Thirteen to One (in French Treize contre un) is the eighth album of the comic book series XIII. It was published in 1991.
President Wally Sheridan offers XIII to work for him. His first mission will be to try to identify the Number I of the conspiracy, who has not been identified since the coup was foiled in Full Red. XIII is reluctant at first, but he finally accepts. He has two leads: Kim Rowland and the boat where he was shot by the Mongoose.
This album marks the end of a cycle in the series: the last big question about the conspiracy is answered and there is no Sequel Hook, so the series could have ended with this episode.
Thirteen to One provides examples of:
- Affably Evil: Wally Sheridan is very friendly with XIII, even after XIII discovered he is the Number I of the conspiracy
- The Alcatraz: Bluebanks high security penitentiary, where the Mongoose is held prisoner. He cannot even leave his cell.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Kim Rowland fell in love with Wally Sheridan and had a kid with him.
- The Bad Guy Wins: Wally Sheridan, the Number I of the conspiracy, manages to remove all the evidences of his involvement, so he does not fear to be denounced and he remains the President of the United States.
- The Baroness: Irina, the Mongoose's new assistant. She is a cruel and sexy Professional Killer.
- Bathroom Break-Out: XIII escapes through the toilets to escape from Bancroft's tailing.
- Beach Episode: XIII and Jones spend some time in a beach resort. They can be seen in swimsuit on the beach.
- Binocular Shot: When XIII arrives in Northshore.
- Book Ends: In this Series Fauxnale, XIII returns with the Mongoose on the boat where he received the bullet which gave him amnesia.
- Bound and Gagged: Bancroft is bound and gagged by XIII is their motel room.
- Brawn Hilda: Kim's aunt, Amalia Carrington.
- Briefcase Blaster: The Mongoose is given one to escape from the penitentiary.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Jones is jealous of Kim Rowland. When XIII asks her to help him to find her, she gets angry and she knocks her glass over on XIII's pants.
- Continuity Nod: XIII discusses with Wally Sheridan about the possibility to rehabilitate Jonathan Mac Lane.
- Damsel in Distress:
- Kim Rowland is in the hands of Number I. XIII tries to rescue her, because he thinks she could get killed. He fails.
- Jones is captured and drugged by the Mongoose. XIII has to save her from a sinking boat.
- Death Trap: The Mongoose injects XIII, Kim Rowland and Jones with sleeping drugs and leaves them in a sinking boat.
- Disney Death: The Mongoose makes XIII (and the reader) believe that Jones died when he blew up her boat. Actually, he has captured her and he has brought her to Wally Sheridan's yatch.
- Double Agent: Kim Rowland has worked for Wally Sheridan all along. He asked her to infiltrate the counter-espionage services. The counter-espionage services used her to infiltrate the conspiracy led by Wally Sheridan.
- Drowning Pit: When the boat sinks, XIII is in a cabin filling with water.
- Eiffel Tower Effect: When XIII is discussing with Amos in Washington, the Washington Monument and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial are visible.
- Epunymous Title: The main character is nicknamed XIII and he is after Number I.
- Eye Scream: XIII throws broken glass in Irina's eye. Later, Irina would like to seek revenge and to inject a sleeping drug in XIII's eye, but the Mongoose prevents her from doing it.
- Friend-or-Idol Decision: When the boat sinks, XIII has to choose between saving Kim Rowland, who he has tried to catch to expose the Number I of the conspiracy, and saving Jones. He saves Jones.
- He Knows Too Much: Wally Sheridan orders to kill Kim Rowland, because she knows that he is Number I.
- Hospital Hottie: Irina when she is disguised as a nurse.
- I Have Your Wife: Kim Rowland has obeyed Wally Sheridan for years, because he has held her son hostage.
- Impaled Palm: XIII drives his knife through his hand so that he does not fall asleep on the sinking boat.
- Incredibly Obvious Tail: Bancroft tails XIII, who spots him quickly.
- Inspiration Nod: XIII goes to Washburne Hospital. This is a reference to Dr Geoffrey Washburn, the alcoholic doctor who treats Jason Bourne in The Bourne Identity, a novel that strongly influenced the XIII series, in particular the first album (in which an alcoholic doctor treats XIII).
- Interrupted Intimacy: When he tries to escape from Irina in Washburne hospital, XIII encounters a doctor and a nurse having sex.
- Island Base: Number I has a secret base on an island off the coast of Northshore.
- It's Personal: Irina would like to take revenge of XIII because he has put her eye out.
- Make It Look Like an Accident: The reason why the Mongooses locks XIII, Jones and Kim Rowland up on a sinking ship.
- Missing Mom: Kim Carrington's mother died when she was 8 years old.
- No One Could Survive That!: The Mongoose explains that, when he shot XIII in the head and XIII fell in the sea, he tought he was dead.
- Not-So-Abandoned Building: One is used by Amos for his appointment with XIII.
- Parental Substitute: Amalia Carrington (her aunt) for Kim.
- Pre-Climax Climax: XIII and Jones have sex just before XIII goes to the island to release Kim Rowland.
- President Evil: Wally Sheridan is the president of the United States and the Number I of the conspiracy.
- Professional Killer: The Mongoose and Irina.
- The Reveal:
- Wally Sheridan is the Number I of the conspiracy.
- Kim Rowland had a child with Wally Sheridan and she has worked for him all along.
- Sadistic Choice: When the boat sinks, XIII has to choose between saving Kim Rowland and saving Jones. As the Mongoose tells him, these are the two women of his life. He saves Jones.
- Schmuck Bait: XIII is pulled on Number I's island, so that the Mongoose can kill him.
- Series Fauxnale: The last big question about the conspiracy is answered: the Number I of the conspiracy is Wally Sheridan, but he managed to remove all the evidences, so XIII cannot denounce him.
- So Long, Suckers!: The Mongoose writes exactly this one-liner on the wall of his cell when he escapes.
- Unwanted Rescue: Kim does not want to escape with XIII. XIII has to knock her out to take her with her.
- Villain with Good Publicity: Wally Sheridan is believed to be an idealist politician, but actually he set up a conspiracy to kill his brother.
- We Can Rule Together: After XIII has discovered who he is, Number I proposes XIII to work for him.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: The chief warder is shot down by the Mongoose (with the very gun that he has just given to him), just after he helped the hitman to escape.
