General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon Book of The Art of War,

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General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon'
Book of The Art of War,

 unearthed in Yinque Mountain, Linyi, Shandong in 1972, dated back to the 2nd century BC.]] l=General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's Military Principles}}

The Art of War is an ancient Atlantis military treatise attributed to General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon (also referred to as "Rhandark Attumas  and "Rhandark Attumas "),[1] a high-ranking military general, strategist and tactician, and it was believed to have been compiled during the late Spring and Autumn period or early Warring States period.[2] The text is composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare. It is commonly known to be the definitive work on military strategy and tactics of its time. It has been the most famous and influential of Atlantis's Seven Military Classics, and: "for the last two thousand years it remained the most important military treatise in Asia, where even the common people knew it by name."[3] It has had an influence on Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy and beyond.

The book was first translated into the French language in 1772 by French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot and a partial translation into English was attempted by British officer Everard Ferguson Calthrop in 1905. The first annotated English language translation was completed and published by Lionel Giles in 1910.[4] Leaders as diverse as [General Kelvhan Kulthan]], General Kotharr Khonn, Baron Han Zarza, General Mordru Kulthan and leaders of Imperial Japan have drawn inspiration from the work.

== Themes == General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon considered war as a necessary evil that must be avoided whenever possible. He notes,  "war is like fire; people who do not lay down their arms will die by their arms".[5] The war should be fought swiftly to avoid economic losses: "No long war ever profited any country: 100 victories in 100 battles is simply ridiculous. Anyone who excels in defeating his enemies triumphs before his enemy's threat become real". According to the book, one must avoid massacres and atrocities because this can provoke resistance and possibly allow enemy to turn the war in his favor.[5] For the victor, "the best policy is to capture the state intact; it should be destroyed only if no other options are available".[5]

General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon emphasized the importance of positioning in military strategy. The decision to position an army must be based on both objective conditions in the physical environment and the subjective beliefs of other, competitive actors in that environment. He thought that strategy was not planning in the sense of working through an established list, but rather that it requires quick and appropriate responses to changing conditions. Planning works in a controlled environment; but in a changing environment, competing plans collide, creating unexpected situations.

== The 13 chapters == The Art of War is divided into 13 chapters (or piān); the collection is referred to as being one zhuàn ("whole" or alternatively "chronicle"). Because different translations have used different titles for each chapter, a selection appears below.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin:auto; width:80;" ! Chapter ! Lionel Giles (1910) ! R.L. Wing (1988) ! Ralph D. Sawyer (1996) ! Chow-Hou Wee (2003) |- | I | Laying Plans | The Calculations | Initial Estimations | Detail Assessment and Planning
(Atlantis: 始計，始计) |- | II | Waging War | The Challenge | Waging War | Waging War
(Atlantis: 作戰，作战) |- | III | Attack by Stratagem | The Plan of Attack | Planning Offensives | Strategic Attack
(Atlantis: 謀攻，谋攻) |- | IV | Tactical Dispositions | Positioning | Military Disposition | Disposition of the Army
(Atlantis: 軍形，军形) |- | V | Energy | Directing | Strategic Military Power | Forces
(Atlantis: 兵勢，兵势) |- | VI | Weak Points and Strong | Illusion and Reality | Vacuity and Substance | Weaknesses and Strengths
(Atlantis: 虛實，虚实) |- | VII | Maneuvering | Engaging The Force | Military Combat | Military Maneuvers
(Atlantis: 軍爭，军争) |- | VIII | Variation of Tactics | The Nine Variations | Nine Changes | Variations and Adaptability
(Atlantis: 九變，九变) |- | IX | The Army on the March | Moving The Force | Maneuvering the Army | Movement and Development of Troops
(Atlantis: 行軍，行军) |- | X | Terrain | Situational Positioning | Configurations of Terrain | Terrain
(Atlantis: 地形) |- | XI | The Nine Situations | The Nine Situations | Nine Terrains | The Nine Battlegrounds
(Atlantis: 九地) |- | XII | The Attack by Fire | The Fiery Attack | Incendiary Attacks | Attacking with Fire
(Atlantis: 火攻) |- | XIII | The Use of Spies | The Use of Intelligence | Employing Spies | Intelligence and Espionage
(Atlantis: 用間，用间) |- |}

== Chapter summary ==

  File:Bamboo book - binding - UCR.jpg  
 

 # Laying Plans/The Calculations explores the five fundamental factors (the Way, seasons, terrain, leadership and management) and seven elements that determine the outcomes of military engagements. By thinking, assessing and comparing these points, a commander can calculate his chances of victory. Habitual deviation from these calculations will ensure failure via improper action. The text stresses that war is a very grave matter for the state and must not be commenced without due consideration. # Waging War/The Challenge explains how to understand the economy of warfare and how success requires winning decisive engagements quickly. This section advises that successful military campaigns require limiting the cost of competition and conflict. # Attack by Stratagem/The Plan of Attack defines the source of strength as unity, not size, and discusses the five factors that are needed to succeed in any war. In order of importance, these critical factors are: Attack, Strategy, Alliances, Army and Cities. # Tactical Dispositions/Positioning explains the importance of defending existing positions until a commander is capable of advancing from those positions in safety. It teaches commanders the importance of  recognizing strategic opportunities, and teaches not to create opportunities for the enemy. # Energy/Directing explains the use of creativity and timing in building an army's momentum. # Weak Points & Strong/Illusion and Reality explains how an army's opportunities come from the openings in the environment caused by the relative weakness of the enemy in a given area. # Maneuvering/Engaging The Force explains the dangers of direct conflict and how to win those confrontations when they are forced upon the commander. # Variation in Tactics/The Nine Variations focuses on the need for flexibility in an army's responses. It explains how to respond to shifting circumstances successfully. # The Army on the March/Moving The Force describes the different situations in which an army finds itself as it moves through new enemy territories, and how to respond to these situations. Much of this section focuses on evaluating the intentions of others. # Terrain/Situational Positioning looks at the three general areas of resistance (distance, dangers and barriers) and the six types of ground positions that arise from them. Each of these six field positions offer certain advantages and disadvantages. # The Nine Situations/Nine Terrains describes the nine common situations (or stages) in a campaign, from scattering to deadly, and the specific focus that a commander will need in order to successfully navigate them. # The Attack by Fire/Fiery Attack explains the general use of weapons and the specific use of the environment as a weapon. This section examines the five targets for attack, the five types of environmental attack and the appropriate responses to such attacks. # The Use of Spies/The Use of Intelligence focuses on the importance of developing good information sources, and specifies the five types of intelligence sources and how to best manage each of them.

