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The Breaking Strain (Acts of Vengeance Conclusion)
High above the golden coastline of Southern California…out at the very edge of Earth’s atmosphere where the endless night begins and mother nature has allowed no place for life, the depths of space, where floats…a house. A normal, ordinary house in all respects except two – its location – and its occupants…two of the worlds most powerful and formidable mutants…Magneto, founder of the Brotherhood and his daughter, the legendary Avenger Wanda Maximoff, better known as the mighty Scarlet Witch!
Though Magneto is her father, there has never been a normal parent / child relationship between them. The Master of Magnetism looks at his daughter and notes that she is practically comatose, unresponsive, her mind closed down against the tragedies which have recently happened to her – not even Magneto using his powers to tear this house from its foundations and hurl it to the brink of space has penetrated the fog surrounding Wanda’s mind. Magneto decides that, clearly, time has come for a more direct approach, and putting a hand on his daughter’s shoulder, he calls out her name.
Meanwhile, at that very moment, three thousand miles away, in the high-tech catacombs of the East Coast Avengers headquarters, Thor, God of Thunder, speaks a single name – ‘LOKI!’ he exclaims, uttering the name of his wicked foster brother. The other Avengers in the conference chamber react to the news. Iron Man, Hank Pym and the Wasp of the Avengers West Coast, Captain America and the Vision of the Eastern Avengers, Hawkeye and Mockingbird of the Great Lakes Avengers, and Falcon, a former Avenger are present.
Captain America turns to Thor and asks him if he is sure of this. ‘Loki is the one behind the recent attacks on super heroes everywhere?’ Thor confirms this, remarking that he doesn’t know how his evil brother has coerced these villains into carrying out his will, but there can be no doubt that Loki is at the black heart of this. Janet van Dyne a.k.a. the Wasp announces that Cloak and Dagger told her it was Dr. Doom who is behind it all, while the android Vision remarks that the captured Wizard informed them that the convocation of villains was behind the recent unrest.
The handsome Clint “Hawkeye” Barton remarks that he and Mockingbird were on the Wizard’s trail. Clint’s wife Mockingbird a.k.a. Barbara “Bobbi” Morse-Barton adds that they would like to hear the story from the Wizard himself. Captain America tells Bobbi that it isn’t a problem as they haven’t turned the Wizard over to the police yet, so she and Hawkeye will find him in the number three holding cell.
There, the Wizard sits on a seat and thinks to himself that the Avengers are fools for thinking that stripping him of his helmet and gloves that they have stripped him of his powers, but hidden under a false thumbnail is the instrument that will regain his freedom. The Wizard reveals a miniature teleportation device which upon activation opens a dimensional portal allowing him to cross from the cell he is in to the central meeting chamber, as easily as stepping from one room to the next.
There, in the central meeting chamber, the Wizard sees the Red Skull holding up Dr. Doom’s mask, exclaiming that it is a highly sophisticated piece of work – though he would expect no less from a master of robotics. The Wizard asks what the meaning of all this is and what has happened to Dr. Doom. The crime lord known as the Kingpin replies that nothing has happened to Dr. Doom and remarks that it would seem the good Doctor was never a part f their group to begin with.
The Red Skull remarks that they do not know that for sure, and points out that Doom has used robot doubles in the past. The Mandarin agrees and suggests that they might have had the true Dr. Doom with them on some occasions but not on others. The Wizard glares at the Mandarin and declares that he is shocked to see him here after he cravenly abandoned him to the Avengers. ‘Do not blame me for your own shortcomings, Wizard!’ the Mandarin snaps back that when the tide of battle turned against them he withdrew and suggests that the Wizard should have done the same.
‘As I did – but not before I was subjected to sever interrogation at the hands of out foes!’ the Wizard shouts, adding that, naturally, he told them nothing, but had he not used the teleportation device to escape the cell – ‘WHAT?’ cries the well-dressed man standing back from the group, interrupting the Wizard before going over to him and shouting ‘Ignorant mortal! Say thou hast not done this thing!’ The Wizard is surprised by this sudden attack and orders the man to unhand him, calling him a lackey he asks ‘How dare you raise hand or voice to your better?’
‘Lackey, is it?’ the man asks, before tossing the Wizard easily across the chamber. Speaking with an Asgardian tone, the man exclaims that he has played the part of lackey while he created for all of them the perfect plan to destroy all the champions of Earth, but, for his efforts they have accomplished nothing – nothing that could not have been done more quickly and efficiently by the God of Evil himself! Loki has finally thrown down his disguise, revealing himself to the other villains. The Kingpin thinks to himself that this is an unexpected twist and decides to exercise the better part of valor by leaving quietly, while the Red Skull stands in shock by this revelation.
Meanwhile, as this revelation rocks the greatest criminal minds of this era, on this same day, April 14th, many decades ago, in Ford’s Theater, Washington City, in the Presidential Box…’What do you think of the play, Father?’ a rather unassuming woman asks the tall man sitting beside her. He takes her hand and replies ‘Very droll, Mother, very droll. I’m enjoying Harry Hawk especially’. The man turns to another man behind him, and addressing him as General asks what he thinks. ‘Most amusing, Mr. President!’ the General replies.
But as President Abraham Lincoln chuckles over the antics of the actors on the stage below, at his back, an actor of a different kind contemplates a tragedy in the making. Taking careful aim with the small pistol, John Wilkes Booth draws back the hammer – but the President reacts instinctively to the sound of the click and jumps up from his seat, ‘Thunderation!’ he exclaims, startling John Wilkes Booth who fires his gun into the air.
A few frenzied minutes later, a Colonel remarks to President Lincoln that it was very close. Watching the police take John Wilkes Booth away, the President remarks that he doubts that much of consequence would have happened. ‘The American people have not yet learned the art of killing Presidents. Not this President, at least’. President Lincoln turns to the General and asks ‘Well? Don’t have one of your philosophical remarks on this occasion?’
The General replies ‘Only this, Mr. Lincoln…I have long been an admirer of yours. Of your place in history. This is a divergence I almost wish I could leave undisturbed…’ The President is confused by that remark, but before he can say anything, he, and everyone around him, is engulfed by a brilliant light – except for the General, who re-enters his dimension known as Limbo, muttering that he is weary of this chase.
Immortus reveals himself, and remarks that it seems for every nanosecond since the dawn of time there are a billion alternate timelines. He declares that if he is to succeed in his goal to reinstate himself as the Master of Time he must accelerate the – Immortus’ is suddenly puzzled, and stops short in his sentence. Looking into his trans-temporal scanner, he sees that the Scarlet Witch is no longer centered within it.
Immortus exclaims that only a massive disruption of the Earth’s electromagnetic field could have displaced the focus and knows that he must relocate the Scarlet Witch at once otherwise all his years of scheming will be forfeit. Suddenly, the West Coast Avengers Wonder Man, alias Simon Williams, enters the scan field. Immortus wonders if it is possible the scanner has not drifted but somehow Wanda has been relocated without the scanner compensating.
Back on Earth, Wonder Man lands at the site where once stood a house and wonders what happened here. The aged witch, Agatha Harkness steps forward and informs Wonder Man that she will be able to answer that. Simon sees Wanda’s former tutor and exclaims ‘You were supposed to be watching over her while she was in her helpless condition!’ Holding her cat, Ebony, Agatha replies that she was doing just that when she was lured outside the cottage by the sound of an approaching visitor. Agatha reveals that the moment she stepped off the porch the house was torn from its base and hurled skyward faster than she could conjure a spell to stop it.
Wonder Man asks Agatha where the house has gone, when suddenly John Walker a.k.a. the handsome yet arrogant USAgent strides up beside him and informs his teammate that the house is up about thirty miles and down range about ten. Simon asks Agent if he was here too and why he didn’t do anything. ‘Not that I have to answer to you’ Walker begins, before informing Simon that he wasn’t here, but he just got back from dealing with the Mole Man’s monster just in time to see the last glimpse of the house as it headed skyward. Agent explains that he checked the Compound’s auto-mated tracking system and found out where the house went.
‘Then that’s all I need to know! I’m going –‘ Simon begins as he marches off, but Walker grabs him and tells him to “hold his horses”, assuring him that they will go after the Scarlet Witch, but that they will do it by the numbers, and with cool heads, adding that they will use one of the space-rigged Quinjet’s to get them there.
Shortly, Walker and Simon are streaking skyward in the Quinjet and Simon mutters ‘Well, this is a first! You being a calming influence in a situation, Agent!’ Walker tells Simon to belay the jabber and asks if he has a fix on the house. ‘Not yet’ Simon replies, remarking that the building is awfully small out here against the edge of space, when suddenly, the sensors at his console pick up the house.
USAgent remarks that it has to be some kind of super villain who has done this, and point out that since Simon is the one who is near-indestructible it should be he who goes to investigate. As he puts a breathing apparatus on, Simon tells Walker that he is way ahead of him, before exiting the Quinjet through a small hatch, ready to fly over to the house and check it out.
Flying over to the house, Simon thinks to himself that, apart from the location it all looks pretty peaceful so far, before wondering if Wanda is all right, for as far as he can tell the doors and windows are all closed, but he doesn’t think this place was built to be space-worthy. Simon decides that, on the off chance it is still air-tight he should look in a window before breaking in, when suddenly, the house blows up before he reaches it.
Meanwhile, ‘FOOLS!’ shouts Loki as he holds Mandarin, Red Skull and the Wizard in his power. ‘Stupid, mortal imbeciles!’ he mutters, before deciding that the greater fool is he for ever trusting the petty egos of mortals with the consummation of his grand plan. Loki remarks that he thought that by directing so-called super-villains into attacking champions unaccustomed with their powers he could rid this world of super heroes – and in the process, once and for all destroy those who have so long vexed him by their very existence!
