Avengers #322
The Crossing Line Part 4: Bombs Away!
A terrorist organization called the Peace Corps has stolen a British nuclear submarine called the Waterwind. With the damaged vessel making repairs at a port in Newfoundland, the Avengers, Alpha Flight, and the People’s Protectorate has been sent by their respective governments to recover the sub and prevent a nuclear incident from happening.
While Captain America led a team consisting of Vision, Red Guardian, Vostok, and Puck aboard the sub, Alpha Flight’s Guardian coordinates Quasar, Sersi, Shaman, Diamond Lil, Perun, Crimson Dynamo, and Fantasma in evacuating the locals from the port.
Things take a turn when the Atlanteans Tyrak, Orka, and U-Man launch an attack in retaliation for the Peace Corps earlier trespass in Atlantean waters. Guardian, Quasar, and Crimson Dynamo head out to deal with the Atlanteans, while Shaman, Sersi, and Fantasma expedite the evacuation efforts. Box — who was waiting to evacuate the hostages aboard the sub — joins the fight as well but has to abandon his robotic armor when it short circuits while trying to stop Orka.
Inside the sub, Captain America and the others have confronted the ringleaders of Peace Corps —Illyich Prokvitch and Mendev — only to discover that they have wired themselves to the launching device so that if they die the nuclear missiles will watch. Red Guardian — who is a childhood friend of Illyich — reveals his identity to his old friend and demands to know why he is doing all of this for. Prokvitch explains that he wants to stimulate the world economy by plunging the planet into another world war, as World War II helped stimulate the world economy. The heroes are horrified by the lengths that Prokvitch is willing to go to achieve his goals. While Captain America and Red Guardian keep Illyich talking, the Vision and Vostok examine their setup in order to determine a way to disconnect them from the computer without killing Prokvitch and Mendev and prevent them from launching the nukes.
Back outside, Puck joins the battle against the Atlanteans to buy Shaman more time to complete his evacuation.[1] As the tide of battle begins to turn against the Atlanteans, Quasar gives their leader Tyrak the opportunity to surrender, but he refuses as he is willing to fight to the death.
While aboard the Waterwind, the Vision and Vostok finally figure out how to disconnect Illyich and Mendev. On their signal, Captain America and Red Guardian knock the pair out of their chairs while the two androids disconnect their life support system. Illyich warns them that they didn’t disable the failsafe and moments later the nuclear bombs go off.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Sersi, Stingray. Vision, Quasar), Alpha Flight (Guardian, Shaman, Box, Puck, Diamond Lil), People’s Protectorate (Red Guardian, Vostok, Fantasma, Crimson Dynamo, Perun) Peace Corps (Illyich Prokvitch, Mendev, Voroshilov, Kuryestan), Tyrak, U-Man, Orka
Continuity Notes
Here, Puck reminds Guardian how he is virtually indestructible now. As explained in Alpha Flight #32, Puck originally got his powers from the mystical Black Blade of Baghdad. He was later stripped of these powers in issue #50. His body was later biologically re-engineered to his former diminutive state and giving his body the consistency of ultra-dense rubber in Alpha Flight #90.
Topical References
The Waterwind is depicted as a Resolution class submarine. This should be considered topical as these types of submarines were retired in 1996.
Russia is referred to as the USSR in this story. This should be considered a topical reference as the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.
Into the Fire
As the Avengers Crew is setting up their the group’s new base of operations, Peggy Carter is pleased to get her communications center up and running. While going over her new setup she is shocked when one of the monitors begins showing an image of her relative, Sharon Carter, on the day she died.[1][2] Sharon then begins talking to Peggy directly, telling her that she failed in her oath to protect Sharon when she became a SHIELD agent.
Peggy tries to call the other members of the crew for help, but they cannot hear her distress call. That’s when Sharon emerges from the monitor and explains that she has returned from the dead, just like Captain America did years ago.[3] While Cap emerged from the ice, Sharon has returned from the flames and beckons her sister to come to her. Peggy breaks down in tears and begs Sharon for forgiveness. When Sharon reaches out to Peggy for a hug, she embraces her relative without a second thought, immolating herself in the process.[4]
Recurring Characters
Peggy Carter, Mother Night
Continuity Notes
This story states that Sharon is Peggy’s sister. Their familial connection has become complicated and subject to change due to the Sliding Timescale. This index chooses to acknowledge them as being family, but their nature of their relationship is generalized. Click here for more on that.
Sharon Carter is believed to have died when she seemingly immolated herself after being brainwashed by the racist National Force in Captain America #237. It is later revealed in issue #446 that Sharon actually faked her death in order to go on a deep cover mission for SHIELD.
Sharon is, of course, referencing when Cap was frozen in suspended animation for decades until he was revived in the Modern Age as seen in Avengers #4.
It’s later revealed that Sharon was actually an illusion was created by Mother Night who is secretly brainwashing the Avengers Crew to betray the heroes, part of a birthday gift for the Red Skull. This will occur over the course of Avengers #319-324, with Mother Night’s master scheme being attempted in issue #325.
