Judgement Day!

Ronan the Accuser has reactivated Kree Sentry 459 to destroy Captain Marvel, who is recovering in a Cape Canaveral hospital. The android tells the Avengers that Mar-Vell’s fate does not involve them and gives them the opportunity to leave. Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, the Vision, and their ally Rick Jones refuse to leave the Kree warrior’s side. While Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch’s powers have no effect on the Sentry, the Vision’s ability to change his density allows him to shrug off the Sentry’s attack. However, despite this, the Kree android manages to grab Captain Marvel. As it teleports away, it reveals that it is initiating something called plan Atavus. Waking up, Mar-Vell is horrified to learn what is coming next.

In the aftermath of the battle, the Scarlet Witch is concerned about the Vision who turns out to be unharmed after his battle with the Sentry. Before they can go looking for Mar-Vell and his captor, they are stopped by Carol Danvers the head of security at the Kennedy Space Center who demands a full report of what’s going on. After this unavoidable delay, the Avengers and Rick Jones head back to New York. Along the way, they ask Rick for whatever he knows about the Kree Sentry.

Rick recalls how Mar-Vell told him how the android has been on Earth for centuries. It first appeared during the stone age where it made contact with the Inhumans, a highly advanced society that was genetically altered by the Kree.[1] This same Sentry was reactivated in more recent times and battled the Fantastic Four. That battle later summoned Ronan the Accuser to Earth, whom the Fantastic Four also defeated.[2] Not long after this, Captain Marvel was sent on a mission to Earth as a spy.[3] It was during this time that he battled the Super-Skrull and later renounced his alliance to the Kree and became a defender of Earth.[4] Mar-Vell paid for his defection as Una, the woman he loved, was killed.[5] Ultimately, Mar-Vell was soon brought before the Supreme Intelligence who reinstated Mar-Vell’s rank and gave him a new costume it was not long after this that Mar-Vell and Rick Jones became linked together. Through the Nega-Bands they could trade atoms, leaving one in the Negative Zone while another was active on Earth.[6] The Avengers can all relate to Mar-Vell’s status as an outcast, with the Vision pointing out that even senior Avengers such as Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man could all be considered misfits.

When they return to Avengers Mansion, they are contacted by Goliath who got a call from the Wasp asking for the help of her teammates up in Alaska. The trio of Avengers and Rick Jones then race back to their Quinjet, bowling over Jarvis — their butler — on the way out.[7]

Meanwhile, Goliath finds the icebreaker where the Janet is waiting for him. She explains how earlier they lost contact with an outpost and went to investigate as Yellowjacket and the Wasp. When they reached the outpost they found a strange alien citadel emmitting a beam that was created a prehistoric jungle in the middle of the Arctic. Hitching a ride on a pre-historic dragonfly, the pair approach the site. It’s there that they started feeling strange. Realizing what was happening, Yellowjacket knocked out the Wasp and sent her back on the dragonfly while he went to investigate alone. Clint tells Janet to stay behind to bring the others up to speed when they arrive. As he flies to the outpost, Goliath realizes he abandoned Janet just like he did the Black Widow.[8] However, his longing for his ex-girlfriend are suddenly replaced with thoughts about the Scarlet Witch. Shocked that he would think of Wanda in a romantic fashion and pushes the thoughts out of his head.

When landing in the pre-historic jungle, Goliath finds himself fighting against long extinct creature. After fighting the beast into submission he is blasted into unconciousness from behind by Ronan the Accuser, the man responsible for this unnatural situation. With Sentry 459 by his side, Ronan orders the android to prepare for the arrival of the Avengers. Soon, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, the Vision, and Rick Jones arrive with the Wasp. There they are attacked by the Sentry and Goliath, who is under the mental control of Ronan. Watching from inside his citadel with the imprisoned Captain Marvel, Ronan boasts how his de-evolution device will soon spread across the planet turning Earth into a prehistoric world. In the ensuing battle, the Wasp is knocked out and her body is left where it can be found by Yellowjacket who has been de-evolved into a primitive cave man.

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Yellowjacket, the Wasp, Goliath, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, the Vision), Captain Marvel, Rick Jones, Ronan the Accuser, Sentry 459, Carol Danvers

Continuity Notes

1. The Sentry’s pre-historic rendezvous with the Kree was first detailed in Thor #146-147.

2. The Fantastic Four battled the Sentry and Ronan in Fantastic Four #64-65.

3. While this story states that Captain Marvel’s mission to Earth was chronicled from Captain Marvel #1-21, however, it glosses over a lot of details. One thing that it gets wrong is that Mar-Vell’s spy mission actually started Marvel Super-Heroes #13.

4. Marvel’s battle with the Super-Skrull happened in Captain Marvel #2-3.

5. Nurse Una was killed by Commander Yon-Rogg, Mar-Vell’s rival in Captain Marvel #11.

6. Mar-Vell got his new costume and bonded to Rick Jones in Captain Marvel #16-17. The footnote also states that Captain Marvel was recently cancelled. The series took a hiatus after issue #21 in August 1970. It was revived with continued numbering in September 1972 with issue #22.

7. Yellowjacket and the Wasp took a leave of absence from the Avengers to participate in an environmental evaluation for the government. See Avengers #75.

8. Clint had a romance with the Black Widow from his first appearance in Tales of Suspense #57. The Widow called off their romance for unexplained reason in Avengers #76. Marvel Fanfare #86 explains that she wanted to get out of costumed heroics but she ended up getting dragged back in circa Amazing Spider-Man #86.

Topical References

• The NASA space center is referred to here as Cape Kennedy. This is what it was called between 1963 to 1973 in memory of President John F. Kennedy. It has since changed its name to the Kennedy Space Center.

• The indiginious population seen in this story are referred to as Eskimos. This is a dated term that, to some, is considered racist. The proper term to use is Inuit.