Spoilers for Black Cat #6 ahead!
The Black Cat was just granted the gift of immortality in Black Cat #6. The only problem is she does not want it and is going to have to fight another immortal to undo it. The issue is written by Jed MacKay, with art by Michael Dowling, colors by Brian Reber, and letters by Ferran Delgado; it is on sale now in print and digital.
In previous issues, Black Cat, working with her mentor the Black Fox, has stolen a number of priceless and powerful artifacts, one of which was the original deed to the island of Manhattan, Along the way, Black Cat would run afoul of the King in Black and receive a brief, magical upgrade thanks to an Asgardian artifact. With those matters out of the way, Black Fox revealed his plan: he was going to break into the extradimensional vaults that housed the New York chapter of the Thieves Guild treasure. He then revealed that he was dying, and this heist was a ploy to gain immortality; he planned to trade the artifacts, including the deed, to the Gilded Saint, the godlike patron of the Guild, in exchange for eternal life.
As issue six opens, the Black Fox has just made the deal, and within seconds begins the rejuvenation process: his dark hair returns, and the wrinkles fade. He also states he feels agile again, and it is then he drops another bombshell: his deal has made Black Cat immortal as well! Naturally, she is angered at this development, saying she did not want it at “this price.” Only Fox's death can reverse it, which is now seemingly impossible, but Black Cat swears she will find a way. She then runs out into Manhattan, where gold vines are growing, the beginnings of the city being shoved into the Guild’s vaults. Realizing she will need help to reverse the Fox’s deal, she enlists the aid of Odessa Drake, the head of the Guild and the issue ends with Black Cat heading to the Vaults to “make a deposit.”
Readers are left in the dark over the particulars of Black Cat’s plan, but it is clear that in order to lose her immortality, Black Fox must die. This will put her in the unfortunate position of having to kill the man who mentored her and claimed to love her. It serves to contrast the difference between the two: Black Fox was willing to do whatever it took to gain immortality, even if it meant lying to the one person he allegedly cared for. Black Cat, on the other hand, was given immortality, something many covet, but refused it because it was ill-gotten. Black Cat took into consideration other people, but Black Fox did not.
Just how the Black Cat intends to kill Black Fox and reverse her curse remains to be seen, but it is clear her upgrade to immortality will be a brief one. She does not want it, and the tragedy is she must kill her former mentor to get rid of it once and for all.