Demon Knights #11

I would replaces "heroes" with "narcissistic, self-aggrandizing pariahs."

What was the Companions quest again? They needed to find Camelot so they could find Avalon so they could find Merlin's soul so they could convince Merlin to re-enter his body so that Merlin could help defend the town run by the lesbian princesses from Morgan le Fey amd Mordru. Unless the Queen is somebody other than Morgan le Fey.

I think that sums up the book so far. Some other stuff is going on as well. Like The Shining Knight and Morgan le Fey are hunting for the Grail which Merlin threw into a volcano some time ago. And Merlin has or is going to form Stormwatch to protect everyone from Neanderthals and Daemonites.

The first part of the main Quest has been successful: the party has found Camelot. But they've all been transformed from social monsters into actual monsters. Only Madame Xanadu remains unaffected.

Or does she? The others have all become their "true essential selves" which mostly means they've all gotten better at being selfish assholes. All of them except Exoristos love what they've become. Perhaps Madame Xanadu has the greatest self-esteem of them all and believes she has already become all-powerful. Or maybe because she's related to this whole Camelot thing, she's simply immune.

Or maybe what she received isn't readily apparent. Like now she's multi-orgasmic.

The whole "companions turned into monsters" thing lasts for just a few pages before Zombie King Arthur leads them into a cave with a purifying pool of water. The question is now do I want to spend time trying to figure out why Cornell added that bit of the story or do I just plow on ahead and try to catch up on my comic book reading as quickly as possible? Maybe I can do both and instead of really delving into what happened, I'll just spend a paragraph asking a bunch of questions that I won't bother to try to answer!

Why wasn't Madame Xanadu affected by the Dark Magic around Camelot? What's so special about her? Besides her breasts? Um, and her brain too! Her great, big, beautiful, tight, manipulative brain! What does it reveal about The Shining Knight? Is her flaw arrogance? Does he think she's so pure and special that he can accomplish anything she wants? Why was Exoristos a hulking heap of self-loathing when the dark magic gave them everything they wanted? Does she want to be hated and despised?

Etrigan has become an all-powerful demon king and Al Jabr transformed into a giant head capable of the most complex thoughts. Savage seems to simply have had a testosterone boost and the horsewoman became a centaur. None of them, even Exoristos it seems, were going to touch the magical water and transform back into their lesser selves. Zombie King Arthur seems to understand this since the cave he leads them in is a trap which causes the waters of the fountain to rain down upon everyone inside. They're all cured!

And Etrigan is pissed.

Even Zombie King Arthur has been restored. I'm sure after somebody breaks up the fight between him and Etrigan, Arthur will explain what's going on.

As I sit in my office reading Demon Knights, an occasional sprinkle of tiny white spiders waft down around me. I don't know where they've hatched from but I keep blowing them away to wherever fate will take them. Probably to be eaten by one of their brethren. It's just hard to concentrate since my brain tells me every slight itch on my body is a baby spider crawling across me. Not that I mind. But the slightest itching is magnified now, especially on my scalp. I see one now, walking across the slanted ceiling. He's just a small dark shadow, a piece of lint to the unknowing eye. I wonder, as I drink my iced tea, how many have drowned within the urine-colored liquid and how many calories each one must be? I don't normally eat meat and I don't kill spiders but accidental ingestion of spider babies doesn't faze me. My stomach is growling at the thought. "Shut up, weirdo," I tell my stomach as I get back to the comic book.

Arthur states that the magic water will only allow them to resist the dark magic of the strange tower on Camelot for a limited time. He also describes his time in Avalon as he tells of his return from death.

Shadowy councils? Is Avalon where Stormwatch's Shadow Cabinet resides?

Arthur's story of residing in Avalon and returning to Britain encourages Xanadu. They can find Avalon! And they can get back with Arthur's help! The only hitch will be convincing Merlin to return with them! And I have a feeling that won't be much of a hitch at all. I think Merlin "died" on purpose so that he could speak with the Shadowy Council in Avalon, knowing all along that [baby spider on me!] Xanadu and Etrigan would be forced to come rescue him. Merlin is the type of character that gets to create gigantic, involved plots that actually work. I can believe when Lex Luthor pulls that crap off as well. But the future evil Red Robin, Harvest? No. I don't buy it.

Arthur tells the others that the way to Avalon is blocked by the Dark Tower. He has not been able to breach it but when he discovers that the Demon Knights are questing to help Merlin, he joins up with them to give it another shot. And this time they can fly to the tower because they have a demon, a pegasus, and a magic fairy woman in Xanadu. Hmm, that sounds sexy. I mean Xanadu IS the magic fairy woman.

But the way is guarded by a giant Geodude!

Xanadu chooses you, Squirtle!

The earth creature is easily defeated and the Companions make their way into the tower as they're being watched by person behind the tower and the dark magic.

Morgaine has some disgusting Pokemon. "I choose you, Nurgle!"

I guess Mordru's Queen is somebody else. Perhaps she's simply the evil queen of all fairy tales. Or maybe there was a Queen in the Arthur tales who was after the Grail. Maybe Mordru is simply the most important part of that duo! At least I can stop thinking she's Morgan (sorry! MORGAINE in the DCnU) le Fey.

Demon Knights #11 Rating: No change. I wonder if Morgaine le Fey is part of Stormwatch's Shadow Cabinet. Or maybe she's just one of the threats that Stormwatch needs to contain. And maybe, since Cornell isn't writing Stormwatch anymore, the whole link between this comic and Stormwatch won't be explored any further! Except in my fan fiction.