WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for King in Black: Thunderbolts #3 by Matthew Rosenberg, Juan Ferreyra, and VC's Joe Sabino, on sale now.
King in Black has undeniably been one of the most devastating events to hit the Marvel Universe, having left an impact that will be felt long after the dark god of the symbiotes is defeated. As bad as things are, there is no doubt that Knull's reign of terror will come to its eventual end, and when the dust clears the heroes still standing will be hailed as such. Everyone still in the fight is doing their part, even if some of them are far less effective than they've been led to believe, namely the Thunderbolts. Even if the team's efforts don't turn out to be fruitful, they've been all but guaranteed a place in history as the ones who saved the world.
The Thunderbolts' mission is not one that they're likely to survive, something their current owner Wilson Fisk is counting on. After being sent out into the night to the Ravencroft Institute, the Thunderbolts met up with Norman Osborn, who gave them the rundown of his plan to stop Knull. From there they've moved on to searching for and recovering the remains of the most powerful Avenger - The Sentry. His death at Knull's hands was brutal, but the Sentry is still an invaluable hero regardless of his current condition. The energy inside of him is enough to level part of the city, and with him aimed directly at Knull's stronghold there might just be a chance at winning the day. Of course, things don't go as planned, at least not for the Thunderbolts. Wilson Fisk, on the other hand, was expecting a lackluster outcome, and he's intent on profiting from it.
Throwing the remains of one of the greatest superheroes of all time at the latest big bad was a flashy show, but ultimately didn't do much beyond lighting up the sky. The efficiency of the attack doesn't matter much, as Fisk remarks to Typhoid Mary that someone will eventually defeat Knull anyway. No matter who that hero might end up being, Fisk is going to take the credit, or rather the team that he owns is going to.
Before the battle has even ended, the former Kingpin is already producing prerecorded statements regarding the Thunderbolts and their presumably deceased status, playing them up as the ones who saved the world from the symbiote invasion. Not only will this ensure the team's legacy going forward, but it will do wonders for Fisk's own personal image as the mayor of New York City. The only thing that could throw a wrench in his plans is if the Thunderbolts had somehow miraculously survived, which is exactly what they did.
Taskmaster leads the team along with their newest recruits straight into the studio where Fisk is speaking into the camera. Fisk is amazed by their resilience, helped in large part by Figment, a former inmate at Ravencroft who is able to create incredible illusions. Using her powers, the Thunderbolts were able to make it appear as if they had launched their assault on Knull's stronghold without having to actually risk their lives.
The appearance of the Thunderbolts is concerning for Fisk, who initially assumes they have come for revenge. However, the band of criminals are far more concerned with receiving a regular paycheck. If they're going to be the big heroes of King in Black, they want to maintain that image and the status that comes along with it. Wilson Fisk masterminding his own success in the face of Knull's onslaught was a clever play, but it might just turn out to be the worst decision he's ever made.
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