Betrayal!

This story continues from Defenders #8…

The Avengers search for the Black Knight has led them to the front door of Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum in Greenwich Village.[1] However, when they try to enter the building a mystical spell repells them from entering unannounced. Thor refuses to give up and begins pounding on the door until Wong, Strange’s servant, answers. Wong tells them that the Doctor is busy and to come back later before closing the door in their faces. Angered, Thor smashes through the door with Mjolnir. Inside, Cap sees the Black Knight in another room and that he has been turned into stone. Before they can get anymore answers, another spell ejects the Avengers from the mansion. This confirms to Captain America and the others that Strange is up to something untoward and vow to rescue their friends.

This is observed by Dormammu and his newfound ally, Loki, who are manipulating the Defenders into reconstructing the Evil Eye so it can be used to merge Earth with Dormammu’s Dark Dimension.[2] Although Dormammu has promised to restore Loki’s vision, the trickster god fears that the ruler of the Dark Dimension might reneg on his promise and begins some scheming of his own.[3]

Back on Earth, Doctor Strange has summoned the other Defenders, oblivious to the Avengers earlier intrusion, to brief them on the Evil Eye. Using the Orb of Agamotto, Strange conjours up images of the last time the Evil Eye was seen. The mystical weapon was once owned by the mysterious Prester John. Seeking a way of freeing his then-girlfriend, Crystal of the Inhumans, the Human Torch and his friend Wyatt Wingfoot sought to obtain the weapon. However, during the ensuing battle the Evil Eye’s energies reached critical mass. Wingfoot was then forced to make his friend discard the powerful weapon before it could explode.[4] However, the Evil Eye was not destroyed but broken up into six smaller components that were spread across the world. They landed in Osaka, Japan; Rurutu in French Polynesia; Fort Wayne and Los Angeles in the United States; Monterrey, Mexico and Sucre, Bolivia. Since the Defenders comprises of six members, they all agree to split up and recover each segment. Hawkeye heads to Monterey, Valkyrie to Sucre, the Sub-Mariner to Osaka, the Silver Surfer to Los Angeles, the Surfer to Rurutu, and Doctor Strange to Fort Wayne.[5]

Meanwhile, Loki has begun to fear Dormammu may target Asgard once he is finished with Earth and decides to work against him.[6] He sends an astral projection to the Avengers, who have just returned to their own headquarters. However, Loki tells them half-truths, suggesting that the Defenders are foes. Using the Avengers’ past animosity with Valkyrie, the Hulk, and Sub-Mariner to convince them that they are working for evil. The heroes are deeply upset to learn that Hawkeye has joined the Defenders as well.[7] Told where to find the segments of the Evil Eye, the Avengers also split up: Thor heads to Los Angeles, the Vision and the Scarlet Witch to Rurutu, Captain America to Japan, the Swordsman to Bolivia, and lastly the Black Panther and Mantis head to Fort Wayne.[8]

Some time later, the Silver Surfer arrives on the island of Rurutu where he begins his search for the segment of the Evil Eye. Asking a local tribe for assistance, he learns that they worship a nearby volcano and realizes that this is where the Evil Eye must be. As he sifts through the molten hot lava, the Silver Surfer is ambushed by the Vision. The ensuing clash causes an explosion that wrecks the Quinjet that the Scarlet Witch was flying in. Seeing his lover in peril, the Vision breaks off from his attack and rescues her. Although Wanda is not seriously injured, the Vision gives in to his rage and attacks the Silver Surfer anew. While he is occupied, the locals drag Wanda’s unconscious body into the path of flowing lava as a sacrifice to their god. This happens just as the Surfer and Vision uncover the segment of the Evil Eye. Seeing the Scarlet Witch in danger, the Vision is forced to allow the Surfer escape while he saves her life.

… This story continues in Defenders #9.

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Swordsman, Black Panther, the Vision, Mantis), Defenders (Doctor Strange, Sub-Mariner, Silver Surfer, Hulk, Valkyrie, Hawkeye), Dormammu, Loki, Wong, Black Knight, Aragorn

Continuity Notes

1. Unknown to the Avengers, the Black Knight was turned into stone back in Defenders #4 and Strange has been trying to restore him to normal ever since.

2. Dormammu recruited Loki last issue and began his scheme for the Evil Eye in Defenders #8.

3. Loki was blinded after a battle with his half-brother in Thor #207.

4. Lots of Fantastic Four backstory going on here, let’s dive into the facts:

   • At the time of this flashback, the Human Torch was dating Crystal of the Inhumans and she and the other Inhumans were trapped behind a Negative Zone barrier in Fantastic Four #48. (Not to be confused with the Negative Zone, home to Annihilus)

   • The clash with Prester John took place in Fantastic Four #54. Ultimately, Johnny’s quest proved pointless when Black Bolt took down the barrier with his destructive voice in Fantastic Four #59.

   • Per the Sliding Timescale, these events took place roughly a year prior to this story.

5. Each location leads to a battle with one of the Avengers (obviously) and chronicled across various issues:

   • Hawkeye battles Iron Man in Monterey, while Doctor Strange battles Black Panther and Mantis in Indiana in Defenders #9.

   • Captain America and the Sub-Mariner battle in Osaka while the Swordsman and Valkyrie battle in Bolivia in Avengers #117.

   • The Hulk clashes with Thor in Los Angeles in Defenders #10.

6. Mention is made here that Loki has been exiled from Asgard. This has been the case since Thor #194.

7. Loki plays on the Avengers prejudices against some of the Defenders:

   • Loki convinces them that the Valkyrie in the Defenders is the same one they fought back in Avengers #83. However, that Valkyrie was the Enchantress in disguise. Per Defenders #4, this is Brunhilde of the Valkyries whose essence has been bonded to a woman named Barbara Norris.

   • The Hulk was a founding member of the Avengers his membership on the team lasted from Avengers #1 and 2. He quit the team when he learned that none of the other Avengers trusted him. Since then, the Avengers have spent much of their encounters with the Hulk trying to contain the gamma-spawned monster.

   • The Sub-Mariner was an early antagonist of the Avengers dating back to Avengers #3. Since then, the Sub-Mariner has fought both for and against the surface world.

   • Hawkeye was a long-standing member of the Avengers from Avengers #19 to 109. He quit recently because he was upset with the Scarlet Witch forming a romantic relationship with the Vision. He has since been trying to hack it on his own, but ultimately joined up with the Defenders in Defenders #7.

8. The Swordsman insists on going to Bolivia because he has a lot to make up for in that country. He was one of the Mandarin’s agents who attempted to destroy that country back in Avengers Annual #1.