Avengers #345
Operation: Galactic Storm Part 5 - Storm Gatherings
This story continues from Wonder Man (vol. 2) #7…
Long time Avengers ally Rick Jones has been captured by the Shi’ar and Captain Marvel’s tomb has been raided by the Kree. With an intergalactic war brewing, the Avengers find themselves and Earth caught in the middle.[1]
The use of warp gates to reach Earth’s solar system has caused a heavy strain on the sun, prompting the Avengers to send Thor, Vision, Sersi, and Quasar to investigate.[2] When they arrive at their destination they discover that Starcore One — the space station monitoring the sun — is no longer there. However, Quasar is able to use his Quantum Bands to learn that the station has been moved to a safer location and leads his teammates to it.
Back on Earth, Captain America and the Black Widow are comparing notes with Hawkeye, leader of the West Coast Avengers. After comparing notes on the activities of both the Shi’ar and the Kree, the two agree to band both Avengers teams together to face this menace together.
In space, Quasar and the others locate the Starcore life pod and are checking on the crew inside when, suddenly, the warp gate opens again and an entire Shi’ar armada emerges from it. The flagship quickly detects the Avengers on their scanners. Although they are reluctant to attack the Terrans since Empress Lilandra considers many on Earth to be her allies, they humans are considered a potential threat to their mission and the order is given to engage.
At that moment, the West Coast Avengers are arriving at Avengers Headquarters. Waiting on the ground to greet them are the Black Knight, Hercules, and Crystal. Although everyone is looking forward to reuniting with their west coast counterparts, Crystal is apprehensive to see the Scarlet Witch, the sister of her estranged husband, Quicksilver.[3]
Simultaneously, the Avengers in space are attacked by the Shi’ar fleet. The team fights back, focusing on the flagship of the vessel. As Thor, Quasar, and Sersi pound through the ship’s shields, the crew scrambles to respond.[4] Little do they know that among their crew is the shapeshifter known as Hobgoblin who had been planted aboard the crew by Lilandra’s Imperial Guard. Soon, the Avengers breach the hull and confront the crew of the ship. They explain that the use of the warp gate is destabilizing their Earth’s sun, butting all life on the planet at risk. However, the captain of the ship refuses to surrender, prompting Sersi to threaten their lives if they don’t comply.
The threat works and when the team returns to Earth and tell Captain America what went down, the Star-Spangled Avenger is horrified. Sersi insists that she said what was necessary since they were all alone in space and had the lives of the Starcore crew to protect. Thor assures Cap that it was all a bluff, although he’s not entirely sure if that was the case when Sersi threatened them. US Agent, on the other hand, is deeply amused by the dissention in the ranks, and Hawkeye tells him to shut it.[5] Whatever the case, Hank Pym points out that they now have a number of alien prisoners which he has been forced to shrink in size in order to contain, which raises all sorts of ethical issues among the group.[6]
Deciding to focus back on the crisis at hand, Captain America wants the team to try and stop the ongoing conflict before Earth is put in danger.[7] Captain America decides the best way to do this is to split the team into three groups. The first team is a delegation to the Kree galaxy which will consist of Captain America, US Agent, Iron Man, Crystal, Hercules, the Black Knight, and Sersi. The second team will go to the Shi’ar and will consist of Thor, Wonder Man, the Vision, Scarlet Witch,[8] Captain Marvel, Starfox, and the Living Lightning. The last team will remain on Earth and defend it from any new threats and will comprise of She-Hulk, Falcon, Mockingbird, Spider-Woman, Hank Pym, the Wasp, Gilgamesh, and Hawkeye.
Everyone is pleased with their assignments except for Hawkeye, who is annoyed that he is being made to stay behind in favor of US Agent. This is because Hawkeye doesn’t have any super-powers. Hank Pym decides to help Clint out, reminding him how he once took on the role of Goliath and was a benefit during the Kree/Skrull War.[9] He then hands Clint a vial of his growing solution. Hawkeye then changes into Goliath and increases his size and shows up during Captain America’s meeting with the Avengers heading to the Kree galaxy. Seeing that Clint won’t step down, Cap has no other choice but bump US Agent off the team, much to the Agent’s chagrin.
