WARNING: Spoilers for Dark Ages #4 follow. One of the founding fathers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was just brutally murdered in the pages of Dark Ages #4. The miniseries event takes place in an alternate universe from the main Marvel 616 Universe, thus taking advantage of the growing multiverse that's been spreading across the company's comics, TV shows, and movies. In Dark Ages, the Marvel Universe has lost electricity, forcing society to adapt over the ensuing seven years. Part of that adaption came from transforming a former S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier into a seafaring ship, with Nick Fury as its Admiral.
The Dark Ages #4 creative team of Tom Taylor, Iban Coello, Brian Reber, and VC's Joe Sabino gave Nick Fury an untimely end, which came as the heroes were undertaking a rescue mission to save Tony Stark and other captured heroes from Apocalypse in Europe. Powered by the X-Man Storm's mutant abilities to control the winds, the helicarrier set sail with Fury, Storm, Nightcrawler, Iceman, Colossus, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Invisible Woman (Sue Storm), Wolverine (Laura Kinney), her clone Gabby, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Pepper Potts, Moon Girl, Devil Dinosaur, Blade, and Doctor Doom aboard. They were almost at their destination, but once they were 10 miles out they found themselves attacked by a re-envisioned group of Ghost Riders.
Now dubbed Ghost Raiders, these pirates made a deal with the devil after the world went dark. Now they roam the seas looking to drag new victims to their deaths, drowning and burning them alive all at the same time. Nick Fury is the unlucky recipient of their opening attack, leading to some epic fight sequences from Coello, Reber, and Sabino. Colossus, Wolverine, and Gabby serve up two fastball specials, and we get to meet the Guardians of the Port: Scott Lang and Fin Fang Foom, who quickly dispose of the Ghost Raiders. The victory is shortlived, however, as Nightcrawler teleports on the Ghost Raiders' ship and brings Nick Fury's body back to their vessel. The final image is of Nightcrawler, Wolverine, and Gabby crouching next to Fury's lifeless body.
Samuel L. Jackson portrays Nick Fury in the MCU. His appearance in the post-credits scene of 2008's Iron Man helped kickstart the MCU's 10+ year dominance at the box office. Fury is set to be one of the main stars of the Disney+ adaptation of the Secret Invasion story arc that features Skrulls secretly infiltrating all sections of humanity, from governments to superhero teams.
Dark Ages has left a host of dead bodies in its wake. Avengers' Vision and Scarlet Witch were two of the first heroes to fall in their battle against the Unmaker, the being responsible for the lack of electricity in the world. Others who died include Doctor Strange and the Human Torch. Each issue has killed at least one hero, and readers should expect even more to fall as the miniseries continues.