Loki declares that the Wizard’s stupidity has sacrificed everything, adding that if his accursed brother Thor should detect the lingering energies of the Wizard’s teleportation and tap into them with the power of Mjolnir, when suddenly, ‘Say thee not “if” beloved sibling!’ Thor declares, ‘Say thee rather “when”!’ he exclaims as he enters the chamber, followed soon by Captain America, Hank Pym, Hawkeye and the others. ‘You’ve got a whole mess of Avengers come to crawl down your throat!’ Hawkeye exclaims.
‘Colloquially phrased, Hawkeye – but accurate’ Captain America remarks, before the Wasp motions to the Mandarin and the Red Skull. Thor asks where Dr. Doom and the Kingpin have gone, to which Iron Man suggests they probably made a hasty retreat. The Falcon suggests that they can take care of them later, but to paraphrase what they used to say back in his old neighborhood…’Let’s go kick some butt!’
The Avengers all leap into action, ‘Foolish mortals!’ Loki exclaims as they rush towards him, asking them if they think he can be so easily undone, pointing out that they have no idea where they even are. ‘Behold!’ he shouts as the chamber splits apart, and the Avengers gaze upon where they are, in an eerie, strange land. ‘Beard of my father!’ Thor exclaims, realizing that they are on the Isle of Silence – or a perfect imitation at least. Thor begins to say that it was in this bleak and dismal place that Loki was imprisoned when…Thor’s voice trails off as he finally realizes that there is some sense in this madness.
‘Dost thou, brother?’ Loki asks, before declaring that Thor must realize then, that in this place it is Loki who is master – master of al that is below and above, of wind and of fire. With that, a monster rises from the ground, while at the same time some strong vines creep forth and grab Mockingbird. In the air, the Wasp and Falcon are tossed about by the strong winds, while some fire engulfs Iron Man. Captain America begins fighting the monster while exclaiming that Thor is the only one who has a chance of stopping Loki so he has got to confront him head on.
Thor agrees and runs after his brother, telling the God of Mischief that it will do him little good to flee, and that the time is long past for a settling between the two of them. ‘Not yet, Thor! Not until it is Loki’s choice of time and place!’ Loki replies. A wall of ice springs up in front of Thor allowing Loki to continue fleeing while he shouts that Loki only fights when the odds are in his favor, to which Thor remarks that his sibling is playing familiar games.
Meanwhile, the Mandarin, Red Skull and the Wizard find that they can move again, to which the Mandarin supposes that Loki’s enchantment, has worn off as he is focusing all his energies on the Avengers. Red Skull has a plan, but the Mandarin interrupts him before he can say what it is, telling him not to be a fool, as they have been duped, all along this plan was Loki’s. ‘This is also his failure!’ the Mandarin adds, suggesting that they withdraw to make their own plans – each of them in his own way. The Wizard agrees with Mandarin, and points out that although Loki knocked down the walls, the dimensional interface in each door is still active, so they can return to Earth while the Avengers are occupied, and with that, the three villains escape.
The Wasp alerts her teammates to the escaping of the Mandarin and the others, but Captain America, as he punches the monster, tells Wasp that they will let the villains escape. ‘We know who they are, sooner or later out paths will cross again!’ He points out that their main goal now is staying alive, and with that tosses his shield like a discuss to break Mockingbird free from the vines. ‘Thanks, Cap! I was about done for!’ Bobbi replies.
At that moment, Thor smashes through the wall of ice. ‘Varlet! Stand and defend thyself!’ Thor shouts, suggesting to Loki that he shows that he has at least some fragments of their father in him, some small spirit of Godhood, of the nobility which is their birthright. ‘Speak not to me of nobility, Thor!’ Loki shouts, comparing it to speaking of music to someone who is deaf. ‘There is but on lord that Loki serves and that is power!’ Loki uses his power to conjure up two rock hands from the ground with which to crush Thor.
‘Brother…I say thee nay!’ Thor shouts, smashing his hammer onto the ground and causing a massive opening to appear – which Loki then falls into screaming. Thor remarks that the only reason Loki fell is because he caught him off guard, and that he knows a mere pit is not sufficient to imprison him. ‘But Thor is not yet done!’ and with that, Thor seals the opening shut, as if it was never there in the first place, trapping Loki in the ground.
The Avengers rush over to Thor and Captain America tells him that they saw what he did, and that the menaces vanished as soon as the fissure was slammed closed on Loki. ‘Is he…dead?’ Cap asks. Solemnly, Thor remarks that Loki may be imprisoned under a million tons of earth, but that Gods do not perish that easily. ‘Not even unworthy Gods such as my brother’.
Thor then explains that when he saw this place modeled in the likeness of Loki’s one-time abode, he knew what it was that drove Loki in his madness. Thor remarks that it was Loki’s actions many years ago that first brought the original Avengers together, which have long festered in Loki’s craw. Thor explains that by Loki banding together a group of Earth’s mightiest villains, he thought he could undo the Avengers – instead, he has only succeeded in strengthening their resolve. ‘Let the evil minds of the world beware! Ever and always shall the Avengers prevail!’
Three hours later, over Southern California, the Wasp and Hank are heading back to Palos Verdes in a Quinjet. Iron Man had been flying alongside but now turns away. Hank radios goodbye to Iron Man and tells him that he will see him soon. ‘Not too soon I hope, Doctor Pym! I think we could all use a rest!’ Iron Man calls back.
The Wasp leans back in her chair and remarks that another threat has ended, and this time it all started because Loki got tired of all the other villains poking fun at him at the annual bad guys picnic! Hank laughs ‘Well, something like that anyway, Janet!’ before remarking that it has always galled that it was something Loki did to make the Avengers get together in the first place, and that maybe this time it will teach Loki that they are a team that was meant to be. East or West Coast, it was more than Loki that brought them together, and it will take more than Loki to break them apart!
Jan remarks that, whatever the cause, she is glad it is over, for now at least, before adding that it would be too much to hope that this has put the kibosh on the bad guys once and for all. Hank agrees as he uses the control panel to turn the hologram disguising the hangar bay off and open the hangar bay doors. Jan wonders if this means they will need to be on the look out for Loki in the future, to which Hank replies ‘Could be’ before the jet comes to a stop and he informs Jan that he is going to check on Tigra, and asking her if she wants to come along. Jan replies that she will meet him up there in a bit, but now she wants to clean up and get into a fresh costume, adding that she wants to look in on Wanda and Agatha Harkness.
Forty-five minutes later, Jan thinks to herself ‘Poor Wanda, I wonder how she’s doing?’ and remarks that Wanda has had more grief in the past few weeks than would be fair in a life time! ‘Is it any wonder the poor thing’s had a nervous breakdown?’ The Wasp flies into Wanda’s bungalow and calls out to Agatha Harkness, but instead she is greeted by a troubled USAgent. Jan transforms to her human form as Walker collapses before her, urging her to fly away quickly.
Jan asks what is going on, where Wanda and Wonder Man are. ‘Dead! Blown to bits in outer space!’ Agent replies. ‘Wonder Man killed…but…by who?’ a confused Wasp asks. Suddenly, ‘By me, Janet!’ shrieks the Scarlet Witch as she appears before the Wasp and USAgent. Wanda, now with short hair wearing a new costume, declares that she dealt with Wonder Man as she shall deal with all of the Avengers now that her power has finally been unleashed! The Wasp is surprised to see her dear friend in this current state, while USAgent exclaims ‘Tried to warn you…now…too late…too late for everyone!’


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Darker Than Scarlet (1st story)
‘So this is power! What a pleasing thing it is! How foolish to have so long denied myself its pleasures!’ exclaims Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch, decked out in a new red and black costume with a pink cloak, as she stands before four of her friends, or rather, as she calls them, her “former friends”. Wanda looks at them, held in place by a force field, and tells them that it is unfortunate for them that they did not see fit to encourage her in realizing her full potential, and warns them that they will now pay a terrible price for that mistake.
Wanda’s former mentor, the aged sorceress Agatha Harkness, urges Wanda to listen to her and tells her that she is not in control of herself, that the tragedies of the past few weeks have unhinged her mind. ‘Save your breath, old woman!’ the handsome John Walker a.k.a. USAgent tells Agatha as he struggles to break the force field and exclaims that the Scarlet Witch has gone off the deep end, and there is no way they can bust out of this force field.Janet van Dyne a.k.a. the Wasp, is Wanda’s long time friend and she urges Agent to keep trying, before turning to the heroic Wonder Man beside her, Simon Williams, and remarking to him that Agent said he was dead. Wonder Man replies that he thinks he was, adding ‘And believe me, as someone who’s been dead once before, I know the feeling only too well!’
Wanda grins. ‘Of course you were, Simon,’ she remarks, before boasting that death is of little consequence to one with her power. The Wasp is shocked, and tells Wanda that she cannot create or restore life. ‘You’ve never had that kind of power!’ Wanda agrees, before pointing out that she does not need the power to resurrect when her natural gift of altering probabilities means she can reshape the universe at will. Wanda explains that as such, it is true Simon did not survive the destruction of this house that they are in, far above the surface of the Earth, but that it was child’s play for her to restructure reality to create a place where this house was not destroyed, and therefore Simon was not killed.
The Wasp is even more shocked, and exclaims that Wanda has never had that kind of control over her power before. ‘You could never predict exactly what your hex would do!’ The Scarlet Witch simply replies that the limitations she once knew matter not at all - what matters is that they are no more. Wanda boasts that her power now functions at its full potential, and she needs only to think to make the slightest whim reality. ‘And what say you to this, sweet Simon?’ Wanda asks, smirking at Wonder Man. ‘Does this transformation please you?’ she asks. ‘Please me? How could it? I… don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Simon replies.
