The Cabal is a
secret society
A secret society is a club or an organization whose activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence a ...
of
supervillain
A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero.
Supervillains are oft ...
s and
antihero
An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actions ...
es appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. As a more villainous counterpart to the
Illuminati
The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on ...
, the group was formed in the "
Dark Reign" storyline very shortly after the
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...
event.
Publication history
The Cabal first appeared in ''Secret Invasion'' #8 and was created by
Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis (; born August 18, 1967) is an American comic book writer and artist. He has won five Eisner Awards for both his creator-owned work and his work on various Marvel Comics books.Bendis, Brian Michael and Oeming, Michael Avon, ' ...
and
Leinil Francis Yu
Leinil Francis Yu (born 1977) is a People of the Philippines, Filipino comic book artist, who began working for the United States, American market through Wildstorm Productions.
Career
Leinil Francis Yu was first recognized after winning the ''W ...
.
Fictional team history
During a presentation shown by Bendis during the 2008 convention season, a picture was made public of a second
Illuminati
The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on ...
group consisting of villains and former villains. Presented in the same pose as the cover of ''Illuminati'' #1, this group was revealed to include
Namor
Namor (), also known as the Sub-Mariner, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in early 1939, the character was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for comic book packager Funnies Inc. ...
,
Doctor Doom
Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in ''The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the fi ...
,
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was created by writer ...
,
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
,
The Hood
The Hood (Parker Robbins) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan, and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the character was introduced in his own self-titled limited s ...
, and
Norman Osborn
Norman Osborn is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the first ...
. The Sub-Mariner is thus revealed to be affiliated with two different Illuminati groups simultaneously allied with both heroes and villains.
''Uncanny X-Men'' writer
Matt Fraction
Matt Fritchman (born December 1, 1975), better known by the pen name Matt Fraction, is an Eisner Award-winning American comic book writer, known for his work as the writer of '' The Invincible Iron Man'', '' The Immortal Iron Fist'', ''Uncanny ...
mentioned in an interview that the ''Uncanny X-Men'' annual in January will explain how Emma Frost was invited into the team. Loki was revealed to have dealings with Doctor Doom in recent issues of
Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...
and Namor was shown to have formed an alliance with Doctor Doom at the end of his last limited series. Namor had previously been aligned with Doom in the 1970s series ''
Super-Villain Team-Up
''Super-Villain Team-Up'' is the name of two American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. Both series featured supervillains as the protagonists.
Publication history
The first series started in 1975 with two giant-size issues before ...
''. A past connection between Emma Frost and Namor was presented in ''
Uncanny X-Men
''Uncanny X-Men'', originally published as ''The X-Men'', is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X ...
Annual #2'', where it was revealed that Emma and Namor shared a brief romance while attempting to recruit Namor into the Hellfire Club as the new White King.
The group, referred as the Cabal in certain interviews and in ''Marvel Spotlight: Dark Reign'', first appeared at the ending of ''
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...
'' #8 when Norman Osborn greets the villains after he was awarded control over the entire Fifty State Initiative program and will work behind in the scenes through the "
Dark Reign" storyline.
[Brian Bendis - Wrapping it All Up & Starting Dark Reign]
Newsarama
Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews, and essays about the American comic book industry. It is owned by Future US. In June 2020, Newsarama was merged with the website GamesRadar+, also owned by FutureUS.
History
N ...
, December 5, 2008
The Cabal parallels the original Illuminati and Bendis has said "
e idea was, in the original pitch, that there was a secret group, a cabal, that got put together that was the mirror image of the Illuminati, with five or six characters who almost mirrored the other group."
*
Norman Osborn
Norman Osborn is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the first ...
, like
Tony Stark
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charac ...
(now a fugitive from the law and having lost his company, his morale and his friends), is a human entrepreneur who works with the government. Norman also has a mysterious, powerful ally backing him up in case of betrayal, later revealed to be The Void.
*
Doctor Doom
Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in ''The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the fi ...
represents the scientific side of the Marvel Universe, like his longtime rival Mister Fantastic.
*
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was created by writer ...
serves as the telepathic mutant representative, like Professor X before her. Unlike the rest of the Cabal, Emma Frost's motives for joining the Cabal can be seen as righteous, due to her desire to forge an alliance with Osborn that will protect mutantkind from governmental tyranny.
*
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
is the Norse god of mischief. His/her mastery of sorcery mirrors Dr. Strange's (with whom he has occasionally clashed in the past). Loki is a prominent member of a superhuman community outside of society, the
Asgardians (the
Norse Gods
Norse is a demonym for Norsemen, a medieval North Germanic ethnolinguistic group ancestral to modern Scandinavians, defined as speakers of Old Norse from about the 9th to the 13th centuries.
Norse may also refer to:
Culture and religion
* Nors ...
).
* The
Hood
Hood may refer to:
Covering
Apparel
* Hood (headgear), type of head covering
** Article of Academic dress#Hood, academic dress
** Bondage hood, sex toy
* Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt
Anatomy
* Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitori ...
mirrors Black Bolt, a hero-king in charge of a group of powerful outsiders. He also represents the criminal element of society. His link to
Dormammu
Dormammu () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #126 (Nov. 1964), and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
Debuting in the Silver Age of Comi ...
also places him in the mirror side of Dr. Strange. The Hood is now shown to be superior to Strange, as said by Strange himself when the two struggled.
