Marvel Kills a Fan-Favorite Avenger

Marvel's Empyre event is still trucking along, and it's completely reshaping the Marvel Comics universe in the process. The storyline has spanned across multiple settings in the Marvel universe, and enlisted an eclectic roster of characters in the process. With the magnitude of the mega-crossover continuing to be felt, it was safe to assume that there would be more casualties along the way -- and the latest one stings in a pretty unexpected way. The latest issue of Empyre: Avengers led to one character getting a gruesome fate, one which is only more bittersweet for diehard fans of the character. Spoilers for Empyre: Avengers #2 below! Only look if you want to know!

Part of the issue took place in the Savage Land, as a group of Avengers traveled there to deal with the threat of the Cotati. This included Black Knight, Scarlet Witch, Ka-Zar, and Doctor Voodoo, who were quickly attacked by surprising forces. Man-Thing and Shanna, Ka-Zar's ex-wife, began to attack the team, with Shanna's mind being controlled by the Cotati forces.

As Shanna explained to her ex-husband, her death (in the pages of 2013's Savage Wolverine miniseries) was thwarted when she was bonded to a life force in the Savage Land, which unintentionally allowed that Cotati to manipulate her. The fight escalates from there, but Ka-Zar and Shanna seem to end it on a happier note -- only for a Cotati leader to intervene.

He proceeds to brutally stab Ka-Zar in the chest, in almost the exact same way that Shanna was stabbed years prior.

The moment is certainly emotional for those who have been following Ka-Zar's unpredictable canon in the Marvel Comics universe, especially given the parallel to his wife's earlier demise. And while it's safe to assume Ka-Zar isn't permanently gone from the Marvel universe (after all, very few characters are), this certainly sets the entire team back for the time being.

What do you think of Ka-Zar's death in Empyre: Avengers #2? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!