Black Knight: Exodus #1
The Bond
After being stranded in another reality for months, the Black Knight, aka Dane Whitman, finally has a way home when Sersi opens a portal back to their proper home.[1][2] Sersi tells him to hurry as the portal is unstable and she doesn’t know how long she can maintain it for. When Dane leaps through the portal there is a sudden flash of light.
Elsewhere in time and space, Dane’s ancestor Eobar Garrington is woken up by his fellow crusader, Bennett du Paris. Eobar is confused and disorientated as his mind is clouded with Dane Whitman’s last memories. Pushing them aside, he returns to camp with Bennett. Du Paris is excited because they may have finally found the location of the long lost city of Akkaba. This a mythical land that legends speak of a place to obtain great power and is ruled over by the “Eternal Pharaoh”.[3]
They are to be led there by an Egyptian warrior named Sahreed. However, hearing Bennett’s excitement, Sahreed begins to reconsider his promise unless their quest is treated with more respect. Du Paris scoffs at the Egyptian, telling him to mind his tongue as he will be made a lapdog when he and Garrington gain the power that is to be had in Akkaba. Taking insult to this Sahreed draws Eobar’s Ebony Blade. Garrington then steps between the two men and takes his sword back from Sahreed. For the insult of drawing his weapon, Eobar says that if Sahreed wants a fight, he will accept the challenge unless he curbs his temper. Sahreed stands down, but warns them that he is no mere guide and that they have made two enemies this day. With his mind getting straight, Eobar expresses his concern about their mission, thinking it might be a bad idea. This new sense of dread has come upon him ever since grasping his sword as it feels strangely empowered by what feels like the presence of a long lost friend who guides his hand.
Outside the tent, this entire conversation is overheard by Sersi who has found herself trapped in the 12th Century. She recalls that Eobar Garrington is Dane Whitman’s ancestor and that Dane’s soul is trapped inside. She recalls how Dane already spent five years in this era by possessing the his ancestor before.[4] As she wonders why this has happened again and why this particular period of time she is caught by a trio of Scottsmen that are part of Eobar and Bennett’s party. Assuming she is a spy, the trio try to have their way with her. When Sersi uses her Eternal powers to try and keep them at bay, she is suddenly stricken with great pain, stopping her from dealing with them. Now thinking Sersi is a witch, they are about to run her through when they are stopped by Eobar and Bennett.
Eobar in particular wants to spare the woman because he feels some kind of strange connection to her. Bennett wants to spare her as he believes they can take advantage of her “witchcraft” to reach Akkaba. Garrington refuses to do any such thing, having decided that he no longer wants to find the lost city. This angers Du Paris, who attacks Eobar and the two fight it out. The brawl ends in a stand-still with both men putting a dagger to the other’s throats. Bennett relents and decides to go off on his own to find Akkaba, feeling that Garrington has suddenly changed. Eobar feels the same way and can’t help but think that somehow the mysterious woman has something to do with all of it.
That night Eobar is tending to Sersi when she finally wakes up. At first, she thinks it is Dane Whitman due to their similar resemblance. However, she realizes that she is speaking to Eobar and wisely decides to keep the truth about her situation and the nature of her powers a secret. That’s when one of the other soldiers comes barging into the tent with a note left by Bennett. Reading it, Eobar is upset to learn that his friend has ventured off to find Akkaba alone.
At that same moment, Bennett du Paris tries to cross the desert in the middle of a deadly sandstorm. Eventually, his camel drops dead. Unwilling to give up the power he believes is rightfully his, Bennett picks himself up and continues the rest of the way on foot.
Back at camp, Eobar is loading up a camel so he can venture into the desert and bring his friend back. Sersi believes that doing so is akin to suicide and tries to convince him not to go. When she can’t get through to him, Sersi gambles using her powers to reopen the portal and try and return them home. Unfortunately, the pain comes back and it stops her from succeeding. However, it causes Eobar to suddenly know Sersi’s true name but he doesn’t know why. Sersi won’t get into the details with him, but tells Garrington that they do know each other, but from another time and another place. When Eobar remarks that it sounds like they were married or something, she admits that in some regards they are. With that, the pair ride off into the desert, unaware that they are being observed by Sahreed.
By dawn, the sandstorm has passed and Bennett du Paris has reached a canyon. His clothes in tatters and his skin reddened by the blowing sand he collapses to the ground. He is woken up when a commanding voice tells him that he is near his destination and in order to finally reach Akkaba he has to prove that he is worthy. That’s when a massive boulder begins tumbling down toward him. As Bennett flees, the voice tells him to channel the energies within. Following these orders, Bennett is surprised when he discharges and energy blast that shatters the boulder into rubble. Seeing that this new comer has potential, the voice then instructs him to fight to the death as an insectoid creature emerges from the sand. Recovering his sword, Bennett then lunges into battle. When his sword shatters against the insectoid’s carapace he realizes that the only way to win is using his hidden powers again. He once more channels this energy and uses it to vaporize his opponent. Moments after his victory, an exhausted Bennett du Paris vanishes in a bright flash of light.