*
Namor
Namor (), also known as the Sub-Mariner, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in early 1939, the character was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for comic book packager Funnies Inc. ...
has served in both groups; he is also the subject of dual alliances within the Cabal to potentially bring down Osborn, having made side deals with Emma Frost and Doctor Doom to aid them if they ever should move against Osborn.
Dark Reign
The Cabal are acknowledged by other villains as an extremely powerful group - even
Dracula
''Dracula'' is a novel by Bram Stoker, published in 1897. As an epistolary novel, the narrative is related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist, but opens with solicitor Jonathan Harker taking ...
himself sought an agreement from Doom that the Cabal (Doom's "new allies") would allow him to conquer the United Kingdom without interference before he began his assault. Loki (a personal ally of Doctor Doom around this time), as the Scarlet Witch, though agreeing to deliver a message from Hank Pym in outer space to the British intelligence agency, asking them to stop all international air traffic, was not willing to breach the mystical barrier Dracula had erected sealing in Britain for some reason; though Dracula himself was uncertain why this was so, he claimed that he predicted that this would be so. However, ultimately Doom chooses to betray Dracula and free his captive, Meggan.
The Cabal are gathered for the second time since their first meeting (after the banishment of Thor), projected upon a psychic plane by the willing
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was created by writer ...
, who reminds them to set up psychic shields. Doctor Doom scoffs arrogantly that he has no need of such things, and Loki cautions him otherwise, as they are all of dubious trustworthiness. Doom asks Loki to peer into his naked soul, claiming it holds "a force to be reckoned with." An impatient Osborn orders the Cabal to continue, and the six most powerful beings on Earth continue their discussion of various topics. Osborn promises to take care of the Mighty Avengers, and other issues are discussed, such as the unsuccessful hunt for Tony Stark, the pouring in of the Asgardians into Latveria (which Loki argues was in accordance to her agreement with Doom), the reinstating of Doctor Doom as monarch, the massing mutants from San Francisco, the problem of
Mister Negative
Mister Negative is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of Spider-Man, the Punisher, and Cloak & Dagger. The character was created by Dan Slott and Phil Jime ...
, the
Punisher
The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made ...
's assault on the Hood, the dismantling of
Camp Hammond, and various other issues. Loki seeks to use her own Avengers to weaken and break Osborn, a goal shared by Doom and Namor, and gathers all of them once more in her previous guise as the Scarlet Witch. At the issue's end, it is decided never to again meet thus, due to the psychic plane's revealing nature, as shown when Osborn's face shifted to that of his Green Goblin persona's, Loki smiling when the Cabal wonders who ever suggested such a meeting place in the first place.
Nevertheless, the Cabal meets again on the psychic plane with the aid of Emma Frost, prior to the events of
Utopia
A utopia ( ) typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia (book), Utopia'', describing a fictional ...
, but after the Asgardians have been moved to Latveria. Doom tells the Cabal that he has already told Osborn how to storm the Baxter Building, to which Loki remarks that the events in America are always of interest, although admittedly less so now that the Asgardians have been successfully moved to Latveria. Namor comments that though their alliance might be mutually beneficial for them, he fails to see how it might benefit the rest of the Cabal, to which Loki responds that a rising tide "raises all ships", which Namor objects, expressing his preference for a maelstrom that sinks all ships. Namor further expresses distaste for the Hood's presence, claiming that monarchs did not consort with criminals as equals, to which Osborn himself defends the Hood.
[''Dark Reign: The Hood #2''] Loki (still in her female form) also reveals to Osborn that she was responsible for granting the new Enchantress of the Young Masters her mystical powers, apparently because of the mischief such would cause.
Far more sinister tensions were also brewing among the Cabal members. Norman Osborn had more potential enemies that even he could imagine. Namor and Doctor Doom were secretly working behind Osborn's back, aware that their plots against Osborn could erupt into the greatest battle their dimension has ever seen should all not go to plan, having formed a mutual alliance some time after the Civil War, involving Namor and his people moving to Latveria, with Steve Rogers fallen, the Illuminati fraught with chaos and mistrust, with both Stark and Xavier having failed to provide sufficient support for him, and the entirety of
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often deals ...
hunting him.
Morgan le Fay
Morgan le Fay (, meaning 'Morgan the Fairy'), alternatively known as Morgan , Morgain /e Morg e, Morgant Morge , and Morgue namong other names and spellings ( cy, Morgên y Dylwythen Deg, kw, Morgen an Spyrys), is a powerful ...
desperately attempted to convey the fact that Doom would betray Osborn onto the latter, to Osborn's apparent lack of concern due to his Iron Patriot suit. Namor and Osborn's own disagreements also arose from the Cabal meeting of the Atlantean terrorists, and the former had departed the
Dark X-Men
The Dark X-Men are a fictional team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They made their debut during the crossover between ''Dark Avengers'' and ''Uncanny X-Men'' written by Matt Fraction, as part of the broader Dark Re ...
, aiding Frost in her apparent betrayal of the Dark X-Men, due to their romantic relationship. Namor's other love with his cousin, the Agent of Atlas
Namora
Namora () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Ken Bald and Syd Shores, she first appeared in ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #82 (May 1947). She is from Atlantis (Marvel Comics), Atlantis an ...
, who is attempting to sabotage Osborn and his forces, has also weakened his Cabal relationship with him, though the latter bond was from the secret plotting of the Atlantean elders to start a relationship and mate a long time ago as human/Atlantean hybrids are so powerful. Namor and Namora decide to part ways as they were unsure how much of their feelings for each other were genuine and how much was due to the secret plotting by the elders. The Agents of Atlas, when visiting his kingdom, suggested that Namor cut his connection with Osborn, to which he responded that if he ignored Osborn, his people would be affected still.
