Victory

Years Ago

When Everett Ross was a boy, his best friend in the world was his pet rottweiler named Rex. Unfortunately, tragedy happened one day, when his inattentive mother told him to move the family truck and water the lawn. Even though he was too young to operate a vehicle, he did as his mother told him and accidentally backed over his beloved dog, crushing poor Rex to death. This was Everett’s first brush with death.

Now

The Black Panther (T’Challa) has been seemingly killed in one-on-one combat with his mortal foe, Erik Killmonger.[1] As he performed CPR, Ross pleads with Brother Voodoo (Jericho Drumm) for help. However, the mystic and the newcomer Moon Knight (Marc Spector) watch on in silence. Despite their inaction, Everett manages to get T’Challa’s heart beating. However, this only encourages Killmonger to try again. When Ross tries to stop him, Zuri says that it is Erik’s right since the King did not yield. Everett then steps in and uses his authority as the temporary Regent of Wakanda to yeild on T’Challa’s behalf.[2] This makes Zuri furious, but Ross doesn’t understand why. That’s when Killmonger demands the Speak of Beshaga, and it is handed over freely. Everett still doesn’t get it so Zuri spells it out for him: By yielding on behalf of T’Challa, he has made the Black Panther forfeit his role as chieftain to the Panther Clan, making Killmonger his successor as the Black Panther! With this pronouncement, Killmonger bellows in victory.

With T’Challa dying, there is a need to get him immediate medical attention. When Everett asks why they don’t just resurrect him like Killmonger, Brother Voodoo refuses to use this option. He explains that the Resurrection Altar should — used to resurrect Killmonger — should never be use as it weakens the barriers between the world of the living and the dead. In fact, until his most recent reappearance, Killmonger’s past “resurrections” weren’t merely a reanimated corpse controlled by others.[2] In order to truly bring their leader back to life, Killmonger’s Death Regiment cremated his body and spread his ashes onto a suitable human host. They then sacrificed their lives, their deaths provided the mystical power needed to bring Killmonger back to life in a new body.

Brother Voodoo refuses to use the Resurrection Alter now because it is a place of great evil. Ross figures that Jericho plans on using Moon Knight to help T’Challa out and tells him to do that instead. Voodoo then teleports them to Wakanda’s Temple of Tranquility. There, a priest named Kono and others prepare T’Challa for his mystical journey by placing his body table and exposed to light. Then Moon Knight is sent into T’Challa’s mind to assist him on his spiritual quest.

Moon Knight soon finds himself side-by-side with the Black Panther in a domain that looks like ancient Egypt. T’Challa tells him that they are now in the land of the dead and that the warriors coming to attack them are blocking them from their goal. T’Challa hopes to reach the Egyptian god of the moon, Khonshu. However, this idea makes Moon Knight uneasy because he has recently cut ties with the deity responsible for giving him his powers.[3] Despite this, Spector is needed as a conduit since his power still derives from Khonshu and the Panther needs his abilities to heal and restore the sick and dying. Although Marc feels uncomfortable with being dragged into all of this, he refuses to let T’Challa die and joins the fight. This still doesn’t explain the Black Panther’s connection to the gods of Egypt. He explains that the Ennead were largely derived from African culture and he believes that there is a connection.

As they enter a temple, they find Khonshu in the form of Everett Ross in what appears to be a Brooklyn apartment. He confirms this very idea reminding them both that Egypt is part of the continent of Africa, despite contemporary politics.[5] T’Challa knows instantly who they are dealing with and identifies Khonshu by name. The god congratulates him for being wise enough to see if and figures this is why Bast — the Wakandan’s “Panther God” — had chosen him.[6]

In the world of the living, three days have passed and Queen Ramonda — T’Challa’s step-mother — has remained by his side the entire time. He is joined by Queen Divine Justice who is still settling into her new role as one of the Dora Milaje. Ramonda can understand Queen’s position saying that she still carries the burns from her old life. When Divine points out that she sees no scars, Ramonda says that just because they aren’t visible, that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.[7] That’s when Everett Ross comes barging, he’s been running the country the entire time and is in over his head. He hopes that T’Challa can give him a sign, any sign, on what he should do.

