PILGRIM
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Demon (Class II, Lilin);
citizen of Shadowside Realm
Occupation: Follower of Lilith
Group Membership: Lilin (Blackout, Creed, Doc, Fang, Meatmarket, Nakota, Outcast, Skinner, Skitter, others)
Affiliations: Darkholders (Randolph DeGuzman, others), Lilith, Steel Wind (Ruriko Tsumura), Zarathos;
formerly Centurious, Dr. Michael Morbius
Enemies: Craig Blaze, Emma Blaze, Roxanne Blaze, Caretaker, Darkhold Redeemers (Sam Buchanan, Louise Hastings, Victoria Montesi, Jinx, Modred the Mystic), Midnight Sons (Blade/Eric Brooks, John Blaze, Sam Buchanan, Doctor Strange/Stephen Strange, Ghost Rider/Dan Ketch/Noble Kale, Louise Hastings, Victoria Montesi, Morbius/Michael Morbius, Strange, Vengeance/Michael Badilino), Quentin Carnival (Kody, Eli McIntyre, Clara Menninger, George Waters, Marianne Waters, Wolf, others), Linda Wei
Known Relatives: Lilith (mother), Lilin (various relations)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Shadowside Realm;
formerly mobile on Earth
First Appearance: (In vision) Ghost Rider III#28 (August, 1992); (actual appearance) Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#1 (August, 1992)
Powers/Abilities: Pilgrim is a long-lived demon with the power of teleportation. He can open rifts in reality with his right claw-like hand to create portals that can transport him and up to a dozen individuals to a place up to 1200 miles away. He can also create rifts in solid objects to make them to collapse in on themselves. He at least once created a rift to another dimension by ripping open Lilith's abdomen. He also sometimes uses his claw to rip open others in combat.
Despite living among humans for a very long time he remained a zealot and loyal to Lilith's cause.
Height: Unrevealed (5'9"; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed (170 lbs.; by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
History:
(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#1 (fb) - BTS) - After Lilith's imprisonment the Lilin were scattered across the dimensions. Those remaining on Earth started living among humans and only few remained loyal to Lilith. Pilgrim remained loyal and was sure Lilith would return one day.
(Ghost Rider III#28 - BTS) - Lilith showed Dan Ketch's spirit a vision of her children, including Pilgrim.
(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#1) - After Lilith escaped the massive body of the Leviathan in Greenland, Pilgrim was the first to answer her call, which he wasn't even sure at first to be real. He kneeled before her and immediately opened a portal for her to start gathering her children. They teleported to New York City where Pilgrim explained to Lilith how the Lilin had been scattered and most had stopped believing in Lilith, which was the reason why none but him had answered her call. Lilith ordered Pilgrim to take her to her children and Pilgrim immediately opened a portal to a church where Lilith's son Creed worked as a priest. Creed attacked Pilgrim because he had stopped believing in Lilith and had distanced himself from the other Lilin. He stopped his attack when Lilith proved to him that it was really her. They quickly joined forces with Blackout, a grandchild of Lilith, who could lead them to two (Ghost Rider and Blaze) of those Lilith had seen murdering her children.
Pilgrim teleported Creed and Blackout to the Quentin Carnival in Providence, Rhode Island. Creed didn't take Blackout's threats very well and punched Pilgrim when he had the audacity to call him a father figure that kept the legends alive for years. The trio broke into Blaze's trailer and kidnapped John's son. Creed vowed not to hurt the boy if Blaze and Ghost Rider faced them. Pilgrim opened a portal to a nearby street and the Lilin disappeared with Craig.
The Lilin waited on a nearby street and were soon found by Ghost Rider and Blaze. Ghost Rider strangled Pilgrim with his chain while Creed tried to make a deal with Blaze for the life of his son. Blaze agreed to sacrifice himself for the life of his son, but when Blackout didn't want to release Craig the situation turned sour. Creed quickly decided to destroy Ghost Rider instead and shot him to pieces after Pilgrim ducked. Ghost Rider regenerated and after Blaze shot Creed to pieces, Pilgrim picked up his head. He opened a portal back to Creed's church in New York and escaped with Blackout, who was accidentally kicked through the portal by Ghost Rider. Pilgrim had to inform Lilith that Ghost Rider and Blaze had survived. Lilith left Creed's head in the church and Pilgrim opened another portal for his mother and Blackout to find more Lilin to join their cause.
