Swamp Thing (Volume 2) Issue 100

## "Tales of Eden"

"*The Garden of Eden... was the Parliament's... first home. It's ruins lie frozen... in what is now called... Antarctica*"
―Yggdrasil
## Synopsis

### "Tales of Eden"

In the Louisiana swamp, Swamp Thing is warned by an Inuit shaman that if his daughter Tefé is not hidden away before her first birthday, a great evil will come and try to take her away. However, she is more vulnerable now that she has been separated from her body, so their first priority will be to reconstruct it.

The shaman tells of a fountain that once existed, which could provide anyone who drinks from it with the ability to understand all languages. With the water from the fountain, they could teach Tefé how to reconstruct her body, but time is running out. He advises Swamp Thing to go to the Parliament of Trees and ask about the fountain's whereabouts.

At the Parliament in Brazil, Swamp Thing is guided by an elemental known as Bifa to the Inner House, where the founders of the Parliament now stand. There, he reunites with Yggdrasil, Eyam, and Tuuru. Swamp Thing explains the urgency of his situation, worrying that having two elementals on earth at once will upset nature's balance.

To his surprise, Yggdrasil reveals that the idea that nature's balance would be offset by having the Sprout free while he was still active was actually a plan devised by the inner house in order to bring about the birth of a plant-human hybrid, and as in the Parliament itself, elementals can co-exist without any ill effects. Their hope was that Tefé could bring humans and plants together in greater harmony by her mixed lineage.

Yggdrasil further explains that the three seeds that Swamp Thing was given each served a purpose. The first was used to plant Yggdrasil himself, the second became the Swamp Thing's vessel forward through time, and the third was consumed by Tefé. The last of these has awoken Matango, an agent of The Grey, whose basis is fungi and mold. In giving Tefé the seed, Swamp Thing inadvertently began recreating Eden.

Swamp thing explains that he must find the fountain. In response, Yggdrasil points out that he has a large wound, and that Eyam's consciousness seems to be missing. He instructs Biffa to show Swamp Thing to an area known as the Garden of Bereavement. There lie the hollow bodies of elementals who were lost from The Green, most of whom died during a great battle in the Garden of Eden between The Green and The Grey.

Yggdrasil reveals that what was once Eden lies in what is now called Antarctica. The Grey challenged The Green in order to create a world of rot and decay. Matango weakened Yggdrasil and the other elementals to the point that they could not protect the Garden from the weather, and it froze over. In the course of the Battle, Eyam was separated from his body, and his consciousness was trapped in the Garden. The fountain lies frozen in the center of the Garden's ruins.

Swamp Thing creates a body from some weak lichen clinging to some rocks. After a long trudge through the ice and snow, he finds a huge wall; the barrier between the outside world and the Garden of Eden. Finding a crack in the wall, he enters, sensing the emotions of those lost there.

Finding the frozen fountain, he plucks a chunk of ice from it, and makes for to return home. Before leaving, he senses other presences in the Garden. Some seem alien, but one is familiar. It is Eyam, trapped within some stones. Reaching into The Green, Swamp Thing gives Eyam a form to occupy, finally, after millennia. Eyam thanks him, having learned to speak from Yggdrasil. However, once he realizes where they are, he warns that there is still imminent danger in the form of the Garden's protectors, the Angels.

A congregation of horrifying creatures surrounds them, as Eyam warns Swamp Thing to run. Swamp Thing is paralyzed by the howls of the Angels. He tries to explain his good intentions, but his head is severed by a flaming sword. He watches as his body is destroyed, and the shard of frozen water falls to the ground. Hoping to distract the Angels long enough to escape, Swamp Thing replicates his body, diffusing their attention. He gathers up Eyam and the shard, and attempts to escape, but again, he is destroyed.

Eyam tells Swamp Thing to take refuge in his body, because the Angels cannot harm a true resident of Eden. As they wait, the Angels suddenly stop, and call up to the heavens for advice. After a dazzling display of lights, the Angels turn, and tell Eyam and the Swamp Thing to leave.

Swamp Thing hopes that in all of this, God is on his side, as he and Eyam escape.

## Appearances

### "Tales of Eden"

#### Individuals

* Swamp Thing
* Abby Holland
* Tefé Holland
* Shaman Najgarjuk
* Parliament of Trees
	+ Bifa
	+ Yggdrasil
	+ Tuuru
	+ Eyam
* Nergal ***(Flashback Only)***
* Matango ***(Behind the scenes)***
* Angels
* Abin Sur ***(Flashback Only)***
* Kel Gand ***(Flashback Only)***
* Etrigan ***(Flashback Only)***
* Lisquinelle ***(Flashback Only)***
* The Presence ***(Behind the scenes)***

#### Locations

* Hell ***(Flashback Only)***
* United States of America
	+ Louisiana
		- Houma
* South America
	+ Brazil
* Antarctica
	+ Eden

#### Concepts

* The Green
* The Grey

## External links

* *Swamp Thing (Volume 2)* Issue 100 on DC Wiki
* *Swamp Thing (Volume 2)* Issue 100 on Comic Vine