Avengers (vol. 3) #21
Ultron Unlimited Part Three: This Evil Unveiled!
Ultron has wiped out the entire country of Slorenia. In response, the United Nations has sent an army of soldiers and the Avengers to try and take back the country. Upon their arrival they are attacked by an army of cyborgs Ultron created from the slaughtered Solernian people. As Captain America leads the Avengers into battle, he tells Firestar and Black Panther to find Ultron’s hideout and find a way to shut him down.
Meanwhile, Ultron has captured his “family” which consists of Giant-Man, the Wasp, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, and the Grim Reaper. He intends on using their minds as templates for the new race of robots he intends to use to replace humanity. Ultron explains that his has always been “family orientated”, pointing to his creations: the Vision, Jocasta, and Alkhema.[1] Although he always strove to destroy all human life, he realized that ruling a dead world will be lonely and came to the conclusion that he’d create a new race of robots. He would utilize Hank’s recent invention of an insect-based communication system to create a hive mind that they can all share.[2] He intends to use the minds of his captured “family” to create an infinite number of variable personalities for his new race. While Ultron’s “familial relationship” to Pym, Van Dyne, the Vision, Wonder Man,[3] and the Scarlet Witch[4] are obvious, the Grim Reaper demands to know why he has been kidnapped as well.[5] Ultron reminds the Reaper how he had outfitted him with his coma-ray, the weapon he has used since his first inception.[6]
Ultron then reveals that it was the Grim Reaper’s obsession with his then-believed-to-be-deceased brother that inspired the robot to use Wonder Man’s brain patterns to transform the android Human Torch into the Vision.[7] Hearing all this, Hank blames himself for what is happening, leading the Wasp to worry that he might suffer another mental breakdown.[8]
That’s when Ultron’s scanners pick up the Black Panther and Firestar’s approach and prepares a suitable reception for them. He summon his battle chair and goes out to fight the two Avengers. Seeing that they are in more trouble than they expected, Firestar sends a signal flare that brings the rest of the Avengers to their location.
Back in the United States, the military facility where Alkhema has been kept since her defeat is attacked by robots of her own creation. While at Avengers Mansion, Justice goes through the Avengers records on Ultron. After pulling up records of Daredevil’s battle with the robot, and the West Coast Avengers preventing Ultron from turning people into robots, he comes upon the time that Spider-Man, the Black Panther and Iron Man fought Ultron at Empire State University. In that battle, Ultron attempted to steal a sample of Vibranium, only to discover that it has decayed into Anti-Metal. Recounting his last encounter with Antarctic Vibranium during the Avengers battle with the Doomsday Man, Vance begins cross referencing the two to see what it comes up with.[9]
Back in Slorenia, the Avengers continue to pile onto Ultron, combining their powers to overwhelm the robot. Getting the monster on the ropes, Thor summons a powerful bolt of lightning with Mjolnir that shatters Ultron to pieces, something that should have been impossible if he was made out of Adamantium. Believing Ultron destroyed, the Avengers enter his hideout where they are soon swarmed by an hundreds of Ultron duplicates.[10]
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, Vision, Wonder Man, Justice, Firestar), Ultron, Alkehma, Grim Reaper, Edwin Jarvis,
Continuity Notes
Ultron has created a number of artificial life forms over the years. They include:
The Vision whose creation was chronicled in Avengers #57-58 and 134-135.
Jocasta who was created in Avengers #161-162. Here, Ultron states that Jocasta has been destroyed. She sacrificed her life to help stop the High Evolutionary back in Avengers Annual #17. She will be revived in Iron Man (vol. 3) #18-20.
Alkhema was created in Avengers West Coast #89-92.
Hank has been developing his new insect communication system was developed on Avengers (vol. 3) #12-15.
Wonder Man is considered the Vision’s brother because the Simon’s brain patterns (collected in Avengers #9) were used to create the Vision.
The Scarlet Witch has been married to the Vision since Giant-Size Avengers #4. However, they have been estranged since the events of West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42-45 when his personality was wiped out. It was later restored in Avengers Spotlight #40.
The Grim Reaper was kidnapped by Ultron in Avengers (vol. 3) #0.
This story references the Grim Reaper’s first appearance in Avengers #52. However, the revelation that he was equipped by Ultron wasn’t revealed until Avengers #161.
Wonder Man was seemingly killed by his own powers in Avengers #9. He later came back to life in issue #151. Before then, Ultron used his brain patterns to transform the Human Torch into the Vision. This was detailed in Avengers #134-135. This story also references Avengers Forever #8. This is because for a time, the Avengers were led to believe that the Human Torch wasn’t used to create the Vision in West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42-45. Avengers Forever revealed that both versions of the story are true because time travel.
Hank has suffered a number of mental breakdowns over the years. See Avengers #59-60, 161-162, 213, and West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #17-18.
Lots of Ultron back story going on here. The details:
Ultron battle Daredevil in Daredevil #275-276.
The time he tried to turn people into living robots was in Avengers West Coast #65-68.
Ultron tried to steal Vibranium in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #25, Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #11, and Web of Spider-Man Annual #7.
Vance recently encountered Anti-Metal in Avengers (vol. 3) #13 and his battle with Doomsday Man took place in issues #16-18.
Here, Hank Pym mutters about how this is all his fault and alludes to something about Ultron that he has never told anyone. Next issue it is revealed that Hank used his own brain engrams to create Ultron’s personality and that his own mental instability was responsible for Ultron’s homicidal behavior.
Topical References
One of the news networks reporting on Ultron’s slaughter of Slorenia is CNN. This should be considered topical as CNN is a real world television network.
Justice is depicted as having a plaster cast to treat his broken leg. This should be considered a topical reference as there are now better alternatives such as orthopedic boots now exist.
