Nick Peron

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Quasar #53

Nick Peron

To the Fifth Power

Credits

For some unknown reason, Kayla Ballentine has regained the powerful Star Brand and Quasar has the scientists at Project PEGASUS perform some experiments to find out how this can be possible.[1] However, Kayla begins to feel increasingly uncomfortable and wants the test to stop, due to the fact that it reminds her of her mother’s terminal illness and death in a hospital. Quasar agrees to pull the plug on further tests, despite the insistence from the PEGASUS staff.

After Quasar and Kayla say goodbye to their friends Blue Shield and the Squadron Supreme, they decide to put their worries aside and go out on a date and have some fun. Returning to New York City, the couple change and meet up at the same restaurant. The subject of conversation does eventually come back to the fact that Kayla still has the Star Brand. While she is concerned about being able to control such immense power, Wendell assures her that her having this power doesn’t affect their relationship and he promises to help her cope.

Suddenly, Kayla has an idea of how she can get rid of the Star Brand and insists that he follow her. The pair then fly out to Monster Island where Quasar is upset to learn that Kayla was being drawn here by Moondragon’s telepathic abilities. Wendell is fed up with Moondragon interfering in his life and hopes this isn’t another ploy to try and convince him to get into a romance with her. Moondragon assures him that much has changed since they last met and she has other priorities than finding an ideal mate.[2] However, she believes that the Star Brand is a threat to all existence and wants to make sure that Kayla isn’t going to misuse it. Quasar refuses to allow Moondragon to meddle with Kayla’s thoughts anymore than she already had. However, before he can attack he is ambushed by Adam Warlock, the leader of the Infinity Watch. He wants to determine if Quasar is worthy of the title of guardian of the universe and traps Quasar’s life essence inside the Soul Gem.

Quasar is unhappy with being transported inside the Soul Gem and when Warlock confronts him there he tries to use his Quantum Bands to remove the gem from Adam’s brow.[3] Instead, Warlock simply splits four separate karmatic manifestations of himself, all representing previous incarnations of himself. He then does the same to Quasar, and each version of Adam Warlock asks one of the Quasar counterparts mortal questions.[4]

Each of Warlock’s personas ask the Quasar personalities variations of the same question: Quasar is put in a moral position where he has to choice of saving a single life at the expense of millions of other. No matter what the hypothetical situation is, each version of Quasar gives the answer that would spare as many lives as possible. The final question asks if Quasar would give up his life if Eternity and Infinity deemed that doing so would be for the good of the universe. Quasar answers this one in an affirmative, proving to Warlock that he is worthy of being the protector of the universe.

When Warlock returns Quasar to the physical world, Moondragon has finished her mental probe of Kayla. Although Ballentine wields the most powerful weapon in the universe, Moondragon figures it is best with her over anybody else and decides to let her go. As the couple leave Monster Island, Quasar promises Kayla that he will do whatever it takes to make sure nobody experiments on her again.

At that moment, an alien ship comes out of hyperspace on the dark side of the moon. The captain of this ship, the robot known as Skeletron has been tracking the Star Brand across the universe. Now that he has reached his destination he tells his crew to prepare for an all out assault on Earth.

… This story continues in Starblast #1.

Recurring Characters

Quasar, Kayla Ballentine, Warlock, Moondragon, Raymond Wilburn, Blue Shield, Squadron Supreme (Hyperion, Power Princess, Doctor Spectrum, Whizzer, Skylark, Moonglow, Shape, Haywire)

Continuity Notes

  1. Kayla accidentally had the Star Brand transferred to her back in Quasar #31. It was seemingly taken away by the Living Tribunal in issue #50. However, in the following issue Kayla had discovered that she still had the power.

  2. Moondragon previously attempted to court Quasar from Quasar #11 to 26. He turned her down. Since then, following the events of Infinity Gauntlet #1-6 and Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1 she has been more concerned with guarding the Infinity Gems along with the rest of her team.

  3. Quasar recounts his last battle with Adam Warlock. This was in Quasar #38.

  4. The Karmatic Manifestations of Warlock and Quasar all represent past versions of each character. They include:

Starblast Reading Order

Quasar #53, Starblast #1, Quasar #54, Secret Defenders #11, Starblast #2, Quasar #55, Namor the Sub-Mariner #47, Fantastic Four #385, Starblast #3, Namor the Sub-Mariner #48, Quasar #56, Fantastic Four #386, Starblast #4, Quasar #57