Blade’srun onthe Avengershas proven more significant than most of his fans had expected, and not for the reasons anyone hoped. While his time with Marvel’s top team elevated him among Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, it also proved beyond a doubt thatBlade’s biggest weakness as a herois his innate desire to work alone.However,Blade’s time as an Avenger could be the key to completing his redemption arcin Marvel’s Universe.
That’s what’s been hinted at inThe Avengers#18 by Jed MacKay and Valerio Schiti. Based on the role he played as the primary antagonist of this past summer’sBlood Hunt, one would assume that he lost much of the trust of the Marvel Universe, and for some heroes, that trust is gone for good. However, since some Avengers are still on his side, readers should expect the rest of the Marvel Universe to follow in time.
Marvel’s Blood Hunt Made Blade A Threat To All Heroes
How Blade Lost The Trust of Different Heroes
There’s no way of understating how much theBlood Huntevent threw Blade’s storyline into chaos. WhenBlood Huntfirst emerged, it appeared as if Blade delivered the worst possiblebetrayal of the Avengers sinceCivil War. He was leading a horde of vampires in an onslaught against humanity, all while blotting out the sun. Little did readers know is thatthis wasn’t actually Blade, as he was possessed byVarnae, pop culture’s first vampire.That possession would eventually be ended thanks to Miles Morales’ Spider-Man, Blade’s pupil, andBloodline, Blade’s blossoming daughter.
Sadly, though, the damage had already been done. In Blade’s body, Varnae orchestrated earth-shattering consequences that the Avengers are still dealing with. While some crimes have been undone, like the vampirism of Black Panther, others still plague the Marvel Universe, likeMiles Morales’ permanent vampirismandDoctor Doom becoming Sorcerer Supremeas a direct result of theBlood Hunt.Blade’s mind may have been present, but it was his hand that did the deed, and as such, some heroes insist on holding Blade accountable for Varnae’s actions.
Blade is Considered a Killer By Some of Marvel’s Top Heroes
One of the heroes within the Marvel Universe who continue to hold Blade accountable is Clea Strange, as seen inAvengers#18. Clea watched firsthand asVarnae killed her husband Doctor Strange. Naturally, she’s going to hold a personal grudge against the Daywalker.She’s now fully aware that Blade was possessed at the time, but in her eyes, Blade is an untrustworthy killer. This especially proves awkward when The Avengers have questions about the new Hyperion that only Blade can answer.
A new Hyperion resurfaces determined to destroy himself and the Earth as he launches himself at the planet. With hours left until certain destruction, the Avengers just want to know why. As it turns out, Blade is among one of the few people in this universe (along with Marvel’s Superman, Hyperion) who remember the distorted world ofHeroes Reborncreated bya villainous President Phil Coulson. Only Blade can explain that Hyperion’s motivations are motivated by the grief of losing a world that never truly was as real as it felt.
Clea Strange is vocally skeptical if Blade’s words can be trusted afterBlood Hunt,since as far as she’s concerned, Blade himself cannot be trusted afterBlood Hunt.Scarlet Witch vouches for Blade, giving him both grace and sympathyfor the weight he carries after his possession. Much of her trust in Blade stems from his prior Avengers membership. As Wanda states simply,“Blade was an Avenger. And I trust him now.”That sentiment is what will bring Blade back into the good graces of not only the Avengers but all Marvel heroes.
The Avengers Could Control Blade’s Future in Marvel’s Universe
Blade first joined the Avengersback in 2019 and for a time sporadically appeared by their side during missions, as recently as last year’sAvengers Beyond. However, because he preferred to work alone, his appearances with the team were always few and far between. This didn’t make his turn to the dark side all the more difficult duringBlood Huntany easier. It was still a shock to the superheroes, yes,but since Blade was always so distant before his possession anyway, it wasn’t as obvious that he was possessed as it could’ve been for anyone who truly knew him.
Despite not formulating the strongest of friendships or relationships with his teammates, being an Avenger carries weight and trust that doesn’t go away. It’s why Wanda Maximoff is so eager to trust Blade. An Avengers membership doesn’t go out to just anybody. Evidently, there was always a foundation of trust built with whoever gets a membership before they get one. If Blade had their trust before, they would still have that same trust now, even after his possession. Once an Avenger, always anAvengerforBlade.