Meanwhile, Eobar and Sersi continue to follow Bennett’s trail. Along the way, Garrington convinces Sersi to finally tell the truth about their bond. She explains that many centuries into the future Eobar’s descendant Dane Whitman will carry on the proud tradition of the Black Knight as a hero in that era among the Avengers, Earth’s mightiest heroes. Sersi first met Whitman when she joined the same team.[5] She immediately fell in love with him, but he was in love with another.[6] She figured Dane would come to love her after he became her Gann Josin, but she fears that this has only proven to drive a permanent wall between the two of them, particularly now that Dane’s soul is now trapped in Eobar’s body. Hearing Sersi’s harrowing story of love denied, the chivalrous Eobar Garrington decides to vacate his the body so that Dane Whitman can be restored and be reunited with his lady love. Sure enough, when Eobar’s spirit leaves his mortal body, Dane Whitman’s personality takes control of Garrington’s body.
When Dane realizes that he is stuck in the 12 century again he begins to panic at first, but Sersi calms him via their Gann Josin connection. As she promises him that he’ll never be alone here, they are ambushed by Sahreed who reveals that he has the ability to elongate his arms. Dane fights back, chopping off Sahreed’s arms. However, Sahreed refuses to divulge any of his masters secrets. He doesn’t have to when the massive structure that is Akkaba suddenly rises from the ground. It’s ruler, the mutant known as En Sabah Nur, aka Apocalypse, tells the Knight that his friend is now his body and soul.
Dane and Sersi are then taken prisoner and locked in the dungeons of Akkaba. There they are visited by Bennett du Paris, who has since changed his name to Exodus since accepting his newfound power. That’s when Sersi and Dane realize that Exodus is the very same powerful mutant they fought in the present day.[7] Exodus plans on finish off his former friend and drags Dane out of the dungeon. Once they are gone, Sersi strains herself and, after some effort, manages to break free from her shackles.
Upstairs, Apocalypse officiates over a battle to the death between the Black Knight and Exodus. He tells the pair that very soon the time will come when he will begin separating the weak from the strong until only the the fittest survive. The battle soon begins, and even though Whitman is no match for Exodus’ mutant powers he manages to cut Bennett’s forehead with his Ebony Blade. That’s when Sersi arrives and — finally able to access her powers — uses her telepathic abilities to weaken Exodus. However, his mental powers are stronger and he eventually repels Sersi. As Dane rushes to Sersi’s side, she tells him that as her Gann Josin, she will do whatever it takes to protect him, even if it costs her life. Apocalypse is unmoved by this and orders Exodus to finish them off. However, when Whitman mocks Bennett for being a lap dog for Apocalypse, Exodus decides that he is nobody’s servant and turns his power against En Sabah Nur.
Unfortunately for Exodus, Apocalypse is able to not only fend off his attacks but restrain him in a telekinetic bubble. Saying that he can take away the power that he has given, Apocalypse then teleports away. Still feeling the bond of friendship that Bennett had with Garrington, Dane pleads with Apocalypse not to take his friend away. Before disappearing, Exodus tells his friend tells him not to mourn and hopes that their paths will cross at least once more before these days are over.
Eventually, the Black Knight learns that Exodus’ contact with the Ebony Blade can sense his location. It takes six months, but Dane and Sersi track Exodus down to the Swiss Alps. There they find his body in a deep slumber in a tomb constructed by Apocalypse. Dane apologizes for not being able to stop his friend from Apocalypse but vows that someday he will free him.[8] Leaving a contingency of knights to stand guard over the tomb, Dane and Sersi leave it behind. With his business in this era over with, Dane suggests that it is time they finally return home.[9]
Recurring Characters
Black Knight (Whitman/Garrington), Sersi, Exodus, Apocalypse,
Continuity Notes
The Black Knight and Sersi traveled through a portal to another reality in Avengers #375 in the hopes that it would cure Sersi of the Mahd W’yry, an Eternal mental illness. Both ended up in the Ultraverse in Ultraforce #8. While Sersi was brought back to her native reality in Ultraforce/Avengers #1, Dane remained in the other reality until Ultraverse Unlimited #2. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Realities 2005 #1, the Ultraverse has been designated Reality-93060.
Sersi mentions her Gann Josin bond with Dane Whitmant. This was forced upon them by the other Eternals in Avengers #361.
This is the domain of Clan Akkaba. It became the domain of En Sabah Nur (later Apocalypse) after he freed himself from slavery. See Rise of Apocalypse #1-4.