Three hours later, two modified Quinjets have ventured into space. From there, Quasar uses his quantum jump ability to send the rest of the way to their intended destinations. Moments after the two jets are gone, he is joined by the artificial being known as Her, who has come looking for him.[10]
Lightyears away, in the Shi’ar galaxy, Empress Lilandra Neramani gets an update on what happened to the fleet that arrived in Earth’s solar system. She is unhappy that the vessels tried to engage the Avengers since she doesn’t want to start a conflict with Earth as well as the Kree. Ending the call, Lilandra prays for guidance on what to do and is interrupted by her sister. Deathbird finds it amusing that Lilandra is struggling with making the right wartime decisions as she lacks the killer edge needed.[11] Deathbird knows what it will take to win the war and offers to loyally serve the Shi’ar empire, as she is the only one who can do what needs to be done.
… This story continues in Iron Man #278.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Black Knight, Black Widow, Captain America, Hercules, Quasar, Sersi, Vision, Crystal, Thor), Avengers West Coast (Hawkeye/Goliath, Iron Man, Living Lightning, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Woman, US Agent, Wonder Man), Captain Marvel, Falcon, Gilgamesh, Mockingbird, She-Hulk, Starfox, Wasp, Hobgoblin, Peter Corbeau, Mikhail Kutuzov, Talia Kruma, Lilandra, Deathbird, Her
Continuity Notes
All of these events went down in Captain America #398, Avengers West Coast #80, Quasar #32, and Wonder Man (vol. 2) #7.
Thor is impressed to discover that Mjolnir has the ability to teleport himself and his comrades near the sun. This is because this isn’t the real Thor, but Eric Masterson, his replacement. The real Thor was banished by Odin in Thor #432-433. This status quo will remain until issues #457-458 of that series.
Crystal and Quicksilver got married back in Fantastic Four #150. Pietro was a neglectful husband and this eventually led to Crystal to have an affair with Norm Webster from Vision and the Scarlet Witch (vol. 2) #6-12. When the truth was found out, it pushed Pietro over the edge for a time. Crystal and Quicksilver has been trying to reconcile since Fantastic Four Annual #21. However, the two are currently spending time apart as Quicksilver joined X-Factor in X-Factor #71 and Crystal joined the Avengers in Avengers #336.
Quasar is disturbed that Sersi is particularly bloodthirsty in battle. This is because she is suffering from mental illness. This will be revealed in Avengers #361.
The reason US Agent is taking some perverse joy in seeing his teammates squabble is because he is still bitter over being forced out as leader of the West Coast team back in Avengers West Coast #69.
Cap likens their shrunken prisoners to the alien civilizations that were shrunk in size and made part of the Collector’s menagerie. See Avengers #334-339.
Mockingbird makes a passing comment about how she doesn’t like Hawkeye’s smirk, even when they were married. The couple tied the knot in Hawkeye #4. Shortly there after, Mockingbird allowed the Phantom Rider die when she was his prisoner in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #23, when Hawkeye learned the truth in issue #34-35 the pair had a falling out. Although they tried reconciling in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #46, things had become strained again.
Working with Wonder Man and the Vision makes the Scarlet Witch very nervous because of the complicated history between the three:
Way back in Avengers #9, Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man, seemingly died as a side effect of his powers. His brain engrams were recorded and they were later used to create the Vision as seen in Avengers #57-58 and 134-135. Wonder Man returned to live in issue #150.
Vision and the Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, over the years, fell in love and eventually got married in Giant-Size Avengers #4.
For years, everyone was fine with this for the most part until the Vision was disassembled and re-assembled by Vigilance in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42-45. During this time, Wonder Man declined to offer his brain engrams to restore the Vision because he came to realize he was in love with the Scarlet Witch.
Since then, the Vision became estranged from his wife, moving from the west coast team to the east in Avengers West Coast #53. Wanda and Simon tried dating in issue #65, but Wanda decided she only liked him as a friend and suggested they stop dating in issue #68.
Years ago, Hank Pym retired from his Goliath role to become Yellowjacket in Avengers #59. Hawkeye then took on the role in issue #63. His size-changing powers and added strength was a huge benefit during the Avengers involvement in the Kree/Skrull War from Avengers #89-97.
Her has been tagging along with Quasar since she returned to Earth to find a suitable mate back in Quasar #28. What happens to the pair next is chronicled in issue #33 of that series.
Deathbird mentions how she was empress of the Shi’ar until Lilandra dethroned her. Deathbird’s rule lasted from Uncanny X-Men #155 through 277.
Operation: Galactic Storm Reading Order
Captain America #398, Avengers West Coast #80, Quasar #32, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #7, Avengers #345, Iron Man #278, Thor #445, Captain America #399, Avengers West Coast #81, Quasar #33, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #8, Avengers #346, Iron Man #279, Thor #446, Captain America #400, Avengers West Coast #82, Quasar #34, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #9, Avengers #347, Captain America #401, Quasar #35