What if the Phantom Stranger never existed? Yesterday, I told you how Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #11 was my Pick of the Week, but I also told you that there was something about the issue I would comment on today. The final panels of the issue showed one of the most historically binding moves ever taken.
The Phantom Stranger
What Happened?
In The Phantom Stranger #11, the main character, Batman, Katana, and Deadman attempt to draw Doctor Light out of Heaven. If Doctor Light was alive again, Superman could not be guilty for his murder. Living up to his word, the Archangel Zauriel ceased the existence, past existence, and memory of the Phantom Stranger for attempting to pull another soul out of Heaven.
Disclaimer
In this article, I am going to assume religion because Judeo Christian beliefs are weaved into the mythology of the DC Universe. Any statement of religion, and “religious history,” is not an attempt to make you believe. The statements are meant to flow with the assumed history of the DC Universe and particular characters.
Why is this Important?
Remember, the Phantom Stranger is Judas Iscariot and is forced to travel until his debt of sin is paid. If Judas did not exist, there would not have been someone to hand Jesus over to the Sanhedrin. This would mean Jesus would not have been able to carry out His destiny and would have died being recognized as a prophet and not the Son of God.
On the Religious Side
Since Jesus simply died as a prophet, it would mean that the Apostles and other followers would not have had the same drive to spread the Gospels around the world. The Holy Spirit would not have come to them on Pentecost (since there would not have been a Pentecost). No force to spread the Word – no major push for Christianity.
Christianity teaches that Jesus died for the sins of humanity and reopened the gates of Heaven. If Jesus did not die in a torturous way, it would mean that the gates of Heaven had not been opened. This would mean that all of the dead would wait in Purgatory for the Messiah to open the gates to Eternal Salvation.
On the Historical Side
If the spread of Christianity never happened, it would mean the Emperor Constantine never unified the Roman Empire through monotheism. He would not have created the Holy Roman Empire using the power of Christianity to strengthen his empire. He did so in the real world because his empire had become too spread out and was falling apart. If the Phantom Stranger never existed, the Reich that was the Holy Roman Empire never existed either.
The next big issue comes in 1096. If there is no Christian Church unifying Europe, who would have fought in the First Crusade? There would not have been one and the Ottoman Empire would have spread across the Middle East and eventually Europe and Africa. The Muslim religion would have spread unabated by Christianity and would probably have been the dominant religion of the modern world.
What Else?
If Rome did not have the central power of the world through the Christian Church, the world’s banking system would not have evolved the way it did. The Medici, Bardi, and Peruzzi families would not have developed the banking system we have today. The Knights Templar would not have had the power from the Church to create the loan system which they developed over the years. Without an expansionist banking system, the world would have stayed in the Middle Ages.
Lack of Science
Another debatable point would be the lack of science if the Ottoman Empire would have spread without the existence of the Phantom Stranger. The Middle East now, which is essentially the remnants of the Ottoman Empire (especially in Iran), we don’t see the evolution of science. Without the Phantom Stranger in the world, we should not expect science to have developed as an oppressive fundamentalist government does not encourage the free thinking science needs.
Pay Attention DC Comics
If the Phantom Stranger (Judas Iscariot) never existed, we would have never gotten out of the Middle Ages. The Justice League should all be wearing armor and meeting in castles. Bruce Wayne would not be rich which would mean that Batman would not have the cool toys he does. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the upcoming pages of the Trinity War. Either way, I am sure someone over at DC Comics did not do their homework.
