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| “ | I've heard it said, everyone is the hero of their own story. The thought is that even the most vile villain believes his actions to be right and thinks of himself as "good." I am here to tell you, right, that I am evil. I am greedy, selfish, I do not care or the plights of others. The citizen walks among us but he is not one of us. He goes on about his daily life unaware of the dangers that surround him. The dangers people like us bring to his doorstep. We are better than the citizen. We are aware of the evils of the world and we celebrate them...profit from them. Money and power. That is our desire. That is the foundation of The Order...I look before me, and I see a power the world has not yet experienced. A power that could bring about the end of all things. | „ |
| ~ Set in Guarding the Globe Vol 1 3. |
Set is the main antagonist of the Image Comics series Guarding the Globe, a spin-off of the Invincible series and a stand-alone sequel of the Brit series.
He is a mysterious warmonger and the leader of The Order, a powerful team of supervillains. He wears a mask because his gaze has the power to immobilize any living being for up to two hours. However, he’s forbidden from using powers by his unseen father. He is also the brother of Thoth.
Biography[]
Background[]
The true origins of Set remain a mystery. His desire for global destruction is driven by the influence of his unseen father. For many years, Set has been secretly building the Order as a means to unleash chaos across the world and pave the way for his father's rise to power. However, Set was forbidden from using the full extent of his abilities. He is forced to wear a helmet, as even a glance from him can paralyze any living being for up to two hours. Over the decades, he has carefully built, and at times rebuilt the Order, which has collapsed before due to internal conflicts like jealousy and disputes over territory. All the while, he has remained focused on executing his plan to bring about worldwide devastation.
Guarding the Globe Vol. 1[]
When Embrace brings Mr. Liu to what looks like ancient Greek ruins, he demands to know why he was taken there, pointing out that he doesn’t even know who she is. Embrace suggests that his time imprisoned in America might explain that. Frustrated, Liu angrily reveals that he’s one of the Order’s founding members and insists she show him some respect. Just then, a voice tells him to "bow his head." Liu immediately recognizes it as Set’s. Set grabs Liu by the face and threatens him, telling him that he will help, because they’re not going to let decades of work fall apart.
After being defeated by the Guardians of the Globe, Octoboss is rescued by Multi-Paul, though Octoboss initially mistakes him for an enemy. Paul had already taken out Octoboss's captors. After the rescue, he brings Octoboss to an Order base. There, Set assembles Embrace, Mister Liu, his bodyguard Face, Titan, Isotope, and Machine Head. Set then offers Octoboss a place in the Order, saying that his ambition would be a valuable asset to the team. At the Order’s underwater base, Set gives a speech where he openly admits that he’s evil and doesn’t have some backstory where he thinks he’s actually a hero. He says he doesn’t care about people and talks about a power he sees one that could bring about the end of everything.
Later, Embrace informs Set that the Guardians have made their public announcement. Set then instructs the Order to make theirs as well. Around the world, battles begin: in Chicago, Titan and Kursk take on Black Samson and Le Bruiser; in London, Knockout, Kid Thor, and Cast Iron fight the Walking Dread; and in Madrid, Zandale and Outrun face off against Slaying Mantis.
Five days later, Set watches the destruction of Paris caused by the Order with satisfaction. Mr. Liu asks if this is where they’ll establish their empire, but Set dismisses the idea and says their next target is Washington, D.C., where they’ll destroy the Pentagon. As the Guardians clash with the Order, Set easily defeats Pegasus and attempts to crush Brit, but fails because of Brit’s invulnerability. Brit manages to take off Set’s mask, shocking him. Set reveals that the mask was suppressing his mind-control powers, and without it, his years of planning have fallen apart. He apologizes to his father for breaking the rules. Then, he knocks out both the Guardians and the Order members, leaving only Japandroid standing—his powers don’t affect synthetic beings. Japandroid calculates her chances of success as extremely low, but says there is zero chance she’ll surrender. Enraged, Set destroys her easily. Frustrated, he says he’s spent decades trying and, putting his helmet back on, declares he’ll start over.