Back in the realm between life and death, Khonshu proves his credentials by conjuring up the Black Panther’s recent memories.[8] He tells both T’Challa and Moon Knight that, in order to save the Panther’s life, they will need to find the Book of the Dead. This tome will act as a guide through the realm so they can reach and commune with Bast. Still, Marc Spector still refuses to believe that this is the real Khonshu, but the god assures him that he will prove his identity along their journey.

In the waking world, 8 days have now passed and Everett Ross is growing more impatient with how long this is taking. He enters the room where Brother Voodoo has been overseeing this journey and tries to get him to speed it up for a bit. Unfortunately, Jericho is unresponsive because somebody slit his throat.[8]

Meanwhile, the Black Panther, Moon Knight and the entity claiming to be Khonshu have arrived at the Panther Pavilion. There, the spirits of the former chiefs of the Panther Clan (all represented as actual panthers) appear to have been slaughtered. That’s when they are attacked by more Ennead warriors. Moon Knight is the first to fall after getting struck in the chest with a mystical arrow. That’s when “Everett/Khonshu” reveals his true identity. As it turns out, they were being led by the entity known as Nightmare.

Recurring Characters

Black Panther, Erik Killmonger, Brother Voodoo, Moon Knight, Everett Ross, Queen Divine Justice, Zuri, Monica Lynne, Ramonda, Nightmare

Continuity Notes

1. T’Challa was killed last issue after he was distracted by Everett, allowing Killmonger to land the fatal blow. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise to you reading this now, but the Panther is going to make it. Next issue, in fact.

2. The Black Panther made Everett temporary king back in Black Panther (vol. 3) #13 and has been too preoccupied to take it back by this point.

3. Like any good Marvel villain, Killmonger has managed to cheat death more than once. He was killed in a life or death battle with the Black Panther in Jungle Action (vol. 2) #17. He was briefly resurrected as a zombie slave of the Mandarin in Iron Man Annual #5, however he was brought back to full life in Over the Edge #6. How he cheated death this time around was explained in Black Panther (vol. 3) #18.

4. As explained in Moon Knight #1, Marc Spector was killed under the shadow of a statue of Khonshu while operating as a mercenary in Egypt. He was resurrected by Khonshu to become his champion. Here he states he cut ties with Khonshu, this is in reference to the events of Moon Knight (vol. 3) #1-4.

5. “Khonshu/Ross” is reading a Wakandan contingency plan to deal with Galactus. This was something the real Everett Ross found in T’Challa’s desk back in Black Panther (vol. 3) #14.

6. For those following at home, this is the first time that Bast is directly tied to the Black Panther clan in the fiction. Until then they were merely referred to as the “Panther God”.

7. Ramond is alluding to the fact that, for years, she was held prisoner by a South African lunatic named Anton Pretorius until she was rescued by T’Challa. See Marvel Comics Presents #36-37. It’s pretty grim.

8. What’s on display are various memories over the last 20+ issue of this series. Including:

   • T’Challa’s conflict with Mephisto, which took place in Black Panther (vol. 3) #1-5,

   • His war with Achebe which took place between issues #1 and 12.

   • His recent encounter with the Hulk, which was documented in Black Panther (vol. 3) #15 and 17.

   • Lastly, we see his recent battle with Kraven the Hunter, which happened in issues #6-7.

9. Although it is implied that Brother Voodoo is dead, he actually survives thanks to the wonders of Wakandan medicine as we’ll see next issue. This is an example on why you shouldn’t always accept "death” at face value in the Marvel Universe. Anyway, his throat was cut by Malice.

Topical References

• In the flashback, Everett’s mother is depicted watching a CRT television that needs an antenna to pick up signals via UHF and VHF. This should be considered a topical reference as this technology has long since become obsolete, even when framed in a decades long flashback.

• When confirming that there is a connection between the Gods of Egypt and greater Africa, Khonshu qups “memo to Richard Burton”. I think he is referring to the British explorer Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) who explored much of what we now refer to the Middle East. Gaining access to regions that contemporary Caucasians had not seen. If I’m correct in this assessment, then this wouldn’t be considered a topical reference since he is a historical figure.