Decisions Part 3: Taking a Stand

The Avenger known as Hawkeye has come to take the Thunderbolts under his wing and help them prove to the world that they have reformed.[1] However, this is conditional upon the team’s only murderer — Mach-1 — turning himself over to the authorities and do prison time for this crime.[2] This shocks the rest of the team, and Mach-1 finds it unbelievable considering he has proven himself a hero.[3] However, Hawkeye points out that this is non-negotiable and voluntarily turning himself in will help the others establish the credibility they lost when they were outed as formers members of the Masters of Evil.[4] Still, Mach-1 wants to think it over and flies of to ponder his future alone.

Songbird wants to go after him, but the others agree that Abe needs to sort this out himself. Hawkeye and Atlas briefly squabble with one another,[5] but the argument is quickly ended when Hercules comes smashing in through the front door. