History
Origin[]
1500 years ago in Britain, a guild of warlocks and magic users plotted to overthrow King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and give power back to the common people. To achieve their goals, the guild harnessed the power of the spirit of Eternity to create the Eternity Mask, a mystical mask that makes its wearer the equal of their opponent. The Black Knight was dispatched to locate the guild's hideout where he encountered their champion, who was wearing the mask. After three straight days of fighting, the Black Knight finally killed his adversary. The guild retreated, taking the mask with them.[1]
Across the Ages[]
The mask has been passed down through the centuries, serving as a catalyst for pivotal moments in British history. Its influence can be traced across numerous historical events, shaping the course of civilizations. Among these were the Peasants Revolt, the English Civil War, and the journey of the Puritan Separatists to the New World. The Mask traveled with them on the Mayflower, embedding itself in the fabric of American history. In the American colonies, the Mask found its way into the hands of the brilliant polymath Ben Franklin. Recognizing its extraordinary properties, Franklin harnessed its mystical energies to aid in the fight for independence. With its power, he helped turn the tide of the American Revolutionary War, ultimately securing victory against the British and freeing the fledgling nation from the rule of kings.[2]
The Mask has since been passed on from individual to individual. One of the first known users of the mask was Masked Raider (Jim Gardley), the legendary champion of the poor and oppressed. After an armed confrontation (in 1880), he was badly wounded and left to die while bleeding out. Dr. Matt Masters (who was the hero Black Rider in secret) found him lying on the ground and tried to help by removing his mask. Masters inadvertently killed the vigilante. After seriously reflecting on the situation, Masters decided to put on the mask and carry on its legacy, intended to avenge the Masked Rider.
He wore it for fifty years until, during his eighties, he decided to pass it to Dennis Piper, a young avenger of the poor during the Great Depression, telling him that true believers would eventually come for it. Piper used the mask during his time as the "Operative" in the 1930s.
World War II[]
When the The Three Xs approached Piper, claiming they needed it to fight Nazis, he immediately gave it to them. Piper claimed that he never felt its powers. Unbeknownst to him, the Three Xs were part of Project Thunderer. Jerry Carstairs was subjected to the Project to create the masked hero The Thunderer, A.K.A. the Dark Avenger.[3] Carstairs became disillusioned with the Guild at the end of the war and escaped, keeping the mask with him. The Scientists Guild located and killed him in 1956.
The mask was again in the possession of the Scientists Guild (who didn't felt its effects) that evolved into the Enclave, an organization dedicated to the creation of life. Decades passed and the Enclave had mostly forgotten about its existence. Working together, the Enclave scientists, which included the Three Xs (blessed with longevity treatments),[3] created a number of scientific breakthroughs. They were planning to create a vastly powerful new race of human beings, under their control. They further planned to subjugate the rest of humanity, by using their creations as an army. When their prototype reached maturity, it escaped its incubation chamber before the Enclave could set it free. Due to its rapid maturation, they could not place within the creature's mind the proper safeguards enabling them to control it. The creature, referred to only as "Him", manifested its various energy-manipulating powers, causing its creators to flee before they could even learn what it looked like. Using the teleportation machine, Jerome Hamilton kidnapped noted sculptor Alicia Masters and brought her to the Beehive to sculpt Him's likeness. After he persuaded her to do as they asked, Hamilton was conscience-stricken and insisted on accompanying her into the chamber where Him was. When Him lashed out at them, Hamilton fired back. Hamilton was seemingly killed in a rockslide caused by one of Him's energy discharges.[4]
Abandoned by everyone in the debris, Hamilton crawled blindly with his last bit of strength. He found the Eternity Mask, which revitalized its first user in a long while. Donning a costume, Hamilton started calling himself Blind Justice, guided by his wishes of revenge towards the Enclave until his ultimate demise. Before his death, Blind Justice passed the mask on to the future self of Carlo Zota, one of the Enclave's leaders. Zota donned the mask to become the Masked Raider, trapping himself in a time-loop wherein he was killed by his past self, who would go on to become the Masked Raider after being sent through time by the mask to the moment where Blind Justice gave it to him. Doctor Strange retrieved the version of the Eternity Mask worn by the Masked Raider at the time of his death and took it to the Sanctum Sanctorum.[5]
Following Strange's death, the Eternity Mask was passed on to the Blue Marvel. The Defenders were reformed by Eternity to investigate a threat from outside the Multiverse and the Blue Marvel gave the Mask to America Chavez so she could battle the Beyonder and the Phoenix. The Mask also allowed her to resist Glorian's illusion, and Chavez passed the Mask to a time-displaced Loki, who fixed her broken horn and summoned the Queen of Nevers with it. Loki later went back to his proper place in time but without his memories. After regaining his memories, he took off the Eternity Mask from his horn.[6]Properties
- Power Mimicry: Whoever wears the mask is given power equal to anyone they may face, unless they are below the natural ability of the mask's user. This allowed an untrained peasant to be on equal grounds with the Black Knight and fight him for three days straight, for example. If the would-be user's intent was to commit acts of evil, the mask had no effect on them. So far the upper limits of this ability have yet to be established.[3]
- Cosmic Awareness: The mask is also capable of granting an awareness to the user that guides them or drives them to lead others to specific places so that an incoming crisis can be resolved.[7]
Notes
- The Eternity Mask has been implied to have taken a role in the most important events in human history.
See Also
- 44 appearance(s) of Eternity Mask
- 3 minor appearance(s) of Eternity Mask
- 1 mention(s) of Eternity Mask
- 40 image(s) of Eternity Mask
Links and References
References
- ↑ Marvel Comics #1000 ; The Guild of Strange Science
- ↑ Marvel Comics #1000 ; Rebels and Judges
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Marvel Comics #1000
- ↑ Fantastic Four #66–67
- ↑ Defenders (Vol. 6) #5
- ↑ Defenders: Beyond #1–5
- ↑ Incoming #1