Loki had been preparing to place "cracks" in Osborn's mental armor to hasten his eventual fall from power, using the Mighty Avengers for such a purpose, and scheming to set the Mighty Avengers against his
Dark Avengers
''Dark Avengers'' is a 2009–2013 American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that features various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers, with this version of the team - unbeknownst to the pub ...
eventually. However, Loki is also cruel and conniving, willing to remove those she deemed possibly disruptive to her own plans, such as
Cassandra Lang
Cassandra "Cassie" Lang is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The daughter of Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Scott Lang, the character first appeared in ''Marvel Premiere'' #47 (April 1979) ...
and
Pietro Maximoff. When Wiccan cast a spell to bring Scarlet Witch to them, Loki appears as Scarlet Witch and states that Cassandra Lang sealed their fates, to be shortly ambushed by
Ronin. Soon enough, he determines that she's not Wanda, just by kissing her and stating that the real Scarlet Witch would've used her power to revive Cassandra's father. Afraid of exposure due to Wiccan's magic threatening to reveal her true form, Loki was forced to leave swearing all their deaths. At the first Cabal meeting, Loki says that she wants Asgard, back in the heavens where it belongs, when asked by Namor of her own desires. The Son of Satan, Doctor Strange and
Doctor Voodoo
Brother Voodoo (Jericho Drumm) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #169 (September 1973). The character was created by publisher Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Len W ...
joined forces to magically purge
Dormammu
Dormammu () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #126 (Nov. 1964), and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
Debuting in the Silver Age of Comi ...
from his vessel, the Hood. Loki visited the severely burned Robbins, revealing to him her desire to use him as an additional instrument to Osborn's collapse, and gave him a "second chance", thus indebting him to her; it is later revealed that Loki, Madame Masque and the Hood had journeyed together to Cuba and located the Asgardian
Norn Stones
The Norn Stones are fictional powerful magical items appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Stones are depicted as being from Asgard, and are featured in the Marvel Universe.
Fictional history
Karnilla once sent Loki so ...
to serve as a new power source for the Hood. In ''Siege: The Cabal'', though Osborn appears to place trust in Loki and is working with him personally to counter the Asgard issue, his Green Goblin persona (later revealed to actually be created by Loki's magic) warns him that Loki is the God of Mischief and thus cannot be trusted as an ally, for he seeks to better only his own agenda. However, the Hood's own deals with Osborn, his new debt to Loki, and Namor's uncertainty that he should be of the Cabal at all, complicated matters even more; despite the Hood and Osborn's friction and different viewpoints, the latter did defend Parker when Namor questions the Hood's position in their secret group. Emma Frost and Parker Robbins have not met each other before the Cabal's first gathering, and their first encounter ended poorly, with Robbins threatening Frost, to which she responds with making the Hood redirect his gun into his mouth and detecting the presence of Dormammu, though their relationship seems to be milder the second time they have interacted.
Some time after the formation of the Cabal, Namor privately meets with T'Challa, the
Black Panther
A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been d ...
of
Wakanda
Wakanda () is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Wakanda has been depicted as being in East Africa. It is located in sub-Saharan Africa, and is home to the superhero Black Panther. Wakanda first app ...
, attempting to recruit Wakanda's monarch into the secret Cabal, confiding in him that Norman Osborn had made deals with him and four others, as well as revealing the identities of the Cabal. T'Challa objects, saying that, as he even rejected a seat among the Illuminati, an alliance of honourable men, he finds no reason to affiliate himself with the villainous Cabal. T'Challa also expresses the belief that he believes that Osborn is too unstable to maintain his power for long, to which Namor agrees, claiming that when Osborn did collapse, there would be an opportunity for leveler heads to seize power. Namor left after telling him he had come out of respect for his friendship and that T'Challa's old allies were weak, shaking hands with him. Though Namor ends the meeting and leaves the Panther without conflict, T'Challa is shortly assaulted by Doctor Doom and his Doombots, resulting in his near-demise, to be replaced with his sister
Shuri. The Wakandans, especially Shuri, poorly regard Doctor Doom, but Namor as well, with Shuri clashing with him directly in retaliation for his part in her brother's fall from majesty and power, not knowing that Doctor Doom is secretly fooling them into thinking that Namor was responsible for the brutal attack on T'Challa, not him. However, the
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...
manage to intervene in time to stop Shuri and Namor's battle, revealing the deception both had been under, and Namor joins his new and old allies against his former fellow Cabal member as he begins to execute his master plan for the complete takeover of Wakanda.
Loki, shortly before Thor released all the trapped Asgardians from their mortal vessels, contacted Victor von Doom mystically through her spirit and struck a bargain, later revealed to be that of offering the Asgardians a home in Latveria after having banished Thor. Loki is shown visiting Doom in secret meetings and dinners and proposing a more personal relationship between the two of them, separate from the Cabal, which Doom considers more of an association, showing amusement in the poisonous toxins placed in her food, and Doom's attempts to incinerate her, at the meal, claiming to Doom it meant he was taking her seriously. It is revealed that the Doom Loki had first met with at the dinner was but a robotic duplicate, and Doom was testing her to see if she was the genuine Goddess of Mischief. Loki assures him that Odin is gone and Balder is weak and easily manipulated to her purposes, as well as addressing Doom's concerns for Thor by promising to personally deal with her adopted brother. The meeting ends with Doctor Doom agreeing to Loki's terms of moving the Asgardians to Latveria, for unclear reasons (later revealed to apparently be the chance of stealing the power of immortality from the gods), with Loki promising to grant him the one thing he lacks, seeking to become absolute ruler over the divided Asgardians.