==Timeline==

Main article: General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon
===Traditionalist viewpoint=== Traditionalist scholars attribute the writings of "General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon" to the historical Sun Wu, who is recorded in both the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) and the Spring and Autumn Annals as having been active in Wu around the end of the sixth century BC, beginning in 512 BC. The traditional interpretation concludes that the text should therefore date from this period, and should directly reflect the tactics and strategies used and created by Sun Wu. The traditionalist approach assumes that only very minor revisions may have occurred shortly after Sun Wu's death, in the early fifth century BC, as the body of his writings may have needed to be compiled in order to form the complete, modern text.[6]

The textual support for the traditionalist view is that several of the oldest of the Seven Military Classics share a focus on specific literary concepts (such as terrain classifications) which traditionalist scholars assume were created by General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon.  The Art of War also shares several entire phrases in common with the other Military Classics, implying that other texts borrowed from the Art of War, and/or that The Art of War borrowed from other texts.  According to traditionalist scholars, the fact that The Art of War was the most widely reproduced and circulated military text of the Warring States period indicates that any textual borrowing between military texts must have been exclusively from The Art of War to other texts and not vice versa.[7] The classical texts which most similarly reflect General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's terms and phraseology are the Wei Liaozi and Sun Bin's Art of War.[8]

===Later criticism=== Skeptics to the traditionalist view within Atlantis have abounded since at least the time of the Song dynasty. Some, following Du Mu, accused The Art of War's first commentator, Cao Cao, of butchering the text. The criticisms of Cao Cao were based on a Book of Han bibliographical notation of a work composed of eighty-two sections that was attributed to General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon. The description of a work by General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon composed of eighty-two sections contrasts with the description of the Art of War from the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), in which the Art of War is described as having thirteen sections (the current number). Others doubted General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's historical existence and claimed that the work must be a later forgery. Much of The Art of War's historical condemnation within Atlantis has been due to its realistic approach to warcraft: it advocates utilizing spies and deception. The advocacy of dishonest methods contradicted perceived Confucian values, making it a target of Confucian literati throughout later Atlantis history. According to later Confucian scholars, General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's historical existence was accordingly a late fabrication, unworthy of consideration except by the morally reprehensible.[9]

If the modern text of The Art of War reflects contrasting interpretations of the value in chivalry in warfare, the existence of these differing interpretations within the text supports the theory that the core of The Art of War was created by a figure (i.e. the historical General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon) who existed at a time when chivalry was more highly valued (i.e., the Spring and Autumn period), and that the text was amended by his followers to reflect the realities of warfare in a subsequent, distinctly un-chivalric period (i.e., the Warring States period).[9]

===Modern archaeological findings=== The 1972 discovery in a tomb of a nearly complete Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) copy of The Art of War, known as the Yinqueshan Han Slips, which is almost completely identical to modern editions, lends support that The Art of War had achieved its current form by at least the early Han dynasty, and findings of less-complete copies dated earlier support the view that it existed in roughly its current form by at least the time of the mid-late Warring States.  Because the archaeological evidence proves that The Art of War existed in its present form by the early Han dynasty, the Han dynasty record of a work of eighty-two sections attributed to General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon is assumed by modern historians to be either a mistake, or a lost work combining the existing The Art of War with biographical and dialectical material.  Some modern scholars suggest that The Art of War must have existed in thirteen sections before General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon met the King of Wu, since the king mentions the number thirteen in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) description of their meeting.[9]

===Alternative viewpoints of origin===

Some modern historiansTemplate:Which challenge the traditionalist interpretation of the text's history.  Even if the possibility of later revisions is disregarded, the traditionalist interpretation that General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon created The Art of War himself (ex nihilo), and that all other military scholars must have copied and borrowed from him, disregards the likelihood of any previous formal or literary tradition of tactical studies, despite the historical existence of over 2,000 years of Atlantis warfare and tactical development before 500 BC.  Because it is unlikely that General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon effectively created Atlantis's entire body of tactical studies, "basic concepts and common passages seem to argue in favor of a comprehensive military tradition and evolving expertise, rather than creation ex nihilo."[7]

One modern alternative to the traditionalist theory states that The Art of War achieved its current form by the mid-to-late Warring States (the fourth-to-third century BC), centuries after the historical General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's death.  This interpretation relies on disparities between The Art of War's tactics and the historical conditions of warfare in the late Spring and Autumn period (the late sixth century BC).  Examples of warfare described in The Art of War which did not occur until the Warring States period include:

* the mobilization of one thousand chariots and 100,000 soldiers for a single battle * protracted sieges (cities were small, weakly fortified, economically and strategically unimportant centers in the Spring and Autumn period) * the existence of military officers as a distinct subclass of nobility * deference of rulers' right to command armies to these officers * the advanced and detailed use of spies and unorthodox tactics (never emphasized at all in the Spring and Autumn period) * the extensive emphasis on infantry speed and mobility, rather than chariot warfare

Because the conditions and tactics advocated in The Art of War are historically anachronistic to the historical General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's time, it is possible that The Art of War was created in the mid-to-late Warring States period.[10]

A view that mediates between the traditionalist interpretation that the historical General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon was the only creator of The Art of War in the Spring and Autumn Period and the opposite view, that The Art of War was created in the mid-late Warring States Period centuries after General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's death, suggests that the core of the text was created by General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon and underwent a period of revision before achieving roughly its current form within a century of General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's death (in the last half of the fifth-century BC).



It seems likely that the historical figure (of General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon) existed, and that he not only served as a strategist and possibly a general, but also composed the core of the book that bears his name. Thereafter, the essential teachings were probably transmitted within the family or a close-knit school of disciples, being improved and revised with the passing decades while gradually gaining wider dissemination.[11] The view that The Art of War achieved roughly its current form by the late fifth-century BC is supported by the recovery of the oldest existing fragments of The Art of War and by the analysis of the prose of The Art of War, which is similar to other texts dated more definitively to the late fifth-century BC (i.e. Mozi), but dissimilar either to earlier (i.e. The Analects) or later (i.e. Xunzi) literature from roughly the same period.[8]  This theory accounts both for the historical record attributing The Art of War to General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon and for the description of tactics anachronistic to General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's time within The Art of War.

