Avengers Forever #7
Into Limbo Large and Broad…
Seven time lost Avengers have been gathered to protect Rick Jones from Immortus who wishes their old ally dead for unknown reasons.[1] After a series of investigations into chronal anomalies, the group has discovered that Immortus is using the Forever Crystal to prune the timeline. The Avengers have decided to take the fight to Immortus himself by traveling to his stronghold in Limbo. As the team prepares to leave, Rick Jones tries to accompany them. However, Captain Marvel is insistent that Rick remain aboard the time Sphinx no matter what happens.[2]
As the team heads into the time stream they start seeing a number of images from the past. The first regards the Vision around the time that Hank Pym examined him and the original android Human Torch. Goliath is surprised to hear himself make contradictory statements about the Vision and the Torch being different beings while also admitting that their internal components are the same. This is followed by a vision of a team of Avengers when they were being led on a trip through time by a Synchro-Staff provided to them by Immortus himself. Lastly, they see a clash between the Avengers and Immortus from very early in the team’s career. However, nobody remembers or recalls there ever being record of this encounter, confusing them all deeply.[3]
Once they across over into Limbo, their tracking devices allow them to approach Immortus’ castle even though the scenery and perception are constantly changing. Once they are close enough the citadel turns into a massive spherical castle. Once inside, the entire room shifts and the group fall down a dark void and are separated. Hawkeye lands in a chamber with statues of him in the various costumes he has worn over the years. Here, he is attacked by Tempus, the loyal servant of Immrotus.[4] Captain America ends up in a dungeon inhabited by Nick Fury as he was during World War II. This man insists that he is the real Fury and that Captain America needs to give up as there is no getting out.[5] The Wasp and Goliath end up close to each other and search the hallways calling out to each other. However, the sound of Goliath’s voice starts to get drowned out by things he had said in the past.[6]
Yellowjacket is dumped in a room where he is forced to see his future: confirming that he is Hank Pym after all. He also sees how wedding will fall apart and he will spend time in jail.[7] Not liking what he sees, Yellowjacket realizes that he can mentally command the Limbo bugs that have been following him and instructs them to lead him to Immortus. Elsewhere, Songbird finds herself put before a mock trial held by her former teammates the Thunderbolts, and other friends and family who accuse her of abandoning them.[8] Before she can give into the voices, Captain Marvel appears and tries to get her to focus on him instead of these illusions.
Back aboard the time Sphinx, Rick Jones grows impatient waiting and decides to be more proactive. He knows knows that the key to victory is finding out why Immortus wants him dead and he decided to find out, no matter what Captain Marvel told him to do.
Meanwhile, the others manage to break out of their individual prisons: For Songbird, it is the revelation that she and Captain Marvel have a romance together in her future. Embracing this love is what it takes to shatter her illusion. At the same time, Hawkeye defeats Tempus when he is grazed by one of his chronal rays. It’s just enough to de-age him to the point where he still had his Goliath powers and he quickly grows to giant size and smashes the creature.[9] For Captain America, he stops listening to the impostor posing as Nick Fury and succeeds in smashing his way out of the dungeon. At that same time, Yellowjacket is able to find his way to the throne room of Immortus thanks to the Limbo bugs under his control, but he is quickly captured by the time master, who has been aware of the Avengers presence from the moment they set foot in his domain. Lastly, Goliath manages to smash his way to the Wasp’s location.
By this point, the Avengers are able to get close enough to one another for their signal beacons to lead them back together. This is good timing as Immortus has unleashed another horde of warriors from across time to fight them. However, despite their efforts there are too many enemies to deal with that the Avengers have no choice but to abandon Yellowjacket and return to the Sphinx in the time stream. That’s when they discover that Rick Jones has went off on his own without any word on where he was going. As the other Avengers wonder what their next move is, Hawkeye reveals that he managed to steal a Synchro-Staff that might be able to give them answers.
Back in Limbo, Yellowjacket manages to cut a deal with Immortus. He reveals that he can use the Limbo bugs to lead him right to the rest of the Avengers. He’s willing to help Immortus out in exchange for the time master altering his timeline so he remains Yellowjacket and is happily married to the Wasp. This is something that Immortus is more than willing to give him for his assistance.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Wasp, Goliath, Captain America, Hawkeye, Yellowjacket, Captain Marvel, Songbird), Rick Jones, Immortus, Libra, Tempus
Continuity Notes
The Avengers were all plucked from different points in history as seen in Avengers Forever #1 and explained last issue. They are:
Captain America circa Captain America #175, after he discovered that the President of the United States was secretly the leader of the Secret Empire.
Hawkeye was plucked out of time circa Avengers #99. This was after he returned to Earth following the Kree/Skrull War without his Goliath growth serum or his trick arrows.
Yellowjacket was abducted from Avengers #60. Actually Hank Pym, a mental breakdown convinced him that he was someone else and that he killed Hank Pym.
Goliath and the Wasp come from the present day, having been plucked out of time circa Avengers (vol. 3) #11.
