferably with some moral quandary to resolve along the way.

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