Battleground: Olympus

Janet Van Dyne, aka the Wasp, was enjoying her vacation in the Carribean following her resignation as Avengers chairwoman.[1] There she is attacked by the Greek goddess Artemis who knocks her out with an arrow filled with sleep dust. When she wakes up, she finds herself imprisoned in Olympus. Able to escape her cell by shrinking to insect size, the Wasp is stopped by Hera, the wife of Zeus. She explains that Janet and the others Avengers have been captured in order to be punished for the injuries Hercules sustained during the siege on Avengers Mansion.[2] The rest of the team had just recently escaped banishment in Hades and are now locked in a futile battle against Zeus and the other Olympian gods.

At the scene of the battle many of the Avengers and the few Olympian allies have been taken down by a single blast of lightning from Zeus. Captain America, the Black Knight, and the Olympian allies are seriously injured, leaving the rest of the team to fight for their lives. While Thor tussles with Zeus himself, Captain Marvel deals with Artemis, the Sub-Mariner battles Ares, and the She-Hulk clashes with Dionysys. In the middle of the battle, Hermes uses his super speed to pull the injured Captain America and Doctor Druid from the scene of the battle. He also snatches Hercules and brings them all back to the cave of Prometheus, who has been helping the Avengers since they were first captured. They have been brought at the command of Hera, who hopes to heal the injured and end the conflict between her husband and the mortal heroes.

Back at the scene of the battle, the remaining Avengers defeat Ares and Dinoysus just as their allies Aphrodite, Athena and Prometheus recover from the opening attack. As Captain Marvel goes searching for her missing teammates, the battle between Thor and Zeus rages on in a nearby forest. Despite the fact that a recent curse on him by Hela has made his bones brittle, Thor refuses to give up, or admit any responsibility for what happened to Hercules. Thor tries to explain that Herc was injured battling the Masters of Evil and through his own irresponsible actions, but Zeus refuses to accept the truth.

Back in the cave, Prometheus begins using his power to try and restore Hercules to full health, even though he risks his own existence to do so. Meanwhile, Captain Marvel heads over to take over for Thor who finally falls in battle. Zeus doesn’t consider her much of a threat until Monica unleashes her full power flooding all of Olympus in blinding light. By this time, Hercules has finally wakes up in a disorientated state and — confusing his allies for enemies — begins attacking them. Simultaneously, Captain Marvel stops her onslaught and is shocked to see that Zeus is still standing.[4] That’s when both Namor and She-Hulk try ambushing the Olympian patriarch, only to be easily swatted aside. As Thor and Captain Marvel wonder how they will stop Zeus, Hercules turns to his injured comrades and denounces them as his enemies who must die.

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Wasp, Black Knight, She-Hulk, Captain Marvel, Sub-Mariner, Doctor Druid), Zeus, Hercules, Hera, Aphrodite, Athena, Prometheus, Hermes, Artemis, Dionysus, Ares

Continuity Notes

1. Janet had recently vacated this post in Avengers #278.

2. Hercules was left in a coma following an attack on the mansion by the Masters of Evil, see Avengers #273-277.

3. Hela cursed Thor with eternal life with brittle bones that will not heal in Thor #372. He will remain cursed until the end of Thor #382.

4. Captain Marvel remarks that she used the same amount of power as she used on Nebula’s starship. This was in Avengers #260.