[''Dark Reign: The Cabal'']
Loki moves all the Asgardians through a portal she herself has conjured directly to Latveria, which the Asgardians all find to their liking. As the events of
Utopia
A utopia ( ) typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia (book), Utopia'', describing a fictional ...
begin to unfold, Loki, having been restored back to his male form after abandoning Sif's body, and Doctor Doom together watch the mutant situation heat up, pleased that things are now getting "interesting". His daughter
Hela
HeLa (; also Hela or hela) is an immortalized cell line used in scientific research. It is the oldest and most commonly used human cell line. The line is derived from cervical cancer cells taken on February 8, 1951, named after Henrietta La ...
later indirectly but knowingly agrees to help the X-Men dispel Osborn's forces from Utopia. It is revealed that in exchange for giving the Asgardians a new home, Doom has provided her with a small army of Doombots to help him kill his target, who is later revealed to be Donald Blake. Loki then goes to prepare his own gift for Doom, talking to an Asgardian named Endrik, casting a spell on him that makes him fall into a sleep. Loki used Endrik as a sacrifice for Doom so that he could try to use his organs to make himself immortal just like the Asgardians. Loki then spots Bill as he was watching them talk about their plans, sending three rogue Asgardians after him. Bill tries to fight them off, but he is stabbed in the gut by one of the superior Asgardian warriors. Doom also prepared three modified Doombots to finish off Donald Blake for Loki, but this assassination attempt is thwarted, however narrowly. Loki questions Doom's not placing his trust in him even after all these months, but Doom warns him that Doom is not the puppet of men, gods, or tricksters and that even if he was so inclined to place such trust in others, he understands that there are empty vessels in which trust should never be placed in, claiming that Loki was "false". It is revealed that Doom also desires to use the Asgardians as "an army of gods I can use as a first line of defense against my enemies."
However, Doom later claims to the goddess Kelda when she demands Loki come forth to suffer her wrath, that ''"The trickster is here no longer. Doom and he have parted ways."'' Loki later returns to Balder just before he leads his Asgardians to launch an assault against Doom in vengeance for his crimes against them, apparently trying to warn them of what Doom is up to: experimenting on their people. Balder doesn't believe him at all and declares that he share die for his deceit, to which Loki admits that it is his fault for bringing them to Latveria and asks for a fair trial before death. Later, after Thor intervenes in the battle against Doom, Loki tells him and the other Asgardians that from Doom had boasted, he believes that life could still be restored to Kelda if they succeeded in returning her heart to her body, later using his magic to help sustain Kelda as Thor struggles against the Destroyer-armored Doom and Balder attempts to find Kelda's heart. In the end of the battle, Thor manages to best Doctor Doom and the Destroyer by holding his own against it until its finite energy supply was depleted. However, it is revealed that Loki and Doom had also been orchestrating the battle as well, with Loki teleporting Doom from peril at the battle's end and Doom having procured some of Loki's own genetic code to create a clone of the Trickster deity, which he dissects and eagerly experiments upon; Loki, after he and the Asgardians have returned to Oklahoma, back in Balder's favor for his role in saving Kelda, assures Doom that, despite full victory not having been theirs, both of them will profit from this day "in time". Later, when Osborn assaults Doom during the ''Siege'' Cabal meeting, Loki shows only amusement when his (apparently former) ally is being slain, yet neither does not seem troubled when Doom's nanites tear down Avengers Tower and brutally assail Norman Osborn himself. Additionally, it is also revealed after Loki's death months later, that Loki had lured the Asgardians into Latveria for an opportunity to attain a shard of Kelda's pure soul, to use in his Eir-Gram weapon against the cannibalistic hordes of Dísir that threatened Asgard's dead.
Some time after the drastic events of the 2009 "
Utopia
A utopia ( ) typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia (book), Utopia'', describing a fictional ...
" storyline, but before the Siege of Asgard, after Loki releases the
Absorbing Man
Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Journey into Mystery'' #114, cover dated March 1965, created by writer Stan Lee and writer/artist Ja ...
to play out his own complex schemes against both the Mighty and Dark Avengers, Osborn attempts to call together the Cabal, but Namor and Frost have defected, Doom refuses to answer his call, and the Hood cuts him off and demands that they do this "later" when he finally contacts him; however, Loki appears to him, and, while Osborn demands that they use the full force of their alliance to crush Pym until not a single Pym Particle remained, Loki instead persuades Osborn that doing so against one called "the Wasp" was beneath him, and openly outshining Pym would be more to his favor; the two teams of Avengers soon gather as one to confront the Absorbing Man, the conflict ending with Loki giving Osborn an enchanted sword to defeat the villain and Loki using subtle magics to help restore Osborn's media popularity.
