WARNING: The following contains spoilers for King in Black: Captain America #1, by Danny Lore, Mirko Colak, Stefano Landini, Roge Antonio, Nico Leon, Erick Arciniega and VC's Joe Caramagna, on sale now.
Marvel's crossover event King in Black has not been without its fair share of superhero casualties, from Knull brutally dispatching the Sentry upon his arrival on Earth to Venom facing his own brush with death after being flung by the dark symbiote god from the rooftops of Manhattan. However, Knull has already accumulated a number of high-profile victims from his symbiote army, overpowering the heroes that have rallied to stop his invasion and transforming them into monstrous soldiers, rabidly loyal to his cause. One hero that has been saved from the Knull's insidious grasp is Captain America, albeit with a little help from his friends.
Captain America led a brave cadre of superheroes to mount a desperate last stand against Knull's symbiote invasion from Time Square where they were overwhelmed and transformed into the dark god's latest ravenous recruits. Eddie Brock's young son Dylan entered the fight shortly thereafter and demonstrated his own prodigious control over symbiotes by using his powers to seemingly restore Steve Rogers as he menaced him. Apparently back to his old self, the Star-Spangled Avenger wasted no time in returning to the fray himself, assisting Falcon and the Winter Soldier with rescuing civilians caught in the crossfire while beating back Knull's advancing army.
However, the lack of recovery time for Steve visibly takes a toll, with the Sentinel of Liberty tormented by visions of Knull who uses telepathic attacks and hallucinations in an attempt to reclaim control of his liberated vassal. Noticing something is wrong with their friend, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes urge Steve to take time to not only regain his bearings but to confront his own inner demons head-on. Encouraged by their words, Captain America fights through visions of himself attacking his fellow heroes and manages to purge Knull's dark influence from his mind, seemingly restored for good in mind and body as the trio prepares to launch the final battle against the army of symbiotes.
This is far from the only time Captain America has been forced against his will to become a pawn for his enemies. The 2017 crossover event Secret Empire had the sentient Cosmic Cube Kobik and one of the Red Skull's clones rewrite Steve's memories to believe himself to be a sleeper agent for Hydra ever since World War II. While Kobik restores history to its original state prior being manipulated by Hydra, Captain America and his legacy remains tainted by his actions while believing himself to be part of Hydra, including nearly conquering the United States and causing the heroes to fight amongst themselves in the chaos caused by their greatest icon's corruption.
While Dylan was responsible for purging the symbiote off of Captain America's body, it was the Falcon and the Winter Soldier that coached their old friend in cleansing his mind. For as much as the superhero does on his own, Steve Rogers' real strength comes from leading his fellow heroes into action and part of strong leadership comes from being able to accept help when it's offered.
With mind and body finally healed, Captain America is ready to finish what he started against Knull as King in Black nears its explosive finale. And Cap is charging back into battle with valuable friends backing him up.
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