Wanda puts a hand on Simon’s chest and tells him that of course he understands, and exclaims that for years he has loved her from afar. ‘But I was married to the android Vision. A marriage no longer viable…’. Simon is confused, but Wanda asks him if it pleases him to see her not only free of the Vision, but free also of such petty moralities as once encumbered her. Simon is startled as Wanda begins to dig her long finger nails into his chest, leaving claw marks, and ripping open the top of his costume. Wanda tells Simon that he is very handsome, ‘Did you think I never noticed?’ she asks him, before also asking if it thrills him that she no longer hides her appreciation. ‘Wanda…what…don’t…No!’ exclaims Simon.
A few minutes ago…Dr. Hank Pym makes his way through the Palos Verde Compound, home and headquarters to the Avengers West Coast and hopes that Tigra is all right, for with all the craziness of the past few days, he hasn’t been able to look in on her as often as he would have liked. But en route to his lab, he is interrupted by the Human Torch and Ann Raymond. Hank smiles and asks them how they are today. The Torch replies that they are fine and that there is no sign of trouble at this end since the confrontation with Loki. Hank remarks that he doesn’t expect that they will be hearing from Loki for a while now, before asking if there is anything else to report.
The Human Torch replies that there is nothing sinister, but that he had been wanting to ask Hank about a strange little creature that he saw on the mansion grounds the other day. The Torch explains that it was only about six inches long, but that it looked like some kind of orange cat. ‘Cat…?? Oh no!’ exclaims Hank, before rushing off to his lab. Entering his security codes, Hank hopes that it isn’t what he thinks it might be, but knows that he has left her unattended for so long, that it just possible - Tigra’s escaped!’ he gasps as he sees the small tank has been broken out of.
The Human Torch and Ann Raymond come up behind Pym, and Ann is slightly confused. ‘Tigra? But, Dr Pym, isn’t she one of the Avengers?’ Hank replies that she is, but that lately, Tigra has been going through some changes, and offers to explain since the Human Torch has never met Tigra.
(Shown with flashback images)Hank explains that Tigra is really Greer Nelson, who was once a costumed crime fighter known as the Cat - but that was before a race of humanoid Cat People transformed her into a truly feline super hero, and some time back, her feline attributes seemed to be coming into predominance. Hank reveals that the Cat People supposedly cured her, but lately it has all started again, and a few nights ago, Tigra attacked him on the Compound grounds. Not wishing to hurt her, Pym reveals that he zapped Tigra with Pym Particles from his own body which altered her atomic structure, and she was shrunk down to the size the Torch saw her as.
(Present)Hank tells the Torch and Ann Raymond that he brought Tigra back here to the bio-lab in the hope of discovering some way to restore her humanity, but then everything went crazy, and this is the first chance he has had to look in on her. Examining the cage, Hank deduces that Tigra must have broken out of the cage after something caused the automated feeding system to malfunction.
Elsewhere, watching Hank Pym’s troubles, the uber-powerful Immortus remarks ‘”Something” Doctor Pym? Say rather, “Someone”!’, before boasting that it was he who caused the equipment to malfunction. Immortus grins wickedly and wonders what the Avengers would say if they knew that every nuance of their small lives are being manipulated by the Master of Time. ‘If you could comprehend for even a moment that no thought, no action has ever been truly your own!’ Immortus remarks that the Avengers are pawns, they always have and always will be, pawns in a great game whose final outcome will see the very universe reshaped to his will. ‘But now…the time has come to turn my attention once more to the Scarlet Witch!’
Hank tells Torch and Ann that they are going to have to find Tigra, for if she is left to run free, then there is no telling what damage she might do - to herself as well as anyone she comes into contact with. The Human Torch agrees and asks if they should alert the others. Hank replies that he can take care of that, and informs the Torch that the Wasp went to Wanda’s cottage to check up on her, and that he will see if he can locate Wonder Man and USAgent, then they can start searching the grounds. The Human Torch, followed by Ann Raymond, begins to take his leave, telling Hank to keep in touch, while a solemn Hank is very angry, and thinks to himself that if it isn’t one thing, its another.
He tells himself that if any harm has befallen Greer because of this, he will never forgive himself, after all, the two of them were getting pretty tight for a while before Jan came back. Suddenly, a blinding light appears in the lab, and a voice calls out to Hank, startling him. A humanoid figure appears alongside a large animal-like being, and the voice exclaims ‘Doctor Pym…I would have word with you!’ ‘YOU!’ Hank shouts, surprised.
Outside, Ann Raymond, the wife of the deceased Toro, looks up to the sky and asks the Human Torch if hr sees any sign of Tigra. The Torch calls back that he doesn’t, not that the really expected to, for the creature he saw was very small and very fast, but motioning to the gateway, he exclaims that he sees something else of interest - some kind of motorcade approaching the Compound. Ann rushes over to the large gates and exclaims that the Torch is right, and that they have pulled right up to the gate, before wondering who they are.
‘You there! Are you an official representative of the Avengers?’ a man asks Ann as he gets out of his car. The Human Torch drops down beside the man and informs him that she is not, but he is. The man replies ‘Good’, before remarking that he doesn’t know who is in charge of the group at present, but thrusting a piece of paper at the Torch, the man tells him to give his leader this. ‘A notice of eviction! But I thought the Avengers owned this Compound!’ the Torch exclaims.
Meanwhile, Iron Man streaks across the skies, thinking that it is going to feel good to get out of his armor for a while, what with one thing and another, it seems like years since he has the chance to be himself, ‘Iron Man is a role I’ve accepted as part of my lot in life - I even enjoy aspects of it…but this hi-tech suit is a façade, and the real man needs his time in the sun!’ Iron Man decides to make himself a little promise, that he is going to put his armor into its special attaché case and forget it is there for about a week. But as Iron Man lands at a building, the Avengers emergency signal goes off, so he quickly turns and streaks back towards Avengers West Compound, thinking that his vacation will have to start tomorrow.
Back at the Compound, Hank Pym stands under a tree near Wanda’s bungalow and wonders to himself if it can really be possible that the house was torn from its foundations and hurled into space, for he doesn’t see any indication of such violence. But he realizes that would fit in precisely with what he started to discover about Wanda’s powers - an investigation that was interrupted by the insanity with Master Pandemonium.
(Flashback)Wanda tells Hank that she doesn’t understand what it is he wants to test her for, to which Hank explains that he wants to check for something that happened the other day when she caused that machine gun to misfire. Hank remarks that there may be any number of ways that could have happened, like the firing pin jamming or the bullets becoming defective, which is why he wants to narrow down the possibilities in order to understand the nature of her powers. ‘I want to determine how and at what point you make a highly improbable event a 100% certainty’.
Wanda motions to the bar of titanium steel and asks how it is going to allow Hank to test her powers. Hank explains that he has run a series of checks on the bar, right down to the sub-atomic level, and there are no fault lines in the structure and it is under 400 pounds of pressure right now. ‘All you need to do is point at it’. Wanda replies that will unleash the power of her hex, before reminding Hank that he knows she cannot control the precise manifestation of her mutant power. ‘You don’t need to!’ Hank replies as Wanda points at the titanium, when suddenly the titanium explodes.
Wanda goes over to where Hank is at a computer console, and Hank smiles, assuring Wanda that is pretty much what he expected to happen, before motioning to the scan on the monitor. He explains to Wanda that the top screen shows the rod as it was when he tested it for imperfections, and the bottom screen shows the same rod a millisecond after Wanda pointed at it. ‘By comparing the two - ‘ Hank begins, until he is interrupted by Wanda, who asks if the two images are not the same.
Hank turns back to the console and remarks that he must have cued up the wrong image on the upper screen, but realizes that it is the correct image - which means only one thing! Hank exclaims that it cannot be though, for if the test is right, it means Wanda not only caused a retroactive flaw in the steel rod, but somehow, her powers changed his previous readings, showing that the flaw had been there all along. ‘But that’s impossible! We know your powers don’t work that way!’
(Present)Hank sneaks along the shrubs beside the windows and reminds himself that he didn’t get to follow up on that test, but that it appears Wanda is far more powerful than she has ever been before - and if the information he was just given is true, then they may be in serious trouble.
Inside, Wanda asks Simon what the matter is, ‘You don’t seem to be enjoying my attention!’ The USAgent declares that he doesn’t believe this, and shouting at Wanda, he points out that Wonder Man has been her partner for years, and asks how she could hurt him like that. An anguished Wasp turns to Simon and whispers ‘Simon…are you…?’ ‘Don’t ask, Janet. Just don’t ask!’ Simon replies quietly.
Wanda turns her attention to USAgent, and putting her hands on his chin, she comments on his outrage, and asks if it could be that he is jealous of Wonder Man. ‘Could it be you wish such special consideration for yourself?’ ‘Don’t!’ Walker begins, when suddenly, Magneto enters, telling his daughter to desist, for this is neither the time, nor the place for such petty cruelty. Wanda acknowledges her father and asks him if his work elsewhere is complete.
Hank peers through one of the windows, and upon seeing Magneto realizes that everything he was told is true, everything fits together. Hank recalls that when they captured the Wizard, he revealed that Magneto was part of the criminal enclave bent on destroying the Avengers - but Magneto was not there when the final gambit was played out. Hank deduces that Magneto must have been here, as he obviously saw Loki’s vengeance scheme as a way of reclaiming the Scarlet Witch while she was emotionally vulnerable. Placing his hands on the wall of the building, Hank thinks to himself that they will have to go with plan A after all, and as Pym Particles begin to flow, he hopes that this is all timed right…
…as suddenly, the wall behind the Scarlet Witch convulses, ‘The wall!’ Wanda exclaims. ‘Former wall, Wanda!’ Hank declares as the wall crumbles around him, and entering the room, he boasts that his shrinking power can open a nice big hole by reducing the material, though it does make a bit of a mess. ‘Hank!’ exclaims the Wasp upon seeing her lover. Magneto warns Hank to stay back, informing him that he has what he has come for, so there is no need for conflict between the two of them.
