Chapter 3 ((HOD))

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Themes
Hod (Hebrew: הוד "glory") Hasidic Judaism's view of Hod is that it is connected with Jewish prayer. Prayer is seen as form of "submission";Hod is explained as an analogy - that instead of "conquering" an obstacle in one's way, (which is the idea ofNetzach), subduing oneself to that "obstacle" is related to the quality of Hod.

Hod is where form is given by language in its widest sense, being the key to the "mystery of form".

Hod is described as being a force that breaks down energy into different, distinguishable forms, and it is associated with intellectuality, learning and ritual, as opposed to Netzach, Victory, which is the power of energy to overcome all barriers and limitations, and is associated with emotion and passion, music and dancing.

In this issue I will attempt to convey the idea of submission-- accepting one's fate, coming to terms with an illness, and witnessing and acknowledging a force greater than one's self. The education and training of a manipulator will be described in greater detailed, and juxtaposed against a theme of a Buddhist monk's meditation ritual, keeping with the theme of learning and ritual.

In this Chapter we introduce Jupiter Black.

Synopsis
The first Wrath story. Switches between the present day, with Barrette and Jude describing the existence and extent of the PANTHEON project, and the past, wherein Jude relates his "education" as a manipulator. Barrette, Feynman, and Dr. Bryan search for clues about the whereabouts of Maria, Fatima, and Jupiter Black.

Script
WARNING: PANTHEON EYES ONLY

MANIPULATION TEST 89-16A

SUBJECT: JUDE [REDACTED]

Jude sits in a meditative position in the center of a sterile room. Before him is a large, black cube, roughly twice his size in height and width. Its surfaces are polished and smooth; his reflection is barely discernible from this side. Jude's face becomes visibly pained, his brow furrows as if he is lifting an enormous burden, yet his posture and form remain the same. He does not move from his position. Yet now we see it. The enormous black cube has moved but an inch from its original position.

MANIPULATION TEST 89-17A

SUBJECT: MARIA [REDACTED]

Maria, blindfolded, stands before a cubic pillar which rises to about her waist. Upon the pillar is a bowl which holds an unknown black, powder. Maria raises her right arm before the bowl, and dips her delicate fingers into the powder. They submerge for a moment, yet when she rises them again, a partially formed rapier emerges from the shallow depth of the bowl. The weapon continues to materialize as it is raised from further from the bowl.

MANIPULATION TEST 89-18A

SUBJECT: NATHAN [REDACTED]

Nathan stands in the sterile room, which he shares with two large metallic posts at opposite ends of the facility. Nathan walks to the closest post, and firmly grasps it. He takes a breath for a moment, before exhaling, letting his posture slack, his mind relax. And then, a burst of light. An arc of electricity runs from Nathan's post, to the far post, with nathan's own figure barely discernible in the great searing light. Suddenly, Nathan stands before the opposite post he had originally latched onto.

Jude lays barely conscious on his medical bed. There are an array of medical devices which are measuring his heart beat and administering a clear, intravenous fluid. He turns over. He is suddenly greeted by none other than Dirac.

DIRAC: You're a god now.

PAGE 1

Three bone-thin, young Korean men stand in a line in what appears to be an expansive outdoor stadium. They are dressed in North Korean military uniforms and are posed in a base taekwondo stance. Their demeanors are serious, unflinching. It is difficult to tell if it is its own discipline, or fear of reprisal, which causes such rigidity in their forms. Behind them, North Korean flags can be seen, along with throngs of people, each with their own tile card, which on cue, would be held up to display an even larger, more depressing North Korean flag.

Behold our Glorious Manipulator Corps! Trained in the ancient art of Fundamental Force Manipulation by none other than the Dear Leader Himself, our masterful super soldiers are ready to bring the fight to the capitalist pigs of the west!

PAGE 2

The three young men begin performing a highly choreographed display: mixing taekwondo high kicks and punches into a twirling, aerial dance, before completing it with a sort of Manipulator power. Rocks are raised and moved about with nothing but non-connecting kicks. Electricity is maneuvered around a series of conductive rods placed into the ground, facing skywards. A Manipulator gestures his hands not unlike a snake charmer while doing so.

PAGE 3

A third manipulator phases his hand through a brick wall, behind which is a bowl of apples. The third manipulator then grabs an apple from this bowl, and moves to pull his arm back through the wall. As he is about to move the apple through the wall, his hand appears to be stuck. The man struggles with this for a time, before panic settles in on him. The man begins begging with an unseen person, offscreen for a time, before a North Korean officer approaches from the right of the screen, and draws a pistol to the man's head. Cut to title page.

PAGE

Jude and Dirac are alone in an interview room. A single window to the rear of Jude allows in light, and a table separates the two of them. the scene is sterile, clean, hospital like. Jude himself is wearing what could be considered hospital clothes. His head is shaven. He appears frail and tired, possibly from the rigorous screening which he has undergone, leading up to this point of induction into the program. Dirac has a leather bound folio on the table. His immense hands take a sort of cautious approach to unwinding the twine which seals it, and unveiling its contents before Jude. Jude looks onward with a sort of morbid curiosity.

Mr. Fourier, I'm extremely thankful that you've agreed to cooperate with us on this project.

Yes... It's something I am passionate about as well.

And that's exactly what we're looking for. See our project is at the forefront of advancing the human condition.

Jude lifts his head up, now more intrigued than ever.

We are on the cusp of a major breakthrough-- the exploration of a realm undetectable by radar, invisible to a telescope. We need fearless men for this.

PAGE

These are the men who came before you. You will not be the first, and you will not be the last, I can guarantee this much.

Dirac presents several pictures to Jude from the folio. The first of which displays images from the North Korean display earlier in the issue.

A photo present amongst them is a grainy image of a man hovering above an armored column, static electricity crackling about him. Troops are armored vehicles pass below his god-like gaze. From what we can discern of the man, he is dressed in Soviet Army Officer militaria. He is clean shaven. It is a young Nicolai.

You are not the first, and I guarantee you will not be the last.

PAGE

As Jude and Feynman observe the forest through the chainlink fence, searching for a possible means to escape, they duck back down again in order to avoid detection. Feynman turns to Jude.

FEYNMAN: What did you see?

PAGE 24

Cut back to Dirac and Jude at the medical bed from the opening of the issue.

DIRAC: What did you see?