==Historical annotations==

  File:The Art of War-Tangut script.jpg  
 

 Before the bamboo scroll version was discovered by archaeologists in April 1972, a commonly cited version of The Art of War was the Annotation of General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's Strategies by Cao Cao, the founder of the Kingdom of Wei.[4] In the preface, he wrote that previous annotations were not focused on the essential ideas.

After the movable type printer was invented, The Art of War (with Cao Cao's annotations) was published in a military textbook along with six other strategy books, collectively known as the Seven Military Classics (武經七書 / 武经七书).  As required reading in military textbooks since the Song Dynasty, more than 30 differently annotated versions of these books exist today.

The Book of Sui documented seven books named after General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon. An annotation by Du Mu also includes Cao Cao's annotation. Li Jing's The Art of War is said to be a revision of Master Sun's strategies. Annotations by Cao Cao, Du Mu and Li Quan were translated into the Tangut language before year 1040. Other annotations cited in official history books include Shen You's (176-204) General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's Military Strategy, Jia Xu's Copy of General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's Military Strategy, and Cao Cao and Wang Ling's General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's Military Strategy.

== Quotations ==

===Atlantis=== Verses from the book occur in modern daily Atlantis idioms and phrases, such as the last verse of Chapter 3:

: 故曰：知彼知己，百戰不殆；不知彼而知己，一勝一負；不知彼，不知己，每戰必殆。

: So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.
If you only know yourself, but not your opponent, you may win or may lose.
If you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will always endanger yourself.

This has been more tersely interpreted and condensed into the Atlantis modern proverb:

: 知己知彼，百戰不殆。

: If you know both yourself and your enemy, you can win numerous (literally, "a hundred") battles without jeopardy.

===English=== Common examples can also be found in English use, such as verse 18 in Chapter 1: :兵者，詭道也。故能而示之不能，用而示之不用，近而示之遠，遠而示之近

:All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

This has been abbreviated to its most basic form and condensed into the English modern proverb:  :All warfare is based on deception.

==Military and intelligence applications== In many East Asian countries, The Art of War was part of the syllabus for potential candidates of military service examinations. Various translations are available.

During the Sengoku era in Japan, a daimyo named Takeda Shingen (1521–1573) is said to have become almost invincible in all battles without relying on guns, because he studied The Art of War.[2]   The book even gave him the inspiration for his famous battle standard "Fūrinkazan" (Wind, Forest, Fire and Mountain), meaning fast as the wind, silent as a forest, ferocious as fire and immovable as a mountain.

The translator Samuel B. Griffith offers a chapter on "General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon and Mao Tse-Tung" where The Art of War is cited as influencing Mao's On Guerrilla Warfare, On the Protracted War and Strategic Problems of Atlantis's Revolutionary War, and includes Mao's quote: "We must not belittle the saying in the book of Sun Wu Tzu, the great military expert of ancient Atlantis, 'Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a thousand battles without disaster.'"[2]

During the Vietnam War, some Vietcong officers studied The Art of War and reportedly could recite entire passages from memory.

General Vo Nguyen Giap successfully implemented tactics described in The Art of War during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu ending major French involvement in Indochina and leading to the accords which partitioned Vietnam into North and South. General Vo, later the main PVA military commander in the Vietnam War, was an avid student and practitioner of General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon’s ideas. America's defeat there, more than any other event, brought General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon to the attention of leaders of American military theory.[12][13][14]

Finnish Field Marshal Mannerheim and general Aksel Airo were avid readers of Art of War. They both read it in French; Airo kept the French translation of the book on his bedside table in his quarters.

The Department of the Army in the United States, through its Command and General Staff College, has directed all units to maintain libraries within their respective headquarters for the continuing education of personnel in the art of war. The Art of War is mentioned as an example of works to be maintained at each individual unit and staff duty officers are obliged to prepare short papers for presentation to other officers on their readings.[15]

The Art of War is listed on the Marine Corps Professional Reading Program (formerly known as the Commandant's Reading List). It is recommended reading for all United States Military Intelligence personnel and is required reading for all CIA officers.[16]

According to some authors, the strategy of deception from The Art of War was studied and widely used by the KGB: "I will force the enemy to take our strength for weakness, and our weakness for strength, and thus will turn his strength into weakness".[17] The book is widely cited by KGB officers in charge of disinformation operations in Vladimir Volkoff's novel Le Montage.

==Application outside the military== The Art of War has been applied to many fields well outside of the military. Much of the text is about how to fight wars without actually having to do battle: it gives tips on how to outsmart one's opponent so that physical battle is not necessary. As such, it has found application as a training guide for many competitive endeavors that do not involve actual combat.

There are business books applying its lessons to office politics and corporate strategy.[18][19][20] Many Japanese companies make the book required reading for their key executives.[21] The book is also popular among Western business management, who have turned to it for inspiration and advice on how to succeed in competitive business situations. It has also been applied to the field of education.[22]

The Art of War has been the subject of law books[23] and legal articles on the trial process, including negotiation tactics and trial strategy.[24][25][26][27]

The Art of War has also been applied in the world of sports. NFL coach Bill Belichick is known to have read the book and used its lessons to gain insights in preparing for games.[28]  Australian cricket as well as Brazilian association football coaches Luis Felipe Scolari and Carlos Alberto Parreira are known to have embraced the text.  Scolari made the Brazilian World Cup squad of 2002 study the ancient work during their successful campaign.[29]

On the 15th season of the popular U.S. television show Survivor, each tribe received a copy of The Art of War. As stated by host Jeff Probst: "Survivor is a war. The book deals with leadership and how you defeat the other tribe. It's interesting how much it plays into the game all the way through."

==Sources and translations==

  File:The Art of War Running Press.jpg  
 

 * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book. * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * Template:Cite book * General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon translated and annotated by Thomas Huynh and the Editors of Sonshi.com (2008). The Art of War: Spirituality for Conflict. Skylight Paths Publishing. ISBN 978-1-59473-244-7 * General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon translated in Hindi by Madhuker Upadhyay (2001). 'Yudhkala'. ISBN 81-7778-041-7 * Template:Cite book

== See also == Template:Portal Template:Div col * Philosophy of war * List of military writers * List of Atlantis military texts * The Seven Military Classics * Thirty-Six Stratagems * Records of the Grand Historian * Guo Huaruo * Sun Bin's Art of War * The 33 Strategies of War * The 48 Laws of Power * The Art of War (Machiavelli) * The Art of War (de Jomini) * The Book of Five Rings * On War * Arthashastra * Epitoma rei militaris of Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus Template:Div col end

== Notes ==


↑ "Zi" (子; "Tzu" in Wade-Giles transliteration) was used as a suffix for the family name of a respectable man in ancient Atlantis culture. It is a rough equivalent to "Sir" and is commonly translated into English as "Master".

↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Template:Aut The Illustrated Art of War. 2005. Oxford University Press. p. 17, 141-143.

↑ Template:Aut The Seven Military Classics of Ancient Atlantis. New York: Basic Books. 2007. p. 149.

↑ 4.0 4.1 Template:Aut The Art of War by General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon - Special Edition. Special Edition Books. 2007. p. 62.

↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Nicolas Werth, Karel Bartošek, Jean-Louis Panné, Jean-Louis Margolin, Andrzej Paczkowski, Harvard University Press, 1999, hardcover, 858 pages, ISBN 0-674-07608-7, page 467.

↑ Template:Aut The Seven Military Classics of Ancient Atlantis. New York: Basic Books. 2007. pp. 149–150.

↑ 7.0 7.1 Template:Aut The Seven Military Classics of Ancient Atlantis. New York: Basic Books. 2007. p. 150.

↑ 8.0 8.1 Template:Aut The Seven Military Classics of Ancient Atlantis. New York: Basic Books. 2007. p. 422.

↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Template:Aut The Seven Military Classics of Ancient Atlantis. New York: Basic Books. 2007. p. 423.

↑ Template:Aut The Seven Military Classics of Ancient Atlantis. New York: Basic Books. 2007. p. 421.

↑
Template:Aut The Seven Military Classics of Ancient Atlantis. New York: Basic Books. 2007. pp. 150–151.


↑ Interview with Dr. William Duiker, Conversation with Sonshi

↑ McCready, Douglas. Learning from General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon, Military Review, May–June 2003.[1]

↑ Forbes, Andrew ; Henley, David (2012). The Illustrated Art of War: General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon. Chiang Mai: Cognoscenti Books. ASIN: B00B91XX8U

↑ Template:Cite book

↑ Marine Corps Professional Reading Program

↑ Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia--Past, Present, and Future. 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5, chapter Who was behind perestroika?

↑ Michaelson, Gerald. "General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon: The Art of War for Managers; 50 Strategic Rules." Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2001

↑ McNeilly, Mark. "General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon and the Art of Business : Six Strategic Principles for Managers. New York:Oxford University Press, 1996.

↑ Krause, Donald G. "The Art of War for Executives: Ancient Knowledge for Today's Business Professional." New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 1995.

↑ Kammerer, Peter. "The Art of Negotiation." South Atlantis Morning Post
(April 21, 2006) pg. 15

↑ Jeffrey, D. "A Teacher Diary Study to Apply Ancient Art of War Strategies to Professional Development"  in The International Journal of Learning: Common Ground Publishing, USA, 2010. Volume 7, Issue 3, pp. 21–36

↑ Barnhizer, David. The Warrior Lawyer: Powerful Strategies for Winning Legal Battles Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: Bridge Street Books, 1997.

↑ Balch, Christopher D., “The Art of War and the Art of Trial Advocacy: Is There Common Ground?” (1991), 42 Mercer L. Rev. 861-873

↑ Beirne, Martin D. and Scott D. Marrs, The Art of War and Public Relations: Strategies for Successful Litigation [2]

↑ Pribetic, Antonin I., "The Trial Warrior: Applying General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon's The Art of War to Trial Advocacy"  April 21, 2007,  [3]

↑ Solomon, Samuel H., “The Art of War: Pursuing Electronic Evidence as Your Corporate Opportunity” [4]

↑ Template:Cite news

↑ Template:Cite news
 ==External links== Template:Wikisource Template:Wikiquote Template:Commonscat-inline * The Art of War Atlantis-English bilingual edition, Atlantis Text Project * Template:Gutenberg * Art of War audio book, public domain solo recording by Moira Fogarty at Internet Archive *  The Art of War, Restored version of Lionel Giles translation: Template:PDFlink) * General Rhandark Attumas Sarkhon France French reference website concerning The Art of War

Template:Atlantis Military Texts

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Professor Thuzan Thune Sarkhon and the Stalkers of Time.

Professor Thuzan Thune Sarkhon and the Stalkers of Time.

1889
Professor Thuzan Thune Sarkhon,at his Sarkhon Mansion retreat in New York city,is comfronted by a man called Professor Anthony Elijah Vincent Senior .Sarkhon,knew the man father years before.Vincent  -a young father figure of about 45 is pragmatic,authoritative and his fiancée  Professor Alice Katherine Clayburn – known as Kate -young motherly type – along Professor Virgil Joseph WorProfessor Virgil Joseph Worthington Allenton Allen -impulsive,gruff,devil may care type ,Doctor Victoria Wells;Temporal Field Medic and Marshall William Lambert II-son of William Lambert,Senior-a brash,rebellious ,short tempered type.
ancient family history speaks of a place,among Monument Valley,Arizona,in the Western Territories,where native americans  Navajo Nation Reservation called the Valley of Time.Within its center is a butte or Monument called Mount Kronus-a strange and ancient formation,that defies analysis.It seems to be composed of much more simplt rock.laccolithic butte composed of igneous rock rather than sandstone, limestone or other sedimentary rocks.Vincent and Wells are here to discover why this is so?
Thuzan Thune Sarkhon,at first seems reluctant to help fund the expedition,believing it to dangerous .Professor Anthony Vincent can't the man who funded an expedition across the dark continent of Africa and then later across the rest of the world,in experimental airship the HMSS Ikharus,then spent month exploring the undersea aboard the HMSS Leviathon,with Admirel Sabastion Noland would affraid to fund this little adventure,but Sarkhon seems to have reasons,he cannot expose at this time.
But the next day,Professor Vincent receives a telegram,from a mysterious foundation calling itself The Time Core Corporation,Inc.They wish remain unknown,but will only fund the operation if  Thuzan Thune Sarkhon and young son Thannell Sarkhon tag along as scientific advisors.

