Refuge

Captain America is in the process of reforming the Avengers and is currently running a training exercise to test some potential new recruits.[1] They include Speedball, Blue Shield, Gladiatrix, and the Mechananaut. Unfortunately, the group doesn’t have the necessary teamwork skills in combat. Cap calls a stop to the test when he gets a call from Michael O’Brien, one of the new recruits of his Avengers Support Crew. O’Brien has picked up an object approaching Avengers Island at a high rate of speed.

This turns out to be the Soviet Super Soldiers — Darkstar, Vanguard, and Ursa Major — who appear before the Avengers recruits. Assuming this is an invasion, they attack the Russian superheroes. The Soviet Super Soldiers are able to hold their own until Captain America arrives and orders an end to the fighting. When asking the Russians why they have come to Avengers Island, they explain that they have come seeking asylum in the United States. Needing to deal with this latest development, Captain America finishes up with the potential recruits. He tells Speedball and the others that they show great promise as potential Avengers and asks them to try again in six months.

Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, Battlestar meets with the Commission on Superhuman Activities to find out what happened to John Walker’s body after it disappeared from the city morgue.[2] Lamar is told by the Commission that John’s body was claimed by his sister who had it immediately cremated. When they ask Battlestar what his future plans are, he tells them that now is not the time as he is still grieving over the loss of his friend.

Back at Avengers Island, Captain America has a sit-down with the Soviet Super Soldiers to learn why they want to defect from their homeland.[3] They explain that they’ve always been champions of the Russian people but face increasing pressure to become operatives of the government. Seeing that they are sincere about their plight, Captain America agrees to help them gain asylum by contacting the State Department. However, he warns them that this will be a lengthy process and they will be under heavy scrutiny. Steve then tells Jarvis that the Soviets have access to the grounds and then goes to make arrangements with the Avengers liaison, Raymond Sikorksi. Moments later, he is alerted by Peggy Carter that there is a superhuman incident going on in Maine and heads off in a Quinjet to check it out.

Unaware that Captain America has left, the Soviet Super Soldiers decide to pass the time by watching TV. However, Ursa Major gets upset about an interview with the President that discusses foreign policy, prompting Vangauard and Darkstar to try and calm him down. That’s when someone appearing to be Captain America enters the room and tells them that he wants to test out their abilities in the training room. There, they are to fight what appears to be Iron Man, the Vision, and Thor. However, as the battle begins, it becomes abundantly clear to the Soviets that these “Avengers” are playing for keeps and trying to seriously hurt them.[4]

Meanwhile, back in Washington, Lamar Hoskins decides to pack his things and leave. He is visited by Val Cooper who offers him to chance to stay on and work with the Commission as a member of the Freedom Force. He politely declines the offer since he only worked with the government due to John and without his friend he doesn’t feel he has a place in the government anymore. Val understands and wishes Lamar the best of luck.

Back at Avengers Island, the Soviet Super Soldiers quickly realize that they aren’t battling the Avengers, but impostors who are trying to kill them. This realization doesn’t do much about the outcome of the battle as the three mutants are seemingly slaughtered by their attackers. With the battle over, the Russian illusionist known as Fantasia drops their disguises revealing the attackers to be the Red Guardian, the Crimson Dynamo, the godly Perun, and the android known as Sputnik. With their mission accomplished they quickly retreat before they are discovered.

Two hours later, the real Captain America returns from the wild goose chase he was sent on. On the ground he discovers the Avengers Support Crew wheeling the Soviets to the infirmary. Michael O’Brien doesn’t know who attacked their guests or why, but he tells Captain America that things don’t look good.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Soviet Super Soldiers (Darkstar, Vanguard, Ursa Major), Supreme Soviets (Red Guardian, Crimson Dynamo, Fantasia, Perun, Sputnik), Avengers Support Crew (Edwin Jarvis, Peggy Carter, Fabian Stankiewicz, Michael O’Brien), Blue Shield, Gladiatrix, Battlestar, Valerie Cooper, Lewis Haywerth, Adrian Sammish

Continuity Notes

1. At the time of this story, the Avengers had disbanded after they were betrayed by their leader, Doctor Druid. See Avengers #291-297. Currently he has an ad-hoc team consisting of Thor, Gilgamesh, Mister Fantastic, and the Invisible Woman who were formed during the Inferno crisis. See Avengers #300.

2. John Walker appeared to have been murdered last issue and his body disappeared from the morgue. We’ll find out in issue #345 that his death was faked so the government could reinvent Walker as their new operative the US Agent in order to get around the controversies he created during his stint as Captain America from issue #333-350.

3. Captain America recounts how the Soviets were still loyal to their country when they last encountered each other. This was in X-Men Vs. Avengers #1-4.

4. Vanguard comments how Iron Man should know that his weapons can’t penetrate his force field. He is referring to his last encounter with the real Iron Man that happened back in Iron Man #109.

Topical References

• In this story, Russia is referred to as the USSR and as a result, this tale is littered with a number of Cold War references. These should all be considered topical as the USSR dissolved in 1991.

• While the Soviet Super Soldiers and Supreme Soviets names are tied to the Russian government of the time when this story was first published, the use of Soviet in their names wouldn’t be considered topical. The term has a general meaning that describes any working council that is socialist. As such, the use of the word Soviet would take on a more general meaning since it is still an accurate term to describe these teams.

• Captain America states in this story that he is preparing the Avengers so they will be ready for the 1990s. This should be considered a topical reference for obvious reasons.

• The President of the United States is depicted as Ronald Reagan in this story. This is topical since Reagan’s term ended in 1989 and subsequently died in 2004.