‘I think I’ll be the judge of that, Magneto!’ Hank declares, ‘”What you came for” happens to be my teammate!’ ‘Ex-teammate!’ Wanda declares, and exclaims that her father has returned to her life just at the right moment, for in the past few weeks she has come to clearly understand the position he has held so long. ‘A final confrontation is coming, Doctor Pym. A day when mutants and humans will once and for all settle the question of who is to be dominant on this planet we share!’ Wanda adds that when that day comes, she stands with mutantkind.
Hank reaches into his pocket as he tells Wanda that he is sorry to hear her say that, and using his powers, the weapon that was held shrunken inside his pockets is enlarged, and pointing it at her, Hank declares that loyalty to your own kind is one thing, admirable perhaps, but allying yourself with a terrorist and mass murderer like Magneto is something he just has to put a stop to.
But before Hank can fire the gun, ‘I think not, Doctor!’ exclaims someone as they speed past the brilliant scientist, then circles around Wanda and Magneto. ‘What…is it?’ Wanda wonders. ‘Could it be…?’ she asks. Magneto declares that, ‘Of course it is, Wanda! Who else possesses a fleetness of foot to rival the most fleet of man’s inventions? Who but the mutant known to the world as…Quicksilver!’ As the helpless Avengers and Agatha Harkness look on, Wanda expresses her joy at her brother’s arrival. ‘Father…dear sister…it is good to be with you again!’ Pietro exclaims, adding that it is good to be once more along his fellow mutants, ‘As we set forth at last on the path that will make us MASTERS OF THE WORLD!’….


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Personal Magnetism
November 22nd, 1963:‘Well, Mr. President…you certainly can’t say that Dallas doesn’t love you today!’ one of the men riding in President John F. Kennedy’s car remarks. President Kennedy and his lovely wife Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy smile at their adoring public who have gathered to catch a glimpse of them on this day.
However, in the security of a nearby building, a sniper aims his rifle at the President of the United States of America. That moment, there is a gunshot, as the sniper is shot in the back of the head. Several police officers enter the room, ‘You got him, Agent Corrigan!’ one of them remarks. ‘I always hit what I aim for, officer’ Corrigan replies, before remarking that it is a good thing that they got the phone tip though, when suddenly, they hear more gunfire, outside this time. ‘Oh my God - no!’
‘Unfortunately, yes’ a striking man in a blue suit declares as he stands near the road, watching as the Presidential car is driven away at a fast pace, flanked by police motor cycles. ‘Yet again, a young American president is struck down by an assassin’s bullet on a fateful Friday in November, 1963’. The mysterious man remarks that, yet again, a black limousine careens away from Dealey Plaza, racing for Parkland Hospital in a foredoomed attempt to save a swiftly ebbing life. Glancing up at the building behind him, the man adds that this time however, the whole world will know that the fatal shot was not fired from the sixth floor of the Texas School book depository.
‘This time, the “single assassin theory” will received deservedly short shrift - and no frenzied rush to judgment can possibly ignore credible reports of gunmen firing from a “grassy knoll”. Walking down the street now, the man in blue remarks that it is almost tempting to remain, to see if it all makes any difference in the end. Almost. But not quite. His blue suit begins to disappear as a gateway in Space-Time opens, and he steps through it, declaring ‘Not when this was the last of the divergences which must be summarily eliminated - in order that Immortus will be reinstated as Master of Time!’
Back in his citadel now, and clad in his green and purple outfit, Immortus remembers how the first time through he overlooked that particular chronal pocket, being drawn to others in which Kennedy survived the assassination attempt. He decides that he can now finally afford to concentrate his efforts on the time-line which has always been central to his plan - ‘and let the endgame begin‘! he grins as he begins to watch certain events transpire in Palos Verdes, California, Earth-616, the present day.
‘The lighthouse - it must have been weakened by the earthquake!’ screams a woman as she and dozens of other civilians rush from the creaking old building. ‘It’s starting to crumble!’ she screams, while someone else urges everyone to run for the lives. Overhead, four of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, members of the West Coast branch of the Avengers, have arrived to see what they can do. From the security of his Iron Man armor, Tony Stark remarks to actor Simon Williams a.k.a. Wonder Man that if the earthquake they just had, perhaps Stark Enterprises should have kept New York as its home base.
‘Hey! Don’t blame California for everything!’ Simon exclaims, and socialite Janet Van Dyne a.k.a. the winsome Wasp backs him up, reminding Iron Man that it was all the doing of that madman, Vibro. From inside his little flight-ship, Dr. Hank Pym tells his teammates to do the post-mortem later, and motioning to Point Vicente Lighthouse, he declares that it isn’t going to wait. Wonder Man drops down beside the old structure, pointing out that it has held up pretty good for sixty years, so all it needs is a little muscle, and he would bet that it is good for another sixty.
Hank replies that he hopes Simon won’t mind if they don’t put his theory to the test, before calling out to Iron Man. Iron Man announces that his repulsor rays are on, while Simon uses his incredible strength to temporarily support the base of the lighthouse, thanking Iron Man, for although he is strong enough to keep the tower from toppling, it is threatening to fall apart in his hands. From inside his craft, Hank exclaims ‘And that, old buddy, is why this combo’s called Avengers West Coast - and not “Wonder Man and several other bozos in fancy costumes”!’
Hank then uses his aircraft to send out magnetic grapples, which hold the top of the lighthouse in place. He informs Iron Man and Wonder Man that this should give them some time to prop some reinforcements against the base, though the grapples will not prevent a few fragments from chipping off still. The Wasp darts around, exclaiming that is where she comes in, flitting over towards some of the chunks, she calls out to some civilians who have come rushing out of the lighthouse, telling them to stay inside. People wonder where the voice comes from, when someone sees her. ‘Out there! It’s that shrunken Avenger gal - the Wasp!’ someone remarks.
A little girl exclaims that the Wasp flew right into the midst of all the chunks, and a surprised Wasp regrets that, as her bio-stings are not functioning. A large rock is about to fall on her, when an arrow shoots it out of the way. Wasp sees Clint “Hawkeye” Barton, the Avenging Archer arriving with the handsome USAgent on a flight-cycle. Wasp thanks her teammate, before asking him where he came from. ‘Detroit, where else?’ Clint replies, before explaining that he stopped off at the Avengers West’s Compound only to find USAgent chomping at the bit to go help the rest of them clean up after that earthquake.
The Wasp exclaims that is great, before asking where Mockingbird is - not that she means to pry, only - ‘Only you thought the wife and I were busy trying to turn the so-called “Great Lakes Avengers” into a fighting team worthy of the franchise!’ Clint remarks that is half right, and reveals that Bobbi is back with the GLA in Milwaukee, but he decided that his place was back here with the team that he founded. ‘Not that you guys have been exactly knocking down my door since I was fired…’ Clint adds.
Janet tells Clint that he wasn’t fired, and reminds him that he quit, before welcoming him back. Wasp turns to the USAgent and tells him that she is glad to see he is out of the infirmary since their battle with Wanda and Magneto. ‘Who’d you think was going to stop me? That nurse you hired?’ Agent replies. The Wasp begins to say that it is the nurses’ job to look after them, when she notices Iron Man returning with a load of steel girders. ‘Yeah, and what’ll Tony Stark gets a load of the bill! - Then again, maybe he already has!’
The Wasp, in a hushed voice, tells Clint that they do not know for sure if this new Iron Man is really Tony Stark. As Iron Man and Wonder Man begin putting the girders in place, the Wasp points out that even if they did know, they all agreed not to mention it in front of the USAgent, whom they barely know. The Wasp adds that whatever this Iron Man’s secret identity is, she is sure he will tell them in his own good time, but until then, they should just be happy he is here to add some East-Coast Credibility to a team that seems to spend most of its time just cleaning up its own backyard!
From his flight craft, Hank asks if everything is under control down there, before announcing that he is disengaging the grapple. Wonder Man remarks to Hawkeye that it is rather ironic, for while they are all saving an official South Bay historical landmark, the city of Palos Verdes is trying to make them vacate their Compound because they supposedly attract a bad element to the neighborhood. Clint replies that technically, this area is in Rancho, before telling Simon that he understands what he means, and motioning to a crowd of onlookers, he thinks they did too.
One of the civilians suggests to the others that they go and show the Avengers that they appreciate what they have done here. ‘Oh, Avengers! Captain America!’ one of them calls out to USAgent, who swiftly turns and exclaims ‘Hold it right there! First off, I’m not Captain America. The name is USAgent - remember it!’ before telling the people that it is too dangerous for them to be roaming around here, so he wants them to all go home. One of the crowd remarks that they are not residents, but tourists. ‘Well, then - go back to your hotels. That’s an order!’
Watching the USAgent, Clint remarks to Janet that things don’t seem to have changed much, for ever since the Feds shoved the USAgent onto the team, he has been acting like he is team leader - ‘Like I used to be’. Jan informs Clint that is the problem, as they do not have an official chairman at the moment, although she thinks it is high-time that they did. ‘My point exactly!’ Clint mutters.
Soon, ‘Three cheers for the Avengers West!’ someone cries as the Avengers all take their leave to an adoring group of fans below. Wonder Man remarks to Iron Man that interviewers often ask him why he doesn’t quit the Avengers to concentrate on his movie career, well this is the real thing, not hanging around watching stuntmen do most of the heroics because the studio’s insurance company is terrified he will stub his big toe. Iron Man remarks that Simon has come along way from the envy-ridden guy who used to blame Tony Stark for his failure - ‘At least so Mr. Stark tells me’ Iron Man quickly adds, before mentioning that right now they have got the Scarlet Witch to worry about.