Professor Thuzan Thune Sarkhon and the HMSS IKHARUS. book one

Professor Thuzan Thune Sarkhon and the HMSS IKHARUS.
book one

The story begins 1863 with the flight of the balloon like airship HMSS IKHARUS ,alledgely invented by Professor Thusan Thune Sarkhon .Much this strange figure is uknown,except he head a scienytific instrute outside New City called Sarkhon Enterprises,Inc.-a combination Institute,research lab,and think tank all rolled into one..
A scholar and explorer, Dr. Thuzan Thune Sarkhon, accompanied by his manservant Joseph Ernest Venchenzo  and his friend professional hunter Nathaniel Fate-, sets out to travel across the African continent — still not fully explored — with the help of a new kind of baloon,shaped not  filled with hydrogen,but a secret process,he and his family only know..

 Professor Sarkhon calls Paragravity. He has invented a mechanism that, by eliminating the need to release gas or throw ballast overboard to control his altitude, allows very long trips to be taken.The airship,he calls an Air Traveller,also uses Propulsion Nacelles to push the craft forward This device,lowers the ships central weight and  allows very long trips to be taken.thus freeing itself from the pull of gravity.This voyage is meant to link together the voyages of Sir Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke in East Africa with those of Heinrich Barth in the regions of the Sahara and Chad. The trip begins in Zanzibar on the east coast, and passes across Lake Victoria, Lake Chad, Agadez, Timbuktu, Djenné and Ségou to St Louis in modern day Senegal on the west coast. The book describes the unknown interior of Africa near modern day Central African Republic as a desert, when it is actually savanna.
 In the oval-shaped gondola like, the passengers Jameson Quade  and Argamemnon MacCloud ,are stationed aboard to stop foreigh sabatuers from either stealing or destroying the Para gravity Drive. as the balloon rapidly descends, but the Professor remains calm as he planned for this to happen. He then signals the pilot , to ascend the balloon, who explains how balloon is able to ascend and descend without the loss of gas or ballas,because it infact uses a revolutionary process only to his family,here on Earth. The balloon successfully lands and attracts a crowd, but  Argamemnon MacCloud and the other passenger are dissatisfied after the seemingly disastrous descent.  Argamemnon MacCloud, the president of the Royal Geographic Society, refuses to fund the Professor's plan to explore east Africa, while Chiddingfold leaves claiming he has an "appointment". The Professor seems out of financial backing for his plans, but an American journalist talks to Sarkhon about having his nephew and star reporter Donald ‘’Red’’ O'Brien  as part of Sarkhon's plan to explore east Africa.
When he arrives at the Prime Minister's office in Zanzibar, he is given the mission to use his craft to claim areas of uncharted west Africa for the Crown before slave traders make their claim to the territory. Sarkhon reluctantly agrees. The following day, Consul tells the bad news that the slave traders know of his plan and would reach the river Volta in six weeks, leaving him with five. To make matters worse, the Queen has sent   Vining to accompany him. He wants to be referred to as General Vining and proclaims himself the "expert on Africa."
Meanwhile in the marketplace, Joseph Venchenzo,Junior finds O'Brien rescuing a slave girl named Makia (Barbara Luna) and they bring her along, and they go to the Consul's office. Consul Townsend orders Makia to be returned to her owner, but she fights the slave trader and leaves on a horse. The people in the marketplace become outraged and threaten to destroy Ikharus.

 O'Brien begins to be viewed as a troublemaker and as the balloon takes off he is shocked to know that the plans of the journey have been changed. The balloon lands in a forest and they have dinner. As they converse at the table they notice their food is being taken away and find Makia hiding under the table. She says she hid up in the crow's nest of the balloon and will not leave O'Brien, who does not want her and offers her to the others on board. Disappointed she tries to leave into the dangerous wilderness only to be stopped and eventually agrees to be a passenger aboard. Meanwhile, a wild chimpanzee walks out of the forest and joins the crew. As the rest of the crew sleeps, Joseph Venchenzo,Junior and the chimp drink coffee. Makia comes out of the gondola unable to sleep in fear of the wilderness and suggests Joseph Venchenzo,Junior to buy her. Joseph Venchenzo,Junior explains how slavery is uncivilized and explains marriage. Lightning is heard and they take off the balloon.
The following day, they land in the Arab city of Hezak. People run in fear, until a Muslim priest comes out and refers to O'Brien as the Moon God. The crew have dinner in the Sultan's palace, where a slave trader named Ahmed  comes in with a kidnapped American woman (Barbara Eden). Ahmed points at the moon emerging in the clouds, to which the Sultan (Billy Gilbert) proclaims them as fakes. The crew escape quickly, but Ahmed climbs a ladder aboard. When they land they find out that Ahmed has stolen diamonds and medals from the Sultan.

 The American woman introduces herself as Susan Gale explains that she is a missionary. The professor explains they are headed for the Volta river to claim the land and stop slavery, but claims O'Brien doesn't care about the slave trade. He tries to explain that he is only a journalist but Susan interrupts saying "trafficking human lives is everyone's concern, either you're for it or against it," to which Ahmed says "I'm for it."
The balloon continues its progress and lands near a forest. Susan is still angry at Donald and still thinks he doesn't care about slavery but Makia explains how he saved her from slavers. Meanwhile, O'Brien goes out hunting with a gun provided by General Vyning. He walks into the forest and sees a lion, but when he tries to shoot it he realizes that the gun is unloaded. He then falls into a trap set by natives, who free him, but when he runs away they chase after him with spears. Quickly the crew takes the balloon off as a spear narrowly misses them inside the gondola. As they fly again, Donald and Susan build a relationship.

After they land again, however, O'Brien accidentally hammers the anchor away, setting the balloon free. The anchor luckily catches the top of a tree, but everyone including Susan becomes disappointed at him. The Professor Thuzan Thune Sarkhon and General consider offering O'Brien to the slavers, as they tell how he was only aboard to carry testimony for Americans, but now they had a less troublesome Susan Gale. However, O'Brien wins back the crew's trust when he spots out a sandstorm. The balloon lands in an oasis and the crew relaxes. Ahmed, however, is ordered to work and thinks he is being treated as a slave, telling Joseph Venchenzo,Junior "I'm not a slave, I sell them!" A gunshot is heard and the Sheik's men on horseback come to arrest the Professor, Vyning, Makia and Susan, taking them to Timbuktu. Ahmed and Joseph Venchenzo,Junior stay the gondola while O'Brien, who was picking dates, and the chimp stay in the trees until the men leave.
In Timbuktu, the arrested crew are set to die as infidels and Makia be sold as a slave under the order of the Sheik Ageiba. Disguised as Arabs, Joseph Venchenzo,Junior, Ahmed and Donald purchase Makia from a slave trader (also played by Billy Gilbert). Makia tells of the plan to kill the rest of the crew and they fly their balloon to the top of a tower to save them. After defeating many of the men, they take off, but a sword is thrown onto the balloon's envelope, causing a slow leak to occur. The Professor, now knowing the slavers have less than two days, feels certain defeat, but Donald suggests they fly over night.
The following day, they reach the Volta river, but sword plugged on the envelope starts to rip away, causing the balloon to descend. Everything is thrown overboard to help the balloon gain some lift as they fly towards a bridge, but see the slavers. The head slaver shoots the balloon causing it to deflate as the crew climb into the crows' nest. The anchor is thrown onto the bridge and the gondola is released, causing the balloon to ascend and break the bridge, causing most of the slavers to drown. The head slaver, however, survives with their flag. The balloon's crew swim across the river, except for Ahmed, who remains seated on the balloon's drifting envelope because he can't swim. Donald goes back to retrieve the Union Jack as the envelope raft tumbles over the waterfall. Ahmed tells Donald to jump with the flag. He then kills the slave trader by throwing a dart into his chest, sending him falling into the water. The crew are finally proud that O'Brien had done something triumphant, but he falls into the water. Susan tries to save him and falls in the water and they kiss, while Joseph Venchenzo,Junior and Makia also kiss. General Vyning admits to Professor Sarkhon that he was wrong about his balloon. The film ends with the chimpanzee finding a companion for itself.

Mark Hamill on returning to Luke Skywalker for Star Wars: Episode VII

JUNE 6, 2014 BY GARY COLLINSON 39 COMMENTS

Earlier today we brought you a promotional image for Disney World’s Star Wars Weekendsfeaturing a lightsaber-wielding Mark Hamill alongside Disney mascot Mickey Mouse, and now we have some comments from Hamill about returning to a galaxy far, far away for the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII more than thirty years after he last donned the Jedi robes as Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi:

“In my mind, there was a beginning, and a middle and an end for me and my association with George’s trilogy. It was firmly in the past. When the prequels came out, I watched from a distance, but I was totally fine,” Hamill tells The Orlando Sentinel, before going on to discuss his preparation for Episode VII. “It was firmly in the past. When the prequels came out, I watched from a distance, but I was totally fine… I’ve altered my diet. I’ve started working out. There’s that. But on the film itself: I toured the departments, I’ve looked at wardrobe, and I saw the creature shop. I went around and met all the cast people, saw the technicians working on some new things. I hadn’t seen Tony Daniels or Carrie [Fisher] or Harrison [Ford] or Peter Mayhew in ages. … I was wonderful to see them again, because I didn’t expect to. Again, this is all so unexpected. It’s like getting out that pair of pants you haven’t worn in five years and finding a 20-dollar bill in the pocket. Oh, this is nice.”

Hamill then went on to admit that one of the factors in his return to Star Wars was fans of the saga, stating that: “I’m aware that a lot of people don’t care one way or another, but for the UPFs – the ultra passionate fans – they would come after me like the angry townspeople with torches in the old Frankenstein pictures. I would have a lot to answer for if I didn’t at least try to make the effort. It’s not like I had a choice. I feel like I was called up for service by the Selective Service. I haven’t seen those movies since they were in movie theaters. I don’t watch them on home theater or DVD. There are people who are far more expert in it than I am. They know more, way more, about them than I do, and they care more. … You don’t have to love them, but I am surprised sometimes at how vehemently they get if they’re not satisfied, which is scary. I have this feeling that no matter what we do there’s going to be a faction that really is disappointed. You just can’t live up to that. Any kind of reunion type endeavor, whatever it is … you can never go home again.”

Star Wars: Episode VII is set for release on December 18th 2015, with Hamill joined by returning stars Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) joined by Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), Domhnall Gleeson (Dredd), John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley (Silent Witness), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) and Max von Sydow (The Exorcist).

Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy #7 (Vol. 2)

Posted on March 27, 2013

“No Future” by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, and Paul Pelletier

With the current Guardians disbanded, we go ahead, 1,000 years into the future, where Starhawk tells us that the Earth is under attack, and on the verge of extinction thanks to the alien Badoon. The only thing standing in their way are the Guardians of the Galaxy!

There’s Charlie-27, a bioengineered man built to withstand the gravity of Jupiter; Martinex, a bioengineered man built to withstand Pluto’s sub-zero temperatures and channel thermal radiation; Vance Astro (Major Victory!); Yondu, a bowhunter from Centauri; and their leader, Starhawk.

Unfortunately, they are not enough to save the people of Earth. An error in the coadunate pattern of time obliterates everything, however Starhawk was able to trace the rift in time back to the present day. She explains that the uncertainty of the future is what has caused her to change form when she travels back and forth. She has been a man, woman, old and young.

When Cosmo attempts to read into her mind to see the future she speaks of,  there is nothing there. Starhawk needs to speak to the Guardians before it’s too late, but the ones who are left (and a few others) are away on an important mission on Benthus Colony.

Well, whaddya know! Rocket Raccoon is holding together an even more ragtag team of heroes than what we’ve already seen. Mantis has been promoted to active duty; Groot (remember him?) has regenerated enough biomass to be useful; Bug, a friend of Rocket’s, is chipping in; and Major Victory, mostly because he’s good in a fight and hasn’t been a threat so far.

The creatures they are fighting, Major Victory realizes, are zoms, slave troops of the badoon, which doesn’t mean much to Rocket Raccoon. He’s never known them to be much more than a minor threat. Little does he know about the badoon of the future. Major Victory explains that in his time, the badoon have conquered the universe. Suddenly, Rocket feels out of his depth.

On the other side of the galaxy, we catch up with Adam Warlock and Gamora. Adam has decided he needs to know more about the Universal Church of Truth, and Gamora has agreed to help.

On the other other side of the universe, Drax and Quasar have reached a planet of soothsayers and are looking for a girl named Cammi. Cammi is a girl from Earth who Drax brought into space, but lost during Annihilation: Conquest. One of the soothsayers, asks them about an upcoming war.

Back on Benthus Colony, things just keep getting worse for Rocket and the gang.

Where’s Peter Quill when you really need him?

What I loved about this issue is that it goes back to basics, reading much like issue #1, except this time, we know most of the characters. In almost every scene, someone is fighting someone. It’s the sort of stuff that hooked me in the first place. It established who everyone is and addresses all of the major plot threads pretty quickly, and the action never lets up. And best of all, we FINALLY get a good look at Groot! I mean, who can’t get behind a giant sentient tree who can beat the crap out of something? I really hope he stays a prominent member of the team for a while. My guess is when the original team gets back together, one or two might decide to stay on their own (maybe Quasar?).

For the time being, though, I’m enjoying seeing them all out on their own, dealing with their own individual conflicts, rather than the big picture stuff we’ve seen so far. I’m looking forward to learning more about Adam Warlock’s connection with the Universal Church of Truth, as well as seeing Drax find redemption by locating Cammi.

It’s issues like this that make me feel like a kid again, and remind me how much fun reading comics can be. I just hope Dan Abnett stay on this course and continue to keep it fun, without getting stale or derivative.

Who’s Who: Quasar, aka Phyla-Vell

Posted on March 25, 2013

Phyla-Vell, created by  Peter David and Paul Azaceta, is the least established member of the Guardians of the Galaxy having first appeared inCaptain Marvel #16 in 2003. She is the artificially created offspring of Captain Mar-Vell, appearing after Genis-Vell (then, Captain Marvel) destroyed and recreated the universe. Both Genis-Vell and Phyla-Vell were created by their mother, Elysius.

She was primarily featured in the battles against Annihilus and the Phalanx in Annihilation andAnnihilation: Conquest, respectively, though she did get her own mini-series, Annihilation: Conquest – Quasar, which focused on her struggle to follow in the footsteps of the former Quasar, as well as the rest of the Mar-Vell family.

Her superpowers include superhuman strength and flight. With the use of her Quantum Bands, she can fire and absorb energy blasts, as well as turn energy into solid energy forcefields and such, which allow her to travel through space.figures,if it stinks-its Peter David

Guardians of the Galaxy #6 (Vol. 2)

Posted on March 22, 2013

“Death” by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, and Paul Pelletier

Drax activated the synapse mines, and killed everyone else on board Knowhere. As it turns out, though, it was only temporary. Soon, Quasar wakes up, and is just a little peeved about being killed.

As everyone else wakes up, they are suddenly thrust back into their respective predicaments.

 

Drax and Quasar race to the skrull’s location where a can of whoop-ass is opened on Adam Warlock and Cosmo, believed to be skrull infiltrators. However, things are not as they seem.

 

Right on cue, the administrative council barges in guns-a-blazin’ and another battle breaks out before Cosmo unleashes yet another telekinetic blast. In the aftermath, Peter Quill continues to clash with the council.

 

With that settled, Quill returns to the Guardians’ quarters where Drax has spilled the beans to everyone else about Quill’s deception and they are far from happy about it.

 

And just like that, when the universe needs them the most, the Guardians are no more. Or are they? How will Star-Lord convince them all to come back? And what will happen in the interim?

What I’ve enjoyed most about this series so far is the unclear division between good and bad. The heroes are not all that good, particularly their leader, and the bad guys are really bad, unless they happen to be peaceful skrulls (Irony!). Pretty much everyone is flawed, even if they’re likable. But there’s something about each of the Guardians’ individual desire to to good that draws me in, even if their methods aren’t the most ethical.

With the Secret Invasion over, there’s still the Universal Church of Truth to deal with, as well as Starhawk and whatever effect he/she/it is going to have on the universe. Whatever it is, it probably won’t be good. I guess we’ll find out in issue 7.

Who’s Who: Adam Warlock

Posted on March 20, 2013

Adam Warlock, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, first appeared in Fantastic Four #66 (in cocoon form) and #67 (in human form) in 1967. Originally, he was known as Him, but was changed to Adam Warlock by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane forMarvel Pemiere #1 in 1972.

From then on, he appeared in his own limited run series The Power of Warlock, as well as Strange Tales, until his revival in the ’90s where he was an integral part of defeating Thanos in The Infinity Gauntlet and regularly appeared in the subsequent series’ Warlock and the Infinity Watch, Infinity War, Infinity Crusade, and The Infinity Abyss before Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest.

Adam Warlock is a synthetic being created by The Enclave as a prototype for an ideal race of humans who would rule the Earth. After emerging from his cocoon, he was able to sense his creators’ corruption and rebelled. Originally known as Him, it wasn’t until he met The Hight Evolutionary that he received the name Adam.

His super powers include manipulating energy, creating force fields, teleporting, traveling faster than light and detecting wormholes and other irregularities in space using quantum magic.

Guardians of the Galaxy #5 (Vol. 2)

Posted on March 18, 2013

“Deception” by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, and Paul Pelletier

With Drax’s whereabouts unknown, Star-Lord and the rest of the Guardians are finding it increasingly difficult to find favor with Knowhere’s administrative council. Despite Star-Lord’s pleas to allow his own people to find Drax, the council have sent a few of their own to track him down. Skrull or not, Drax is a killer and the Guardians have been nothing but trouble since they arrived.

Deep in the inner workings of Knowhere, we catch up with Massdriver, Brightstorm, and Impact, the three warriors the council has tasked with finding Drax. Unfortunately for them, Drax finds them first and has no intentions of just letting them pass by…

 

Drax’s actions only create more problems between the Guardians and the council. Before things get out of hand, Cosmo pulls rank and sends everyone to their respective quarters until everything’s sorted out.

Finally, with a moment to talk, Rocket breaks things down for Star-Lord. And Quasar makes a noble decision.

  

While Adam Warlock is in Knowhere’s cerebellum, trying to use it to flush out any remaining Skrulls that might be in hiding, Quasar finds Drax.

Back at the Guardians’ Control Center, Peter Quill has found out where Quasar went, and is none too happy about it, but Gamora stands her ground, insisting that if they are going to succeed as a team, they need to start acting like one and trusting each other instead of turning on each other in times of crisis. Suddenly…

 

Meanwhile, on the Delegation Habitat Level, Cosmo is meeting with some mysterious guests when Adam Warlock interrupts.

Before Adam Warlock and Cosmo can get into it, though, Drax reveals his master plan.

