The Avengers Kidnap [SPOILER] in Marvel’s Judgment Day

Marvel’s Judgment Day kicks off in a big way later this month. The first issue wastes no time getting into the action when the Avengers kidnap Sersi, a member of the Eternals. Writer Gerry Duggan lay down the groundwork that leads up to this major crossover event. An event that sees a clash between three Marvel powerhouse teams: the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Eternals. Kieron Gillen leads the charge in the writer’s seat with Valerio Schiti on artist duties for this six-issue miniseries where The Eternals now see the X-Men as a Deviant race, their life-long enemies.

Disclaimer: SPOILERS ahead

What’s Happening In Marvel’s Judgment Day?

The X-Men have always been seen as champions for justice and social equality. They fight for a perfect world that most might see as too idealistic. However, you have to break some eggs to make an omelet, and Scott Summers (better known as Cyclops) broke some of those eggs. Ben Urich discovered that mutants, now living on the island-nation of Krakoa, discovered the key to immortality. However, that discovery was wiped from his mind until Cyclops and Synch made a judgment call to return his memories to him. So, with Cyclops’ blessing, Urich wrote an article about it. The news spread fast and not everyone, especially Krakoa’s Quiet Council, was happy about it.

In Judgment Day #1, we finally see the public’s reaction to this news. It doesn’t seem fair to civilians that mutants can go about resurrecting each other when human loved ones die and stay dead. It’s understandable that everyday citizens are upset. However, Scott and Emma Frost have made it clear that this method doesn’t work for non-mutants.

Humans aren’t the only ones upset by this revelation. On the final pages of X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2022 #1, Moira Mactaggart meets with two villainous Eternals: Druig and Jack of Knives. She gives them the names of “The Five,” those responsible for mutant resurrection, in hopes that they will destroy mutant-kind. Moira plants the seed of war by referring to the Five as “deviants.”

Why Are The Avengers Kidnapping An Eternal?

Tony Stark and Sersi meet in New York for drinks. While Sersi sips her Bloody Mary, Tony directly asks, “Why are we going to be fighting within a day or two?” Sersi responds, “Frankly, I’d be much more likely to pick a fight with the mutants.” And she goes on to call them plagiarists because returning to life is an Eternal thing. Tony and the Avengers seem to want information because that’s when the Phoenix swoops down and snatches Sersi from their balcony seat before vanishing into space with Thor and Carol Danvers.

The story’s synopsis reads:

The Eternals were created by the alien space gods known as the Celestials to protect the Earth. The Avengers, Earth’s mightiest heroes, are currently headquartered in the body of a deceased Celestial. One of the Eternals’ chief directives is to correct excess deviation. Druig, the current Prime Eternal, recently determined that Earth’s mutants, with their ability to resurrect themselves, represent excess deviation–and therefore, he has set out to destroy them all. Two of the Eternals, Ajak and Makkari, secretly abducted the mutant geneticist Mr. Sinister from the mutants’ island-nation of Krakoa.

The Avengers are most likely trying to play mediators for the two super-powered teams before matters get out of hand. The X-Men want to know what the Eternals have done with Mr. Sinister, while the Eternals want more information about the Five. Events are leading to a boiling point, but Sersi has the information and influence to stop a war from breaking out.