Galactic Mourning

A mysterious probe sent along an omi-wave projection crash lands on the Blue Area of the Moon, it’s long journey over. Its arrival is detected by a group of Kree mercenaries that have set up operations on the moon. Their leader, Galen Kor orders a team to go to the Blue Area and recover whatever crash landed there.[1] Bringing the object back to their base, Kona Lor recognizes it as a record-sphere that comes from the Kree world of Cyllandra. While Dylon Cir scoffs at the idea of Kree librarians, Galen Kor believes the sphere contains important information. Suddenly the device kicks in and a holographic projection of a Kree historian named Sallen Bei appears before them. He explains that he sent this probe out in the hopes it will be found by a group of Kree who were not in their home galaxy when it was decemated by a Shi’ar Nega-Bomb.

Sallen Bei say the Kree lost their conflict with the Shi’ar thanks to interference from the Earthlings known as the Avengers. He then details how the Avengers interfered with their intergalactic war, failed to stop the Nega-Bomb from being detonated in the Kree Galaxy, and then how some of the Avengers executed their leader, the Supreme Intelligence.[2]

Hearing all of this finally puts the final pieces of what happened together for Galen Kor whose fleet witnessed the destruction of their home. He always knew that the Earthers had something to do with it and now this confirms it. Galen then compiles a dossier on the Avengers they will be targeting. The list includes the Vision, Crystal, Giant-Man, Deathcry, the Black Widow, Hercules, the Black Knight, Sersi, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Thunderstrike, as well as list of the Avengers allies including Force Works, the X-Men, the Inhumans, the Fantastic Four, and the Shi’ar Imperial Guard.[3]

Meanwhile, on Earth, Crystal heads down into the communications as she is unable to sleep. She finds the Vision down there investigating a strange signal their probes picked up, but it suddenly disappeared. He has determined that it is of Kree origin and warns that the Avengers had best beware if any Kree happen to be lurking in their solar system.[4]

Recurring Characters

Crystal, Vision, Lunatic Legion (Galen Kor, Dylon Cir, Kona Lor, Talla Ron)

Continuity Notes

1. The narration here states that the Blue Area of the Moon and its atmosphere were created by the Kree centuries earlier. This was first told in Avengers #133. They did so when the Skrull attempted to make the Kree world of Hala part of their empire. When they discovered that two sentient races lived there — the mammalian Kree and the plant like Cotati — they held a competition on Earth’s moon to determine which group was worthy of joining their empire. When the Cotati won, the Kree slew everyone starting off the centuries long Kree/Skrull War.

2. Sallen Bei’s message essentially recaps the Operation: Galactic Storm even which took place in 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. Although the Supreme Intelligence is believed to have been killed at the end of that story, he managed to transmit his mind into a new body and will be seen again in Imperial Guard #1-3.

3. It’s interesting to note that Deathcry is listed as a member of the Avengers as she won’t encounter the team until Avengers #364, which takes place after this story. Since the Strikefile story is just an excuse to do a bunch of pin-ups we can assume that either this is an error or the Kree were already aware that Deathcry is coming to Earth and have correctly deduced that she would join up with the team.

4. This is setting up the Kree Lunatic Legion’s attack on the Avengers which will occur in Avengers #364-365.