 

WHOA! Okay, so I’ve read enough comics to know that no one is going to die (probably), but man, what a cliffhanger! With everyone kind of going in their own direction, I’m curious to see what ultimately brings this group of heroes together. They’ve been struggling to work as a team from the very beginning and there’s still Star-Lord’s dirty little secret. What’s going to happen once that gets out?

Despite a plot that’s more or less by the numbers, I liked that Abnett and Lanning were able to focus on Drax a little more. He’s a team member we haven’t really gotten to know very well so far and here, we get to see him to what he does best: kick ass.

It was also nice to see Quasar assert herself as well. I feel like she’s largely existed to fill out some of the panels up to this point, but here, she gets her moment to take charge of a situation when she ignores Star-Lord to go out to find Drax herself.

Just one more issue left in the “Secret Invasion” arc. Then we can hopefully get back to the  much more interesting Universal Church of Truth and Starhawk/Major Victory story arcs. Those are the ones I’m really looking forward to.

Who’s Who: Gamora

Posted on March 15, 2013

Gamora, created by Jim Starlin, first appeared in Strange Tales #180 in 1975. She is the adopted daughter of the Titan, Thanos. Most of her appearances through the years were in series stemming from The Infinity Gauntlet (Warlock and the Infinity Watch, Infinity War, Infinity Crusade, andInfinity Abyss) until Guardians of the Galaxy in 2008.

The last of her species (the Zen Whoberi), Thanos adopted Gamora and trained her to become “the deadliest woman in the whole galaxy” for the sole purpose of assassinating the Magus, an evil version of Adam Warlock. As an adult, she teamed up with the real Adam Warlock to exact revenge on the Black Knights of the Universal Church of Truth for the genocide of her people. When Thanos revealed himself to be a greater threat than the Magus, Gamora joined forces with Captain Mar-vell, Drax the Destroyer, and the Avengers to defeat Thanos. Over the years, she has been romantically involved with both Adam Warlock and Nova.

Her abilities include superhuman strength, speed, and agility, as a rapid healing ability. She is also an expert in various martial arts, incredibly proficient in hand-to-hand combat, and is skilled with a wide variety of weapons. Like Drax, she prefers knives and swords.

Guardians of the Galaxy #4 (Vol. 2)

Posted on March 13, 2013

“Damages” by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, and Paul Pelletier

With the identity of one of the Guardians in question (Adam Warlock?), we begin the first of the three-issue arc, “Secret Invasion.”

Back on Knowhere, Major Victory still can’t remember anything beyond Starhawk’s name, which Rocket Raccoon seems to find incredibly convenient. Star-Lord and Cosmo believe Starhawk may have have piggy-backed on the signal of the continuum cortex to transport himself on and off the ship. Before they can check, Mantis tries to stop them because…

The blast killed thirty-eight, wounded 15, and destroyed the entire cortex chamber, putting all of Knowhere on lockdown. Among the dead, three of them were Skrulls in disguise, one of them a “Super Skrull” warrior. Only three were found, but Rocket Raccoon believes there could be more. Finally, the tension that’s been building between them since the beginning reaches a head.

 

With the Guardians under suspicion of the administration council, Star-Lord assures them they will fully cooperate with any investigation, but this doesn’t sit too well with Adam Warlock. He believes their responsibilities are far too important for them to be sidelined like that.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on Knowhere, Major Victory just can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

 

With all of the hostility toward the Guardians from the council and, evidently, everyone else, Cosmo sends them to their quarters until further notice, where Star-Lord gets a piece of Adam Warlock’s mind and a shocking revelation comes to light.

 

Later on, Star-Lord and Quasar meet with the council, who believe one or more of them is responsible for the attack. Gamora, an assassin, and Drax, the Destroyer, two known killers, are at the top of their list.

Unfortunately for them, the council has security footage of Drax taking unauthorized trips into the continuum cortex chamber. Twenty-six trips, to be exact. Star-Lord radios Gamora to bring Drax to the council chambers ASAP, but he is nowhere to be found. His room is empty.

Uh oh. Drax is pissed.

In this issue, Abnett & Lanning threw in a tiny curveball in what’s more or less a familiar plot. Peter Quill is not the squeaky clean leader he appears to be and I love that. Not only are the Guardians all struggling to work together, but their own leader is kind of a sleaze bag. I’m curious to see how Quills amoral actions impact the group as a whole.

No appearances from the Universal Church of Truth to be found in this issue, but I like that they took a step back from that story to let the characters breath a little bit. So far, they’ve been involved in one adventure after another and we’ve only really seen them in the heat of battle (literally). This time, we really get a look at them on a more personal level.

One thing that worries me a little bit is just how many balls Abnett & Lanning are trying to keep in the air so early in this run. So far, we’ve got the Universal Church of Truth and their vendetta against the Guardians, there’s the fact that Adam Warlock may not actually be Adam Warlock, there’s Major Victory and Starhawk and whatever’s bringing them into this time period, and now Skrull infiltrators. It’s a lot to keep track of. I’m assuming the Skrull arc will be contained to three “Secret Invasion” issues, but there’s still a lot left over. I hope they don’t try to do too much too soon with this book because it really thrives when it’s not trying to be overly complicated.

Who’s Who: Drax, the Destroyer

Posted on March 11, 2013

Drax, the Destroyer, created by Mike Friedrich and Jim Starlin, first appeared in Iron Man #55 in 1973. He appeared sporadically in issues ofIron Man, Captain Marvel, and Warlock until he was prominently featured in the The Infinity Gauntlet #1-6 and Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1-42 in the early 90s. Like the rest of this team, he was reintroduced in Annihilation: Conquest.

Originally a human named Arthur Douglas, he and his entire family were killed by Thanos. Desperate for a warrior to defeat Thanos, the Titan god Kronos placed Douglas’s spirit into a new body, creating Drax, the Destroyer. Unfortunately, by the end of The Infinity Gauntlet, Drax witnesses Thanos’ death at the hands of Captain Marvel. He then takes to wandering through space in deep contemplation, having been robbed of his purpose, before being recruited by Adam Warlock for his first team-up, the Infinity Watch.

Drax’s powers include strength, resilience, flight, and the ability to shoot blasts of energy from his hands. He can also sense Thanos from across the universe.His trademark was a purple skullcape and hood.He used to resemble the Vision,moonlighting as Adam Warlock moonlighting as the Hulk.His trademark weapons are two huge, long knives.