Dark Wolverine #83

Issue Date: 
April 2010
Story Title: 
Godlike: Part 2
Staff: 

Daniel Way & Marjorie Liu (writers), Giuseppe Camuncoli (pencils), Onofrio Catacchio (inks), Marte Gracia (colors), VC’s Cory Petit (letters & production), Jody LeHeup (assistant editor), Jeanine Schaefer (editor), Axel Alonso (executive editor), Joe Quesada (editor in chief), Dan Buckley (publisher), Alan Fine (executive producer), Salvador Larocca with Frank D’Armata (cover art)

Brief Description: 

Standing over the dead body of Norman Osborn, Daken is approached by three Fates. After they reveal themselves to him, Daken discovers that his killing Osborn wasn’t real. Sent on another mission by Osborn to find Thor, Daken and his agents are struck down by a lightning bolt emanated by Thor himself. As he lies there, the Fates show him a door that depicts Ragnarok. The Fates explain to Daken that, because they were banished from Asgard, Ragnarok cannot occur. If it doesn’t, Asgard will cease to exist. When Daken asks if the Fates want this, the Fates reply that he does too. Grabbing one of the Fates by the neck, Daken tells them that he does but nobody tells him what to do. Waking up from Thor’s lightning attack, Daken slashes one of the agents and remarks that patience is what it will take. All good things come to those who wait. Regrouping, the Fates decide that they have shown Daken his greatest desire. Now, it is time they show him his greatest fear.

Full Summary: 

Everyone falls. How you fall is more important than the fall itself. Land on your feet and get back up. Or die.

Standing over the fallen body of Norman Osborn, Daken says to his fearless leader that he thought he could control him, use him for his games. He believed for one second that he was like them? Now does he see what he is?

At that moment, three young hooded ladies appear and inform Daken that they see what he is. They then introduce themselves as the Fates and they bow to him. Looking up, Daken welcomes them and asks them if they’ve come to offer themselves to the conquering warrior. He’s never done it on a corpse, but this one won’t mind. The Fates informs him that they are not there for earthly pleasures. They are not there at all and neither is he. When Daken asks if they can see the future, the Fates tell him that they are the future. After Daken asks what they want from him, the Fates respond the same thing he wants. Daken asks what that is but the Fates tell him that only he can decide that.

Just then, Osborn asks Daken if they are going to have a problem with each other. Surprised, Daken asks what just happened. Osborn informs him that they’re in the middle of a battle, that’s what’s happening. As he flies away, Osborn tells Daken to get his head in the game. In his earpiece, Daken is informed that he has new orders from Osborn. He is to take a battalion of H.A.M.M.E.R. agents and find Thor. Putting his mask back on, Daken says fine. If Osborn wants a god, he’ll give him a god.

As Daken leads the agents through Asgard, the Fates mention that the man in iron is a fool. They ask why the prince follows him rather than walk his own path. Why does he hold back? One of them states that they cannot simply tell him what to do. That is not their way. They can only guide him. There is little need for guidance, for Daken already knows the path. He’s walked it in his sleep since first he dreamed. What they must show him is what he does not know. And that is, where the path ends.

Once Daken reaches a building where he has found Thor, he informs the agents they’re going in and to be ready. As soon as he opens the door, the building is destroyed with a blast. While the men around him are immediately killed, Daken is able to survive. The Fates recognize that within his consciousness, two warring impulses rage. The first is to build and the second is to destroy. He is blind to the fact that these impulses are not separate, but unified. They must open his eyes and then, they must hope that he will open the door.

Opening a door, Daken asks the Fates what he sees on the other side. The Fates inform him that it is his destiny. Upon seeing the destruction and devastation before him, the Fates tell Daken that it is Ragnarok, the end of the world, and the beginning of something new. When Daken asks if it is real, the Fates tell him not yet, but it is a possibility. Daken proceeds to question why they are showing him this. The Fates tell him because they must. They have been cut away from Asgard. Cut away and as such, the cycle of Ragnarok has been broken. This cannot stand. It is unnatural. Ragnarok must occur, or Asgard will cease to exist. It is the way of things. One cannot be without the other, life and death, always together.

Peering up at them, Daken says “right” but, again, what does this have to do with him? After a brief silence, the Fates tell him that their break from Asgard has changed the conditions upon which Ragnarok can occur. They are part of Earth now and so an agent of Earth must trigger the rebirth of their world. They had all but given up on finding a suitable candidate. But then they found him. Daken proceeds to ask the Fates if they want this. When the Fates reply so does he, Daken agrees and then grabs one of the Fates by the neck and tells them on his terms, not theirs. Tossing the Fate out of the room and into the streets of Asgard, Daken tells them that no one uses him, no one. Rushing to help their sister, the other Fates peer at Daken with hatred in their eyes.

In reality, two agents arrive on the scene where Daken is laying. They report in that they found him but a lot of men are down. They need medics. The other agent asks if he saw Thor throwing lightning. Leaning down to assist Daken, the other agent tells him maybe he wants him to throw it at him like he did these guys. He then tells the agent, O’Reilly to work his man-crush out some other time. As Norman Osborn, the Iron Patriot, flies over, Daken rises and slashes one of the agents with his claws. When he does, Osborn sees what is happening from above. Walking away from the agents, Daken mutters to himself patience, all good things come to those who wait.

Regrouping, the Fates talk amongst themselves. They went too far, they overstepped their bounds, underestimated him. One of them tells her sisters that all is not lost. They have shown him his greatest desire. Holding a glowing orb, the Fate states that it is time they show him his greatest fear.

Characters Involved: 

Daken (as Wolverine), Norman Osborn (as Iron Patriot) (both Dark Avengers)

Various unnamed agents of H.A.M.M.E.R.

Three unnamed Fates/Norns

Story Notes: 

This issue is a part of the larger storyline “Siege.”

Ragnarok is a series of events in Norse mythology where a great battle kills a number of major figures, various natural disasters occur, and the world is submerged in water. Afterwards, the world resurfaces new and fertile and the world is repopulated by two human survivors.

Daken was struck down by a lightning bolt generated by Thor in Siege #2.

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