Giant-Size Avengers #4
… Let All Men Bring Together
Following his trip through time to learn his origins, the Vision finds himself in a strange place shrouded in darkness. He wonders where he is when he hears a psychic scream that sounds like a woman. Following a tunnel, the Vision finds Dormammu and his sister Umar in a flaming cavern. Dormammu is amused by this new visitor and finds it interesting that it is the lover of his prisoner, the Scarlet Witch.[1] He explains that he has captured the Scarlet Witch as part of his scheme to restore his full power as well as get revenge against her for his previous defeat at the hands of both the Avengers and Defenders.[2] Also his prisoner is Mother Earth, whom he intends to exploit for his eventual revival.
Meanwhile, in Saigon, the Avengers have just learned that there is a connection between Mantis, Moondragon, and the Celestial Madonna. They are joined by Libra of the Zodiac Cartel, a strange glowing entity resembling the deceased Swordsman, and Immortus.[3] They are awaiting on the return of the Vision. When he doesn’t appear, Immortus fears that something is amiss and teleports away to find out what happened.[4] Even though Immortus is gone, the glowing entity decides to continue his explanations. He reveals that the training that Mantis and Moondragon underwent was an attempt to create a perfect human. He explains that both children came from tragic backgrounds and brought to ancient monasteries for training. For Heather Douglas, who became Moondragon, her parents were killed by Thanos and she was taken to Titan to be trained that the Shao-Lom Monastery.[5] Meanwhile, Mantis lost her mother and his father was blinded by mobsters. They were found by the Priests of Pama in the jungles of Vietnam where Mantis received her own training.[6]
While Moondragon was left with her full knowledge and training, Mantis — their first choice — had her memories wiped and left to believe that she was a homeless orphan so she could better understand the nature of humanity with her empathic abilities. While Mantis was sent out into the world, they intended to have Moondragon act as a replacement should something happen. For his own part, Libra — as Mantis’ father — got involved in the Zodiac Cartel because it allowed him the resources to keep tabs on his daughter. While these explanations are being made, Hawkeye had wandered off and come back to warn Iron Man and Thor of something. Leaving the temple they find the Titanic Three — Radioactive Man, Titanium Man, and the Crimson Dynamo — had been defeated by some powerful entity. Questioning the Crimson Dynamo, Iron Man and the others learn that they were attacked by Kang the Conqueror.
Back below the Earth, Dormammu tries to convince the Vision to leave the Scarlet Witch in exchange for his continued existence. When the android refuses, the entity summons a horde of demons to attack. These creatures prove vulnerable to the Vision’s solar blasts and are easily defeated. Dormammu then changes tactics, and orders the enthralled Scarlet Witch to attack her lover.
Meanwhile, the Swordsman entity continues to explain that the Mantis’ time with the Swordsman was all part of her training and that his death was her final lesson on the nature of humanity. Not far away, the other Avengers agree to split up and search for Kang.[7] As they split up, Thor thinks about his position as chairman of the Avengers, which he has taken on since Captain America has been absent from the team.[8] He also thinks about how Mantis’ own past has parallels with is own past and the struggle he has had with his mortal guide of Donald Blake and failed romance with Jane Foster.[9] He quickly finds Kang and in a one-on-one battle, Thor proves to be the victor. Not far away, Hawkeye’s own search has him come across yet another Kang.
At that same moment, the Vision battles the Scarlet Witch. He is able to fend off most of her attacks and manages to break Dormammu’s spell on her by confessing his love for her. This weakens Dormammu sufficiently enough that Agatha Harkness is able to join the battle. Nowhere near his full power, Dormammu surrenders and makes a vow to the Scarlet Witch to stop terrorizing the Earth.[10]
Back on the surface, both Iron Man and Hawkeye defeat their own version of Kang. When the three Kangs are brought together, Thor deduces that they are all human and suspects that Kang went back to this moment in time at three different periods. At that same time, the glowing entity reveals that it is actually the consciousness of the elder Cotati tree and he has taken on the form of the fallen Swordsman as Mantis role as the Celestial Madonna is to spawn a child that is a synthesis of both human and plant. Mantis can hardly believe it until she makes mental contact with the tree and learns it is all true.