(Secret Defenders#3 (fb)) - Pilgrim teleported Lilith and Blackout to...probably New York City (see comments)
(Morbius: The Living Vampire I#1) - Pilgrim accompanied Lilith and Blackout to the gothic club known as Limelight in New York City where they found the Lilin Fang and Nakota. Pilgrim had a drink while Lilith used Nakota's powers to find Morbius and then sent Fang to poison him. He was later standing behind her when Lilith got pretty peeved that her plan to kill Morbius had failed. Her next target was Victoria Montesi.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#1) - Pilgrim was standing behind Lilith when she formed an alliance with the Darkholder DeGuzman.
Pilgrim teleported Lilith, Doc and Nakota to Central Park where they cut off Victoria Montesi's escape route while the Darkholders' ninjas attacked her. Lilith and her children merely watched Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, Louise Hastings and Sam Buchanan protect Montesi from the ninjas and the mutated Darkhold-mutated Donald Walsh. Pilgrim teleported Lilith and Doc to safety after Lilith was hit by Blaze's shotgun, but Nakota was left behind.
(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#3) - Pilgrim teleported Lilith and Blackout to Chatham, New York where the Lilin Skinner lived with his family. Pilgrim knocked on the door to talk with Skinner because he knew he needed to be handled with diplomacy. Skinner opened the door and immediately grabbed Pilgrim by the throat and didn't want to believe his claim that Lilith had returned. Skinner tossed Pilgrim at Blackout, but when it turned out that Lilith had truly returned he joined her cause after killing his family. Pilgrim opened a portal and they left Skinner's home.
Pilgrim teleported Skinner to a bridge in Fishkill, New York after Blaze had just passed through.
Pilgrim teleported to Millbrook, New York and picked up Nakota, who was running away from Ghost Rider. He loudly proclaimed that she was needed in Boston, which Ghost Rider overheard as planned. He dropped off Nakota at the Boston Harbor as bait for their enemies.
(Nightstalkers#1) - Lilith took Pilgrim on a leash to the Boston Common where they picked up the Lilin Meatmarket, who was hanging the prowler Justin Hoyt in front of them.
Pilgrim was with Lilith on an old ship when Doctor Strange confronted them and revealed that he had brought together a group (the Nightstalkers) to battle her evil on his behalf. To prove it to her he asked Pilgrim to open a portal. Lilith expected Ghost Rider's head to be dropped in front of her feet, but instead it was Meatmarket's head and body cut apart by the Nightstalkers' Blade.
(Ghost Rider III#31) - On a skyscraper in Boston Pilgrim was present with Blackout, Doc, Fang and Nakota when Lilith tended to her mutilated child Meatmarket, who had fallen in battle with the Nightstalkers, Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze. Pilgrim then opened a portal to Greenland for his mother and kin. When the Midnight Sons arrived in Greenland to face off with Lilith and her children, she had Pilgrim open a rift in her belly to give rebirth to all her children. The Midnight Sons attacked to stop her, but she first gave birth to a Lilin inhabited by Dan Ketch's spirit. When this Lilin began to attack everything in sight including the other Lilin, Pilgrim tried to escape, but the Ketch-Lilin caught Pilgrim's hand and forced him to open a rift in his own abdomen, killing him. The Midnight Sons ultimately stopped Lilith when Ghost Rider pushed her through her own rift in her abdomen. Lilith returned shortly after and planned to feast on her deceased children, including Pilgrim, to regain her strength.
