Warning: contains spoilers for Sins of Sinister #1!The Juggernaut‘s powers make him truly unstoppable, even against the strongest beings in the multiverse, but his recent ‘death’ shows how nightmarish his powers actually are. Juggernaut, also known as Cain Marko, is the stepbrother of the X-Men founder Charles Xavier (aka Professor X), but his powers actually come from the mystical Crimson Gem of Cyttorak, not the mutant X-gene. The gem makes Juggernaut a particularly dangerous adversary for the X-Men, but they also come with a potential that could doom Marko to a fate worse than death.
In the first issue of Sins of Sinister, by Kieron Gillen, Lucas Werneck, Bryan Valenza, Clayton Cowles, Jay Bowen, and numerous guest artists, Juggernaut is forced to assassinate Thanos. Sins of Sinister charts the fall of the X-Men, as Mister Sinister has managed to unlock their worst selves. Accordingly, when Thanos’ poses a threat to the new mutant empire, Juggernaut is psychically persuaded to be shrunk down and used as an unstoppable bullet. Since Juggernaut’s magic momentum makes him unstoppable once in motion, he’s able to kill Thanos, ‘saving’ the world. The aftermath of this assassination, however, is utterly nightmarish for Juggernaut, as it leaves him barreling through space for eternity, unable to die.
Juggernaut’s Powers Doom Him Forever
Thanks to the powers bestowed by the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak, Juggernaut is unstoppable in every sense. Once he gains enough momentum, Juggernaut cannot be stopped from running, even if the Hulk himself stood in his way. However, this also extends to his physical needs – Juggernaut doesn’t need food, water, rest or air when moving, however he still feels all the attendant desires. For example, Juggernaut will never die of hunger while running, but he still gets hungrier and hungrier the longer he goes without nourishment. In the past, Juggernaut has clarified that while he’s survived some shocking situations – like being buried under 40 feet of cement by Spider-Man, or exiled in space by Thor – he still experiences them as torturous experiences due to this fact.
Juggernaut Is Destined to Suffer
Juggernaut’s assassination of Thanos in Sins of Sinister results in Marko being propelled into space as he exits the Mad Titan’s head. Although Juggernaut will survive, he will hurtle through a vacuum unable to die but suffering from the cold, pressure, lack of oxygen, and starvation forever. Juggernaut will suffer for the rest of time, and – since his powers are magical in nature – potentially beyond. To make matters worse, Sins of Sinister notes that Juggernaut is psychically manipulated into being used against Thanos – likely the work of his hated step-brother Charles Xavier, who never wanted him included by the X-Men in the first place. It’s a horrifying, humiliating ending for Juggernaut – his worst nightmare come to life.
While this may seem like an unusual ending for Juggernaut, it’s not the first time he’s survived the impossible. In multiple stories – from Age of Apocalypse to What If…? #94 – Juggernaut’s powers allow him to survive events that kill Marvel’s other heroes and villains, leaving him alone and unkillable, but doomed to keep suffering. While drifting through space is just the latest tragic ending for Juggernaut, his ‘unstoppable’ powers reliably end up exacting a terrible price – one few people would accept, no matter how much power they offer in the short term.