The Black Knight Rides Again: An Appreciation

[Dermie]

I hope the timeline is cleared up. Sure, they're been off on separate missions lately, but I still find it weird that Dane was drinking alone. Maybe the current X-Force story is the same time as Avengers World? He clearly isn't with MI-13 then.

Well, we know that Dane is on loan to Euroforce--but didn't Dane say something about it only being a temporary assignment? I'll have to go back and check.

It doesn't really surprise me to see any of the members on their own--MI13 is a bit more loose-knit than formal teams like the Avengers. Basically all British superheroes are part of the organization, and they'll pull together whichever ones they want or need for particular cases. And we know several of their members have their own outside concerns as well--Captain Britain and Meggan run the Braddock Academy for young british superhumans (with some other MI13 faces as instructors as well); Blade is currently with the Avengers, etc.

Also, I just realized he was talking about Sersi to the barman. That was interesting. I don't think she's come up in years.

Yeah, I think the last time the Dane/Sersi relationship came up was back in the CB&MI13 series, where it was implied she was the one who turned his heart to stone.

[MollyBarton]

^He also said in CB&MI-13 that "my love forgot me", which was also a reference to Sersi. In the Eternals miniseries of 2006 (2007?) all the Eternals were living as ordinary humans with no memories of their previous lives. But everything was restored, so surely she remembered Dane! He was her Gann Josin, after all.

Yes, he did tell Jessica that being in Euroforce was a "temporary thing".

[Dermie]

^He also said in CB&MI-13 that "my love forgot me", which was also a reference to Sersi. In the Eternals miniseries of 2006 (2009?) all the Eternals were living as ordinary humans with no memories of their previous lives. But everything was restored, so surely she remembered Dane! He was her Gann Josin, after all.

Yeah, presumably she remembers Dane by now. However, their relationship was pretty much dead by the time they returned from the Ultraverse. She tried to reunite with him in H4H, and he told her then that it was over.

Of course, I could see Dane and Sersi continuing to have some kind of on-again/off-again thing when both of them are single and looking for some...companionship. Their relationship started out mainly as one of convenience anyway (with Dane using her to distract himself from Crystal), so I could see it turning into that sort of arrangement after they split up.

[MollyBarton]

That would be interesting. It might have been fun to have Sersi barging in on MI-13 for a booty call with Dane. Though I'm sure Faiza would have a problem with that.

I'm still wondering about that "Hotshot" character from the Last Avengers Story. If he was really Dane's kid, would Sersi have been his mother? It was an alternate future, but given the time the book takes place, it seems that Sersi was the only likely candidate.

[Dermie]

Ugh, Ultraverse. I didn't like the characters, and the less said about Dane's look the better!

I'm not a huge Ultraverse fan myself...although it did give us a few good moments along the way. The fact that it gave Dane (and Sersi) a home after they were dropped from AVENGERS is a point in their favour.

The 80s and 90s gave him good stories. I loved that he and Hercules were pals.

Yeah, Dane had a couple of "bromances". Herc is the big one, and Captain Britain is the other. But he was also apparently buddies with Hawkeye at one point as well--in Dane's miniseries (which ended up starring Percy-in-Dane's-body as much or more than it starred Dane), Clint was shown as particularly upset about Dane's status as a metal statue, and referred to the bond between them.

Also, I agree that Dane had a lot more confidence in the 90s, though he was still a bit of a dork with women! He was actually torn between three women at that time- Sersi, Crystal, and Victoria Bentley- at least until she was killed by Bloodwraith right in front of him. Don't think he ever got over that. She was probably the woman he should have ended up with.

Ah yes, Dane's history with women. I've felt for a long time that a decent argument could be made for Dane being a closet-case homosexual, based on his track record. He has a history of going after women who he doesn't have a real chance with--such as his unrequited crush on the Wasp, or his love for Crystal when she was trying to make her marriage work. Even with Victoria, when he first was attracted to her she was still in love with Dr. Strange. After she started returning his affections, he ended up losing interest and going after Crys instead. Likewise with Sersi--a woman who was actually available and attainable...and he kept pushing her away to focus on Crystal. Basically, he goes after women he can't have--and rejects women who want him. IF a writer wanted to make Dane gay, they could use that as a foundation point.

