Demon Knights #12

I think I'm in love! Not with Etrigan!

One of the questions I asked last commentary was: Does Stormwatch's Shadow Council meet in Avalon? Stormwatch #12 answered that question! They do! They do! It also has me believing that the current Shadow Council is actually the members of Planetary. I'm crossing my fingers for that one!

Anyway, the Companions have finally found their way into the Dark Tower of Black Magic in Camelot guarding the way to Avalon. And guarding the Dark Tower is Morgaine le Fey! I'm pretty certain that she's Xanadu's sister. I think it was explicitly mentioned last issue and that was why Xanadu was unaffected by the black magic. Even if Morgaine is a super powerful fairy witch, I can't see how she's going to defeat the seven companions and King Arthur! She'd have to be some kind of super powerful fairy black magic voodoo lich!

Madame Xanadu recognizes that the entirety of Camelot has been shoved into the space within the tower. Sort of like a Police Box but different. King Arthur believes he can lead the way to the top of the tower where Merlin's chambers used to be and where he believes they'll find le Fey. Etrigan calls Arthur a hound and all Arthur's Tumblr Followers The Shining Knight takes offense.

Etrigan is whispering, "...I still need your aid a little while--until I give Lucifer Avalon. And all of you." I wasn't sure his words would show through since he's being barely audible. Reading comics, if you've got bad eyesight, you're mostly deaf.

The Companions begin a typical mother's dining room table dungeon crawl. The first room they explore contains the Round Table.

"I loot the bodies!"

One of the corpses attached to the Round Table is one of Xanadu's sisters, a lady of the lake. But the real problem turns out to be some strange energy sapping the life force from the Companions. They attempt to retreat from the Tower but are stopped by a really unlucky wandering monster roll.

"I rolled on the Wandering Monster Chart and the result was 'All of them!'"

The Shining Knight believes that if they can just get past a giant bear blocking the exit, they'll be able to escape! But apparently the bear is a new kind of Gas Spore that looks like a bear instead of a beholder because upon stabbing it, it explodes and fills the room with toxic fumes. The Companions quickly lose consciousness. And before I turn the page, I assume they're all going to be eaten by the rest of the monsters. Right?

The Companions awaken upon strapped to some kind of mystical carnival ride.

I really like the little voodoo-y dolls on the spell book.

Since the Companions are all strapped to the wall, Morgaine decides it couldn't hurt anyone to give her entire plot away, right? What could go wrong when the Super Villain can't hold her tongue? Look! They're all stuck to the wall! So she tells them that she turned Camelot into a freakshow filled with dark magics to lure Merlin back to investigate. She wasn't expecting him to be dead but she seems to think that's to her advantage. She even feels she has a little time to catch up with her sister before she starts in on her plan with Merlin's corpse.

She is a lich!

Morgaine's entire plan was to lure Merlin into the tower where her spells would drain his mind. Then she would be able to take over his body and be respected and loved and all-powerful!

I really like that Morgaine had a plan that was different from what actually happened. How many times does that actually happen in a comic book? It's almost always, "I knew that was going to happen!" and "You fell right into my trap!" and "I'm Harvest and everything that happens I planned for (except when Beast Boy escaped. One flaw!)." And because things turned out differently, she adapts and changes her plan. I really like seeing that in a story. The villain can't always know every fucking random thing that's going to happen.

Morgaine has now decided to use the life forces and powers of the Companions to make Merlin's body even more powerful. And since Merlin is dead, she doesn't have to worry about destroying his mind. Perhaps it's time for Jason Blood to arrive! Maybe transforming from Etrigan to Blood will screw up the life-sucking magic hurdy-gurdy gizmo.

Morgaine leaves and shuts up the room since everything within the room will die as the life force is added to Merlin's power. Vandal Savage has possibly the best reaction ever to his predicament.

I wonder if Vandal Savage has ever encountered Orlando?

Etrigan comes up with the plan to turn into Blood because of the fires of hell that accompany the switch.

No! He destroyed the precious little dolls!

Morgaine awaits the life to return to Merlin's body but it never happens. She discovers why when the Companions break in to her chambers to stop her. She tries to possess Xanadu but Arthur dives in front of the spell. Morgaine's body falls lifeless as Arthur struggles to remain in control of his body.

Ystin is of the Two Camelots, the feminine and the masculine.

Once the gem is destroyed, Arthur returns to Avalon as does, possibly, Morgaine. The tower crumbles since it was simply held together by Morgaine's magic. The Companions drag themselves from out of the rubble, still toting Merlin's lifeless body. Now how are they going to get to Avalon?

Well, Xanadu still knows the way. They just take a boat across the...oh. Never mind! The way to Avalon has disappeared! Xanadu knows no other way to get there which really pisses off Etrigan since he's got a deal with Lucifer that he wants to make good on. Now that he thinks he can never get to Avalon, he decides to at least give Lucifer the souls of his Companions.

What a jerk!

Demon Knights #12 Rating: +1 Ranking. Once again, gorgeous artwork and a fun story.