Cabal (Marvel)
The Cabal are a team that features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
History
The Cabal were a secret group of powerful villains gathered by Norman Osborn during the Dark Reign in the wake of the defeat of the Skrull invasion. (Secret Invasion v1 #8)
The Cabal are acknowledged by other villains as an extremely powerful group - even Dracula himself sought an agreement from Doom that the Cabal would allow him to conquer the United Kingdom without interference before he began his assault. Loki in the guise as the Scarlet Witch agreed 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. (Captain Britain and MI:13 v1 #13)
After an Atlantean terrorist cell struck the surface, Osborn called a meeting of the Cabal in order to tell Namor to deal with the threat which he intended to show the public his swift measures in protecting the nation. However, Namor resented the orders being given and simply left the meeting as he did not like the tone Norman was giving him in the encounter. (Dark Avengers v1 #6) The Cabal gathered in psychic meetings arranged by Emma Frost where they discussed the rise of Hank Pym's Mighty Avengers that formed in opposition to Osborn's own team. 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, 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, the reinstating of Doctor Doom as monarch, the massing mutants from San Francisco, the problem of Mister Negative, the Punisher'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. It was the successes of Pym's Avengers along with them evading capture along with the combined strain of the demands of the Cabal that caused Osborn to cancel further meetings. (Mighty Avengers v1 #24)
Nevertheless, the Cabal meets again on the psychic plane with the aid of Emma Frost, prior to the events of Utopia, 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 v1 #2) Loki 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. (Dark Reign: Young Avengers v1 #4)
The next meeting of the Cabal was held at Avengers Tower where Doctor Doom demanded that Osborn produce Namor at the scene. Director Osborn did not appreciate the threat and unleashed the power of the Void which heavily damaged the building causing Doctor Doom to retreat. (Dark Avengers v1 #15)
Overview
Members
- Norman Osborn :
- Doctor Doom :
- Loki :
- Emma Frost :
- Namor :
- The Hood :
Notes
- The Cabal was created by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu where they made their first appearance in Secret Invasion v1 #8 (January, 2009).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In Avengers Assemble, the Cabal made an appearance in the animated television series starting in the episode "The Avengers Protocol Pt. 2". They were officially formed by the Red Skull after seeing the team work made by the Avengers. This led to him sending invitations to join the group to Doctor Doom, Attuma and Dracula. In season 4's Secret Wars, a new version of the Cabal was assembled by the Leader that consisted of Arnim Zola, Enchantress and the Executioner along with Kang the Conqueror.
Video games
- In Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth, the Cabal made a cameo appearance in the setting of the video game.
- In Marvel: Contest of Champions, the Cabal were referenced in the story mission and events of the mobile video game.
Appearances
- Secret Invasion v1 #8: (2009)
- New Avengers v1:
- Dark Avengers v1:
- Mighty Avengers v1:
- New Avengers v3:
External Links
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