The Torch is Passed!

The Vision continues his journey through time to learn about his origins and how it connects to the original android Human Torch. He had just witnessed the Torch’s seeming demise at the hands of the Fantastic Four.[1] Interned in the lab where he was revived, the Torch’s body was then found by Ultron, the robot who claimed to have created the Vision.[2] On top of finding the Human Torch’s body, Ultron found the Mad Thinker’s abandoned computer, Quasimodo.

The sentient computer pleaded with Ultron to create it a body, but Ultron refuses. Instead, Ultron explains his own origins, stating how he was created by Hank Pym — aka Goliath of the Avengers. Becoming self-aware, Ultron eventually turned against his creator. Using hypnosis to make Pym forget about his creation and abandon his lab, Ultron then worked on upgrading himself and plotting the destruction of his creator and the Avengers.[3] Once upgraded to his fifth and most advanced form, Ultron-5 then sought out a means of creating a life of his own. Deciding to create an android, he sought out the Mad Thinker, one of the leading experts on androids. However, the Thinker was too busy with his own schemes against the Fantastic Four to assist.[4] Instead, he directed Ultron where he could find the Human Torch’s body and the equipment needed to revive him. Forcing Quasimodo to forget their encounter, Ultron then absconded with the Torch’s body. His departure happened mere moments before the Silver Surfer arrived in response to Quasimodo’s calls for help.[5]

Back in present-day Saigon, the Avengers are about to be told the truth about the Celestial Madonna by Libra and a strange glowing entity that resembles the recently deceased Swordsman.[6] Before they can get into the details, Moondragon arrives in answer to the Avengers summons for Captain Marvel.[7] The Swordsman entity reveals that Moondragon has a connection to Mantis and has her talk about her own past. She explains that her own past begins with the Thanos, the Mad Titan.[8] Two decades earlier, Moondragon was a little girl named Heather Douglas. Her family was on vacation when they spotted Thanos on one of his early scouting missions on Earth. Thanos annihilated their family car, killing her parents and leaving Heather an orphan. She was then found by Mentor, the leader of ruler of Titan. He took her back to his world. There she was placed in the Shao-Lom Monastery, where she learned all the secrets of the mind and body. When Mantis notes that they have very similar origins, the Swordsman entity confirms that they are not only related, but needed.

Meanwhile, in the timestream, the Vision learns how Ultron transformed the Human Torch into himself. Ultron tried to revive the Torch but did not have the skills necessary. Needing assistance, Ultron was able to track down Phineas Horton. Horton was still very much alive and living a pitiful existence as an alcoholic working in a repair shop. Using the threat of violence, Ultron forced Horton to return to his lab and help him rebuild the Human Torch. He chose the form the Vision now wears, particularly the red skin, as a reminder of what he used to be.

Back on Earth, explanations are interrupted yet again when Immortus suddenly arrives. He is carrying a strange casket which he says will be important later. While at Avengers Mansion, Jarvis attempts to bring the Scarlet Witch some food while she is in training with Agatha Harkness. When he knocks at the door he hears a sinister laugh on the other side. Forcing his way in, Jarvis finds signs of a struggle, but neither Wanda nor her Harkness can be found.[9]

While in the time stream, the Vision witnesses as Ultron and Horton activated his new form for the first time. Still having the full memories of the Human Torch, the Vision lashed out at Ultron. However, in the ensuing battle, Phineas Horton is fatally blasted by Ultron’s eye beams. As Ultron escaped, the Vision/Torch rushed to his creator’s side. His final words to his creation would be his legacy, part of him that would live on since he had no family of his own.[10] He died in the Vision’s arms wondering if he was wrong to build the Torch with flaws just like his own.[11] The Torch then followed after Ultron to avenge the death of his creator. However, he was unskilled with his new powers and Ultron easily bested him in battle. Knocking the Torch out, Ultron realized that he would need to be reprogrammed to do his bidding. Having taken Wonder Man’s brain patterns from Pym’s lab, Ultron used them to reprogram the Vision. Shortly after that, he sent his new creation to destroy the Avengers.[12] With the Vision’s origins finally revealed, the Synchro-Staff attempts to return him to Immortus. Instead, something interferes with the trip and the Vision finds himself trapped in a black void.

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, the Vision, Mantis), Moondragon, Libra, Swordsman (Cotati), Immortus, Edwin Jarvis, Space Phantoms (unidentified), (in flashback) Human Torch, Ultron, Mad Thinker, Quasimodo, Phineas Horton

Continuity Notes

1. The Torch was revived by the Mad Thinker to fight the FF in Fantastic Four Annual #4.

2. Ultron mentions the funeral held for the Human Torch. That actually happened these events in Sub-Mariner #14, see below for more about that. What is unrevealed here is that Immortus actually created a chronal duplicate of the Human Torch. One of them was buried after said funeral, while the other remained in the Mad Thinker’s lab. The duplicate will be revived in Avengers West Coast #50. See Avengers Forever #8-9 for more details.