Shortly before events of the Siege of Asgard, Loki was captured by the new Scientist Supreme
Hank Pym
Dr. Henry Jonathan "Hank" Pym () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by penciller Jack Kirby, editor-plotter Stan Lee and writer Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in ''Tales to ...
and his Mighty Avengers using a new technological invention that disrupts even his powers and is capable of torturing him; Quicksilver especially is angry at Loki, demanding Loki divulge the current whereabouts of his sister, to which Loki claims he does not know, having merely taken her form. Loki manages to mystically contact his brother Thor, who arrives and, repulsed at Pym's machine and methods, has Loki freed, though allows Pym to pose one query to his brother as a boon. Pym asks Loki whether he would like to join his Mighty Avengers, as he had inadvertently helped form both teams, to the disgust of everyone present, resulting in his Avengers disbanding, and even Loki and Thor agreeing that Pym is "a lunatic".
Even Emma Frost's relationship with Osborn was uneasy, being initially reluctant to become part of the Cabal due to her differences, and even when she accepted her place among them, she and Osborn were not seeing "eye-to-eye." Before Namor and Doom spoke together about their intended plans for Osborn, Namor and Frost telepathically communicated with each other, and agree to later meet privately to discuss a possible new alliance; Doom is thus made aware of their own past and possible close relationship. In addition, due to their romantic past, Frost has made a secret deal with Namor, vowing to protect the latter psychically from Osborn and the other members of the Cabal, in exchange for Namor swearing to protect mutantkind as if they were his own flesh and blood, which Frost points out that they are. At the same time, with the X-Men, tensions have risen between her and Scott Summers, as is evident when the X-Men, led by Cyclops, is on a mission searching for Daken and the Muramasa Blade; Scott claims that Emma might have been able to give them a specific location, but she simply does not, with Hisako asking whether the two of them agreed to the merits of the mission, but Cyclops countered that though he and Emma shared many things, leadership of the X-Men was not one of them, also saying that they could not count upon her. Meanwhile, Frost contacts Osborn through a secure channel, reminding him that they "had a deal" and asking him to call Daken off, to which Osborn, protected by state-of-the-art psychic shields and flanked by Ares and Venom, asks her why would he comply, as well as claiming that though he knew nothing about Daken's activities, now that his curiosity was piqued, he insisted Emma enlighten him.
As the X-Men and Dark X-Men prepared to face off, Emma revealed her role as a double agent, hardened through her discovery of Xavier's torture and Osborn's lack of concern for her people, defeating the Dark X-Men with Namor's assistance. It is primarily because of their growing mistrust of Osborn, with Namor's discoveries of the
Sentry
Sentry or The Sentry may refer to:
Comics
*Sentry (Kree)
*Sentry (Curtis Elkins)
*Sentry (Robert Reynolds)
*Senator Ward (comics) or Sentry
Vehicles
*Sentry (AUV), an autonomous underwater vehicle used to measure deep-ocean data
* E-3 Sentry AWAC ...
slaying the Atlantean terrorists but initially containing his rage but later joining the
Dark X-Men
The Dark X-Men are a fictional team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They made their debut during the crossover between ''Dark Avengers'' and ''Uncanny X-Men'' written by Matt Fraction, as part of the broader Dark Re ...
because of his romance with Emma Frost, who convinced him to join the Dark X-Men and psychically enters his mind, seeking to uncover the answers to some of her questions. Frost extended an invitation to
Cloak and Dagger
"Cloak and dagger" was a fighting style common in the Renaissance involving a knife hidden beneath a cloak. The term later came into use as a metaphor, referring to situations involving intrigue, secrecy, espionage, or mystery.
Overview
In " Th ...
to join the true X-Men as they teleported to the newly created island base, Utopia. Both Frost and Namor's relationship with Osborn appear to be deeply strained at this point, with the former Green Goblin telling the Dark Avengers and Dark X-Men to bring him Namor's head and Emma Frost's heart and that Summers sees them do it. Emma Frost and Namor both officially quit the Cabal, to be replaced with two new members, "without the other remaining Cabal members having any say in the matter" in ''Siege: The Cabal''. However, an enraged and vengeful Osborn now unhesitantly strives to destroy Namor and his people as payback for his betrayal and joining the X-Men. Emma Frost promises to help him as he has helped her and her team, and the entire team of X-Men immediately work to investigate the Atlantean casualties, evacuate the survivors, and aid Namor against this mysterious new marine threat, the Marrina-Monster. Namor is forced to kill his former lover to stop her, but soon confronts Osborn over his controlling her to get revenge on Namor, vowing to kill him for his crimes. Though the actual confrontation is unseen, later Namor's name is seen crossed out on Osborn's List. Elsewhere, Namor and Reed Richards reach the tomb of Captain America, but discovers no dead body of their fallen comrade, to the shock of both men. Despite Doom's displeasure at Osborn's moving against Namor in ''Siege: The Cabal'' and his demanding Osborn stop his course of revenge (which led to the destruction of their own alliance), it is revealed that as "every hero involved in the coming conflict desires vengeance on Doom for various reasons", Emma Frost and Namor, now both members in good standing of the X-Men, will also seek to make Doom pay for his treachery against them, in ''DoomWar'', which indicates that for a variety of reasons, from Doom's capturing of the X-Man Storm to his deceptive attempt to convince Shuri that it was actually Namor who had assaulted her brother, has destroyed Doom's once-strong alliance with Namor. Furthermore, Doom has also claimed that he does not trust Namor, due to the two of them having clashed after they allied against common foes in the past, and should his alliance with Namor fail, with Namor turning on him, he would be willing to join forces with
Attuma
Attuma is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is an Atlantean nomadic warlord who is usually depicted as an enemy of Namor the Sub-Mariner, and is the father of the superhero Andromeda. He believes he i ...
