The Defenders Appreciation 2021

[Oberon]

Yeah, I'm honestly expecting Blue Marvel and Night Thrasher. Also, we can rule out both Beast and Moondragon, they're busy in X-Force and Guardians respectively.

I hadn't thought about that Digifiend. That the 'choices' represented on the cover/cards, may not be all that is considered.

[Oberon]

Gonna have to add another pull! For Namor!

[Phoenixx9]

BTW, thank you for thanking me for my observations.

Your best call could be Red Guardian as the Hermit, but I could see Empress too, in a way. Those Justice/Hanged Man placements could work too.

2, High Priestess and Red She Hulk, I'm out of my depth on that one, friend, as I don't know this character very much. But the High Priestess is the person who sits over Wisdom. Sort of secret; in charge of who gets to know kinda thing. Damon as "the Devil, 15, is fine, Devil is about our own enslavement to whatever holds us back, creates our own limitations; addcitions, obsessions etc. Hulk 16, The Tower. The tower is the biggest lesson you need to learn. The fall from grace. The lesson that is very bad, but you should learn from it. The Moon can be deceptions, deceit. Slander, lies, also obsession, but possibily more about romance.. The Surfer as Judgement - well he decided the fate of worlds, but the card is about realizing your true spiritual nature, and being reborn.

You are most welcome, friend!

I find the Tarot/Defenders thing very intriguing. I am only guessing as to whom and what number they could be, but the writers probably have different characters in mind.

Interesting that the Moon (Moondragon) is about deceptions, deceit, slander lies, obsession and romance. That all fits Heather, just as the Surfer and Judgement seems to fit Norrin.

[Digifiend]

I hadn't thought about that Digifiend. That the 'choices' represented on the cover/cards, may not be all that is considered.

I was thinking about Marvel #1000 and Incoming. IIRC, it was Adam, Thrash, plus Jimmy Woo, following leads from Masked Raider. Sunspot would've been there too if not for Hickman calling dibs on the entire X franchise (which is why Roberto and Rogue went from being Avengers leaders to being off the team entirely after No Surrender).

[ImperiusWrecked]

A NEW DEFENDERS SERIES???? already adding this to my line up!!! I cannot wait to see a new era of Defenders adventures and if the preview is anything to go by then it looks like a lot of people will be coming back or at least making apperances on the team!

[Phoenixx9]

A NEW DEFENDERS SERIES???? already adding this to my line up!!! I cannot wait to see a new era of Defenders adventures and if the preview is anything to go by then it looks like a lot of people will be coming back or at least making apperances on the team!

I love the excitment we all have for a new Defenders book! Yay Defenders!

So glad Marvel did not let the 50th year Anniversary of Defenders go by without something great like a new series!

[Sataniel]

Betty was in charge of the Brotherhood of Shield of the time, so secret wisdom would fit very well with that.

[Reviresco]

Betty was in charge of the Brotherhood of Shield of the time, so secret wisdom would fit very well with that.

What is the Brotherhood of Shield of the Time? Is that something Ewing is doing?

[Reviresco]

I am 'our' Tarot reader, why thank you. Let me take a look.

Yay!!
Yes, I'm presumptuously claiming you as our Tarot reader. And THANK YOU for sharing your knowledge.

Pretty and interesting to me. I think Reviresco got most of them right. Moondragon is Arcane XVII, The Moon. The Beast is XVIII, the Sun. I'm not familiar with more recent team configurations so I didn't know Red She-Hulk was on one. II is the High Priestess. It is interesting to note VI, The Lovers, with 'Cloud' the trans sort of character as a duo? Noting clouds too. And The Surfer is XX Judgement

Ah, the Moon and the Sun. Got it. I was confused by the same symbol used for each of them, but that actually makes sense. Why do you think Beast is the Sun? Does that card represent intellect?

Surfer as Judgement is perfect! Of course, he isn't a Herald making judgement anymore, but it still fits a core characteristic to me.

I don't know enough about Betty / Red She Hulk or the High Priestess card to grok that.

Yes! I picked up on that for Cloud. Such an interesting choice.

Hi Oberon. Thanks for interpreting these tarot.

Would Valkyrie represent Death?

XIII is indeed Death. I may be missing something? or the dual nature thing?

Death is another perfect choice, IMO. Valkyrie's original 'job' being a Chooser of the Slain. But the Death card has another meaning, doesn't it?

That would be interesting. Or a recurring character in that vein. Also Son of Satan in the upper left, is XV, which is The Devil. But no love for Hellcat?

what number would she be? Probably not one of of these, the Major Arcana. I think of Queen of Wands, because most versions have the little black cat sitting by the Queen.

I don't think Chris Cantwell is going to give up Hellcat for his Iron Man book. I'm not sure which card would be hers.

[Dermie]

Also, we can rule out both Beast and Moondragon, they're busy in X-Force and Guardians respectively.

Given the Defenders history as a "non team", with a rotating cast of members who come and go as needed, I don't think them being in other books rules them out at all. They could show up for a few issues and then go back to their regular teams. It would hardly be the first time we've seen characters serving on more than one team at the same time.

It is worth noting that most of these characters are not shown in their current looks on that cover. Namor, Moondragon and Hellstrom are all in older costumes rather than their current outfits. The Surfer is silver rather than black. Beast looks more like his old pre-secondary mutation form. The Valkyrie shown appears to be the deceased Brunhilde rather than any of the current Valkyries. Its possible there might be some aspect of time displacement involved here.

[Astral Disaster]

Yay!!

Death is another perfect choice, IMO. Valkyrie's original 'job' being a Chooser of the Slain. But the Death card has another meaning, doesn't it?

Quick search on a handful of sites and this seems to be the general, simplified explanation: "The Death Tarot Card usually signifies spiritual transformation and a time of change and new beginnings, not actual death!" So if this is applied to the cover, it could indicate that Brunnhilde is likely not the Valkyrie who will appear in the book, at least that's my take.

[Harpoon]

Given the Defenders history as a "non team", with a rotating cast of members who come and go as needed, I don't think them being in other books rules them out at all. They could show up for a few issues and then go back to their regular teams. It would hardly be the first time we've seen characters serving on more than one team at the same time.

It is worth noting that most of these characters are not shown in their current looks on that cover. Namor, Moondragon and Hellstrom are all in older costumes rather than their current outfits. The Surfer is silver rather than black. Beast looks more like his old pre-secondary mutation form. The Valkyrie shown appears to be the deceased Brunhilde rather than any of the current Valkyries. Its possible there might be some aspect of time displacement involved here.

I wouldn't mind at all if this was some sort of "Defenders Forever."

[danielsan52]

I want the real Kyle back.

[Oberon]

You are most welcome, friend!

I find the Tarot/Defenders thing very intriguing. I am only guessing as to whom and what number they could be, but the writers probably have different characters in mind.

Interesting that the Moon (Moondragon) is about deceptions, deceit, slander lies, obsession and romance. That all fits Heather, just as the Surfer and Judgement seems to fit Norrin.

Someone must have a feel for cards.

but, beyond that, is the idea of archetypes, and superheroes especially play well to that. Tarot is just a system to show this in our lives.

[Oberon]

Thanks for that. I like the idea of Red She Hulk who is a harpy too, though I've not seen this. Can sum up Betty's path to Harpy?