Synopsis
Defenders (2021 series) #3 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
Betty Ross was an army brat moving from base to base with little opportunity to form friendships. So as a child she created her own inner world where she held secrets like a High Priestess. But now as Red Harpy she's the opposite. Last issue saw her fallen with the other Defenders into the 6th Cosmos where science was invented. And at the end they lost Silver Surfer but the rest fell with Taaia of that Cosmos and her Space-Skimmer into the 5th Cosmos.
It was Dr Strange (with good reason) letting his magic go out of his control in #1 that started them on this journey. And he still can't use magic to stop the Skimmer from crashing, though the magic keeps tempting him to try. Masked Raider, who initiated their gathering, is uncertain because his Eternity Mask isn't telling him anything. Harpy senses that magic rules here (and the sheer amount of magic daunts Strange), and Cloud finds that it's inhibiting her changing into a nebula (because nebulae are sciency things). (And she prefers 'they' rather than 'she' because she's a collection of stars, and although usually in female form her Earthly manifestation was created from a female *and* a male teenage lovers.) But Harpy uses her wings, claws and Hulkish strength to slow their descent as it becomes clear that there are moons in the sky but no suns.
Sorcerer Supreme Mor-i-dun is watching them through a crystal ball with his mystically-chained slave Carlo Zota by his side. He's particularly intrigued by Red Harpy who he sees as having potential but also being a problem. He can't get a reading on the Raider, but he senses that they come from a much later Cosmos that he prophetically senses that he will reach. But 1st he knows that when this 5th Cosmos ends he will enter the 6th Cosmos as Omnimax The Devourer (who we saw last issue with Zota as his Cosmic Powered Herald). Mor-i-dun has taught Zota much sorcery, but he can't remember which bits, while using his lamprey-mouthed hounds to keep him in check. He now reiterates the basis of magic, the signs of the 4 elements Circles, Vessels, Blades and Staves and the 5th Secret Fire that binds them to the points of a pentacle (each with a different colour). The Circle is the world beneath their feet, but rotating a circle to make a sphere enables him to see the world entire. However he now also senses that Zota has relevant knowledge and he uses the Ace Of Blades as a psychic knife to pry it out of him, that the newcomers are called the Defenders.
Stephen Strange senses someone powerful watching them. He knows this is the 5th Cosmos which legend says is where sorcery and its rules were 1st formed. Modern magic (which he's lost control of) is more refined but magic here is more rawly powerful. Taaia contents herself by ripping some metal off her Skimmer to use as a sword, just in time to use it against a giant 2-headed (not dog-like) lamprey that attacks them. MR's guns and RH's claws do some damage too. The lamprey dies but its blood allows Mor-i-dun to emerge from it with Zota and dog-lampreys in tow. He starts off boastful but then falters.
Stephen Strange deduces that he's afraid because the 5 Defenders represent the 5 colour bases of magic here. Taaia's earthly wisdom and physical force are the Coin (Circle). Cloud, made from love and containing multitudes, is a symbol of water, the Cup (Vessel). Masked Raider is the binding force that brought them together, the Arcana (Secret Fire). Red Harpy, creature of the air and misfortune, is the Sword (Blade). And he himself, magician servant of the Fire, is the Wand (Stave). Carlo Zota doesn't see how that helps them because Mor-i-dun made the rules. However those rules constrain even him, but when DrS set *his* magic free it has *no* rules. Mor-i-dun counters that his magic may be wild but it is still as weak as the sorcerer it works through, and proves it by entwining Strange in his tentacles.
But Stephen's free hand sends *all* his magic to Harpy. The invigorated woman lets it all rip, feeling as free as the magic is. Mor-i-dun fears it and magically flees even as it strikes him, leaving Zota behind. But a huge glowing yellow monolith lands where he'd been, and Dr Strange says "Tetragramaton". Harpy recognises it as a door (similar to the Green Door in the Immortal Hulk series), and it takes them all (including Zota) through it ...
... to a strange place where Harpy wakes as Betty Banner and sees a large green foot. Looking up she sees large green humanoid form with 4 faces on its chest, each 'speaking' in a different (not green) colour.
CharactersGood (or All)Plus: Cloud, Masked Raider, Taaia.
Enemies
Carlo Zota, Moridun.