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Finding peace
Modern Hanuman (Artwork by Saryth)
For decades, Ashwatthama trains with Hanuman. Training does not necessarily mean combat and fighting. Hanuman guides Ashwatthama in strengthening self-control, virtue, dignity, and using kindness to fight evil. All the qualities his father would have wanted for him. Ashwatthama and Hanuman travel around the world defeating the evils known to man. In the late 1900s, they have become close friends.
"Last round?" Hanuman asks.
"Yeah, just one more," Ashwatthama answers. He points to the bartender and she fills up to two glasses of beer. She hands it to them.
As the clock reaches midnight, Hanuman and Ashwatthama head out to return to their house. Suddenly, a large figure approaches them.
"You are too reckless at hiding. I have found you and the time has finally come for me to avenge the Pandavas," the figure says. Ashwatthama and Hanuman stare into the piercing eyes of the familiar rakshasa.
"Ghatotkacha? Is that really you?" Hanuman asks.
"Leave us be and no harm shall come," Ashwatthama adds.
"Let there be blood shed!!!" he answers. The rakshasa swings his mallet and aims it at Ashwatthama.
The fight breaks out as Hanuman takes his shot as well. Hanuman slams onto a brick wall. Ghatotkacha jabs Ashwatthama multiple times in the chest weakening him.
"Ghatotkacha! It is me, Hanuman, your uncle," Hanuman screams. Hanuman tries to reason with his nephew but he notices that Ghatotkacha is fueled with rage. In fact, he seems possessed with evil.
Ashwatthama is no match for the rakshasa's large size. Hanuman recovers quickly and Ghatotkacha takes a blow to the head. With the rakshasa outnumbered, they are able to pin him down. Ashwatthama grabs his dagger and stabs Ghatotkacha in the chest. The rakshasa disintegrates into smoke.
Modern Rakshasa (Artwork by Peter Mohrbacher)
Souls from the people who died during the Massacre still linger around Earth. The spirits are lost as they are unsure where to go to cross into the spiritual world. Legend says that there were too many deaths from the massacre that not everyone was able to cross through, leading some to be stuck here. They roam the earth looking for Ashwatthama preparing for their revenge. They would appear as people and creatures from Ashwatthama's past, tormenting him in a form of someone Aswatthama might recognize. As Aswatthama faces them each time, he kills each and every one of them sending them out of this world. Hanuman has always had this suspicion.
Ghatotkacha became the last creature Aswatthama and Hanuman faced. Hanuman believes all the souls have gone into the afterlife. He parts ways with Hanuman in 1999 as Hanuman sets off to serve others in need of his guidance. Hanuman believes that Ashwatthama is ready to be on his own.
"The time has come, hasn't it?" Ashwatthama says.
"It has, brother. You have learned everything I could offer. Where are you off to?" Hanuman answers.
"I've decided to learn more about the world. I might even go to school," he adds. Hanuman lifted his eyebrow and chuckles.
Ashwatthama decides to live a normal life. To his surprise, he actually enjoys living a simple, boring, and mundane life. By 2018, he obtains a Ph.D. in Indian Mythology. Then, Ashwatthama becomes a full-time professor at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
Movie Clips from the Avengers: Infinity War
One night, Ashwatthama is walking home late at night after grading papers in his office. In the corners of his eyes, he sees someone falling through the ceiling of the train station ahead of him. Ashwatthama swiftly runs over and spots some familiar faces. He sees Wanda and Vision, both members of the Avengers he recognizes from TV. A blue-skinned, white-eye alien proceeds to attack Wanda as Vision is wounded. Without hesitation, Ashwatthama tackles the alien. Using his strength, he punches the alien and throws the creature across the train tracks. Captain America, the Falcon, and Black Widow appear. This is the first time Aswatthama is seeing the superheroes in person.
They attack the alien, taking turns throwing a punch. Another alien appears and aims his spear towards Ashwatthama. Ashwatthama is quick to avoid it. With five of the Avengers, Ashwatthama is at the heart of the battle. Greatly unprepared for Aswatthama's strength and battle skills, the aliens finally surrender and quickly escape through a bright beam in the night sky.
"Thank you for your help. You did not have to," Wanda says as she smiles.
"Just trying to help. I'll be on my way now," Ashwatthama answers as he bows. A part of him misses battles and wars, which were all the things he grew up with. But he knows that all of that was his past. He doesn't want to risk his simple life working as a professor for something that can bring out the worst in him.
The Avengers take a closer look at him, unsure of what he is.
"We are dealing with something far beyond our capabilities. I wouldn't normally ask this but Thanos will end humankind when he has the chance. We could use an extra set of hands," Captain America asks. Ashwatthama gets a good look at Captain America. He isn't wearing his typical bright red and blue suit. Ashwatthama sees his scars scattered around his arms that have not fully healed. As he looks to his right, he sees Black Widow. Her scars are fresher with some dry blood around her shirt. For a second, Ashwatthama wants to help but he can't.
"I am retired. It is best that I return home," Ashwatthama answers.
"If he wins, there won't be a home for you to return to," the Falcon quickly intervenes.
A glimpse of his past appears in his mind. Images of bloodshed and screams of children overpower him.
"I am sorry, I can't," he whispers before disappearing into the night.
Continue to the final story:
Author's note: I am so excited to finally dive into who Ashwatthama is today. Ashwatthama was said to be a very skillful warrior in his early life so training with Hanuman was not focused on his fighting skills. Hanuman teaches Ashwatthama all the qualities he was missing, such as self-control over his anger and good vs evil. The biggest thing Hanuman taught him is control. Hanuman is confident that Ashwatthama has control. He believes in him even though if Ashwatthama doesn't believe himself. They grow closer throughout their time together becomings partners.
I added an encounter with a Rakshasa, particularly Ghatotkacha. He was an important warrior, who fought for the Pandavas during the Kurukshetra war. The plot twist is that this isn't actually Ghatotkacha. Hanuman also had suspicions during the fight as he has had before. The souls from those who died during the massacre are actually still roaming the earth looking for Ashwatthama. This was a way of showing that Ashwatthama's past still follows him throughout his lifetime. The suspicions were confirmed after Ghatotkacha was the last spirit to have attacked them. This means that all the spirits have passed on to the afterlife.
Hanuman decides to part ways with Ashwatthama when he realizes that Ashwatthama finally has control. There isn't a specific point this clicked for Hanuman but this was more of a development of different moments of his time training Ashwatthama.
I have always been a fan of Marvel Universe. I decided to place him in the Avengers: Infinity War movie, specifically introducing him as someone who helps during a fight against Thanos' servants. The Avengers are the main group of superheroes in the Marvel Universe. Members of the Avengers include Iron man, Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, Thor, and many more. Ashwatthama has all the characteristics of a superhero with his own dark backstory. As he witnesses distress between Wanda, Vision, and Thanos' servants, the good in him (instilled by Nadia and Hanuman) pushes him to help. In the end, when they want him to help, he chooses not to. Fighting would mean risking everything he has learned with Hanuman. He has come so far and for the first time since Nadia, he is actually living a peaceful life. He likes his life the way it is. He knows that this fight against Thanos is a bloodbath and he does not want to take part in it. But, we shall see if he does in the end...Will he help?
Bibliography. Avengers: Infinity War directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo. 2018.
Bibliography. Ghatotkatcha from Websource.
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