Terra Incognita, Conclusion

After liberating Australia from mutant rule with the aid of AIM, the Hulk has discovered that AIM's leader, Monica Rappaccini, has been using refugees to build an army of cyborgs to wage war against the mutant majority. With the Hulk about to retaliate, Monica contacts her daughter, the Scorpion, via a radio implant and has her say the word "dormez". Upon hearing this, the Hulk reverts back into Bruce Banner and falls asleep. Wondering what has happened, the Scorpion is told by Dr. Aaron Isaacs that her mother planted a post-hypnotic suggestion to incapacitate the Hulk should he ever turn against them. She demands that Isaacs wake up Bruce, but he doesn't know-how. Monica then overrides the control on all the cyborgs and orders them to destroy Bruce Banner. However, she gives them orders not to harm her daughter, forcing the cyborgs to try and forcibly remove her before eliminating Banner. Although the Scorpion puts up a fight, she is quickly overpowered and the cyborgs open fire on Banner's sleeping body.

However, Bruce suddenly transforms into the Hulk in the nick of time and begins laying into the cyborgs again. When the cyborgs are dispatched, the Hulk tells the girl that while Banner sleeps, the Hulk never does, making her realize that the hypnotic suggestion only worked on part of Banner's personality. Suddenly, a massive cyborg enters the room and knocks the Hulk up through the ceiling and out onto the streets of Sydney. While the Hulk fights the massive cyborg, the Scorpion recovers Jon, the man she came looking for on behalf of his girlfriend. With their cyborg project revealed, Doctor Lazlo demands to know what Monica is going to do to explain this when the public, and Magneto, find out about it. She intends to blame him for it, and pushes him off the balcony of the government building to his death. Meanwhile, the Hulk manages to destroy the cyborg by ripping the Sydney Opera House out of its foundation and using it to crush his attacker.

In the aftermath of the battle, Bruce Banner meets with Monica and the other heads of state in his office and demands answers as to what happened. Monica explains her side of the story, but her daughter doesn't buy it. However, Banner shocks them all when he orders every AIM operative except for Monica out of Australia. He tells Monica to return the cyborgs to normal. When the Scorpion protests this move, he tells them to get out now, his eyes glowing green. Later, while alone in his office, Bruce is visited by the astral projection of Magneto. Magneto assures him that the former rulers of Australia have learned their lesson and offers Bruce the opportunity to return to the Aboriginies and promises to leave the Hulk alone from now on. Banner refuses, saying that he enjoys being in charge and warns Magneto that if he and his people attack his country he will unleash the Hulk upon them again and retake Earth for humanity. Magneto mockingly considers what a world that will be before disappearing, leaving Bruce Banner alone with his thoughts.

Recurring Characters

Hulk, Scorpion, AIM (Monica Rappaccini, Aaron Isaacs), Magneto

Continuity Notes

• This story takes place during the House of M event that saw Earth-616 temporarily replaced with Earth-58163. The primary event can be followed in House of M #1-8.