Juggernaut’s New Armor is Summoned From Another Dimension

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Juggernaut #3

The Juggernaut has seen his ups and downs lately, especially with his embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Devil Hulk in the first issue of his new series. His turn from Marvel supervillain to superhero has come with its fair share of rough reality checks, from having to find legitimate sources of income to dealing with the legal consequences of his actions.

This month’s Juggernaut #3, written by Fabian Nicieza and illustrated by Ron Garney, makes an intriguing change to Marvel Comics lore by revealing the true nature of Juggernaut’s new armor. Readers learned of the tragic backstory behind his fresh look, but details as to its specific qualities have been lacking until now. Turns out, his suit is more of an upgrade than expected.

While embroiled in a court case with a construction company seeking reparations for damages caused during an earlier battle with Spider-Man, the courthouse is attacked by a mind-controlled Quicksand. Cain Marko has precious seconds to make the transition into the unstoppable Juggernaut before all hell breaks loose. Luckily, unlike his previous duds, this version of Juggernaut’s armor can be summoned at will from another dimension and be battle-ready in the blink of an eye. This is a definite improvement – convenience and practicality wise – for Juggernaut. After all, not everyone can wear their uniform beneath their clothes like Spider-Man does. The age of the awkward phone booth change sequences has come to an end. But how does this new armor work?

The story flashes back to a de-powered Marko having just returned from Limbo traveling through North Korea to find The Forge of Cyttorak. Perched atop a frozen peak, reminiscent of other mystical locations in the Marvel Universe, he enters the forge with the intent of once again becoming the Host of Cyttorak. Before attempting to crush Marko’s skull with a hammer, the forge master does explain what this new armor actually is: a shell comprised of the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. The forge master had spent decades accumulating the mystic artifacts necessary to draw forth the bands and eventually discovered the process required to maintain their cohesion on Earth.

The Crimson Bands of Cyttorak is a spell often conjured by Doctor Strange, Marvel Comics’ most powerful Master of the Mystic Arts. They are his go-to for binding and restraining enemies and require unbroken concentration to maintain or they vanish. That an unknown human being, somewhere in the remote mountains of North Korea could develop a way to keep them stable without the involvement of a strong magical will is impressive and thought-provoking. Of course, Juggernaut’s powers stem from being chosen as the Earthly host of the god Cyttorak’s powers and it shouldn’t be surprising that the bands in armor form would respond to him. However, it does make one wonder just what other properties his new armor might have that have yet to be displayed? It also casts the armor in a different perspective, as a source of power but also as a cage or prison. When Juggernaut summons the armor he effectively binding himself to it in the same way Doctor Strange would trap his adversaries. This resonates with the themes of the series so far and adds pathos to Juggernaut’s quest for atonement.

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