Meanwhile, Agatha Harkness, the Vision, and Scarlet Witch have teleported back to Avengers Mansion. It is here that Harkness tells Wanda that her training is complete and tells her that she is ready to pursue witchcraft on her own. When the old crone leaves the pair alone, the Vision and Scarlet Witch reaffirm their love for one another and when he asks Wanda to marry him, she gladly accepts.
While in Saigon, the other Avengers return to Mantis with their three captive Kangs. That’s when a fourth Kang appears in his time-ship and seemingly abducts Mantis and flies away. That’s when Immortus returns and assures the Avengers that Mantis is safe. He then opens the strange container he first arrived with revealing that Mantis is safely inside. As it turns out, she was swapped out with a Space Phantom. With her release from the container, the Space Phantom assumes his normal form, revealing to Kang that he had been duped.[11]
With Kang defeated, the Scarlet Witch and Vision arrive just as Mantis accepts her fate as the Celestial Madonna and becomes the mate to the Cotati intelligence. Immortus then takes the honors of officiating the two marriages. With the ceremony over, Mantis prepares to depart to fulfill the destiny. Before she goes, however, the Avengers all agree to make her an official Avenger. With that, Mantis and her new lover transform into pure energy and leave for the stars. With the Vision and Scarlet Witch heading off to have their honeymoon, the rest of the Avengers head for home.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, the Vision, Mantis), Swordsman (Cotati), Libra, Moondragon, Immortus, Agatha Harkness, Kang the Conqueror, Dormammu, Umar, Gaea, Titanic Three (Radioactive Man, Titanium Man, Crimson Dynamo), Space Phantom
Continuity Notes
Dormammu mentions how he recently clashed with Clea. That was in Doctor Strange (vol. 2) #7.
Dormammu was defeated thanks to Wanda’s hex power during the Avengers/Defenders War which took place in Avengers #115-118 and Defenders #8-11.
The real Swordsman was killed by Kang in Giant-Size Avengers #2.
Immortus mentions how the Avengers were taken through time and space by synchro-staffs. What he doesn’t reveal is that these staffs were actually Space Phantoms in disguise or that their journey was all part of a master manipulation by Immortus himself to forge their destinies. See Avengers Forever #9.
This story references Avengers #135, but Moondragon’s origins were originally told in Captain Marvel #32.
This part of Mantis’ origin was first told in Avengers #123 and expanded upon in issues #133-135.
The Avengers mention their recent battle with Kang. This took place in Avengers #128-132 and Giant-Size Avengers #2-3.
Captain America has been mostly absent from the team since Captain America #169 when he was framed for murder. By issue #175 he uncovered the leader of the Secret Empire was actually the President of the United States. This led to him retiring as Captain America in issue #180 and becoming Nomad for a time. What the Avengers don’t know is that Steve has since returned to Captain America's identity in Captain America #183. He will return to Avengers duty in Avengers #141.
Thor, as Don Blake, pined after Jane Foster since Journey into Mystery #84. His father, Odin refused to allow them to marry. When he finally agreed to test Jane to see if she was worthy of godhood, she flubbed it in Thor #136. Also mentioned is how Thor learns the true nature of his Donald Blake identity. As detailed in Thor #159, Donald Blake was created by Odin to teach Thor a lesson in humility after he kept on acting like a dick.
This vow is noted as being similar to those Dormammu have given in the past in Strange Tales #127 and Doctor Strange (vol. 2) #3.
The Avengers’ past encounters with the Space Phantom are referenced here. See Avengers #2, 106-108. This is a hint that Immortus has been using the Space Phantoms to manipulate the destiny of the Avengers. This is explained in more detail in Avengers Forever #9.
Topical References
The Vision’s creation is stated as happening in 1968. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale. That event actually happened roughly two years prior to the present day of this story.
It is also stated that Mantis and Moondragon underwent their training as children in the year 1953. This should also be considered a topical reference since it involves individuals that exist in the Modern Age and have a normal timespan. Instead of a specific date, modern readers should interpret this to mean that Moondragon and Mantis were children 22 years prior to this story.