Wonder Man agrees, ‘If she really means to help Magneto and revive the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants…’ From within his flight-craft, Hank exclaims that she does, as something happened to her when she learned that her children were only a figment of her hex-powered imagination, he adds that he has a plan however. Janet asks her lover if his plan has anything to do with Quicksilver, reminding him that he was going to tell her something about Pietro. Hank remarks that he doubts Magneto can monitor them from within his rover, so he will let her in on it….
Meanwhile, on an Asteroid high above Earth. ‘ah, how gratifying it is to have my family gathered around me once again!’ the Master of Magnetism, Magneto, exclaims, walking side by side with his children, Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch, and Pietro Maximoff a.k.a. Quicksilver. Pietro remarks that he came because he was summoned, but that her is still startled by the change in his sister. ‘I suggest, Pietro, that you do not patronize me by speaking as If I were not here - or you will find out, most painfully, that I am!’ Wanda declares.
Quicksilver assures his sister that he meant no offense, but that she has changed so much. Wanda, sporting her recently adopted costume and short hair style, declares that it is as she said - she has merely awakened to the yawning abyss between they and the pitiful human mass that creeps and crawls on the mud-ball below. ‘I was referring to the startling increase in your hex power’ Pietro states. Magneto admits that is even a mystery to himself, before declaring that what matters is that they use Wanda’s heightened abilities in the coming final clash between mutants and mankind - a clash which begins now.
The Master of Magnetism stands before a computer console showing a map of the world and tells his children to imagine snowstorms blanketing the Sahara, hurricanes lashing the prairies, and tornadoes uprooting Los Angeles - all the probabilities of the Earth’s weather will be instantly altered the instant he presses this red button - which he almost does, until Pietro cries ‘STOP!’ ‘You disappoint me, son!’ Magneto declares as he uses his powers to mould some metal, attempting to trap his son in it as he remarks that in spite of his suspicions, he hoped that Quicksilver did not intend to betray him.
Magneto adds that he is almost ashamed to have flushed his son out into the open with such a transparent ploy. ‘Then your threat to the world’s weather was only a trick?’ Pietro asks, easily avoiding his father’s trap as he speeds over to Magneto assuring him that it will not work, and punching him in the face. Magneto admits that Quicksilver has honed his speed since the last met, evading the sheeting which he tried to bind him with. Pietro grabs some tubing, remarking that fortunately, not quite everything here in Asteroid M is made of metal as he winds the rope around his father.
Wanda stands unemotionally and tells her brother that he is very clever, but that if he truly expected to stop them, then he should have wound that plastic tubing tightly around Magneto’s neck and strangled him. Pietro turns to his sister and asks her what is wrong, what happened to make her more cruel, more ruthless than ever - even in those unenlightened days when they sought to bend humanity to the mutant yoke? ‘You speak of those days in the past tense. To me, they are the certain future!’ Wanda declares, adding ‘As certain as the probability that the steel floor beneath your feet will collapse like moistened paper at my merest gesture!’ With that, Wanda raises her hand ever so slightly, and Quicksilver falls through the floor that has given way underneath him.
As Quicksilver plummets to the level below him, Wanda calls down through the hole ‘And if a man cannot even stand, he cannot run - he can only fall’. There is a terrible sound as Quicksilver lands, injuring his left leg. ‘How could you do it, Wanda?’ a shocked Pietro asks, declaring ‘Like father when he turned us into criminals - you have betrayed me!’ Wanda stands over the hole, telling her brother that he must surely realize by now that she is no longer the little girl that he has over-protected for most of their lives. Wanda turns to her father, informing him that she will free him, but Magneto tells her not to bother, and as the plastic binds fall off, he remarks that Pietro should have guessed that even the plastic in this satellite would contain magnetized metal particles.
Magneto explains that he only allowed Pietro to bind him so he could gauge Wanda’s reaction, and as he magnetically lowers himself and Wanda on a scrap of metal down to the level Pietro is on, Magneto reveals that he had pegged Quicksilver for a traitor when he so conveniently arrived to “rescue” the two of them from Dr. Henry Pym. Standing over his son, Magneto remarks that he only wished Quicksilver’s pitifully inadequate scheme had a bit more depth to it.
Suddenly, Quicksilver declares ‘Then you can be proud of me again, father - for there was more to it!’ with that, Quicksilver reveals in his hand a very tiny Lockjaw, the Inhumans’ royal dog. Magneto and Wanda are both equally surprised, and Wanda exclaims that Lockjaw is reduced in size so greatly that Pietro could have hidden him inside his belt. Quicksilver sets Lockjaw on the ground and reveals that when he teleported him to the Avengers Compound in California, Dr. Pym bombarded him with “Pym Particles” in a way which kept him shrunken until his own high-speed vibrations acted on him. Lockjaw looks at Wanda and Magneto, and Quicksilver tells him to hurry, before they can strike at him as well to use his powers to teleport all four of them down to…
…Avengers Compound! Except, Quicksilver is shocked to find they are not at Avengers Compound in Palos Verdes, though the Avengers West Coast are all present. Quicksilver is greeted by Hawkeye, while Magneto asks his daughter what place this is - ‘Has that mongrel brought us to the Inhumans’ domain on the Dark Side of the Moon?’ Wanda is confused, and replies that she doesn’t think so - but she cannot be sure.
Dr. Pym gives Wanda a fair warning, telling her to step aside from her father or they Avengers cannot be responsible for what happens. USAgent tells Pym to hold his horses, ‘Who says Magneto’s the main enemy? From what I’ve seen, our number one priority ought to be the Witch!’ ‘Your major concern, Agent, should be staying alive - something you will be hard pressed to do if you take so much as a step in our direction!’ Wanda declares.
Wonder Man looks at the Scarlet Witch, forlorn, he thinks that he cannot believe it, and he is almost glad that the Vision is not human any more, or he would be shattered to see the change that has come over the woman he used to love. ‘I know he would - because it’s tearing me apart to see her this way…since I’m still in love with her!’ Simon tells himself.
Magneto tells Wanda to keep back, as these fools before them do not understand that the dark days are coming, ‘And I will not lose any of my family again!’ Wanda replies that she will do as he says, to which Pym declares that the Avengers have no choice. ‘Let’s go, Avengers!’ he orders, and the Avengers rush towards their foe. ‘Have you learned nothing from our previous encounters? Why not simply hurl paper planes and rubber bands against me instead?’ Magneto jokes, adding that they would stand far more chance than their metal missives did.
Magneto turns Hawkeye’s arrow back on himself, trapping Clint in the net that springs from the arrow, while USAgent is smacked in the face by his own shield as it is sent back to him. Similarly, Magneto’s power interferes with Wonder Man’s rockets, and he is thrown off balance mid-flight. Hank declares that Pietro is not the only one with a shrunken trick up his sleeve, and reveals a popgun that he specially designed to neutralize Magneto’s powers. Hank fires the gun, as Magneto declares that be believes a very old human adage is applicable - “Back to the drawing board”! With that, Magneto knocks Hank back, while the Wasp begins firing her sting in Magneto’s air, only for him to slam his fist upon his helmet, causing the Wasp to fall out, landing disorientated on the ground, right by the Scarlet Witch.
Janet calls out to her friend, telling her that she cannot let Magneto do this, when suddenly Wanda’s foot appears above a screaming Wasp, only for Wanda to stop suddenly as she hears a voice say Wanda! Cease this nonsense! The Wasp quickly flies up to Wanda’s face, and wonders what that was all about, as all of a sudden the Scarlet Witch has gone rigid, now she is standing as if she is in a trance. Jan wonders ‘Does somebody up there like me - or did I just get lucky?’
Suddenly, Iron Man flies overhead, carrying some large contraption with him. Magneto declares that he was wondering when the second-generation Iron Man had got to, adding that is surprised Iron Man didn’t attack him in the first wave now that he has demagnetized his skin-tight armor. Iron Man tosses the large contraption at Magneto who mutters that he sees that Iron Man wisely prefers to assault him from a distance with over-sized toys, adding that he knows Iron Man cannot have applied his demagnetizing agent to his entire armor, when suddenly, the device Iron Man threw at Magneto smashes into him, as it was made of painted wood - there was no metal in it.
Magneto looks around and wonders what all the grinning porpoises are doing hanging around, to which Iron Man tells him that if he would spend more time having fun and less trying to conquer the world, then he might have easily recognized this as the “Atlantis” exhibit in the defunct aquarium they used to call Ocean World. Wonder Man remarks that they did de-metal things in a hurry, ‘You think we were gonna let you trash our compound like everybody and his brother?’
Magneto remarks that he sees that this battle is a stalemate, and not only that, but a meaningless stalemate. He calls to Wanda and tells her that it is time they were gone, but Wanda does not move. ‘Don’t think she heard you, chum!’ Iron Man mutters, to which Magneto declares that whatever they have done to her it will not work. He sends a magnetic wave to latch onto the metal fibres in Wanda’s clothing, but he is shocked to see that his powers just vanish, passing out of this world and into another. Magneto realizes that the Avengers - humans - didn’t do this, and declare that he fears there are alien forces at work here, which even his vaunted magnetism cannot fight. He adds that until he can learn what they are and how he may overcome them, he must take his leave. With that, he blasts through the roof of Ocean World, and out into the open air.
Iron Man and Wonder Man fly after him, with Iron Man telling Magneto that it is not that easy. Simon remarks that it is hard to believe they have Magneto on the run, to which Clint asks ‘So how come I got the feeling that he’s not taking a powder because we got him shaking in his booties?’ Pietro remarks to Lockjaw that Hawkeye senses the truth, however dimly. He adds that to gain the time to study the aura that surrounds Wanda, Magneto knew he must first defeat the Avengers, and he knew that they would not give way unless he killed them. Looking at Wanda, Pietro assumes that Magneto feared that the shock of the Avengers’ deaths might reverse Wanda’s newfound anti-human fervor, he however, doesn’t think it would have. Quicksilver tells Lockjaw that he thought that it was Magneto, despite his denials, who might somehow be behind the sinister change in his sister - but he now begins to suspect that for once in his life, Magneto was being manipulated by one more powerful than himself.
