Deciding Factor!

The Vision has called Doc Samson to Avengers Mansion to offer him a leadership role in a new midwestern branch of the Avengers.[1] While Samson is flattered by the offer, he isn’t particularly interested in super-heroics and has just accepted an offer to join the faculty at North-Western University. As the Vision sees Samson out, their conversation is interrupted by Starfox who has grown concerned over reports of growing anti-mutant hysteria, particularly since the Vision’s wife the Scarlet Witch is herself a mutant.[2] Samson admits that he too is concerned about the growing bigotry toward mutants and as he leaves, he wonders if he was too hasty in declining the Vision’s offer.

Anti-mutant sentiment is also on the mind of the Scarlet Witch herself, who is in the back yard with Captain America. She has faced this prejudice her entire life and she admits that it is disappointing that this bigotry continues to haunt her no matter how much good she does as an Avenger. The conversation shifts to the Vision’s strange behavior and Cap agrees that someone needs to talk about him. That’s when Starfox comes out and agrees with his teammates, saying the Vision took one look about the anti-mutant story in the paper and locked himself up in his room.[3] The Vision is mulling over using a device to take over the world’s computers and while this will fast-track his plans, he is still uncertain about doing so because of the immense sacrifice required. That’s when Captain America interrupts his thoughts to have a talk with him.

Captain America wonders if the pressure of leadership is getting to the android. The Vision admits as much, also saying that his new job has put a strain on his marriage as well, as Wanda wants to return to their home in New Jersey.[4] The Vision takes the opportunity to ask Captain America why the Avengers don’t devote more of their time to solving the world’s ills. Cap admits that they could be doing more, but they are doing the best they can, saying there are no easy answers to eliminate want and fear. When the android asks what Steve would do if he could sacrifice himself to bring about a golden age, Cap admits that he doesn’t know how he’d react to such a situation unless one presented itself. However, he believes that if it meant saving the world, he would likely sacrifice his life but only if he knew that it everything would work out without a doubt.

Their heart-to-heart is then interrupted by Wanda, who comes in to tell the Vision that their home has been set on fire. The trio head to the Leonia, New Jersey home that Wanda and the Vision shared together. However, by the time they get there the fire has been put out and all that remains is a charred husk of their former family home. Questioning the police, Captain America learns that the house fire was an act of arson by people who didn’t like a mutant living in their neighborhood. Hearing this anger Wanda but she quickly gets her emotions in check when she notices that her outbust is frightening the neighbors and not helping things. When the trio head back to the Quinjet, Captain America overhears one of the neighbors talking about how glad he is that the two “freaks” are leaving the neighborhood. Disgusted, Cap reminds him that the “freaks” he is speaking of have saved the world countless times. When the neighbor tries to backpedal on what he really meant, the Living Legend of World War II points out that it was this sort of casual bigotry that snowballed into mass genocide in Germany during the war and that hatred goes against everything the American Dream stands for.

This entire incident finally convinces the Vision that he has no other choice but to follow through with his plan. He soon calls an emergency meeting of the Avengers. He tells the team that the United States Army has unearthed the wreckage of Thanos’ old hideout on Earth in the Arizona Desert, and asks them to go out and oversee the clean-up operation, saying that the West Coast Avengers are busy on another mission.[5] As the team takes off in the Quinjet, the Vision remains behind waiting for Captain Marvel to arrive. When she does, he tells her that he would like her to check on the status of Sanctuary II, the starship that once belonged to Thanos that has been left in orbit around Pluto since the Mad Titan’s defeat.[6] Although this trip will take some time, even in the Captain’s light form, she takes off on the mission without question. With everyone else gone, the Vision also sees off their butler, Jarvis, who is going to visit his mother. With the mansion now deserted, the Vision heads down to his lab, certain that nobody will be around to interfere with his plans.

When the Avengers arrive at the ruins of Thanos’ base, they find the military has uncovered a part of the facility that remained intact. Inside, Starfox is horrified to discover two technicians trying to figure out how to make a matter transmitter work. Unfortunately, he is too late to stop them from turning on the machine. Eros has just enough time to pull them to safety as the machine teleports the Blood Brothers into the facility. Having the element of surprise, the Blood Brothers quickly knock out Hercules and Starfox, leaving Captain America and the Scarlet Witch to wonder how they are going to stop these powerful enemies.

Back in New York City, Dane Whitman has arrived at Avengers Mansion for the first time in years. However, when he tries to use his identification card to gain access he is quickly subdued by the security systems and yanked inside.[7] Meanwhile, Captain Marvel has just reached Jupiter and still has many millions of miles to go. She is in absolute awe over the journey but a little nervous as she has never travelled this far or long in her light form before.

While in Arizona, Captain America and the Scarlet Witch continue their battle with the Blood Brothers. It’s not going well but thankfully, both Hercules and Starfox have had time to recover and knock the two aliens out by banging their heads together. It’s here, that the Avengers realize that Hercules’ costume is in tatters and his dick is hanging out, much to his embarrassment. The Scarlet Witch loans the Olympian her cape until he can get some replacement clothing.

Back at Avengers Mansion, Dane Whitman wakes up in a glass cylinder and overhears Captain America scolding the soldiers at Thanos’ base from the security monitor. Not understanding what’s going on he is visited by a holographic projection of the Vision who apologizes for restraining Dane, telling him that he cannot have any interference while he finally initiates his master plan.

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Hercules, Vision, Starfox, Captain Marvel), Blood Brothers, Dane Whitman, Edwin Jarvis, Doc Samson

Continuity Notes

1. When going over Samson’s records, it is stated that the Doc got his powers from siphoning gamma radiation from the Hulk. True story. That happened in Incredible Hulk #141, in an attempt to steal Betty Ross away from Bruce Banner. Not exactly the most ethical behavior for a psychologist but that’s how he rolled back then.

2. Actually Wanda isn’t a mutant. It’s revealed years later in Uncanny Avengers (vol. 2) #4 that she was experimented upon by the High Evolutionary while still an infant. In order to cover up his work, he made it so future genetic tests made her register as a mutant.

3. What the Avengers don’t know is that the Vision has been scheming to take over the worlds computer in order to force the planet into a utopia of his own making. He has been planning this since Avengers #238.

4. After resigning from the Avengers in issue #211, Wanda and the Vision bought a home, as seen in Vision and the Scarlet Witch #1. However, the couple were pulled back into the Avengers in issue #233 and remained on the team ever since.

5. A footnote here reminds readers that this hideout was first seen in Iron Man #55. It was later seemingly destroyed in Marvel Feature #12.

6. Thanos died in battle against the Avengers, Adam Warlock, Spider-Man and the Thing. See Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2. He will be resurrected later in Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #34.

7. Dane has been away for quite some time after spending a prolonged period in the 12th Century that began in Defenders #4 and recently ended in Avengers #226. The last time he was actually at Avengers Mansion was back in Avengers #60.