Nerds have a long list of questions when it comes to superheroes and comics. Thankfully, Justice League Dark has all the answers.
Without any official answers, these questions end up being discussed and argued upon by people. One such question is about the true morality of DC’s famous and beloved antihero sorcerer, Etrigan The Demon. Luckily, the fans are getting the answer to this question in DC’s Justice League #2. Etrigan the demon from hell who, despite his violent tendencies, is in alliance with the superheroes largely because he is bound to a human host, Jason Blood. Merlin, who is Etrigan’s half brother, summons Etrigan but when he is unable to find the Demon’s secrets, he bonds the demon with Jason Blood, a Knight in King Arthur’s Camelot.
As a result, Jason became immortal and can fight evil with the help of his counterpart, Etrigan, using a magical poem that allows him to switch places with the demon. Jason and Etrigan became a part of the superhero team “Justice League Dark” as a result of Batman’s contingency plan which came into effect when the original team vanished during their attempts to rescue Aquaman from the past.
Etrigan’s Morality
DC’s Future State: Justice League #2 finally answered the long-debated question revealing that Etrigan the demon is as much of a hero as any other hero. Etrigan, who is now hosted by Detective Chimp, is among the few people who can resist the powerful magic of the evil sorcerer Merlin. While engaged in the battle with the villain and his forces, Etrigan refuses to participate in the fight for reasons unknown. His refusal to fight is seen as an act of betrayal by the other members of the Justice League Dark, however, the later revealed truth made it clear that Etrigan is actually an act of heroism rather than a selfish one.
The Revelation
The real reason why Etrigan refused to fight alongside the members of Justice League Dark was to protect the life of his former host, Jason Blood. Merlin severed the bond between Jason and Etrigan when he came into power. He then took Jason Blood as his hostage forcing Etrigan to lay down his fight in exchange for a promise of Jason’s safety. Etrigan shares his reasons for not fighting with Detective Chimp while expressing his relationship with Jason Blood saying “A child of hell and torment.
A grotesque thing to abhor. Bound in brotherhood to a nobleman who showed me I could be more.” As the story progresses and Merlin reveals that he is using Jason Blood as his right-hand Knight, Etrigan refuses to quiet down and starts battling Jason. Sadly, Jason almost killed Etrigan for resisting Merlin who is later saved by Doctor Fate’s intervention. Etrigan’s actions bear witness to the fact that the demon means good even without his heroic human counterpart. Justice League Dark’s Future state story might have changed the way Etrigan would be seen in the future, not as a ruthless anti-hero but as a considerate Hero.