In the open air, Magneto declares ‘This is intolerable!’ as the Avengers West are not far behind him. ‘Magneto - undisputed master of the force that binds the universe - reduced to playing the sparrow fleeing the hungry hawks!’ As Hank’s flight craft shoots out a grapple, Magneto adds that ‘These hawks stab mindlessly with talons of metal - like me who would fight a killer shark by tossing slabs of red meat at it’ The Master of Magnetism suddenly stops in his tracks, declaring that he will retreat no further. ‘That’s just what we wanted!’ Hank exclaims, adding that he didn’t figure his grapple was going to reel in a big fish such as he, which is what the Avengers have people like Iron Man for!
Iron Man thanks Hank as he slams into Magneto, remarking that he has been waiting for this moment ever since the last time they tangled, ‘Iron versus magnet - talk about your natural grudge matches!’ Magneto suddenly declares ‘If so, Avenger - it is not one I care to hold public!’ and with that, Magneto forces himself and Iron Man down into a massive oil refinery smokestack. Wonder Man decides that he better get in there fast. As a loud rumble sounds, Clint tells Simon to save it for the movies, as that whole smoke stacks is about to blow - and it does, with a spectacular explosion.
Wonder Man regrets that he didn’t get inside sooner, when Hawkeye announcers that he can see somebody coming out of the smoke. ‘Which one is it?’ Hank asks from inside his craft, when Iron Man arrives, ‘Hey, show a little faith in me, people!’ he exclaims, before supposing that he and Magneto both clogged the smokestack, and after it blew up, Magneto disappeared in a burst of flame. Iron Man tells his teammates that as far as he can ascertain, Magneto was instantly destroyed. Clint is relieved to see that Iron Man is okay, before asking his teammates if they think that Magneto is really dead this time. ‘NAAAAHH’ they all reply, before Iron Man suggests they do a quick repair job on the smokestack. ‘Yeah, before still another South Bay community gets on our case!’ Wonder Man mutters, while Hawkeye tells everyone to make it snappy, concerned for his dear friend Wanda, he reminds them that they still have her to worry about.
A short time later, in wealthy Palos Verdes. Hawkeye, Iron Man, Wasp, Dr. Pym, Agent and Wonder Man stand with Quicksilver, Lockjaw and the unmoving Scarlet Witch, and Hank asks if things are still the same. Pietro replies that he fears so, as Wanda has not moved, except to breath, since she suddenly stood still in the middle of all the fighting. Agent asks if the Scarlet Witch still has that force field around her, and Pietro explains that it is not a force field of the type he is talking about, for there is no energy shield to prevent him from reaching out to touch her, and Pietro demonstrates, illustrating that when he gets close, his hand simply vanishes, returning only when he pulls it away from Wanda.
Iron Man asks his former teammate if he has tried to get Lockjaw to teleport Wanda out of the force field. Pietro replies that he has, but that Lockjaw’s powers do not affect the space where she stands. Suddenly, there is a voice that declares ‘Because, mutant, she does not stand merely in space, but also…in time!’ Everyone turns to the direction of the voice, and Quicksilver is confused as he doesn’t recognize the being that stands beside his sister. A fearful Hank exclaims that Quicksilver may have never ran into him before, but most of them have, and in fact he half-suspected the intruder might be at the bottom of what has been happening to the Avengers West Coast lately…Immortus!
The scheming Immortus puts an arm around the Scarlet Witch as he tells Dr. Pym ‘You can have at best only the most infinitesimal inkling of the game which Immortus has been playing!’ Immortus tells the Avengers that they have always been nothing more than pawns in his greater strategy, however the Scarlet Witch has just been promoted from a pawn…’To my Queen!’


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The Immortus Imperative
‘Then - the one responsible for the trance my sister is in - is Immortus! The ruler of the dimension called Limbo?’ exclaims Pietro Maximoff a.k.a. Quicksilver as he stands gape-jawed alongside the Avengers West Coast after Immortus has just made his appearance. The handsome USAgent has his trusty shield ready, while the Scarlet Witch’s dear friend, the arching Avenger known as Clint “Hawkeye” Barton readies his bow and arrows. Immortus declares that he is far more than the lord of a single cross-time realm, as the Avengers will soon learn. ‘Rather - I am the ultimate master of time itself!’
Quicksilver orders Immortus to stand away from his sister, until Hank interrupts him, suggesting they let Immortus have his say. Lockjaw growls while Immortus mockingly remarks that Pym obviously realizes he would not have bearded the West Coast Avengers in their lair were he not utterly immune to attack. ‘Yeah? Well Dr. Pym doesn’t speak for the USAgent, buddy!’ USAgent exclaims, while Simon Williams a.k.a. Wonder Man, the Scarlet Witch’s brother-in-law tells Immortus that he can shove those “West Coast” cracks.
Hank calls out for everyone to stop, ‘For the sake of the Scarlet Witch, we’ve got to hear Immortus out!’ Janet Van Dyne a.k.a. the winsome Wasp, Hank’s lover, exclaims ‘Spoken like a true leader and founding father, Hank!’ ‘Founding father, yes, leader - no!’ Hawkeye remarks as he fires an arrow at Immortus, only to watch as it bounces off, as if there is some force field around Immortus. ‘You know force fields are standard issue with super villains, Hawk!’ Wonder Man jokes, for Immortus to remark ‘For a second time you refer to me as a “villain”’ and asking if the Avengers apply such negative labels to everything they cannot understand.
Clint replies ‘We understand you, all right! The Avengers have been on your case since day one!’ Simon calls to Iron Man, informing him that his predecessor was around when the original Avengers first tackled Immortus, adding that he himself came along a few weeks later, and suggesting that the two of them grab Immortus’ legs and make a wish. Iron Man replies that leader or no leader, he sides with Dr. Pym, as he is not so certain Immortus is here as an enemy, adding that they also have Wanda’s safety to worry about.
Quicksilver is annoyed at how the Avengers worry, talk and delay, so declaring that even though he has a sprained knee, he will act. With that he races towards Immortus, who remarks ‘You would use so pitiful a power as speed - against one who controls time without which speed is an inconceivable concept?’
Immortus boasts that he could take a single step backwards, or walk to Earth’s moon and return while Quicksilver merely careens into the other fool who thought to sneak up on his superior. ‘What? Can’t stop!’ Pietro exclaims as he crashes into USAgent. Immortus turns to the other Avengers and asks if they will vow not to follow him while he completes his business with the Scarlet Witch. Iron Man asks what business he is referring to, adding that Immortus talks as if he has been up to something for a long time. ‘You have no idea how long!’ Immortus replies.
Immortus exclaims that as far as his business goes, he can only say that it is vital to the timelines of many realties - including most especially this one. ‘Sorry, fella, but that’s not good enough!’ Iron Man declares. Immortus simply states that it will have to be. The pint-sized Wasp flies over to Lockjaw and begins whispering something to him, while Immortus tells the Avengers that they really have no say in the matter, and that even if he withdrew his force field, they have already seen that he placed an extra-temporal shield around Wanda which prevents anyone from so much as touching her.
Turning to the Wasp, Immortus declares that neither will the doglike Lockjaw be able to whisk the Scarlet Witch out of his clutches as he snatched her from Magneto, for his teleportation power will not affect the timeless space in which she stands. Immortus waves his hands and sends Lockjaw into a deep sleep, while one of the Avengers points out that Wanda is beginning to fade away. Immortus asks the Avengers if they surely do not expect him to conduct his delicate experiments here. With that, all of the Avengers rush towards Immortus, who mumbles that he should have realized that they are incorrigible.
Immortus knows that no matter how much he reasons with them, they will not rest so long as he has one of their own. ‘You got it!’ Wonder Man exclaims, before Immortus decides not to cast the six heroes into a sleep, since one of them might somehow awaken and seek to pursue him, so instead he transports all of them with him, and in an instant, all that remain are Lockjaw and a shadow of Immortus, until someone else enters the room, ‘As indeed you have, my dear Immortus. Still, you’ve left some slight vestige of yourself behind, haven’t you…even if it’s only a gossamer-thin doppelganger, while the rest of you have returned…’
…’To Limbo!’ The Avengers all look around, seeing that they are in some sort of throne room, Iron Man begins to say that it looks so much different from the way he first saw it, only to quickly say ‘From the way I’ve heard it looked to the first Iron Man!’ Immortus explains that it is because this trans-temporal dimension exists outside of the Time Stream itself, and is ever a reflection of his wishes and moods. Quicksilver exclaims that Lockjaw will never be able to locate them here, even if he does wake, while Wonder Man remarks that back in Hollywood, a set like this would eat up the budget for his last three films.
Hawkeye draws an arrow as he remarks that right now, Simon’s career is the last thing he is worried about. ‘I didn’t mean it that way I‘m as concerned about Wanda as any of you!’ Simon claims, before USAgent declares ‘Let’s get that creep - wherever we are!’ For once, Hank Pym agrees with Agent. However, Immortus, who has the Scarlet Witch, still motionless, standing beside him, remarks that the Avengers are becoming a tiresome lot, and admits that here in timeless Limbo, his time-altering mechanical devices give him less of an advantage than he wielded on Earth, however, he is still disappointed that the Avengers think him stupid enough to face all of them - most being muscular specimens - alone.
The Avengers all turn swiftly, as the USAgent exclaims that someone just came in behind them. Iron Man declares that his predecessor has told him about this group of people…the Legion of the Unliving! Iron Man explains that while the membership may change, the concept remains the same: Immortus conjures up the shades of those thought by the Avengers to be along the ranks of the unliving, then commands them to do his bidding. Only a fiery man resembling the Human Torch hovers in the air remaining silent, while the other members of the Legion begin to introduce themselves.