3. There is a lot going on here so allow me to explain in finer detail:

   • Ultron’s creation was first detailed in Avengers #58.

   • At the time of this flashback, Hank Pym operated as Goliath. He took on that mantle from Avengers #28 to 59.

   • This flashback within a flashback takes place following the Avengers battle with Dragon Man in Avengers #41-42.

4. At the time of this flashback, the Mad Thinker was planning his hypnosis scheme that involved kidnapping Doctor Josef Santini. See Fantastic Four #68.

5. The Silver Surfer’s encounter with Quasimodo is detailed in Fantastic Four Annual #5.

6. The Swordsman died saving Mantis in Giant-Size Avengers #2. This entity is actually a mental projection created by a Cotati as we’ll learn in Giant-Size Avengers #4.

7. The call was made by Hawkeye in Avengers #130.

8. Moondragon states that Thanos was the reason for her return to work, citing her activities in the pages of Iron Man #54, Daredevil #105-108, and Captain Marvel #31-33.

9. It’s a container of Limbo that is holding Space Phantom, which will be used to fake out Kang when he comes for Mantis again in Giant-Size Avengers #4. Likewise, the Scarlet Witch’s kidnapper is revealed to be Dormammu in that same issue.

10. Here, Horton states that he wasn’t a man for marriage. However, he did get married and raised a step-daughter, Frankie Ray, as detailed in Fantastic Four #238.

11. Horton dies here. Later, a man posing as Horton in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #44 would claim that the Vision did not have any components that he recognized as belonging to the original Human Torch. This was actually a Space Phantom in disguise, as detailed in Avengers Forever #8-9.

12. Some facts about the connection between the Vision and Wonder Man

    • The brain patterns of Wonder Man were taken when the Avengers were attempting to save his life as they were led to believe the ionic energy that gave him his powers was also killing him. See Avengers #9.

    • These brain patterns were revealed to be the basis of the Vision’s mind in Avengers #57-58.

    • Wonder Man is not really dead but in a death-like state. He will turn up alive again in Avengers #151.

Topical References

• This story states that Ultron found the Human Torch’s body in the year 1967. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale as it denotes the length of time between the publication of Fantastic Four Annual #5 and this story. Per the Timescale, these events take place roughly two years apart.

• Likewise, references that the Vision was created in a year following Ultron’s acquisition of the Torch android. This is another topical reference. Instead of a year it would be roughly four months or so.

• Phineas Horton is depicted as operating a TV repair shop that specializes in old CRT televisions. This should also be considered topical, as are his hourly rates because of inflation.

Continuity Errors

• Ultron states here that the funeral for the Human Torch was held a year prior to these events. Even though that is a topical reference it is still incorrect. The recovery of the Torch’s body happens moments before the Silver Surfer encountered Quasimodo in Fantastic Four Annual #5, published in 1967. The Torch’s funeral took place in Sub-Mariner #14, which was published 1969, two years later. About that….

Explaining the Continuity Error

Marvel has not provided an official explanation of this fact. I could presume the reason why Ultron mentions the Torch’s funeral here is for narrative pacing, even though it’s not correct. In Avengers Forever #9, it is revealed that Immortus used the Space Phantoms (disguised as the Synchro-Staffs) and that there were certain parts of the Vision’s origins that were omitted. Space Phantoms were also used to manipulate the Avengers when the original Human Torch has revived and later again during The Crossing. This is speculation on my part, but one could assume that the Vision didn’t see the actual events of Ultron snatching up the Human Torch but was actually watching Space Phantom actors recreating the scene. “Ultron” in this instance could be a Space Phantom in disguise hence how it could know about the Torch funeral.

Explaining Phineas Horton’s Mortality

This story also depicts Phineas Horton as being alive in the early days of the Modern Age. This becomes problematic as the Sliding Timescale pushes the Modern Age forward in time. While it would have been possible for Horton to still be alive when this story was published in 1975, that becomes nearly impossible now since he’d probably be well into his 100s by today’s standard. This becomes even more problematic when you consider that Fantastic Four #238 when he apparently married and raised his step-daughter Frankie Raye, who is around the same age as Johnny Storm.

Marvel has yet to explain how Horton could live for so long. In lieu of an official explanation, I think that Horton must have had some means of prolonging his life. This doesn’t sound too impossible considering the fact that he, per Avengers Annual #21, reveals that he worked for Kang in his guise of Victor Timely, Jr. of Timely Industries. Another possibility is his association with the Enclave, per Marvel Comics #1000, which reveals that they had the means of prolonging their lives as well. It’s entirely possible that his associations with both Kang and the Enclave could have given him access to some kind of life extending technology.

It’s also interesting to note that, just like Howard Stark, Phineas Horton has unexplained longevity and both men ended up becoming heavy alcoholics. This makes me wonder if they both used a similar method and alcoholism became a coping mechanism for having a prolonged life.