Avengers (vol. 3) #84
Once an Invader, Part 3
At Avengers Mansion, Goliath had gone upstairs to get the Wasp for a mission briefing only to catch her in bed with Hawkeye. Hank becomes immediately upset and he runs out of the room dry heaving. Jan wants to go after him, but Clint points out that nothing she could say could make him feel better right now. She instantly wonders what she has done to Hank.[1]
Instead, the two get dressed and head down to the hanger where the rest of the team — Captain America, Iron Man, She-Hulk, and Captain Britain — is climbing into the Quinjet. Captain America pulls Hawkeye aside and tells him that Goliath has gone AWOL. Cap knows what’s going on and while he doesn’t care what Clint and Janet do in their private time, he warns Hawkeye that he will make it his business if it starts to impact their effectiveness as a team.
The team is heading out to the Middle East where the Sub-Mariner and a new team of Invaders — a team consisting of John Walker (now wearing a version of Cap’s costume), Union Jack, Spitfire, Blazing Skull, and Tara — are invading the country of Mazikhandar. This is in response to the country sinking oil tankers, which has been poisoning the waters around Atlantis and affecting America’s supply of fuel. Walker leads most of the team and a squad of Atlantean octo-tanks on an attack to the capital city of Yaridh. There, Union Jack and Spitfire have already infiltrated the royal palace and are in the process of neutralizing troops and booby traps set up in the building.
Eventually the capture a man who might be the head of state, but could be a decoy. When questioning a high ranking military official, they learn that the real leader of the country has a scar on his scrotum after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer. The idea of verifying this doesn’t appeal to either Jack or Spitfire, so they decide to wait until Walker gets there so he can do it.
Meanwhile, the Invaders and Atlantean forces have just reached the city and they cut a swath of destruction on their way to the palace with no regard to innocent people that might be caught in the crossfire. When a woman and her child are standing in the path of falling debris, thy are rescued by the Avengers, who have arrived just in the nick of time.
Captain America orders Walker and his unit to cease their hostilities and for John to take off the Captain America costume he is waring. Walker refuses to do any such thing, saying that this mission was sanctioned by the United States government. This leads to a brief battle between the Avengers and Invaders, but it comes to a quick end when Cap defeats John Walker in battle. Blazing Skull, who didn’t join in the fight, remembers fighting alongside Cap during World War II and the two shake hands.[2]
However, while the two teams were busy, the Sub-Mariner confirmed the identity of Mazikhandarian leader and captured him, and set up the new American sponsored ruler.
By this time, Captain America has tied up John Walker and explains that the Invaders’ backer, Secretary of Defense Dell Rusk, was actually the Red Skull in disguise.[3] Upon learning the truth, John astonishes Steve by saying the Skull had some good ideas.
When the Avengers and the Invaders arrive at the palace, they are greeted by the country’s new ruler. He thanks the heroes for their help, then executes the deposed dictator before heading back into his palace without saying another word.
… This story continues in New Invaders #0.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Goliath, Wasp, Hawkeye, She-Hulk, Captain Britain), Invaders (US Agent, Sub-Mariner, Union Jack, Spitfire, Blazing Skull, Tara)
Continuity Notes
Hank and Janet have a long romantic history dating back to Tales to Astonish #44. The two were married in Avengers #60. However, they divorced years later after Hank hit his wife in issue #213. Since then, the pair had been in an on-again-off-again relationship. Hank still cares for Janet a great deal, even proposing to her again in Avengers (vol. 3) #71. She turned him down and they have been on the outs since issue #79. Janet and Clint started their affair in issue #82.
Blazing Skull was a member of the original Invaders as seen in Invaders (vol. 2) #2-4.
For more on Red Skull’s tenure as Dell Rusk see Avengers (vol. 3) #65-70.