‘No on needs to force the Black Knight to fight the Avengers!’ declares the uncle of the current Black Knight as he sits on his black Pegasus, ready for battle. ‘Ditto for the Grim Reaper!’ Wonder Man’s diabolical brother exclaims. ‘Also the Swordsman!’ the former Avenger snarls. ‘That goes double for Left-Winger…’ ‘…and Right-Winger!’ the patriotic villains exclaim. ‘Surely you remember Oort the Living Comet!’ declares the ridiculous villain. Finally, a more advanced-looking Iron Man introduces himself as the Iron Man of 2020A.D. - Arno Stark - revealing that he has always wanted to see if he could wipe the floor with his illustrious ancestor.
Both teams begin to rush towards each other, with Iron Man claiming that he is only the third Iron Man, but that he hopes he will do. Hawkeye motions to who looks like the Human Torch, and assuming it is the Torch, he asks what he is doing fighting the Avengers. USAgent suggests Hawkeye wash his ears out, reminding him that Iron Man said Immortus controls these deadheads. The Wasp tells her male companions not to hold back, as they are not really alive, they are merely some sort of simulacra that Immortus has pulled out of time. ‘But if we don’t stop them, we will be the dead ones - for real!’ Jan adds.
Appropriately, Wonder Man takes on his brother, Eric a.k.a. the Grim Reaper and thinks that this is crazy, remembering that the first time the Legion of the Unliving appeared he was a member, except he wasn’t really dead, only in some weird coma, while this time around, he is in danger of getting sliced and diced by his own late brother.
Iron Man 2020 attacks whom he assumes to be his great-uncle, boasting that he has made some improvements in the weaponry. Iron Man begins to remind his possible relative that he is not his uncle, when a device that Iron Man 2020 shot at him strikes, and goes through his armor like a ninja blade through margarine. ‘Then you can surely imagine what my fist is going to do to your mask - and to the face behind it!’ Iron Man 2020 exclaims. Iron Man replies that he is actually rather unimaginative, and suggests to 2020 that he show him. But as Iron Man 2020 pushes the current Iron Man through a wall, he fears that he just might.
Hawkeye finds himself fighting the Swordsman, and reminds him that although he started out as a crook, wound up as one of the good guys before he died. Clint urges his former mentor and teammate to fight back, not to let that slime Immortus take away all that he has worked for. Jacques Duquesne tells Hawkeye to save his breath, reminding him that as his mentor, ‘I taught you everything you know - but not everything I know!’ Firing a blast of energy from his sword, the Swordsman exclaims that is the edge he has which will in turn make Hawkeye the next candidate for the Legion of the Unliving.
The Black Knight fires a beam from his lance as he notes how Pym has given up his Giant Man identity since their last encounter, and boasting that no matter how large or small a target Pym presents, he will not elude Nathan Garrett! USAgent smashes one of his patriotic foes, asking them what they are doing in the Legion of the Unliving. ‘I wasn’t lucky enough to waste you the last time we met!’ he exclaims. ‘The coma you left us in was as good as being dead!’
The Wasp flies towards who she assumes to be the Human Torch, and assuming it isn’t Johnny Storm, she decides it has to be the original, so she asks him if he isn’t supposed to be deactivated or something. The Wasp’s foe doesn’t reply, only shoots intense beams of heat at her. The Wasp thinks that her former teammate may be an android, but that he is acting more like a robot - set to kill on command!
Quicksilver speeds around Oort the Living Comet, who tries to blast him, while pointing out that they never did find out which of them is faster. ‘What are you talking about, Oort - or whatever your name is? I never even heard of you before!’ Pietro exclaims, before realizing that Oort’s blasts are heading towards Wanda, so he races towards his sister, and is shot in the back, as Oort remarks that Quicksilver hasn’t changed since they met in the 50th Century. Oort reveals that even there, Quicksilver was overly protective of his sister, and motioning to Wanda, who doesn’t even flinch as her brother falls wounded at her feet, Oort remarks that she obviously couldn’t care less whether her brother lives or dies.
Meanwhile, back at Avengers Compound, Agatha Harkness reveals herself, and holding onto her familiar, the car Ebony, she looks at the shadow of Immortus, declaring that he has gone back to Limbo where he truly belongs, nevertheless though, everything is beginning to come out into the open. Agatha reveals that she half-sensed his lurking presence behind poor Wanda’s misfortune - her increased powers, her growing alienation from humanity - even her objectively non-existent children. The old woman reveals that is the reason she stayed out of sight when Immortus appeared, as she did not wish to risk being put to sleep like the four-footed Inhuman, especially as she has so many important things to do.
The uber-witch speaks directly to the facsimile of Immortus and tells him that his almost unmeasurable power made him careless, otherwise he surely would have noticed when she cast her furtive spell to keep his three-dimensional doppelganger here on Earth when he spirited the Avengers away. Agatha prays that Immortus can detect no echoes of it in his far-flung realm while she does what she must. ‘For as you know full well, Earth’s very timelines are in danger of unraveling, like threads in a fallen skein…but I for one am far from certain that you are the one to knit them up again!’
Back in Limbo, ‘Still using the Mandarin’s hand-me-down gadgets, huh Swordsman - even in the beyond?’ Hawkeye asks as he dodges the blast, although the Swordsman replies with an equally effective comment - ‘Says the man who’d still be shooting apples off people’s heads - if not for a technological care package from Tony Stark!’ The Swordsman asks Hawkeye if he would like a free demonstration of what he will do to Clint’s Avenger friends without any of his gadgetry. With that, the Swordsman uses his blade to block Clint’s arrows, sending them crashing into some rocks, and causing a landslide.
The Swordsman boasts that he will always be the teacher, and Hawkeye always the pupil. ‘Oh, yeah? Well, “teach” - here’s one of those apples you were talking about before!’ Clint declares as he fires an arrow at the Swordsman, who remarks ‘You haven’t learned a thing in the years since my death, Hawkeye - if you think a second rocket arrow will -’ The Swordsman is cut off mid-sentence, and screams as Clint’s arrow strikes his sword, and as Jacques falls to the ground, Clint reveals that it wasn’t another rocket arrow, but an electro-arrow, all 21,000 volts of it. Clint stands over his former mentor tells him that he shouldn’t have made that crack about what he was going to do to the others. Clint realizes that as he knew the Swordsman the best, it was up to him to stop him - at any cost. ‘Do me a favor okay? Don’t let Immortus being you back to life again. I really don’t think I could take that!’
Back at Avengers West Compound, Agatha and the shadow of Immortus stand in a pentagram, and Agatha declares that she now, at last, must know the full story at which she has only dimly guessed. Ebony sits on the outside of the mystic circle as Agatha casts her spell: ‘O Hecate and Demeter and Rhiannon, ye who ruled when the Earth was so young - this image which shares mind with Immortus - make speak with the Time-Lord’s own tongue!’ Ethereal energies swirl around the old witch as she tells “Immortus” to tell her freely, beyond the chance of untruth and sin - what he has schemed all these years in dark Limbo, and the past of fair Wanda therein. A trance-like “Immortus” replies ‘Yes…I will tell you!’
Back in the timeless Limbo, Hank Pym and the Black Knight are having a fight in flight, and the Black Knight compliments Hank on how clever it was of him to carry a shrunken airship in his pocket. However the Knight asks Hank what he is going to do now, as he fires a beam of energy from his lance at Hank’s flight craft. As the rover is struck, Hank leaps from it with a flight pack on his back, asking the Black Knight if his sources in the hereafter didn’t warn him about his personal hover pack. The Black Knight is worried at how close Hank is getting, and tries to maneuver himself so that he can blast Hank out of the air, while the good Dr. Pym remarks that today’s Black Knight told the Avengers that this Black Knight had repented before he died, ‘But it seems that was just wishful thinking on your nephew’s part!’
Hank hovers right next to the Black Knight, who tells him to get away, only to fall from his Pegasus. Hank is knocked off balance too, and begins to plummet to the ground along with the Black Knight, and Hank supposes that the Knight suddenly remembered falling to his death years ago while fighting Iron Man and panicked. Hank manages to stabilize his descent before he smacks the ground, but it is too late for the Black Knight. Hank drops to the ground by the Black Knight, whose Pegasus stands by him now, and thinks that Nathan Garrett has died a second time, the same way he did the first. Hank looks around and realizes that the Avengers seem to be winning their share of these little fights, but wonders why he still feels lousy about it.
Back on Earth and in real-time, the shadow of Immortus remarks trance-like that he must reveal what Agatha Harkness commands him, for he has not the fierce will of the real Immortus, as he is only a shadow.
(Shown with various Flashback / Flash-forward Images)‘I was born in the 30th Century upon an Earth parallel to your own…’ To Immortus, it was a repugnant world, for in its smothering embrace of luxury, there were few surprises and fewer challenges. Only in ancient images of such long-dead heroes as the Fantastic Four did he find even fleeting excitement. Not to mention, both he and Mr. Fantastic had the same ancestor - Nathaniel Richards. A pre-Immortus knew that Nathaniel Richards had journeyed from his Earth to this one, a millennium earlier, and there, by a woman named Cassandra, he sired a son, Immortus’ ancestor.
So, the pre-Immortus was inspired to seek out the isolated shrine Nathaniel had left behind, and there made a startling discovery - Nathaniel Richards had invented the first time machine, and had left part of it, and plans for its operation, hidden in the shrine. The pre-Immortus rebuilt the machine, re-shaped it into a sphinx to take advantage of the religious beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians, and set the controls for 6000 years in the past. Ironically, it was the Fantastic Four who defeated him in that era, where he ruled for a time as the pharaoh Rama-Tut, and so he fled. In days to come, he also became Kang the Conqueror - actually, via divergences not important here, there was a virtual legion of Kangs - and in time, he took a separate identity from them all…Immortus!
