(Demon III #55-58) - Etrigan, feeling utterly defeated after Jason Blood's victory over him, moped around Hell, not even bothering to rhyme. Morax, Poppinjay, Bloodklott, Baytor and Kakk approached him, telling him that Karrien Excalibris, the archangel of war had entered Hell with an army of angels, declaring himself the new ruler of Hell and demanding fealty from the demons. Etrigan said he didn't care, o his friends attacked him. Etrigan fought back savagely, and the violence reinvigorated him. He agreed to rally the denizens of Hell to fight back against Excalibris, giving a speech about how Hell was all about freedom and rejecting the rigid rules of Heaven. The assembled demons responded with cheers, willing to fight to the death to preserve their liberty. Etrigan and his army met Karrien in all out war, with Kakk's Hell soldiers Sleazy Co. and Poppinjay's Flying Tigers, a squadron of flying sharks inflicting many casualties. The angels shot Poppinjay down, and he radioed to Etrigan that it had been a hoot to know him. The tide turned against Etrigan, and he was forced to retreat. Kakk told him the Crown of Thorns was lost somewhere in the city of Dis, and they could use it against Karrien unless he found it first, in which case he'd have an actual claim on Hell. Etrigan resolved to take on Karrien's army by himself, telling Kakk that if he perished he hoped to serve a a martyr to his men. Etrigan tore a number of angels to shreds before being captured and told Karrien God had not allowed him and his followers to storm Hell because He believed Karrien would be a proper ruler, but because he belonged in Hell for being a warmonger. Karrien told Etrigan he was going to die, but would not sully himself by doing it himself. He'd recruited Etrigan's old foes General von Raddel and Captain Scumm, who'd become demon lords after Etrigan sent them to Hell to have their way with him. Raddel raved that once he returned to Earth he'd continue to spread Nazism and continue his Fourth Reich. Scumm felt comfortable that there'd be a place for sociopathic pirates in the new world order. Raddel ran over Etrigan, who was chained to a rock, with his Hellpanzer numerous times until Etrigan's left side was virtually destroyed, but Baytor and Bloodklott came looking for Etrigan and freed him. He knocked Scumm's head off with one punch while Baytor and Bloodklott dragged Raddel from his tank. He pleaded that all he ever wanted was peace, and that it was the political climate of Germany that turned him into a Nazi, but his plea fell deaf ear and Etrigan ran him over with his own tank. The angel Muriel wanted to withdraw his squadron, worried that Etrigan had a point about the angels being damned if they continued to blindly follow Karrien, so Karrien stabbed him with his flaming sword and warned the other angel against any treasonous ideas. Bloodklott informed Etrigan that Karrien was mounting an assault on Dis to reclaim the Crown of Thorns, so they drove the Hellpanzer to the battle. Bloodklott admitted he was ashamed of his poor rhyming and broke down crying. Etrigan assured him that his rhyme skills didn't matter because he was a brave and loyal comrade. Bloodklott mowed down a number of angels with the tank's firepower, and found himself rhyming properly. He rejoiced, but his triumph was short lived a Karrien incinerated him with his flaming sword. Etrigan vowed to avenge him and make Dis his last stand. Morax fell in combat, beheaded by Karrien, goading Etrigan into single combat with Karrien, who mutilated him with his sword and tossed him into a pit. Etrigan had a vision of the spirits of Morax, Poppinay and Bloodkloot cheering him on, and they helped him find the Crown of Horns.

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