A Nerd Reviews

Agent 355: Taking a closer look at Shakespearean references

Agent 355, the secret agent of the Culper Ring assigned to protect Yorick Brown, the titular character of Brian K. Vaughn’s Y: The Last Man.

Agent 355’s name is never revealed, but- *SPOILER*

-in issue #58, 355 whispers her name to Yorick (after both Yorick and 355 (three-fifty) express their mutual affection for each other).  355 then reminds Yorick that she mentioned to him earlier that her real name was old fasioned and corny.  When Yorick starts to tell 355 that he thinks her name is perfect, she collapses after being shot in the head by Alter (Yedida) Ts’elon, the leader of an Israeli military mission to capture Yorick.

So, Yorick finally realizes his true love only to have her murdered and the readers’ are finally presented with a situation were 355’s real name could be revealed, only to have both moments blown away by Alter (go ahead and hate me for that pun, I deserve it).

So, what was 355’s name?

On the cover of issue #58, 355 is shown making the peace symbol.  In issue #60, Yorick visits a tree where the word “Peace” has been carved below the number 355.

So, was Agent 355’s name, Peace?

I hope not, but probably.

As corny as it would be, I would have enjoyed entertaining the idea that 355’s real name was Viola.  This would have added another Shakespearean reference.  From Twelfth Night, Viola is shipwrecked and loses contact with her twin brother, Sebastian, whom she believes dead.  She then poses as Cesario, a young man working as a page for the man she ultimately falls in love with while serving him as an employee and a close confidant.

Then again, maybe it would have been more appropriate for Yorick to have been named Sebastian and Hero named Viola.  For, just as Beth, Yorick’s first love, winds up in a relationship with Hero, so Sebastian winds up with Olivia (who thought herself in love with Viola).