Songbirdand by extension Captain Marvel) aren’t from the mainline Marvel Universe, but an alternate reality. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #5, it has been designated Reality-98120.
Captain Marvel is afraid that if Rick leaves the ship it will lead to the same events that saw him bonded to his own reality’s Rick Jones. He’s not wrong to worry about this either. See Avengers Forever #11-12.
These are all clues that point to how Immortus used the Vision to manipulate the Avengers and other incidents. Let’s break it down:
First we see an image of the Vision crying, this was after he was accepted into the Avengers in Avengers #58.
Phineas Horton created the android Human Torch in Marvel Comics #1. He was a fully synthetic being.
In Avengers #134-135, a Synchro-Staff revealed to the Vision that he was constructed out of the Human Torch’s remains.
In West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #42-45 and 50, the Vision was deconstructed and put back together again. It was determined that he couldn’t have been built from the Torch. Something that was seemingly confirmed when the android Human Torch was recovered from a grave.
As will be explained in Avengers Forever #8, Immortus used the Forever Crystal to create a chronal duplicate of the Torch. One went on to become the Vision while the other was buried in the grave. The deception was created as a part of a plot to manipulate the Avengers, particularly the Scarlet Witch.
The scene of the Avengers flying through time with the Synchro-Staff is from Avengers #133-135 when they learned the origins of the Kree/Skrull War, Mantis, and her role as the Celestial Madonna.
Lastly, the scene where we see the Avengers fight Immortus for the first time is from Avengers #10. The reason why the Avengers don’t remember it is because the Enchantress used a spell to go back in time to prevent this encounter from happening, creating a divergent timeline. The battle with the Avengers did fight Immortus early on in their career has been designated to Reality-64110 as per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #4.
The statues of Clint Barton represent the various costumes he has worn over the years. They include:
His original Hawkeye costume circa Tales of Suspense #57.
His original Goliath costume from Avengers #63.
The ridiculous Native Ameican inspired costume he wore starting in Avengers #98.
His first variation of the traditional Hawkeye design from Avengers #109.
Lastly the modified costume created for him by Mockingbird in Hawkeye #2.
To prove he is who he says he is, Fury reminds Cap that they stopped “Operation Einfall”. This was a mission completed by Fury and his Howling Commandos with the aid of Captain America and Bucky. See Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #13.
These were actual lines said by Hank in various past issues. They include:
“Jan! She was caught in that blast — she’s falling at Equinox’s feet!” is from Marvel Team-Up #59.
“C’mon kid — no need for a flood — you might drown me!” is from Marvel Feature #6.
“That’s right — I’m visiting out here! Minding the store for the team!” is from West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #1.
“He can’t see us! Take a growth pill, little partner!” - is from Avengers #2
“I’ve got to save the day right before their eyes! Don’t you see?” - is from Avengers #213.
“Don’t be silly, kid — who’d try to kill a living doll like you?” is from Avengers #60
“I have been wanting to spend more time with my research — but the idea of only one of us being an Avengers…” is from Avengers #181.
“No! You mustn’t say that, Janet! you’re only a child!” - is from Tales to Astonish #44.
“But if I ever find the guy who sent this extra bouquet to me —” is from Avengers #141.
“Ultron will be back to free me — and then we’ll crush you!” is taken from Avengers #162.
“I love you, Jan. I always have… Even through the bad times.” is from Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1.
The images that Yellowjacket sees are:
Yellowjacket growing out of his costume revealing that he was Goliath the whole time. This all happened in Avengers #60.
Hank sobbing in Janet’s lap is taking from Avengers #161.
Hank’s biggest disgrace was being framed for theft in Avengers #217. This landed him in jail in issue #224. Hank later brought down Egghead the crook responsible and cleared his name in Avengers #228-230.
Songbird is haunted by the images of her former teammates, allies, and family members. These are analogous to her Earth-616 counterpart. The deets:
The Thunderbolts: Melissa was a founding member of the group. They were former members of the Masters of Evil who originally masqueraded as heroes as part of a plot to take over the world. After they were exposed, they decided to go straight. See Thunderbolts #1-12.
Angar the Screamer: Was a partner in crime back when Melissa was Screaming Mimi. He caught a bullet and died for a time. See Avengers Spotlight #28 and Thunderbolts Annual 1997. He came back to life in Thunderbolts #49.
Melissa’s parents: Her mother was busted for theft and went to jail. She also apparently was planning on running out on her husband with another man. See Thunderbolts #-1 and 21.
Prior to being plucked out of time, Hawkeye decided to take over the Goliath identity in order to increase his powers, as seen in Avengers #63. He continued to operate as Goliath until he ran out of growth serum during the Kree/Skrull War circa Avengers #89-97.
Topical References
References to the present day taking place in the 20th century should be considered topical. The Sliding Timescale has pushed the Modern Age forward so that it does not begin until after the start of the 21st century.
When Yellowjacket sees his future, the image of Hank Pym in jail depicts him reading People magazine. This should be considered topical as this is a real world publication.
