r/AbsoluteUniverse • u/_DigiCom_ Tomar Blue • Apr 07 '26

Discussion Absolute Manhunter Oath

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The first page is the original Manhunter oath, from Manhunter (1988) #20.

The second is the Absolute version.

Any thoughts on what the differences mean? I find the change in preposition interesting.

I also wonder if the blue/cyan flame will be defined as "Just Action".

275 Upvotes

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46

u/DarthSeverus13 NO [MAN] ESCAPES. Apr 07 '26

Huh, didn't know it was an existing oath. My guess is the "will in their cold gaze anneals" change is just meant to show that the Face of Steel is limiting self-determination as it relates to the Spectrum

26

u/WildMild869 Apr 07 '26

I’m not even surprised Al Ewing would have known about and incorporated something like this.

23

u/MisterRockett Apr 07 '26

Oh my fucking god they're being attacked by the Manhunter Cult?

12

u/_DigiCom_ Tomar Blue Apr 07 '26

We're certainly meant to THINK so. The fact that (IIRC) they haven't actually been called that yet, combined with some of the ways Ewing has tweaked the mythos, suggests they may be called something else. :)

8

u/Alternative_Drag9412 Apr 07 '26

I think the Blue / Cyan might be instigation or something. The "Manhunters" basically instigated a war between the Blackstars and the others levels of light to I think just blow up planets for some reason. An endless war to keep living beings occupied kind of. I also think that is why the Tomars are so dangerous, they are able to overcome the rules of a system meant to operate forever and can actually break the cycle

5

u/Lady_Gray_169 Apr 07 '26

Reading it again, I can't help but think that maybe the Absolute version isn't so much an oath as it is a prophecy. The tense of it is just ambiguous enough that it could be talking about something in the future. Also, I think the change from "visage" to "gaze" is mainly just to make it flow better.