Avengers #266
… And War’s Desolation!
This story continues from Secret Wars II #9…[1]
Following the final battle with the Beyonder, the Silver Surfer surveys the damage done to the planet Earth. A massive chunk of the planet along the Rocky Mountains has been blasted away leaving a jagged chasm of molten lava. This has destabilized the entire planet, bringing it on the brink of destruction.[2] The Surfer thinks about how the Beyonder — someone whose power dwarfed that of his former master, Galactus — was able to elude him for so long until he was called by Phoenix to participate in the final battle.
He is soon joined by Captain Marvel of the Avengers. She has come to ask the Surfer to assist in the efforts to try and repair the damage done in the final battle. As they go to join the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, Monica explains to the Silver Surfer who the Beyonder was. She recounts how the omnipotent being kidnapped many of Earth’s super-humans to participate in a Secret War on an alien world. It was not long after Earth’s heroes win the war and returned home that they were followed by the Beyonder itself. The entity had become curious about human nature and grew a manic desire to experience everything. This quest was not an easy one and at one point, the Avengers attempted to recruit the Beyonder onto their team. Unfortunately, they lost track of the Beyonder and when they found him again he was threatening to destroy all reality. It took the combined effort of both the East and West Coast Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the New Mutants, Alpha Flight, the Vision and the Scarlet Witch, Cloak and Dagger, Power Man and Iron Fist, Spider-Man and the Hulk to finally stop the Beyonder. When the battle was finally over, only the Avengers and Fantastic Four remained behind to try and come up with a way to repair the damage done to the Earth.[3]
As they head to where the two teams are trying to save the planet, they pass by camp set up by the military to treat people who were injured during the final battle. For a moment, the Silver Surfer detects a familiar energy pattern but it quickly disappears and he dismisses it as nothing.[4] Little does he know that the energy signature has come from the Molecule Man, who is in a coma following the final battle. His girlfriend Marsha Rosenberg — aka Volcana — stays by his side and prays that he will get better soon.
At the epicenter of the crisis, Mister Fantastic scans the area to find out how much time they have left. He is surprised that the estimates have increased from one hour to six hours before total annihilation, but he can’t determine what has given them the extra time. The sense of frustration over being unable to do anything wears on Hercules who tries to toss rocks into the gaping chasm in a vein effort to seal it. That’s when the Silver Surfer and Captain Marvel arrive and Mister Fantastic hopes that the Surfer’s Power Cosmic will be enough to repair the damage done to the planet. Norrin Radd is explains that this is a complex process that will require reforming tons of destroyed matter. Even though he is unsure if his powers are up to it, the Surfer tries. While the Power Cosmic begins raising massive land masses, the strain proves too much and he has to stop.
Trying to consider their options, Captain America reminds them of the final battle between the Molecule Man and the Beyonder. After the final battle, the Molecule Man told them that when the Beyonder unleashed the powerful blast that caused all the destruction, Owen used his own powers to pull everyone in the path of destruction into sub-space where they would remain safe until he returned them to Earth. Everyone agrees that the Molecule Man may be their only hope for salvation, but consider the idea that — as a super-villain — he may not want to help out especially if there is a risk that he might lose his powers or his life while trying to save the planet.[5] That’s when the Silver Surfer realizes that the energy signature he picked up earlier was from the Molecule Man and reveals that he knows where to find Owen Reese.
At that same moment, back at the MASH compound, military officials are getting suspicious of the Molecule Man’s presence. Luckily, Owen has finally woken up and both he and Marsha combine their powers to create a make-shift hot air balloon out of their tent in an effort to escape. When Captain Marvel appears before the Molecule Man and asks for his help, Volcana assumes that they have come to attack her boyfriend again and fight back.[6] Realizing this isn’t going to work, Monica reports back to the Wasp and the Silver Surfer. The Surfer then uses his own power to create a powerful wind that blows Owen and Marsha to the scene where the Avengers and Fantastic Four have gathered. Still thinking they want to hurt Owen, Volcana tries to incinerate the heroes but the Invisible Woman puts up an invisible force field to protect them. Eventually, Marsha breaks down and gives up.