, an arch-enemy of Namor's, and one he believes could serve as a "counter" to Namor. At some point into the Dark Reign after the formation of the Cabal, though it is depicted that a large portion of Atlantean civilians still reside in the oceans under Namor's rule, Namor makes it clear that the Atlantean military is still residing in Latveria, when he proposes for an Atlantean mutant to move to Latveria with them,
though no such military force was seen when Doom was assaulted by Morgan le Fay or when the Asgardians moved into Latveria. However, Namor, after the events of ''Utopia'', reveals to the X-Men upon Osborn's schemes causing hundreds if not thousands of his people to perish, that the Atlantean military force were far away, "outside" of Latveria, implying that though his alliance with Osborn has been destroyed, his alliance with Doctor Doom in some form still exists.
Norman Osborn, chooses Taskmaster as the fifth member of his new Cabal due to his part in driving off recent threats to Camp H.A.M.M.E.R., despite doubts from the Hood, and tells Robbins that he sees Taskmaster as a valuable asset to their covert group. Osborn also adds that whilst he and the Hood are "businessmen", Osborn recognizes Dr. Doom as a "megalomaniac" and Loki as one who regards them "little more than talking fruit flies", warning the Hood that one or both of them might soon turn against them due to Frost and Namor's betrayal destabilizing the Cabal. However, Osborn adds that he is prepared for such betrayals, and after dealing with them, he will form a new Cabal, an organization he can control completely. Taskmaster and the Hood later both join Osborn in his Siege of Asgard, battling against the Avengers.
Though the relationships of all of the other five Cabal members are filled with unease and tension, Norman Osborn himself is neither blind nor defenseless with his
H.A.M.M.E.R.
H.A.M.M.E.R. is a fictional espionage and law enforcement agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The organisation is led by Norman Osborn and was formed in ''Secret Invasion'' #8 to replace S.H.I.E.L.D. The organisat ...
resources, Dark Avengers, Iron Patriot armor, and the mysterious shadowy figure (or "secret weapon") Osborn has used to threaten the Cabal if they sought to betray him combined together making him a formidable ally and enemy, revealed to be the dark side of the Sentry, the immensely powerful and deadly Void.
In the major events of ''
Siege: The Cabal'', Norman Osborn, having succumbed to his Green Goblin persona and the fear that Asgard would pose a threat to the natural order and Earth itself, gathers the Cabal once again, with Doctor Doom arriving and arrogantly showing distaste for Taskmaster's presence among the Cabal. Doom demands that Osborn at once reverse his course of action against his ally
Namor
Namor (), also known as the Sub-Mariner, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in early 1939, the character was created by writer-artist Bill Everett for comic book packager Funnies Inc. ...
, to which Osborn refuses, saying that he and Emma Frost had "crossed the line" with him. Doom, loathing Thor and the Asgardians all the more due to his recent defeat at their hands, claims that he will support Osborn's "madness" should Namor be returned to him, but Osborn refuses. Osborn's mysterious ally, the Void, violently attacks Doctor Doom, and an apparently amused Loki tells the Hood that he should go, as there is nothing here for either of them, which the Hood, now loyal to Loki due to his hand in the restoration of his mystical abilities, agrees. However, it is revealed that "Doom" is actually an upgraded Doombot, which releases swarms of Doombot nanites against the Cabal, tearing down Avengers Tower and forcing its denizens, such as the Dark Avengers, to evacuate. Osborn is rescued by the Sentry, who destroys the body. When Osborn contacts Doom, Doom tells him not to ever strike him again or he is willing to go further. Osborn later attempts to get the authority to lead an assault against Asgard from the
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
, but fails. Loki tells him that to begin his ''Siege'' successfully, he will require an "inciting incident", similar to the one which started the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
.
Loki and Osborn observe
Volstagg
Volstagg is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a charter member of the Warriors Three, a trio of Asgardian adventurers and supporting cast of Thor. He is known for having multiple children. ...
, seeking to start his adventures like Thor, make his way to Chicago. Volstagg forcefully stops the car of a wild gunsman trying to escape, but is at once engaged by four powerful members of the Hood's crime syndicate, the
U-Foes
The U-Foes is a supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are usually depicted as enemies of the Hulk. The group consists of four members: Vector, the group's leader, who can repel matter telekinetica ...
, with Loki having arranged with Parker Robbins to send them to attack Volstagg, who is blasted into the middle of a football field. The ensuing conflict is so colossal that the entire football field is obliterated, and Loki and Osborn have successfully created the inciting incident they had sought, beginning the Siege of Asgard. Loki later warns Balder at Asgard that Midgard is mobilizing against Asgard, claiming (falsely) that he tried to reason with and stop Norman Osborn.
Loki, when Osborn called out to him for their aid, later apparently sends the Hood and his syndicate as reinforcements to help Osborn's forces against the Avengers, and when Thor asks Osborn where was Loki in all this, the unstable Osborn claimed that he was "dead", just like all of them, due to the Void fully released now.
Loki, horrified by the terrible damage the Void and his own manipulations have caused, calls back the Norn Stones from the Hood (possibly aided by Odin), removing him of all power, and uses it to revive and empower the mortal and immortal heroes struck down by the Void. However, the Void soon discovers that it is he who is responsible for saving the heroes, and brutally slaughters him in moments, despite Thor and Iron Man's combined efforts to reach him, causing the heroes to lose all their power. However, Loki's actions and sacrifice had managed to weaken the Void, and enrage Thor enough to savagely assail it, with such force and brutality, that, aided by Iron Man and the other Avengers, along with the Sentry's own desperate plea for himself to be slain, he was able to repel and eventually annihilate the Void, and with it, the Sentry.
The ''Dark Reign'' is thus forever ended after the failed Siege of Asgard, with Norman Osborn, the Hood, and Taskmaster all eventually apprehended and placed in custody (with Osborn's Green Goblin person mocking him as he says that had it not been interfering, he would not have failed so miserably), Frost and Namor remaining with the X-Men and battling alongside the mutants through the events of ''
Second Coming
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messi ...
'' and beyond, Loki physically destroyed but his spirit not bound to Hela, and Doctor Doom remaining ruler of Latveria and attempting to further his ambitions by seizing Wakanda's vibranium to amplify his mystic powers to levels untold and to build an unstoppable army, thus allowing him to conquer the world.
Emma Frost, Namor, and Doom are not involved in the events of the actual ''Siege'', though some of the X-Men are depicted as observing as Osborn is unmasked on live television.
Maria Hill
Commander Maria Hill ( ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch, the character first appeared in '' The New Avengers'' #4 (March 2005). As a form ...
later attempts (apparently unsuccessfully) to persuade the President and his Cabinet to contact the Fantastic Four and the X-Men to aid the Avengers against the Hood's forces. All three are heavily involved in the events of ''DoomWar'', taking place shortly after the events of Siege and the downfall of Norman Osborn and his already-crippled Cabal, with the
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...
and the
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
joining forces with their ally T'Challa against Doctor Doom.
The New Cabal
During the reborn Illuminati's quest to save Earth from the incursions (multi-dimensional planet crashes), the moral cost begins to overwhelm the members, except Namor. When the Illuminati decides to give up, Namor brings together a new Cabal consisting of himself,
Thanos
Thanos is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by writer-artist Jim Starlin, and first appeared in '' The Invincible Iron Man'' #55 ( cover date February 1973). An Eternal– Deviant w ...
,
Maximus the Mad,
Black Order members
Corvus Glaive
Corvus Glaive is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a prominent member of the Black Order, a team of aliens who work for Thanos.
The character has made several appearances in media, s ...
and
Proxima Midnight
Proxima Midnight is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a prominent member of the Black Order, a team of aliens who work for Thanos. Created by writer Jonathan Hickman, she first appeared ...
,
Terrax the Truly Enlightened and
Black Swan
The black swan (''Cygnus atratus'') is a large waterbird, a species of swan which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. Within Australia, the black swan is nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon c ...
to destroy the other worlds. Eight months later, having taken over the ruins of Wakanda as a base, the new Cabal has been given permission by Earth's governments to take down the incursions, though Namor admits his Cabal members are far more vicious and uncontrollable than he previously thought. Growing disgusted with their wholesale slaughter, Namor collaborates with the Illuminati in a plan to destroy the Cabal by trapping them on the next Earth to be destroyed, but Black Panther and Black Bolt deliberately leave Namor behind to die with the Cabal for his past actions. Unbeknownst to the Avengers, however, that world ended up having two simultaneous Incursions, allowing Namor and the Cabal to escape to the third Earth,
the Ultimate Marvel Earth, and upon arrival, meeting that universe's
Reed Richards
Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) is a superhero character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is a founding member, and the leader, of the Fantastic Four. Richards has a mastery of mechanical, aerospace and ...
. When the final incursion occurs, the Cabal manage to escape the destruction in a specially-designed 'life-pod', unaware that they have been 'followed' by
the new Spider-Man of the Ultimate Earth, who sneaked into the pod while invisible.
Alternate versions
Possible future
In a startling vision of a possible future, envisioned by Doctor Doom (possibly with the aid of his mystical abilities) to occur should Osborn not fall to his nature and implode, one year later after the first meeting of the Cabal, Norman Osborn's powers have only grown, and the Dark Reign is supreme; the Dark Avengers (Sentry, Daken, Venom, Bullseye, and Moonstone) are gathered with Namor, Osborn and Doom. Doom, bearing the Hood's cloak, has fought and slain Robbins, and has imprisoned Emma Frost and Loki as half-naked slaves chained to his throne. The Cosmic Cube is in his possession, and, after teleporting the Dark Avengers to the other side of the universe, he and Namor defeat and kill Osborn. At the end, Dr. Doom fantasizes about the day where he will dispose of Namor as well, and take his place as ruler of the entire world, over both the lands and the seas.
In other media
Television
Two incarnations of the Cabal appear in ''
Avengers Assemble''.
* Throughout the season one episodes "The Avengers Protocol" Pt. 2, "The Serpent of Doom", and "Blood Feud", the
Red Skull
The Red Skull is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and its predecessor Timely Comics. The first version, George Maxon, appeared in ''Captain America Comics'' #1 and #4. The main ...
and
MODOK
MODOK (also written as M.O.D.O.K.; an acronym for Mental/Mobile/Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first MODOK is George Tarleton, a former e ...
resolve to counter the
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
by forming the Cabal and invite
Attuma
Attuma is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is an Atlantean nomadic warlord who is usually depicted as an enemy of Namor the Sub-Mariner, and is the father of the superhero Andromeda. He believes he i ...
,
Doctor Doom
Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in ''The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the fi ...