Guarding the Globe Vol. 2[]
During a funeral for Supreme Leader Cho's father in Hong Kong, he hears a mysterious voice offering him protection. Instinctively, he draws his sword and strikes at the source, but the blade shatters on impact, doing nothing. The voice belongs to Set, who steps forward and warns Cho not to repeat his father's mistake: disappointing him. Later, Set has a submarine transported to Atlantis, and as it descends, the crew begins dying from the intense underwater pressure. In the city, while Lethan is exploring, Set begins causing chaos. Lethan and another Atlantean notice that Set is carrying one of their sacred artifacts, the Crest of Phylasis. When a royal guard fires a beam at him, Set absorbs it and reflects it back, shocking the guards. Without saying a word, Set leaves.
After Embrace is caught possessing Outrun’s body by Best Tiger, she travels to Mumbai, India, to report to Set, revealing that the Guardians are now aware of her. Suddenly, Set is violently thrown into her as panicked citizens flee the scene. Embrace watches in horror as Set is attacked and asks who could possibly be powerful enough to do this to him. Just then, an alien grabs her in her ghost form and begins tearing her apart, questioning whether this world belongs to Set or to him. The alien is revealed to be Thoth, Set’s brother, who is holding the ghostly remains of Embrace. Thoth mocks Set for restraining his own powers and then attempts to use his life force absorption ability on him. However, Set reveals that he’s immune to Thoth’s powers—just as Thoth is immune to Set’s mind-control abilities. Set argues that unlike Thoth, he takes time to study the planets he conquers. In response, Thoth demonstrates his power by absorbing the life force of several nearby civilians in India.
Thoth and Set continue their battle, with the Guardians of the Globe watching from a distance. Pegasus recognizes Set but doesn’t know who the other person is. Black Samson prepares to charge in, but Brit stops him, warning that Set could knock them out or Thoth could drain their life force. Rex’s drones suggest they focus on rescuing the civilians, so the team splits up. Ms. Popper teleports people out of a bus, but she’s exhausted from the effort. Brit has Rex’s drone and Kid Thor holds up a collapsing building, while Shapesmith extends his arm to create a rappel line. Shapesmith finds a woman named Samar trapped under the rubble. She asks Brit to rescue her little sister. Thoth suddenly launches Set, causing Shapesmith to release Brit. Kid Thor, enraged, tries to attack, but Thoth catches his hammer strike, grabs him, and drains his life force. Meanwhile, Pegasus grabs Le Brusier after he tries to charge at Thoth.
Outrun, horrified, manages to escape as Rex’s drone holds off Thoth. Yeti evacuates citizens and is confused when Robot attacks Thoth, pointing out that Brit told them not to fight him. Robot fires a missile, but it has no effect. Thoth easily destroys his drone and sends more of them. The drones fire more missiles, and the building Brit is in starts collapsing. Samar’s cries grow louder as she fears for her little sister’s life. Samar then asks why Brit hasn’t thrown the building yet. Brit explains that his invulnerability doesn’t grant him superhuman strength. Samar offers to help, but the building collapses even more. Finally, it crumbles completely, killing Samar and likely others in the process.
Set pulls Brit out from the debris, confused as to why Brit is bleeding. Brit angrily strikes Set, but it has no effect. Set asks for Brit’s help, shocking and angering him. Set explains that he and Thoth battle for planets as part of their way of life and that Thoth’s power grows stronger the more life he drains. Set asks Brit to use his invulnerability to help him resist Thoth’s powers. Confused, Brit asks why Set doesn’t just use mind control on him, to which Set replies that he operates by a strict code and refuses to use it. Brit, frustrated, calls it all a "goddamn game" to Set. Set responds, saying that humanity cannot survive their game. He then asks if everything that’s happened was just to help him, to which Set cryptically replies, “In a way.”
Brit, now even more furious, tells Set to "just ask." Thoth easily destroys Rex’s drone and goes to attack Brit, grabbing him and attempting to drain his soul. However, Brit remains unaffected. Thoth starts to doubt his powers, and Set takes advantage of the moment, throwing a freight train at him. Amanda and the rest of the Guardians arrive, asking if Brit is okay. Brit, looking worn out, says no and adds, “For the first time in a century.” Kaboomerang comments that Brit looks older, and Outrun asks where he’s been. Brit replies that after Set dropped the train on Thoth, they left.
External Links[]
- Set on the Image Comics Database.
- Set on the Amazon Invincible Wiki.
