Eternals #10, April 1977

"Mother"
Edited, written & drawn by Jack Kirby
Inker & Letterer- Mike Royer
Consulting Editor- Archie Goodwin

SUMMARY

Eson brings his hand down upon the armories of the Deviants as they continue their futile struggle against him. Fortunately, emergency force fields save the men from drowning. [huh? If Eson shut off the force field in Tode's palace last issue, how come the perimeter can still raise one?]

Eson reaches inside a portal, smashing parts of the city as he continues his search- before pulling back and departing. He will continue to observe the oceans for the next 50 years. [don't ask me how Eson reached all the way into Lemuria- I suspect he must have elongation powers]

The Deviants set to work repairing the damage, though the loss of life is not their first priority.

Hargen is seen in the Tyrolean Alps, and the Aussies have begun filming Oneg in the outback. Oh, and the Russians are still very nervous about Nezarr, and have a squad of fighters trailing him. [I can't help but wish one Celestial had visited Japan- they would have been so passe over there!]

Olympia. Domo has linked Zuras to an mind-enhancing device in order to contact the Celestials [presumably because Zuras can't talk to Ajak?], and Zuras is able to contact the ship in orbit of earth- but reacts violently, and quickly cuts off contact!

Zuras:"I-it is DONE, Domo. I've NO further need for the 'link-up'!"
Domo:"But, you MUST tell me, Sire!! Wha-?"
Zuras:"WHAT, INDEED! What have the dark and vast stretches of the universe spawned and sheltered and nurtured and grown in that UNTHINKABLE time before our planet was formed--"
Domo:"GOOD GRACIOUS! It is IMPOSSIBLE to conceive of a mind that could visibly shake the PRIME ETERNAL! Yet, it is up there-- in the CRAFT of the Space Gods!"
Zuras:"He is designated the 'ONE ABOVE ALL'! Most likely the Celestial name for COMMANDER OF THE FOURTH HOST!"

Zuras decides that it is time for the unifier to be sounded- though Domo notes this has not happened "since the days of the Great Flood"! Domo sends forth a signal across the globe, summoning every Eternal to Olympia!

Ikaris also hears this call, and is forced to stop spanking Sprite and let him go. Sprite sticks out his tongue at Ikaris as he leaves:

Sprite:"Thus, I DEFY you, Ikaris! You're a brutish lout!-- the ROOT cause of generation gaps!"

Ikaris apologizes to Margo for Sprite, and that she will now have to witness "the Call". [The Call? The Avengers? :)] But she wasn't really that troubled [a good sign for her].

Margo:"YOUNG people like Sprite are ALWAYS exciting!"
Makkari:"He's not young in human terms, Margo! One of your writers, named Shakespeare, included Sprite in one of his plays!

Back in the City of Todes, the audience in the chamber runs and panics as the Reject comes closer. Kro steps forward to stop him, but instead, Thena knocks both of them back with a blast of energy! The Reject tries to rise, but Thena knocks him down again- and again!

Thena:"That STUNNED him for certain! He has YET to learn respect for the daughter of great Zuras! --And for all OTHER life as well!"
Kro:"We Deviants have bred him since CHILDHOOD for the arena! He CANNOT change!"
Thena:"And so you would DESTROY him! What a CRUEL fate for one of tender years and FAIR visage!"
Kro:"It's his ONE virtue! He is living proof the Deviant gene has finally STOPPED producing monstrosities!"
Thena:"The fault lies NOT with your monstrosities, but with YOURSELVES, Kro. Were the Deviants to exercise their nobler qualities, they would SHED the 'self-hatred' which plagues them! These noble qualities exist in YOU, Kro! They bid mightily for EXPRESSION!"
Kro:"Perhaps so, Thena! Perhaps when I reach for your-- APPROVAL-- I-I FIND these things you speak of-- LET THE SPACE GODS EMPTY THIS WORLD-- AND LEAVE BUT YOU AND I!"
Thena:"That's a POSSIBILITY! The Celestials grow more active! Thus, I must LEAVE, Kro!"
Kro:"No, Thena-- STAY! We need TIME! If we part this moment-- we may lose each other FOREVER!"
Thena:"Time has been taken from our hands--! I have heard the CALL, Kro!"
Kro:"Great Zuras sounds the mental KLAXON once MORE, eh? Curse the MEDDLING Celestials! THEY have caused this!"
Thena:"No Eternal can fail to answer the call! I-- I must return to Olympia...if we face TRIAL with the Space Gods, let us do so in ways they must HONOR!"
Karkas:"HA HA HA HAH--! NO INSTRUMENT WAS EVER MADE THAT COULD FIND HONOR AMONG THE DEVIANTS! HA HA HAH!!"
Thena:"GREAT ZURAS!"
Kro:"WHA--!? IT'S THE MONSTER CALLED KARKAS! I thought him to be SLAIN in combat with the REJECT!"
Karkas:"I suffer from deep wounds, Kro! But I LIVE! I live to LAUGH at lofty words spun by those who judge OTHERS!"
Thena:"Y-you THINK! You FEEL! You speak with GREAT sensitivity! I-I find this AMAZING in one so-- DIFFERENT!"
Karkas:"Thank you, my lady-- for NOT calling me-- MONSTER! Yet, the Deviants will have me slain because I was born of them! --A 'MUTATE EMBARRASSMENT!'-- an outrage of their standards!"
Thena:"Is this an ISSUE you plead? What is it that you WANT of me?"
Kro:"CAREFUL, Thena!"
Karkas:"I seek SANCTUARY, my lady! A place to spend my life in FRUITFUL pursuits!"
Kro:"You'll get what you're fit for, monster! Your place is in the combat arena--to fight-- or DIE!!"

Just then, the Reject rises and strikes Kro down! He turns to attack Thena, but she reaches out and touches him on the cheek- frightening him!

Karkas:"SANCTUARY, my lady! Sanctuary for THAT poor creature TOO! Remember your own words! 'The fault lies NOT with the monsters!' We are 'made' NOT 'born' this way..."
Thena:"THEN, LET US FIND OUT IF THIS IS SO!"
Karkas:"HA HA HA! Eternals must take the SAME risks they offer to the Deviants! We are now YOUR monsters, my lady!"

With a flash of light, Thena teleports away with Karkas and the Reject, leaving Kro alone- as the palace is flooded with water!

Next: The Russians vs. the Celestials! [ohhhhh-kayyyyyy]

COMMENTS

Nice issue. I do get tired of hearing Thena call Ransak "the only thing of value". Sheesh, he's more of a monster than Karkas- which is, of course, the point.

Oh, and this is the last we'll see of Kro. No, he doesn't die- just doesn't appear in any more of Kirby's stories.

We're getting closer to my favorite issue...