I read Black Knight #5 today and was very sad when it was over. It ended the way I figured it would, with Steve Rogers being taken over by the Ebony Blade, and having to fight Dane for it.
The issue begins with a flashback to the Bermuda Triangle in 1945, with Namor the Submariner fighting with some Hydra goons. The leader tries to kill Namor with a weapon designed by Baron Von Strucker...but a portal opens and the Hydra U-boat is sucked into Weirdworld, leaving behind a confused Submariner.
Flash forward to now- the "serpent men" aren't lizards at all. They're the descendants of the stranded Hydra men, and they are currently led by Caden Tar, the son of the late New Avalon king. Baron Von Strucker has ordered him to retrieve the Ebony Blade, and he goes off after Steve Rogers, who now has it.
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Meanwhile, Dane's "detox" is not going well. He's locked up and raving, begging for his sword. Doctor Voodoo's spectral form appears, and leads Dane to the "Canyon of Screaming Death" where Tar is trying to convince Steve to give him the blade. Voodoo "touches" the blade, and is overwhelmed by visions of the blade and its wielders, past, present, and future. Merlin appears (yep, that Merlin) to him, and Voodoo understands what Dane is facing.
Dane grapples with Tar, who gets the blade and tries to kill him. Of course, he can't kill him with the blade...and Dane reclaims it.
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Tar ends up falling to his death. And Steve tries to grab the blade again, leading Dane to remind him that he's Captain America to him and always will be, and thus shouldn't be corrupted by the blade. Steve gives the blade up, finally understanding.
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So the Uncanny Avengers leave Weirdworld (Deadpool was anxious to get home to watch Downton Abbey!), and once again, historian Rebecca Stevens decides to stay, because she's as fascinated by Dane and the Ebony Blade as Dane is bound to the blade. Steve calls Dane an Avenger once more, now that he understands what Dane has had to deal with. Dane has the blade again, and he's back on the throne of New Avalon. And that's it. The end.
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This was as satisfying an ending as could be expected, given the sudden cancellation of the series. Luckily, writer Frank Tieri had the arcs planned out so these five issues could stand alone. I liked the little threads that came together. I knew Hydra probably had something to do with everything, with the U-boat and Steve recognizing the "Fangs of the Serpent's" fighting style. Dane's brief "detox" bit wasn't as disturbing as the alternate cover led readers to believe. Also, he didn't have to go through it for long! I wish there was more time to see Dane leading New Avalon. He seems to have found his place in the world, er, Weirdworld. There was a tiny bit of flirting between Dane and Rebecca at the end. I wonder what was planned for those two. I also wish there had been an explanation for Sir Percy's ghost and his bad attitude.
There's also a bit of an out for Dane (and Rebecca, for that matter, she'll leave if he does). He still has a Quinjet, and the Avengers were able to get to Weirdworld and leave it in theirs. Also, Baron Von Strucker seems to have found a way to communicate with the Fangs of the Serpent, so obviously, Weirdworld isn't as inaccessible as previously thought. It's been hinted that the Black Knight will return to the main Marvel Universe, and possibly even the Avengers, by the time of the new Civil War event. I hope so, because I want to see Dane back in action. I wish MI-13 would come back.
It was also nice to see Namor, even if it was only a flashback. I still can't believe he was killed off in Squadron Supreme (another All New All Different title that's on the chopping block). I know death is never permanent in Marvel (except for Uncle Ben, of course), but it's kind of hard to recover from having your head chopped off!
Non comic stuff- I have added the limited editon mini Julie to my collection:
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The issue begins with a flashback to the Bermuda Triangle in 1945, with Namor the Submariner fighting with some Hydra goons. The leader tries to kill Namor with a weapon designed by Baron Von Strucker...but a portal opens and the Hydra U-boat is sucked into Weirdworld, leaving behind a confused Submariner.
Flash forward to now- the "serpent men" aren't lizards at all. They're the descendants of the stranded Hydra men, and they are currently led by Caden Tar, the son of the late New Avalon king. Baron Von Strucker has ordered him to retrieve the Ebony Blade, and he goes off after Steve Rogers, who now has it.
Meanwhile, Dane's "detox" is not going well. He's locked up and raving, begging for his sword. Doctor Voodoo's spectral form appears, and leads Dane to the "Canyon of Screaming Death" where Tar is trying to convince Steve to give him the blade. Voodoo "touches" the blade, and is overwhelmed by visions of the blade and its wielders, past, present, and future. Merlin appears (yep, that Merlin) to him, and Voodoo understands what Dane is facing.
Dane grapples with Tar, who gets the blade and tries to kill him. Of course, he can't kill him with the blade...and Dane reclaims it.
Tar ends up falling to his death. And Steve tries to grab the blade again, leading Dane to remind him that he's Captain America to him and always will be, and thus shouldn't be corrupted by the blade. Steve gives the blade up, finally understanding.
So the Uncanny Avengers leave Weirdworld (Deadpool was anxious to get home to watch Downton Abbey!), and once again, historian Rebecca Stevens decides to stay, because she's as fascinated by Dane and the Ebony Blade as Dane is bound to the blade. Steve calls Dane an Avenger once more, now that he understands what Dane has had to deal with. Dane has the blade again, and he's back on the throne of New Avalon. And that's it. The end.
This was as satisfying an ending as could be expected, given the sudden cancellation of the series. Luckily, writer Frank Tieri had the arcs planned out so these five issues could stand alone. I liked the little threads that came together. I knew Hydra probably had something to do with everything, with the U-boat and Steve recognizing the "Fangs of the Serpent's" fighting style. Dane's brief "detox" bit wasn't as disturbing as the alternate cover led readers to believe. Also, he didn't have to go through it for long! I wish there was more time to see Dane leading New Avalon. He seems to have found his place in the world, er, Weirdworld. There was a tiny bit of flirting between Dane and Rebecca at the end. I wonder what was planned for those two. I also wish there had been an explanation for Sir Percy's ghost and his bad attitude.
There's also a bit of an out for Dane (and Rebecca, for that matter, she'll leave if he does). He still has a Quinjet, and the Avengers were able to get to Weirdworld and leave it in theirs. Also, Baron Von Strucker seems to have found a way to communicate with the Fangs of the Serpent, so obviously, Weirdworld isn't as inaccessible as previously thought. It's been hinted that the Black Knight will return to the main Marvel Universe, and possibly even the Avengers, by the time of the new Civil War event. I hope so, because I want to see Dane back in action. I wish MI-13 would come back.
It was also nice to see Namor, even if it was only a flashback. I still can't believe he was killed off in Squadron Supreme (another All New All Different title that's on the chopping block). I know death is never permanent in Marvel (except for Uncle Ben, of course), but it's kind of hard to recover from having your head chopped off!
Non comic stuff- I have added the limited editon mini Julie to my collection:
