The tension explodes in Blade: Red Band #4. After the shocking betrayal in the previous issue where Elena shot Blade to use him as bait, we finally get the payoff. We also take a trip nearly two thousand years into the past to witness the birth of our villain, Pontious Van Helsing, and learn the dark source of his power. Here is a page-by-page breakdown of the full story, explaining exactly what happens in this blood-soaked issue.
The Origin (Ancient Rome – The Age of Nero)
- The Setting: The story opens in Ancient Rome, during the Age of Nero. We see a younger General Pontious Van Helsing standing amidst ruin.
- The Tragedy: Pontious is devastated. Barbarians have found his home and slaughtered his family while he was away. He is consumed by grief and rage.
- The Meeting: A mysterious, pale figure approaches him. The entity introduces himself as Cain.
- Who is Cain? He claims to be “Violence. The First Violence.” He tells Pontious that his rage is beautiful.
- The Deal: Cain plays on Pontious’s loneliness (“Hell is being absolutely alone”). He offers Pontious the power to serve his rage forever, to hunt the men who killed his family, and to never be alone again.
- The Turn: Pontious asks why Cain is doing this. Cain replies, “Because I wish to not be alone.” Pontious accepts the offer and drinks Cain’s blood, transforming into the vampire lord we know today.
The Bait and The Breakout
Location: The abandoned triage center (Present Day).
- The Aftermath: We cut back to the cliffhanger from the last issue. Blade is bound to a chair, wounded from Elena’s gunshot.
- The Confrontation: Elena reveals the truth: she turned on Blade to use him as bait because she knew Pontious was tracking him. She needed to draw Pontious’s forces out.
- Blade’s Reaction: Surprisingly, Blade isn’t furious. He understands the tactical necessity (“You turned on me before you could turn on me. Self-preservation”).
- The Attack: As they speak, Pontious’s “flock”—mindless, monstrous vampire drones—begins to swarm the building.
- The Release: Blade effortlessly breaks his bonds (“CRACK”). He demands his sword from Elena. She kicks it to him, and the Daywalker is loose.
The Blood and The Connection
- The Fight: Blade and Elena fight back-to-back against the swarm. Elena uses her heavy firepower, while Blade slices through the horde.
- The Realization: Blade realizes these creatures aren’t just soldiers; they are “drones,” created by only the oldest kind of vampires. They share a hive mind with their master.
- The Ritual: In a gruesome moment, Blade decides to use their connection against them. He grabs one of the creatures and drinks its blood (“Know the blood of his legion, and you will know the man”).
- The Vision: The blood gives Blade a psychic link to Pontious. The world falls away, and Blade enters a metaphysical space where he confronts Pontious face-to-face.
The Offer
- The Conversation: In this psychic realm, Pontious taunts Blade. He sees Blade not as a hero, but as someone “wearing your body like a suit of armor.” He claims Blade is still afraid from his possession by Varnae.
- The Temptation: Pontious makes a shocking offer. He claims that with his power (derived from Cain), he can strip the vampirism from Blade.
- The Promise: “I can make you a man again.”
- The Challenge: Pontious tells Blade to stop fighting and “Follow the blood” to find him.
- The Awakening: Blade snaps back to reality. He tells Elena that he knows where to go. The issue ends with Blade determined to follow the trail, setting up the final confrontation.