, and
Dracula
''Dracula'' is a novel by Bram Stoker, published in 1897. As an epistolary novel, the narrative is related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist, but opens with solicitor Jonathan Harker taking ...
to join them, though all but Doom agree to do so. The Cabal later recruit
Justin Hammer
Justin Hammer is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a villainous entrepreneur, head of Hammer Industries and a frequent adversary of the superhero Iron Man. As he ex ...
's
Super-Adaptoid and
Hyperion in "Super-Adaptoid" and "Bring On the Bad Guys" respectively. Following the Cabal's failed attempt to attack Doom for not joining them and successfully obtaining the
Tesseract
In geometry, a tesseract is the four-dimensional analogue of the cube; the tesseract is to the cube as the cube is to the square. Just as the surface of the cube consists of six square faces, the hypersurface of the tesseract consists of eig ...
in "The Ambassador" and "By the Numbers" respectively, in "Exodus", the Red Skull builds a machine powered by the Tesseract and attempts to send the Cabal through four portals to other worlds. However,
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
discovers the portals would have killed them before defeating the Red Skull, who uses the Tesseract to become the Cosmic Skull. In "The Final Showdown", the remaining Cabal members attempt to infiltrate
Avengers Tower to defeat their former leader, but are captured by the
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
. While the Avengers fight the Cosmic Skull, Iron Man convinces the Cabal to help them before MODOK separates the Tesseract from the Cosmic Skull, turning him back into the Red Skull. After the Red Skull and the Tesseract disappear in a portal, MODOK assumes leadership of the Cabal and teleports them away.
* A second incarnation of the Cabal appears in the two-part season four episode "Avengers No More", seemingly led by the
Leader
Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets vi ...
and consisting of
Arnim Zola
Arnim Zola is a supervillain appearing in American comic books by Marvel Comics. He is a master of biochemistry and a recurring enemy of Captain America and the Avengers (comics), Avengers. The character first appeared in ''Captain America (comic ...
,
Kang the Conqueror
Kang the Conqueror (Nathaniel Richards) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is most frequently depicted as an opponent of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. A time-traveling entity, seve ...
, the
Enchantress, and the
Executioner
An executioner, also known as a hangman or headsman, is an official who executes a sentence of capital punishment on a legally condemned person.
Scope and job
The executioner was usually presented with a warrant authorising or order ...
. Using a prototype Arc Reactor and stolen
Vibranium
Vibranium () is a fictional metal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, noted for its extraordinary abilities to absorb, store, and release large amounts of kinetic energy. Mined only in Wakanda, the metal is associated w ...
, the Cabal builds a static expander to trap the Avengers. This leads to the
Black Panther
A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been d ...
forming the
All-New, All-Different Avengers to help rescue them and fight the Cabal. When the Leader is defeated, the others choose not to help him and instead activate the static expander's override to scatter the captive Avengers across time and space. In "The Return", the New Avengers successfully rescue the original Avengers before discovering
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
is the Cabal's true leader and join forces to defeat him.
Video games
* The Cabal makes a cameo appearance at the end of ''
Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth''.
* The Cabal appears in ''
Marvel Contest of Champions
''Marvel Contest of Champions'' is a 2014 fighting video game developed and published by Kabam. It was released on December 10, 2014, for iOS and Android. The fighting game is primarily set in the Marvel Universe. The game is strongly based o ...
'', led by the Red Skull and consisting of
Iron Patriot
The Iron Patriot is a patriotism-themed exoskeleton used by several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
The concept of the Iron Patriot, which is meant to evoke Iron Man and Capta ...
, Loki, the
Kingpin, and
Punisher 2099
''The Punisher 2099'' is a comic book series following the account of Jake Gallows (the Punisher) in the year 2099 in an alternate Marvel Universe. The majority of the issues were written by Pat Mills and Tony Skinner, with art by Tom Morgan. T ...
.
Miscellaneous
The Cabal appears in the comic book prequel for ''
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds'', consisting of Doctor Doom,
Magneto
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...
, MODOK,
Super-Skrull
The Super-Skrull (Kl'rt) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, generally as an enemy of the Fantastic Four, the powers of whom he possessed. The character, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, first appeared ...
, and
Taskmaster as well as
Capcom
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
characters
Albert Wesker
is a fictional character in ''Resident Evil'' (''Biohazard'' in Japan), a survival horror video game series created by Japanese company Capcom. He is first introduced in the original ''Resident Evil'' (1996), in which he is the captain of the R ...
and
Akuma. Wesker proposes that the Cabal aid him in conquering his Earth, as it lacks superheroes, but they are unable to find a power source for opening a portal. Super-Skrull suggests they steal equipment from
Galactus
Galactus () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Formerly a mortal man, Galactus is a cosmic entity who consumes planets to sustain his life force, and serves a functional role in the upkeep of ...
, which the rest of the Cabal agrees to. This brings the heroes of both the Marvel and Capcom universes together to stop them.
See also
*
Dark Reign
*
Dark Avengers
''Dark Avengers'' is a 2009–2013 American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that features various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers, with this version of the team - unbeknownst to the pub ...
*
Dark X-Men
The Dark X-Men are a fictional team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They made their debut during the crossover between ''Dark Avengers'' and ''Uncanny X-Men'' written by Matt Fraction, as part of the broader Dark Re ...
References
External links
Profiles on Loki and the Hood in ''Dark Reign''
{{Avengers characters
Characters created by Brian Michael Bendis
Comics characters introduced in 2009
Fictional organizations in Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics supervillain teams