Secret Warriors #20-23 "Night"
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Alessandro Vitti and Mirko Colak (#21)
Color Artist: Imaginary Friends Studio
Letterer: Dave Lanphear
Cover Artist: Jim Cheung, Mark Morales, Justin Ponsor, and Paul Renaud (#23)

In the wake of continued warfare with Leviathan, Fury leads his team into a Hydra base, where they are ambushed by Von Strucker and Gorgon. Earlier, Fury had followed J.T. and seen his secret meeting with a Hydra operative.

When the mission goes south, the Secret Warriors take a beating and Phobos squares off against Gorgon in a destined battle, where the young god is killed and reunited with his father, Ares, in the afterlife. Fury and J.T. hold off Hydra as the rest escape, but Fury lets him die, telling J.T. of how he knows of his betrayal to the team.

Helping to evacuate Fury's team is Druid with James Garrett. Following his dismisal from the team, Druid was trained by Garrett and together they undertook missions, including one where the wrecks of the downed helicarriers captured by the Chinese were made to disappear. Druid destroys the Hydra forces chasing them and the team makes it back home. Fury reveals J.T. betrayal to Quake.

• Continuity Notes
• Appearence by John Garrett.
• Reprinted in:
  • Secret Warriors: Night TPB and hardcover
  • Secret Warriors: The Complete Collection Volume 2.

Review:
After a spotlight on Fury and the old men, the series switches focus to the youngest characters, including Phobos. One of the strangest storylines is the story of Phobos and how "godhood" works. It always hits from left field and it seems out of sync with the espionage and covert warfare stories the series is telling, but it works surprisingly well. The showdown between Phobos and Gorgon is a stunner and and Phobos' arc is one of the hidden gems of the series.

J.T.'s arc also comes to an end here, and the reader really feels for Daisy when Fury hands her the evidence of the betrayal. Fury's last conversation with J.T., calling Daisy a daughter is a rare moment for Fury, a peek under the tough-as-nails skin he inhabits and it shows the humanity that still governs the man..

The issue with Druid feels something like a filler episode, but it does work in the larger framework. I'm still puzzled by Hickman's use of Garrett. I honestly was never aware of the character outside of stories with Elektra and Daredevil and I certainly didn't find him such an ally of Fury. With Hickman's eye for resurrecting so many unused character's Fury's cast, I'm beginning to think there a story or two I've missed involving Garrett. .
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