(Present)USAgent is kicked in the face by one of the Wingers, and while he gathers himself, both his patriotic enemies grab some very large jagged spikes from the rock-like wall. Left-Winger tells Right-Winger that it is bad enough Agent hassled their mothers simply because he blames the two of them for his parents death. ‘Right! Then he went and blew us up real good on top of it!’ Right-Winger reminds his partner. Both men rush towards USAgent with the fierce spikes pointed at him, and Left-Winger declares that they are going to fix it so that the next time somebody whips up a Legion of the Unliving, USAgent is right there to answer the role call. Agent thanks Left-Winger for offering to sponsor him for membership, ‘But I think I’ll pass!’ he exclaims as he tosses his trusty shield along the ground, tripping Left Winger up, and leaping out of the way as both Left and Right Winger plunge their spikes into each other. ‘Welcome back to the dead zone, boys’ Agent remarks as he collects his shield and stands over the bodies of his fallen foes.
(Shown with various Flashback / Flash-forward Images)As Immortus, the uber-being was more contemplative than his Kang counterparts, who were dedicated to the conquest of historical eras. So he sequested himself in the ageless dimension known as Limbo and dedicated himself to the study of that ultimate enigma - time itself. To the strange realm came a trio of beings spawned at the end of this time-cycle. They called themselves the Time Keepers and had selected Immortus to be taught the secrets of time - and he learned much under their tutelage. With their vast powers, the Time Keepers appointed Immortus as Custodian of the Time Stream, for the period in which he had lived as Kang - from 3000 BC to 4000 AD.
Immortus’ task was to monitor all time travel within those seven millennia and untangle the realities brought about by the various Kangs, and even, on one occasion, a divergent Rama-Tut. It is apparently fortunate that Immortus was more than a match for any and all of them, and over the years he has developed a facility for giving facile explanations - some might call them falsehoods - when pressed to reveal his motivations by the likes of Thor or the Avengers. Yet, all the while, Immortus has remained true to the visions he has seen in his Chrono-Crystal - and to the ultimate purpose of the Time Keepers. A purpose he has vowed to fulfil in exchange for total mastery over seventy centuries.
(Present)‘What is the Keepers’ purpose, Immortus? WHAT?’ Agatha demands.
While back in Limbo, Iron Man 2020 tells his uncle to face it, ‘You’re like some primitive stealth bomber up against a star raker from my day!’, before revealing that he got hold of his armor the old fashioned way - ‘I bought it!’ The real Iron Man mutters that he supposes there is nothing new under the sun 30 years from now - including Iron Man. ‘Maybe not new, but definitely improved!’ 2020 boasts, before declaring ‘Whoever you are in there, you’re last century’s model!’, and punching Iron Man across the chamber.
Iron Man knows that his opponent is right, the armor he wears is obsolete compared to the newcomers. ‘But what about the man inside this armor? Am I obsolete too? Well so what if I am - at least in his era? I’m still the original Iron Man - and this clown - moving in for the kill - is just a copy!’ Tony reminds himself that he is the original and the enemy is the copy. That he is the real McCoy - ‘He’s a cheap fake!’ Iron Man shouts before leaping up off the ground and giving Iron Man 2020 a good old fashioned punch in the face, causing him to fall to the ground. ‘What’s the matter, Arno? They don’t have certificates of authenticity where you come from?’ Tony jokes.
(Shown with illustrative imagines depicting various historical figures)Agatha asks Immortus what it is he is holding back from her, reminding him that he has told her of many of the divergent timelines he has obliterated - wherein sovereigns and presidents have met fates different from those they knew in this world’s history - where Napoleon once stood victorious in conquered Moscow. Where three Avengers were killed by an alternate Hydro-Man’s bomb, and where the mere existence of a harmless little man named Leonard Tippit caused World War Three to occur in 1985.
Agatha fears that she suspects what Immortus’ transformation and capture of poor Wanda has to do with all of this - but she still must know for certain. ‘Tell me, essence of Immortus! I command you to tell me!’ Agatha screams. The Immortus-shadow replies by telling Agatha that she already knows - that the Scarlet Witch is a nexus being - one who belong equally to all possible time lines - all realities and divergences… ‘So that, through her, all futures can be totally safeguarded - inexorably controlled - by Immortus, Master of Time!’
(Present / reality)‘Just like when we were kids, isn’t it, Simon?’ The Grim Reaper asks as he slashes away at his brother, before asking him if he remembers when he stole that pocket knife and Simon was afraid Eric was going to cut him with it. Simon exclaims that Eric is dead, and even though he knows Eric is responsible for him being resurrected, it was different, for he wasn’t really dead, just in some weird coma, whereas the Grim Reaper, Eric Williams, is stone cold dead! ‘So? Come on in! The water’s fine!’ Eric laughs as he extends his scythe once more, this time slicing him.
Backing his brother up a flight of stairs, the Grim Reaper asks Wonder Man is startled that his scythe hurts him in Limbo, since it didn’t hurt when he was alive. Suddenly, Wonder Man grabs the Grim Reaper by the throat and remarks that while Eric is here, he is alive, which means ‘I can choke the life out of you if I have to!’ although Simon adds ‘Don’t make me!’, when suddenly Wonder Man is caught up in an electric blast, as the Grim Reaper tries to electrocute him. Simon hangs on for dear life, when suddenly, there is a snap - and the electricity stops. ‘NO!’ shouts Simon, as he realizes his grip was so strong that he broke his brothers neck. Simon assumes that Immortus’ control over Eric was so strong that Eric wouldn’t quit fighting until he was dead again. Standing over his brother’s lifeless body, Simon exclaims ‘You’re going to pay for this, Immortus! So help me - you’re going to pay!’
(Shown with Flashback images from throughout the Avengers history)Immortus claims that his plans were laid long before he or any Kang first faced the original Avengers - even before he sent his minion the Space Phantom to test their strength. Immortus regrets that if he had succeeded in breaking up the Avengers way back then, then the Scarlet Witch would never have joined them, meaning it would have been so much easier to manipulate her over the years. Agatha asks Immortus if what he is saying is that every time he has opposed any super heroes, it has always been a part of some master plan. The Immortus-shadow replies that is the truth, despite what he may have led others to believe at the time. ‘You see, I have no purpose in life but my plan!’
Immortus reveals that, to that end, he showed the Vision a complex visual lie wherein his synthozoid body was created from that of the original Human Torch. So once the Vision was satisfied - wrongly - that he finally knew the secret of his origins, he felt free to ask a beautiful mutant to become his bride - the Scarlet Witch. Immortus remarks that, ironically, the wedding of the Swordsman’s ghost with that of Mantis the Celestial Madonna, was the least important of the two marriages he performed on that fateful day. Immortus reminds Agatha that Wanda, now married, wanted children so badly that her hex power caused her to actually bear them. Immortus adds that he always knew that one day the children would cease to exist - with devastating effects upon their doting mother.
(Present / reality)Agatha exclaims that she knows Immortus is telling the truth, ‘You manipulated that poor girl’s life for years - so she would one day learn she had been living a lie!’ Immortus adds that the resulting trauma would make the Scarlet Witch at last a powerful and indispensable puppet, before asking what higher purpose could she possible have served.
Back in Limbo, the Wasp uses her sting against her opponent, still believing him to be the Human Torch, she urges him to fight back, telling him to break free of Immortus’ control, thinking to herself that he has to break free soon, because her stings are not going to keep him off balance for much longer. Suddenly, Janet’s orange opponent asks her why she keeps calling him “Torch”, and shoots a fireball at her. Jan dodges it, knowing she cannot fly a predictable path as he is likely to get her more easy.
Suddenly, her foe reveals himself, announcing that he is not the Human Torch, but Toro! ‘What? Wait - don’t!’ the Wasp exclaims, confused, while Toro lets loose a rapid blast of several fire balls, knocked to the ground, Jan thinks that the Torch couldn’t die because he is an android. Toro looms over the Wasp, informing her that Kang the Conqueror once believed he was the Torch too when he was gathering the first Legion of the Unliving. ‘I was a man - so I could - and the Mad-Thinker murdered me! Just like Immortus is going to make me kill you - right now!’
(Shown with Flashback images from recent events in the Scarlet Witch’s life)Immortus reveals to Agatha Harkness that, over time, he slowly seduced the Vision into attempting to dominate the Earth by taking over its computers, and after he tried that, it was easy to subliminally influence a multi-national security alliance to take him apart in such a way that although his android body could later be more or less reassembled, the Vision’s particular mind and memory, and thus his love for the Scarlet Witch, became part of a dead and unrecapturable past. Immortus reveals that soon afterward, even while he was subtly increasing Wanda’s hex power, he made certain she was one of Seven Brides-to-be of Set, thus furthering undermining her confidence by making her fear she was doomed, always to be a victim of circumstances beyond her control.
‘Perhaps she was, at that’ Immortus remarks, reminding Agatha of Wanda’s rather coincidental capture later by the human servants of the micro-organism known as “That Which Endures”, before explaining that Master Pandemonium, who kidnapped Wanda’s “children”, causing her pain and terror, was unknowingly obeying Immortus’ secret suggestions. ‘And when her offspring vanished forever…you, dear lady, did me the service of explaining to her how they never truly existed!’ Immortus reveals that this was the final straw which turned Wanda into a hard-hearted human-hater - and thus perfect for his own purposes. Immortus adds that Magneto’s blundering along at that time was an annoying, but temporary nuisance, one which scarcely delayed the implementation of his plan.
(Present / reality)Suddenly, Agatha has a vision of Limbo, and seeing all of the Legion of the Unliving glow, they vanish back into oblivion, while Agatha screams ‘I realize, at last, just what that plan is!’