The Black Knight’s soul was previously sent back in time to possess Eobar’s body in Defenders #11 and remained in Garrington’s era until he was returned to the present in Avengers #225-226. Meaning the Eobar Garrington is double possessed here. See below to make sense of all of this.
Whitman had been a long standing Avenger since Avengers #71, while Sersi had joined up in Avengers #314. The two were properly introduced in Avengers #336.
The other woman that Sersi is referring to is Crystal joined the Avengers in issue #336 and both eventually smitten with one another. Sersi became attracted to Dane in Avengers #350. However, even when Dane became her Gann Josin in Avengers #361, he still cared for Crystal. There was a love triangle up until Dane and Sersi left their home dimension in Avengers #375. Dane hasn’t given up on his love for Crystal and will go after her again in Quicksilver #7, with disasters results. Moral of the story: Don’t chase after a married woman.
The two encountered Exodus during the Bloodties event which took place in Avengers #368-369, X-Men (vol. 2) #26, Avengers West Coast #101, and Uncanny X-Men #307. At the time, Exodus found both familiar to him but couldn’t place where. Sersi and Dane had no idea what he was talking about because they had yet to meet him.
Here, Exodus will remain in suspended animation until he is revived in the present day. He’ll first turn up in the modern era in X-Factor #92.
While Dane and Sersi will return to the present the two will be separated once more. Dane will turn up again in Heroes for Hire #2. They’ll be briefly reunited in Heroes for Hire #4-7. However, Sersi will go her own way when Dane can’t make a committment as her Gann Josin.
Topical References
Sersi states that she and Dane Whitman come from the 20th century. This should be considered a topical reference. This is because the Sliding Timescale has pushed the Modern Age of the Marvel Universe forward in time enough that it does not begin until after the start of the 21st century.
The Eobar Garrington Possession
The whole double possession of Eobar Garrington is a bizarre choice of story telling since it could have been easily avoided. Whitman only possessed Eobar’s body for five years the first time around. I find it silly that the writer of Black Knight: Exodus couldn’t think of another point in Eobar’s life to have Dane Whitman possess his ancestor. The average person who lived in the 12th century lived until the age of 55. The crusades also went on for a very long time between 1095 and 1291 AD. But I digress, this isn’t about what they could have done, but instead to make sense of what they actually did.
The first time around, Dane Whitman’s soul was sent back in time to possess the body of Eobar in Defenders #11. He then returned to the present day in Avengers #225-226, where it was stated that he lived in the 12th century for 5 years.
It is unclear when the spirit of the future Dane Whitman took possession of Eobar in Black Knight: Exodus. The Black Knight profile in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #1 states that it did happen sometime after the first spirit of Dane Whitman took possession. By the end of Exodus, Garrington gives up his mortal body and his spirit goes on into the afterlife, leaving Whitman in control of his body.
The future Dane Whitman who took possession in Exodus is later returned to the present by Sersi after the defeat Exodus and we’ll see him again in Heroes for Hire #2. This left Eobar’s body in the sole possession of the past Whitman who took possession of the body first. This is likely an explanation why Eobar’s body turns into a skeleton in Avengers #226, as there was no soul to inhabit it after the past Whitman’s spirit vacated it.
The only thing that isn’t clearly explained is how the past Whitman didn’t become aware of what his future had in store for him when his older self too possession of the same body. I think that by what’s evident in these stories a reasonable theory/explanation can be made.
When the original Dane Whitman first took possession of Eboar in Defenders #11, Whitman was in control and knew who he was. However, when the future Whitman first takes possession of the body, it’s Eobar’s personality that is present to start and he is very confused and disorientated like he doesn’t know anything that’s going on. It’s only when he handles the Ebony Blade that he understands anything that’s going on. Later, when Sersi convinces Eobar’s spirit to leave his body, it’s the future Dane Whitman that is in control until he and Sersi return to the present. In all of Dane’s appearances from Avengers #255 until Exodus, he has no knowledge of anything his future self experienced. This is particularly important as he doesn’t recognize Exodus when they meet “again” for the first time in Avengers #369.
So what happened? Well, I think that when Whitman took control in Defenders #11, that version of Dane was in full control of Eobar and Garrinton’s personality was submerged. When the future Dane Whitman was transferred into that same body in Exodus, it knocked out both versions of Dane, making Eobar the dominant personality. However, he was confused and disorientated. I think that by touching the Ebony Blade it filled the gaps in his memory, but as though he experienced everything up to that moment and with no idea that he has been possessed by his future descendant. When Eobar’s soul left his body, the future version of Dane Whitman took over with the mind of his past self being submerged. Then, when future Whitman and Sersi returned to the present, the only mind left was the past Whitman. Since the younger Whitman was subdued that entire time, he doesn’t have any memory of what happened other words. While he may have met Paris du Bennett, he didn’t make the connection when he encountered Exodus in Avengers #369 because there was no way Dane could have known Exodus had been alive for centuries.