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Appearing in "The Tide is Turned"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Black Tide (Only in flashback)
    • Sycorax (Only in flashback)
    • Captain Kharsa (Only in flashback)
    • Sweet Mercy (Only in flashback)
    • Garanna the Breaker (Only in flashback)
    • The Mountain (Only in flashback)

Other Characters:

  • Numerous unnamed Atlantean soldiers (Death of several)
  • Imperial Atlanteans
    • Court Wizard Syzandias (Only in flashback) (Death)
    • Numerous unnamed others (Death of several)
  • Chasm People (Main story and flashback)
    • King Attukar (Only in flashback) (Death)
    • Numerous unnamed others (Death of several)
    • Great Sea Dragon (Death)
  • Knull (Mentioned)

Races and Species:

Locations:

Items:

Synopsis for "The Tide is Turned"

Laughing maniacally, Sycorax conjures a vortex that immobilizes Namor McKenzie, Lady Dorma, Ambrose, Attuma, and their retinue of soldiers. Powering through, several of the soldiers attack Sycorax only to be scolded by Captain Kharsa for forgetting the rest of the now-corrupted Swift Tide. Sweet Mercy - her hands and feet hardened into chitinous blades - slashes and impales a pair of soldiers, mocking their inability to fight back. Roaring, Garanna the Breaker grabs one of the soldiers and bites his arm off. Recapping via narration, Namor notes that the Black Tide had been corrupted by the eldritch power of the Unforgotten Stone - merging with their mounts into predatory monsters. The Mountain - transformed into a creature made of molten rock - devours several soldiers by engulfing them in lava. Horrified, Namor tackles Kharsa and begins pummelling her, shouting for her to stop and remember her true self. Grabbing Namor by the throat, Kharsa snarls that the Swift Tide is no more, renaming her team the Black Tide. Pinning Namor to the seafloor, Kharsa declares her intent to take revenge on the Atlantean Empire for years of unearned decadence bought by her blood, sweat, and tears. Before she can attack, she's impaled from behind by an Atlantean soldier, who triumphantly exclaims that he killed her. Snapping the tip of the spear off and pulling herself free, Kharsa grins maliciously and comments on her new healing factor. Dorma commands Ambrose to knock the Black Tide unconscious, but Sycorax encases the giant goldfish in a bubble of dark magic. The Mountain strikes Namor, Dorma, Ambrose, and Attuma - sending them flying. As they pick themselves up, the Black Tide close in - Kharsa declaring her intent to devour them. Sycorax stops her, remarking that Namor, Dorma, Ambrose, and Attuma also bare the curse of the Unforgotten Stone. Remarking that she's right, Kharsa tells Sycorax to knock them out and gleefully gloats that sooner or later Namor, Dorma, Ambrose, and Attuma will succumb to the eldritch darkness and turn on their own families and people.

As they regain conscuousness, Attuma notes that the Black Tide are gone. Turning to see the tendrils and cloud of darkness emanating from the Unforgotten Stone, Namor notes that it corrupted the Swift Tide into monsters, and when Dorma asks what they should do Attuma replies that they should obey Kharsa's order from when she was still herself -- survive to carry the tale of what occurred. Dorma laments that's not good enough, suggesting they recover the Unforgotten Stone and take it to Atlantis, where the court wizards could undo the curse placed on the Swift Tide. Attuma volunteers to retrieve it, but Namor stops him - not wanting what happened to the Swift Tide to happen to him. As they argue, Ambrose swims into the cloud of darkness, ignoring Dorma shouting at him to stop, and is ripped apart by the Unforgotten Stone's power. Devastated, Dorma breaks down crying and Namor gently consoles her; Attuma grimly stating there's no time to mourn. Grabbing the bow of a sunken ship and tearing a chunk off to fashion a makeshift chariot, Attuma tells them they need to warn their people before it's too late. As Attuma contemplates taming some whales, Namor grabs the chariot and tells them to get in - stating that his mutant physiology makes him far stronger and faster than any whale. As Attuma tells Namor to prove himself instead of just boasting, Namor's narration notes that the Unforgotten Stone's curse let him feel Attuma's self-doubt and anger, but also Dorma's hope and faith in him. Narrating, Namor notes he swam for days without rest, stopping only to hunt and eat.

Arriving at the farming village they'd rescued from the bandits, Namor is devastated to see most of the inhabitants have been slaughtered and devoured; the survivors withdrawing in terror. As Dorma asks if there's anything they can do for them, Attuma bitterly states he can't blame them for being afraid and that the only thing they can do is keep going and carry their story too.

In the present, Namor - now King of Atlantis - looks down at the village, now recovered and rebuilt - from the bow of his flagship and notes to himself that they now have a saying to steer clear of Imperial concerns, as they come with blood and teeth. As Namor thinks to himself that Attuma was right - especially since the Black Tide are loose once again. As Andromeda Attumasen - Attuma's daughter - approaches, Namor calls out to Echidna and Bloodtide asking if they can sense anything. Even with Echidna's divine powers augmenting her magic, Bloodtide states she can't sense anything, Echidna informing Namor. Noticing his frustration, Andromeda assures Namor that one of the scouting teams will find the Black Tide, and Namor bitterly retorts that that's what he's afraid of. Andromeda remarks that he did what he had to do to help stop Knull, but Namor bitterly replies that while it's true he saw no other options at the time, others will suffer the bloody consequences of his decision.

In the past, King Attukar tells his people that the Atlantean mages have warned him of an incoming threat and urged them to take shelter in the deep chasms. As the Chasm People protest that they are not cowards like the Imperials, Court Wizard Syzandias assures them that their bravery is not in-question and that he and two other sorcerers will remain to guard them. Before he can finish, the Black Tide attack - Sycorax mockingly greeting her grandfather and asks if he missed her. As the Black Tide begin massacring his people, King Attukar desperately orders his guards to summon the Great Sea Dragon. As the massive beast emerges from the depths, Kharsa grins hungrily and calls it a worthy opponent.

Arriving a day later, Namor, Dorma, and Attuma are horrified to find the Chasm People's settlement in ruins and its inhabitants slaughtered and the Great Sea Dragon devoured down to its bones. Gazing in shock and horror at the carnage, Attuma lets out a scream of rage and rounds on Namor, furiously repudiating their nascent friendship and blaming Atlantis for the slaughter as he picks up the Great Sea Dragon's skull - his future helmet.

Solicit Synopsis

THE BLACK TIDE lay waste to all that lies before them, cutting a swath of devastation and death across the ocean floor. The only chance to stop them may lie with ATTUMA’s people — and if that fails, nothing stands between The Black Tide and Atlantis itself. A tragedy that will impact Atlantean history forever, and transform friendship into enmity. The secrets of THE KING IN BLACK are buried here.

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