Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Misery #1-4!Spawnhas been a critically acclaimed andfan-favorite comic series from Image Comicssince the franchise was first brought to life by Todd McFarlane in the ‘90s, and since then, it has grown into something so much bigger than just a single series.Spawnisn’t just a badass indie comic anymore, it’s now an established universe with a number of spin-off series that all feed into the larger continuity. Andthe latestSpawnUniversecomic seriesstars a character who’s been a mainstay inSpawnlore since the start:Cyan Fitzgerald.
Misery#1-4 by Todd McFarlane and Szymon Kudranski is the latestSpawnspin-off series, though Spawn (or anyvariation of Spawn) isn’t the lead character. Instead, that honor goes to Cyan Fitzgerald, who ventures down a dark path to uncover the truth behind the death of her mother, Wanda, all while being hunted by demons and learning more about her supernatural abilities. Those abilities includetelekinesis, teleportation, invisibility/phasing, and the power to make people feel the pain they’ve caused others just by touching them- with the horrific side effect of feeling that pain along with them through mental/empathetic connection.
Misery is a gritty and grounded story that throws readers intothe world ofSpawn, but without the fantastical elements of demons, angels, and badass action sequences of all sorts. Misery replaces all those things with a deep-dive into the worst of what humanity has to offer, all through the eyes of a traumatized teenage girl. And the most bleak part of the miniseries is that it doesn’t have an ending.
There’s no comeuppance for those who commit atrocious acts, and no closure for Cyan. Misery is merely a peak into her life and nothing more, making the series that much more hard-hitting and bleak. Misery leaves much to be desired when it comes to Cyan’s personal story, making readers want to learn as much about her as they can. Lucky for them,Spawnhas been shaping Cyan’s story for decades.
Cyan Fitzgerald’s Debut & Connection to Spawn
Cyan has been Wrapped Up in Spawn’s Hellish Adventures Since the Start
Cyan Fitzgerald is the daughter of Wanda Blake and Terry Fitzgerald, who made her debut as a toddler inSpawn#3. Wanda was married to Al Simmons (aka Spawn) before Al’s death, but she got remarried to Al’s best friend, Terry, after the two found comfort in each other while grieving Al. During their marriage, Wanda and Al tried to have children, but couldn’t. So, when Al returned as Spawn, he regarded Cyan as something of a surrogate daughter, swearing to protect her as if she was his own.
Cyan and Spawn wouldn’t form a strong personal connection untilSpawn#51, when Cyan found the shoelace that Spawn used as a stitch to hold his face together (a wound that was actually inflicted by Batman during a previous crossover). Cyan became obsessed with the shoelace, tying it to her old pacifier and wearing it like a necklace. Whenever someone tried to take it, or during one instance when it flew out the car window, Cyan would freak out until it was returned.
That shoelace is also how Spawn was able to track Cyan after she was kidnapped by the Violator inSpawn#60, as it was a piece of him that Cyan formed an almost spiritual connection to. When Spawn found Cyan in the Violator’s clutches, he unleashed a full-power necroplasm attack and obliterated the Violator. Some of that necroplasm splashed onto Cyan, and the issue explicitly stated that her soul was “innocent no longer… now tainted by his curse”. Cyan was exposed to a supernatural substance brewed in hell, and after that moment, Cyan starts to exhibit powers herself.
When Cyan Starts Exhibiting Powers & Introduces Her Alter Ego: Misery
Cyan Fitzgerald Comes Into Her Powers Slowly, & with a Great Deal of Pain
The stressor that sparks Cyan’s supernatural abilities was the death of her mother, Wanda, who met her end inSpawn: Resurrection. The trauma of losing her mother drove Cyan to prescription drugs, and she quickly formed a pill addiction. To help her recover, Cyan’s father, Terry, puts her in rehab. When Spawn went to visit her inSpawn#269, Cyan’s powers were put on full display, as she teleported both of them out of the facility and into Spawn’s apartment.
Cyan’s newfound powers were further explored for the next few issues, culminating with the introduction of her alter egon inSpawn#275: Misery. The demonic powers Cyan was exhibiting manifested in its own personality, one which takes over Cyan’s body when the situation becomes too difficult for Cyan to endure. Unfortunately, Cyan developing these powers put a target on her back. Angels and demons alike were after her, partly to get to Spawn, but also because they wanted to study and observe Cyan herself.
When Cyan did a type of ‘study abroad’ program in Japan, her powers continued to strengthen, and even allowed her to see spirits that were invisible to everyone else. Before long, Cyan was captured by an organization that was using the blood of a demon to create a drug meant to control the minds of humans, and they made her a test subject. During her escape inSpawn#282, Cyan takes a dose of the demon blood drug, which fully unlocks her powers.
After that moment, Cyan could do everything readers see her do in Misery, including and especially her ability to make others feel the pain of their own sins, which she uses to kill a literal demon and save Spawn’s life.
Cyan Fitzgerald’s Alt-Future Counterpart Proves She’s Destined for Greatness
Spawn/WildC.A.T.S.by Alan Moore and Scott Clark
As previously mentioned, Misery didn’t have an ending. It was a chunk of Cyan’s life showing that she was still reeling from the death of her mother, still struggling with addiction and the fallout of her time in that rehab facility, and still trying to understand her powers. Misery opened the door for future storylines starring Cyan, which is something thatSpawnfans should be excited about, as one story already proved that Cyan is destined for greatness:Spawn/WildC.A.T.S.
InSpawn/WildC.A.T.S., readers are shown a future where Spawn gets corrupted by an otherworldly amulet and becomes the demonic dictator, Ipsissimus. In this timeline, Cyan becomes the new Zealot after joining the WildC.A.T.S. Cyan travels back in time to the ‘90s to kill the Spawn of the ‘present day’ and eliminate Ipsissimus’ existence. But, instead, the WildC.A.T.S. recruit him to battle Ipsissimus in the future, only to realize that by doing so, they were ensuring Ipsissimus’ creation.
The present-day Spawn was exposed to the corruption of the amulet, and the only thing that snapped him out of it to undo Ipsissimus’ creation was the revelation that Zealot was actually Cyan. The sight of an adult Cyan as a member of the WildC.A.T.S. desperate to stop him was enough to keep Spawn from ever becoming Ipsissimus, meaning Cyan effectively saved the entire world.
After 30 Years, Spawn Finally Reveals the Origin of a Major Main Character
Out of all the hellish, demonic villains who have terrorized the Spawn Universe, one stands above the rest - and their origin is finally being told.
Even in an alternate future, Cyan is a badass who is destined for greatness - a level of greatness that she is well on her way to achieving in the mainSpawn Universe. Indeed,Cyan Fitzgerald’s personal history is extensive, and the release of Misery only adds to her wider story, as it does to the overallSpawncontinuity.
Spawn
Spawnis a dark superhero franchise created by Todd McFarlane. It began as a comic book series in 1992 and follows Al Simmons, a former black ops agent who makes a deal with the devil to return to Earth, only to become a Hellspawn. The franchise includes animated series, a 1997 live-action film, and video games, blending supernatural elements with gritty action. A new live-action movie reboot is currently in development.
