BRIGHTSWORD

Real Name: Carter Dyam

Identity/Class: Human (Israeli), mutate

Occupation: Pupil of the Celestials, former soldier

Group Membership: Young Gods

Affiliations: Celestials, Gaea, Heimdall, Juniper, Kamorr, Katos, Odin, Spider-Man, Warriors Three

Enemies: Eternals (Ajak, Ikaris, Legba, Makkari, Sersi, Thena), Fafnir, Gatherers, High Evolutionary, Nauda, Quint

Known Relatives: unnamed father (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: The Celestial Mothership, mobile in space
formerly Jerusalem, Israel

First Appearance: Thor I#203 (September, 1972); (as Brightsword) Spectacular spider-Man Annual#8 (1988)

Powers/Abilities: Brightsword possesses superhuman strength and durability, and can create a sword made of energy to wield against opponents. He also wears a suit of protective armor.

History: (Spectacular Spider-Man Annual#8/2 (fb) - BTS) - Carter Dyam was the son of a Zionist who moved to Jerusalem in 1921 at the age of 15 and raised a family. Carter Dyam's father died during the Six-Day War (1967).

(Thor I#203 (fb)) - Carter Dyam was a soldier in Israeli who saw repeated combat, until he became weary of the continued violence. He was sought out by Heimdall and Kamorr of Asgard, and one look into Heimdall's eyes convinced him that he should follow him.

(Thor I#203) - Heimdall and Kamorr introduced Dyam to Chi Lo and Jason Kimball, two others they had recruited. They led the three young people to the middle of a conflict between Thor and Ego-Prime. When Ego-Prime unleashed a blast of energy at Thor and his allies, it found its own energies drained into Kimball, Dyam and Lo, transforming them into the Young Gods. The three of them were then led up into Asgard by Odin.

(Thor I#291) - Kimball, Dyam and Lo were sought out in Asgard by the Warriors Three, as the time for them to join the other Young Gods had arrived. Fafnir confronted the Warriors Three during their mission, but the three Young Gods saved them.

(Thor I#300) - Dyam joined the 12 assembled Young Gods as they were presented to the Celestials by Gaea, and Arishm the Judge determined that, based on them, humanity should endure. The Young Gods were all taken aboard the Celestial Mothership with the Fourth Host.

(Spectacular Spider-Man Annual#8 (fb) - BTS) - Dyam adopted the name "Brightsword" and began his training aboard the mothership under the guidance of Juniper, who favoured a philosophy of offense.

(Spectacular Spider-Man Annual#8) - Brightsword was training aboard the mothership with the other Young Gods when they were spied upon by the High Evolutinary. Daydreamer became determined to halt his plans to reshape humanity's evolution. Brightsword joined the rest of Juniper's students in deciding to return to Earth and oppose the High Evolutionary, and they fought his agents Quint and the Gatherers alongside Spider-Man. However, Katos came in pursuit of them with his half of the Young Gods and they fought each other. After Daydreamer accidentally harmed Calculus with her powers, the Young Gods all stood down. Brightsword returned to the mothership with the other Young Gods.

(Spectacular Spider-Man Annual#8/2) - Brightsword joined Mindsinger, Harvest, Genii and Varua to Jerusalem, Israel, to investigate an unusual psychic presence Daydreamer had sensed. They discovered a artificial creature powered by the anger found in Israel, and it attacked the Young Gods. Brightsword was defeated by the creature, but Varua, Harvest and Mindsinger were able to destroy it by forming a Uni-Mind. Daydreamer examined the creature's remains, and informed the others that it was created by one of the gods of Earth's pantheons.

(Marvel Comics Presents#101/2) - After Sea Witch had a dream which was invaded by an evil spirit, Brightsword and the other Young Gods heard her distress and came to help her. Varua and Daydreamer became convinced it was tied to the creature they had fought in Israel. They decided that they would have to return to Earth to investigate, but Katos and Juniper told them they would have to bring their petition to the Celestials.

(Marvel Comics Presents#102/2) - Juniper and Katos led the Young Gods to the Celestials to present their request to visit Earth. They were granted 3 days on Earth in which to investigate the matter.

(Marvel Comics Presents#106/2) - Brightsword, Splice, Calculus and Varua investigated the evil threat in Sri Lanka, and fought a bull animated by the rogue god Nauda. Brightsword destroyed the bull, but they were then incapacitated by villagers who followed Nauda, and turned over to him.

(Marvel Comics Presents#107/2-109/2) - Brightsword, Splice, Calculus and Varua were held captive by Nauda, who forced the other Young Gods to turn over the mystical stones they had found in Ireland and Wisconsin. However, Daydreamer gave Nauda illusionary stones instead, and the reunited Young Gods formed a Uni-Mind which destroyed Nauda. Brightsword was stabbed in the chest by Nauda, but Harvest saw to his wounds.

(Eternals Annual II#1 (fb) ) - Ignored by the Celestials the Young Gods slowly went mad. To get the Celestials' attention the Young Gods fought each other in vicious battles and had decadent bacchanals. Eventually Varua thought they were empowered to turn Earth's populace into a new Celestial. The Young Gods led by Varua returned to Earth and created an ever-growing Uni-Mind from the minds of Madripoor, which soon expanded ot other islands, consuming the minds of citizens in Indonesia and Singapore to its mass.

(Eternals Annual II#1) - Alerted by the growing Uni-Mind the Eternals Ajak, Ikaris, Makkari, Sersi and Thena went to Madripoor. Brightsword, Highnote, Genii, Mindsinger, Moonstalker and Sea Witch attacked them when the Eternals arrived. Brightsword knocked out Ikaris after Highnote entangled him. Brightsword lost consciousness due to his telepathic connection to Varua after the Eternal Legba had killed Varua. The Young Gods' plan had failed.

Comments: Created by Gerry Conway, John Buscema and Vince Colletta.

Brightsword's appearances snce the 70's have continued to refer to him as a 70's era character; if only it were possible-- Thor I#202-203 is very clearly tied to the modern era...unless Heimdall and Kamorr traveled through time without mentioning it. Or possibly Carter was retrieved by Heimdall and Kamorr in the 1970's, then kept in suspended animation until it was time for the Ego-Prime incident?

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Brightsword should not be confused with:

• Bright Lady, the Askani, @ Cable II#6
• Brightwind, Asgardian steed of Danielle Moonstar, @ New Mutants Special Edition#1

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