Avengers #230
The Last Farwell!
While trying to stop Egghead from shooting Hank Pym in the back, Hawkeye fired an arrow into the barrel of his gun. The resulting explosion has killed the villain. While Hank reflects on how Egghead was a ever present villain throughout his entire career.[1] Hawkeye recounts how Egghead had killed his brother, but avenging Barney Barton’s death doesn’t change the fact that he is uneasy about taking a human life.[2] As the other Avengers arrive on the scene, Moonstone tries to make an escape but gets caught in the act. She surrenders, asking to make a plea deal by offering to reveal how Egghead framed Hank Pym and manipulated everything.
Using a mind prove to undo the mental conditioning done on Trish Starr and testimony from both Moonstone and the Beetle, the charges against Hank Pym are dropped. When leaving the courthouse, Hank declines to make comment to the press. Hawkeye is also quickly put on trial investigating the death of Egghead. In this case, the judge determines that the archer acted in self-defense and is set free.
The following day, Abner Jenkins — AKA the Beetle — arrives at jail. When he is brought to his cell he bumps into and almost gets into a fist fight with Samuel Smithers — AKA Plant-Man — who is mopping the floor. The guard escorting Jenkins breaks it up and as they leave, neither of them notice that the skin on Smithers’ arm has been shredded, revealing wood underneath.[3]
Meanwhile, below the surface of the Saturnian moon of Titan, Eros and Elysius have found comfort from one another in the wake of Mar-Vell’s death.[4] Eros feels guilty because his wanderlust is getting almost unbearable. Elysius convinces him to go, pointing out that Mar-Vell wouldn’t want him to give up his happiness. Eros then meets with his father, Mentor, to ask for persmission to leave Titan. Once getting Mentor’s permission, Eros uses the super-computer ISAAC to determine where he should go exploring. The computer suggests that Eros will find the adventure he seeks on the planet Earth.
Back on Earth, Trish Starr has taken a ship out to New York Harbor with her friends Hank Pym and Fred Sloan to dump her uncle’s ashes at sea. Recounting how her uncle used her in the past, costing her one of her arms, Trish admits to Hank that she hated Egghead. Still, they pay him respect by dumping his ashes out at sea.[5] With this out of the way, Hank has one last thing to do before he can move on with his life. He returns to Avengers Mansion for the first time since he was expelled from the team. He then addresses the team who is holding a court-martial on Hawkeye, to determine if he violated the Avengers charter by killing Egghead.
However, before they begin, Hank agrees to be exposed to the mind scanner to make sure that his recent behavior wasn’t due to someone tampering with his mind. When it turns out that this is not the case, Pym accepts its finally taking responsibility for his failings. He then participates in the court-martial as a witness who insists that Hawkeye acted in self-defense. After he is finished his testimony, Hank leaves the Avengers to deliberate Hawkeye’s face. Outside the meeting, Hank is greeted by Jarvis who packed up his things. In one of his suitcases is his Yellowjacket costume and equipment. Hank is flattered by the butler’s concern and they wish each other the best of luck.
Hank is on his way out when Hawkeye emerges from the court-martial cleared of any wrong doing. The other Avengers try to offer to help Hank get back on his feet. He politely declines, telling them that he got a job a research foundation in the mid-west. When Captain America tries to apologize for not seeing the pressure he was under, Hank stops him telling the team that he needs to take responsibility for his actions, as they were his and his alone. When Cap offers him a spot on the Avenger on a reserve basis, Hank tells him that he’s not interested in being a super-hero anymore. He then hands over the briefcase containing his Yellowjacket costume and tells the group that they might find someone to fill his role.[6]
The Avengers then leave the room so Hank and Janet can have a moment to talk in privacy. After an awkward silence and some laughter, the two reconcile their differences. They admit that while they had many good times, it was not enough to sustain their troubled marriage and they depart as friends. As Hank leaves with Trish Starr and Fred Sloan, Janet watches him leave from the window and once he is gone, breaks down in tears.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Wasp, Hawkeye, She-Hulk, Captain Marvel), Henry Pym, Masters of Evil (Egghead, Moonstone, Radioactive Man, Tiger Shark, Beetle), Edwin Jarvis, Plantman, Mentor, Starfox, Elysius, ISSAC, Fred Sloan
Continuity Notes
Egghead has been a present foe in the life of Hank Pym dating back to his early days as Ant-Man, circa Tales to Astonish #38. Here, Hank also mentions his expulsion from the Avengers in issue #213 and how Egghead framed him for a crime in issue #217.
Barney Barton was seemingly killed by Egghead back in Avengers #64. In reality, Barney survived and was revived by Egghead himself, Clint won’t learn this until Hawkeye: Blind Spot #1-4. This isn’t the end of Egghead either. He will return to life in Ant-Man Annual #1, which reveals he injected himself with a rejuvenation formula before his death.
This is not the real Plant-Man, but one of his plant-based duplicates as we’ll learn next issue.
At the time of this story, Captain Marvel had just recently died on cancer. See Marvel Graphic Novel #1.
Trish Starr’s recollections about her uncle includes two specific situations: When Ant-Man saved her from Egghead in Marvel Feature #5, and when she lost her arm in a car bomb set by her uncle in Giant-Size Avengers #4.
Hank’s Yellowjacket costume will remain in storage until it is stolen by Rita DeMara, who will steal it and use it for crime in Avengers #264.
Egghead’s Ashes?
In this story, it’s presented that Egghead’s body was cremated and his ashes were dumped at sea. This would contradict Ant-Man Annual #1 who reveals Egghead survived thanks to a rejuvenation formula. While an explanation wasn’t provided when Eggy came back from the dead, I think the obvious explanation is the ashes they dumped at sea were not his and his cremation was staged.