(Ghost Rider III#41) - In Greenland Lilith was lying next to the skeletons of her children, including Pilgrim. She was pregnant with her children, but needed somebody's help to give birth to them once again. She sent out the call and it was answered by her wayward child Outcast, who ripped open her belly with his claws. Blackout, Doc, Meatmarket, Nakota and Pilgrim were reborn through the vortex in adult form. Blackout immediately set out to find Dan Ketch and forced Pilgrim to teleport him to New York City. Pilgrim was shocked when Blackout killed two innocents because he craved blood since he was reborn, which put a smile on Pilgrim's face because this new weakness was clearly given to Blackout by Lilith. Pilgrim opened a rift in the street to trap Dan Ketch and his associate Seer and it worked. While Dan's motorbike fell down into the abyss, Blackout pulled him and Seer up. Blackout allowed Dan to turn into Ghost Rider, which surprised Pilgrim because it made no sense. Blackout then forced Pilgrim to open a portal to Cypress Hills. Ghost Rider rushed to his mother, but when he arrived, Pilgrim teleported in with Blackout. Pilgrim grabbed Francis Ketch by the neck while Blackout threatened to have her killed if Ghost Rider didn't transform back into Dan Ketch. Ghost Rider instead hit Pilgrim in the eyes with his chain to free Francis and then went after Blackout. Pilgrim quickly opened a portal and both Lilin fled the scene only for Centurious to arrive and kidnap Francis Ketch.
(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#14 - BTS) - Pilgrim teleported Steel Wind, Fang, Meatmarket and Outcast to Bucks County, Pennsylvania to kidnap Johnny Blaze.
(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#14) - Pilgrim and Steel Wind watched the attack on Blaze and his friends of the Quentin Carnival from the sidelines. Ghost Rider arrived to aid Blaze against the Lilin and knocked out Outcast. Pilgrim opened a portal to get away and told Outcast to hurry to the portal, which Outcast didn't like at all. Steel Wind reminded Outcast that they were not supposed to engage in battle. The Lilin and Steel Wind escaped through Pilgrim's portal.
(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#16) - In Cypress Hills Cemetery Pilgrim walked with Lilith and Nakota when Lilith told Centurious that there was nothing else he could offer to her after Zarathos had emerged from his form. Pilgrim attacked Centurious and slashed open his chest to protect Lilith, leaving Centurious bleeding and on the ground. Pilgrim wasn't sure what Zarathos was and why Lilith planned to ally with him, but he went along when Centurious tried to blast him with an energy blast and was easily hurled into the sky by Zarathos. Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze and Vengeance then arrived alongside Caretaker to take out Zarathos. A fissure opened in the ground and after Ghost Rider used the Medallion of Power against Zarathos, who, along with Lilith, Nakota and Pilgrim were pulled into the ground. Lilith vowed that this was far from over. The fissure closed after they were gone.
(Ghost Rider III#44) - Pilgrim teleported Lilith and her loyal children Fang, Meatmarket, Nakota and Outcast to the Cypress Hills Cemetery to battle the Midnight Sons and their allies. Zarathos joined the fray and the heroes fled and were brought to safety at the Sanctum Sanctorum by Doctor Strange.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#143/1 (fb) - BTS) - Pilgrim locked on to Ghost Rider, Blaze and Vengeance to redirect them while they were teleported away by Doctor Strange. It accidentally brought them to the former lab of Morbius.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#143/1) - Pilgrim teleported Lilin and Zarathos to Ghost Rider, Blaze and Vengeance, who had been redirected to the Lilin Girth when Doctor Strange tried to teleport everyone to the Sanctum Sanctorum. Blaze shot Pilgrim's hand to prevent him from opening another portal while Doctor Strange opened a portal for Ghost Rider, Blaze and Vengeance to the Sanctum Sanctorum. Lilith was pretty angry that they escaped again.
(Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#15) - Following Doc's directions Pilgrim teleported Lilith, Doc, Nakota, Outcast and Zarathos down to the lab's cellar used by some of the Midnight Sons and their allies as hideout. They encountered Modred and Jinx, who tried to teleport upstairs, but Pilgrim slashed Modred's arm to interrupt the spell. In retaliation Modred tossed Pilgrim against a wooden pillar.
(Morbius: The Living Vampire I#16) - When Martine Bancroft, controlled by the Lilin Parasite, shattered the mystic barrier from inside the Sanctum Sanctorum, the Lilin alongside their mother and Zarathos invaded Doctor Strange's home. Pilgrim teleported in Lilith, Blackout, Fang, Meatmarket, Nakota, Outcast, Zarathos and another Lilin along with the captured Blade, Frank Drake, Jinx and Modred.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#144/2) - Pilgrim teleported Lilith and Zarathos away because Lilith had grown tired of the fight and trusted her children to finish the Midnight Sons on their own.
(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#17) - Pilgrim and the other Lilin continued their attack on the Midnight Sons after Doctor Strange had destroyed the Sanctum Sanctorum, but the heroes escaped through a mystic door opened by Caretaker.
Back in Cypress Hills Cemetery Nakota was alone with Pilgrim, who was hitting on her, but Nakota had no interest to hook up with him. Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze attacked them and Pilgrim was picked up by the neck by Ghost Rider and then knocked out by Blaze with the butt of his shotgun.
(Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#17/Nightstalkers#15) - Pilgrim was later pulled back to the Shadowside Realm after Ghost Rider, Blaze and Vengeance had joined forces to close the rift to the Shadowside.
(Marvel Comics Presents I#146/2) - On the Shadowside Pilgrim hung out at the Shadowside Saloon and had a drink when Devil-Slayer entered and soon got into a fight with Meatmarket.
Comments: Created by Howard Mackie, Andy Kubert & Joe Kubert.
The flashback in Secret Defenders#3 is a new panel. It mentions the Rise of the Midnight Sons crossover, but it only shows Lilith, Blackout and Pilgrim, which fits between the events of Spirits of Vengeance#1 and Morbius: The Living Vampire#1. It probably depicts the arrival of the trio in New York City where they picked up Fang and Nakota soon after. It also connects the events of the crossover to the weakening of barriers between dimensions and the escape of the Zusommin from their dimension.
Pilgrim was Lilith's No.1 lackey!
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Pilgrim should not be confused with:
images (without ads)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#16, p7, pan2 (main)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#1, p17, pan2 (head shot)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#1, p12, pan6 (opening rift)
Ghost Rider III#31, p19, pan5 (death)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#16, p7, pan1 (ripping open Centurious)
Appearances:
Ghost Rider III#28 (August, 1992) - Howard Mackie (writer), Andy Kubert (pencils), Joe Kubert (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#1 (August, 1992) - Howard Mackie (writer), Adam Kubert (artist), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Morbius: The Living Vampire I#1 (September, 1992) - Len Kaminski (writer), Ron Wagner (pencils), Mike Witherby (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#1 (October, 1992) - Chris Cooper (writer), Richard Case (pencils), Mark McKenna (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#3 (October, 1992) - Howard Mackie (writer), Adam Kubert (pencils), Chris Warner (inks), - Bobbie Chase (editor)
Nightstalkers#1 (November, 1992) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Ghost Rider III#31 (November, 1992) - Howard Mackie (writer), Andy Kubert (pencils), Joe Kubert (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Secret Defenders#3 (May, 1993) - Roy Thomas (writer), Andre Coates (pencils), Don Hudson (inks), Mike Rockwitz (editor)
Ghost Rider III#41 (September, 1993) - Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Chris Ivy (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#14 (September, 1993) - Howard Mackie (writer), Mike Manley (pencils), Tom Palmer, Jeff Albrecht & Ralph Cabrera (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#16 (November, 1993) - Howard Mackie (writer), Henry Martinez (pencils), Keith Williams (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Ghost Rider III#44 (December, 1993) - Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Garney (pencils), Chris Ivy (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#143/1 (December, 1993) - Chris Cooper (writer), Reggie Jones (pencils), Fred Harper (inks), Richard Ashford (editor)
Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins#15 (December, 1993) - Chris Cooper (writer), Rurik Tyler (pencils), Bob Downs (inks), Hildy Mesnik (editor)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#17 (December, 1993) - Howard Mackie (writer), Henry Martinez (pencils), Bud La Rosa (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Morbius: The Living Vampire I#16 (December, 1993) - Gregory Wright (writer), Isaac Cordova (pencils), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#144/2 (December, 1993) - Chris Cooper (writer), Reggie Jones (pencils), Fred Harper (inks), Richard Ashford (editor)
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance#17 (December, 1993) - Howard Mackie (writer), Henry Martinez (pencils), Bud La Rosa (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Nightstalkers#15 (January, 1994) - Steve Grant (writer), Andrew Wildman (pencils), Frank Turner (inks), Bobbie Chase (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#146/2 (January, 1994) - Jon Babcock (writer), Darren Auck (pencils), Scott Koblish (inks), Richard Ashford (editor)
First Posted: 11/11/2021
Last updated: 11/11/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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