Of course, Dane's relationship with Faiza started to turn that around...although it looks like that romance may be on the rocks with Dane's recent problems. Its a shame, because I liked those two together.

[MollyBarton]

Yeah, until we see something in the comics, I'm going to assume that Dane and Faiza are finished. Shame.

IIRC, he was attracted to Sersi before Crystal joined, but I could be wrong.

Don't forget his long running crush on Wasp:

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They spelled calendar wrong.

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[MollyBarton]

Poor, sweet, hopelessly lovesick Dane.
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Crushed by his crush!
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I was going to say "Wasp! He's nothing like Hank- he's mentally stable!!", then I remembered recent events.

[oasis1313]

A lot of guys just want women they can't have. It's a challenge.

[R0NIN]

I actually wish they would put him back together with Sersi. Or some uber super powered chick like Superia, Sersi, Angela, Valkyrie, She-Hulk. etc.etc.

[Dermie]

Yeah, until we see something in the comics, I'm going to assume that Dane and Faiza are finished. Shame.

I'm not going to entirely give up hope yet--the last time we saw them on-panel together they were still a couple. Its just the fact that we've been seeing them separately more now (and Dane's mental/emotional state in some of the recent stuff) that makes me worried for them.

IIRC, he was attracted to Sersi before Crystal joined, but I could be wrong.

Nope. In fact, I don't think we ever even saw Dane and Sersi interact at all until after Crys joined. Dane was a reservist when Sersi joined the team, and when he returned to active duty was during the "The Collection Obsession" arc when the team called in various reserves to help against The Brethren (since Sersi was captured, Cap was injured, etc). Crystal shows up to apply for membership at the end of the same issue where Dane returns to duty.

There was no indication of any interest in Sersi from Dane before she made the first move on him in AVENGERS #350 (there had been no indication of interest from her before that either--that kiss was very out of the blue)

A lot of guys just want women they can't have. It's a challenge.

Absolutely. I'm not saying that I think Dane is gay...I'm just saying that if a writer wanted to go in that direction, they could use that as a foundation to justify it. For several years, his pattern with women did seem to be subconsciously designed to keep him single.

[MollyBarton]

Nope. In fact, I don't think we ever even saw Dane and Sersi interact at all until after Crys joined. Dane was a reservist when Sersi joined the team, and when he returned to active duty was during the "The Collection Obsession" arc when the team called in various reserves to help against The Brethren (since Sersi was captured, Cap was injured, etc). Crystal shows up to apply for membership at the end of the same issue where Dane returns to duty.

There was no indication of any interest in Sersi from Dane before she made the first move on him in AVENGERS #350 (there had been no indication of interest from her before that either--that kiss was very out of the blue)

Probably right. It just seems like they flirted a bit even after Crystal showed up. Guess that was all on Sersi.

Why do I get the feeling that Dane was a virgin for a very long time? His luck was just that bad. And I don't think he had many opportunities for sex during the Crusades (and he wasn't in his own body anyway!).

[mrjinjin]

I actually wish they would put him back together with Sersi. Or some uber super powered chick like Superia, Sersi, Angela, Valkyrie, She-Hulk. etc.etc.

Didn't he date the female Yellowjacket before she died? Now dating Angela or Valkyrie, that would top Sersi.

[MollyBarton]

I don't think anything came of Yellowjacket except for the kiss at the end of the Avengers Solo issue. Too bad. A naughty girl might have been good for him.

[MollyBarton]

Avengers World #12 is out! It's mostly about getting to know Dane's Euroforce team. And Dane is feeling a little nostalgic.

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"You are so old!" Poor Dane. No love from the Avengers or Euroforce!

[Dermie]

Why do I get the feeling that Dane was a virgin for a very long time? His luck was just that bad. And I don't think he had many opportunities for sex during the Crusades (and he wasn't in his own body anyway!).

Hmmm...well, you're right that he was probably celibate for several years there between his periods as a statue, the time in the Crusades, and his various unrequited crushes. But "virgin" might be over-stating it...although he isn't great with women, it has been established that Dane is a very attractive man who is certainly capable of drawing in female attention...

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So he'd probably gotten laid somewhere along the way before he and Victoria Bentley were living together....