CAPTAIN BRITAIN II: Page 12 of 12

Publication Date: 21st Sep 2020
Written By: Peter Luzifer, Ruth and Gremlin.
Image Work: Dean Clayton.
Biography

BIOGRAPHY - Page 12

As the X-Men established Krakoa as a mutant nation-state, Betsy relished in the idea of moving to paradise. A Krakoa teleport gate was set up in the United Kingdom at Braddock Manor, allowing her easy access to her extended family. Brian was overjoyed to see Betsy's familiar face again, and Betsy got to spend time with Meggan and her new niece Maggie too. Not all her family reunions were amicable, though: while the X-Men and Krakoa's Resurrection Five had conquered death itself, they still had trouble handling Jamie Braddock. Jamie had been fast-tracked through the resurrection protocols because he was a valuable Omega-class mutant and possible pinch-hitter in the Five's roster, but he proved utterly incorrigible. Betsy was left questioning whether she should even tell Brian that Jamie was back when an emergency arose.

Apocalypse had been given a position on the ruling Quiet Council and therefore spoke with some authority on Krakoa. He informed Elizabeth that a flower gate had opened on Krakoa to Otherworld, yet could not be traversed. He suggested they collect Brian's Amulet of Right as a focal point between the two realms to fix the gate. Elizabeth was suspicious of Apocalypse's intentions and returned to Braddock Manor to warn Brian, only to discover Captain Britain had already been summoned to Otherworld because of some unrest. Elizabeth and Brian traveled together and found a paranoid queen regent Morgan le Fay on the throne, facing civil war with Saturnyne and the Starlight Citadel and in no mood for Krakoan incursions into her realm as well.

Morgan attacked the Braddocks and hexed Brian, transforming him into her champion knight and turning him against Betsy. Meanwhile, Apocalypse had been working on opening the gate from the Krakoan side and telepathically alerted Elizabeth she needed to disrupt its energies psionically. A psychic sword disabled the gate and prevented an Otherworld invasion of Krakoa, but it also left Betsy trapped in Avalon. As Brian continued to be corrupted by Morgan's dark magic, he forced the Amulet of Right into Betsy's hands with his last coherent thought. By putting on the amulet, Elizabeth Braddock became a conduit for its power, able to transport from Otherworld to Krakoa under her own will, and inheritor to the name and mantle of Captain Britain. [Excalibur (4th series) #1]

Back on Krakoa, Elizabeth discovered Apocalypse's efforts to breach the gate had placed Rogue in a coma. Her old friend had somehow absorbed energies from both Krakoa and Otherworld from the gate, placing her in a deep sleep surrounded by magically-enhanced Krakoan vines. With her allies Gambit and Jubilee, the new Captain Britain intended to return to Excalibur's old lighthouse (her family's place of power) to plant a new gate to Otherworld, rescue her brother and find a cure for Rogue's condition. They found the lighthouse had been destroyed by Morgan and her human allies, the Coven Akkaba. but Rogue's crystal coffin instinctively grew a new lighthouse from Krakoan bio-matter. Captain Britain then used the amulet there to transport Gambit, Jubilee and Jubilation's infant son Shogo to Otherworld, only to discover fairie magic turned Shogo into a giant dragon in the realm of magic. Despite the assistance of dragonfire, the mutants fought at Morgan's castle but were unable to save Brian or stop the queen regent's attacks on Earth. [Excalibur (4th series) #2-3]

Coven Akkaba had a deep hatred for their founder who rejected them, En Sabah Nur, and were willing to use means mystical and otherwise to tarnish the new Captain Britain. They alerted the British government that the role of Captain Britain had passed into new hands, a mutant and dual citizen of Krakoa whose loyalty to title and crown might be suspect. At the request of Pete Wisdom of British intelligence, Elizabeth met with Queen Elizabeth to establish her bona fides. The meeting went well and the Crown officially recognized Elizabeth Braddock as Captain Britain, ambassador on all matters Otherworld and defender of the realm. As her associates, Gambit, Jubilee, Rogue and Rictor (recruited by Apocalypse for his connection to the Earth) were also recognized as accountable servants of the Crown, as Excalibur.

Despite the official royal proclamation, Coven Akkaba pressed to manipulate public opinion against Betsy. Her conflicting loyalties were challenged, as was the fact she never chose between the Amulet of Right and the Sword of Might, the choice which typically confirmed a bearer worthy of the mantle of Captain Britain. When Shogo's use of dragonfire tattered the fabric of reality and caused creatures from Otherworld to cross over and threaten London, that also was left at her feet. A true Captain Britain, said the coven, would have known why the people of Otherworld fear using dragonfire in warfare.

Captain Britain and Excalibur crossed back over to Otherworld and confronted Morgan le Fay about the incursions. Apocalypse stepped forward and negotiated a cessation of hostilities to be settled by a duel to the death: one champion against the other. Morgan saw what En Sabah Nur was proposing and relished the idea of Brian killing Elizabeth or forcing her to kill him instead. Indeed, as Betsy tried to reason with Brian and struggled over his sword, he fell on the blade and was killed by his own twin sister. Apocalypse was prepared for this, having collected Jamie from Krakoa and named him King of Avalon by right of the duel. Jamie Braddock, alias Monarch, was blood of Otherworld and took Morgan's crown for his own. Jamie's reality-bending powers even allowed him to fix and neutralize the effects of dragonfire, giving his kingdom a strategic advantage. Just as Apocalypse had planned all along, mutantkind now had a foothold in Otherworld, a sister kingdom to Krakoa and a royal ambassador to the United Kingdom in Betsy.

Elizabeth insisted Jamie restore Brian to life just as he had done for her in the past, but the twins' relationship had suffered. Jamie needled Brian about how Betsy kept his return a secret, even if only for a little while. Elizabeth expected Brian to take back the mantle of Captain Britain from her, and welcomed it, but Brian felt differently. He dreamed of the test of Roma and Merlyn again, and awoke in his bed to find the Sword of Might in his grasp. Brain believed Morgan's enchantment had corrupted him, and he was no longer worthy of being Captain Britain. While the sword could provide him with a version of the amulet's power, Brian chose not to wield it. He feared wielding power until his confidence was restored, and did not want to appear as a challenger to Betsy's role as Captain Britain. [Excalibur (4th series) #4-6]

Out of respect for her brother and needs of her country, Elizabeth Braddock thus remains in the role of Captain Britain. Tied to the United Kingdom, tied to Otherworld, tied to Krakoa, her reign will be a troubled one, yet still... Long Live Captain Britain!

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