The heroes then try to appeal to the Molecule Man to help save the world. Owen is reluctant to do so because he already has his own bug-out plan for him and Marsha, confident they could find a new life on another world. However, they eventually convince Owen to help since the destruction of Earth would make him unable to enjoy his favorite reruns on TV. Getting a power boost from the Silver Surfer’s Power Cosmic, the Molecule Man manages to repair all the damage done during the final battle with the Beyonder. This comes at a price of the Molecule Man’s powers, and although Owen misses his abilities he is glad they are gone as people will have no reason to hunt him down. With the danger over, the Silver Surfer agrees to take Owen and Marsha back to their home on Colorado.
Once they arrive home, Owen reveals that he didn’t actually lose his powers.[7] The Silver Surfer admits that he had the chance to wipe out Reece’s power but decided against it as Owen deserves a chance to prove himself reformed after such a heroic display of courage. After promising to keep Owen’s secret, the Silver Surfer departs, telling Owen that he is a lucky man to have found the love of his life and wishes everyone may one day know such happiness.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Wasp, Black Knight, Hercules, Captain Marvel, Sub-Mariner), Silver Surfer, Molecule Man, Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, She-Hulk), Volcana
Continuity Notes
The events of this story are revisited from the perspective of photographer Phil Sheldon in Marvels: Eyes of the Camera #4.
This damage was caused during the Molecule Man’s battle with the Beyonder in Secret Wars II #9. The Beyonder was seemingly killed in this final battle. However, we’ll learn in that he merely returned to his universe of origin as seen in Fantastic Four #319.
Monica gives a very abridged version of the Beyonder’s tale up to this point:
She recounts the events of the first Secret Wars when the Beyonder kidnapped many superhumans and forced them to fight on Battleworld. This happened in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1-12.
The Beyonder came to Earth in Secret Wars II #1, and Monica mentions how he adopted a human form based on Captain America. That happened in Captain America #308.
The Avengers attempted to recruit the Beyonder onto their team in Avengers #261.
The Beyonder had decided to destroy all existence after his battle with the Avengers last issue, the final battle happening in Secret Wars II #9.
The Silver Surfer recognizes the Molecule Man’s energy signature from their previous encounter in Avengers #215-216.
She-Hulk recounts how the Molecule Man dropped an entire mountain on her and the other heroes on Battleworld. That happened in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #4.
During the first Secret Wars, the Molecule Man was seriously wounded after getting sliced by Wolverine in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8.
Here the Molecule Man states he repaired other things that were damaged by the Beyonder prior to the final battle, namely the destruction of the X-Mansion in New Mutants #37 and damage done by an earthquake in San Francisco, which happened in Uncanny X-Men #203.
Topical References
One of Owen’s reasons for saving the world is so he won’t miss out on F Troop reruns. This would not be considered a topical reference since he specifically states that he is watching reruns of an old TV show.
Secret Wars II Reading Order
Secret Wars II #1, New Mutants #30, Captain America, #308, Uncanny X-Men #196, Iron Man #197, Secret Wars II #2, Web of Spider-Man #6, Amazing Spider-Man #268, Fantastic Four #282, Secret Wars II #3, Daredevil #223, Incredible Hulk #312, Avengers #260, Secret Wars II #4, Dazzler #40, Alpha Flight #28, Rom #72, Avengers #261, Secret Wars II #5, Thing #30, Doctor Strange (vol. 2) #74, Fantastic Four #285, Secret Wars II #6, Cloak and Dagger (vol. 2) #4, Power Pack #18, Micronauts (vol. 2) #16, Thor #363, Power Man and Iron Fist #121, Secret Wars II #7, New Mutants #36, Amazing Spider-Man #273, Spectacular Spider-Man #111, Uncanny X-Men #202, Defenders #152, Secret Wars II #8, New Mutants #37, Amazing Spider-Man #274, Avengers #265, Uncanny X-Men #203, Fantastic Four #288, Secret Wars II #9, Avengers #266
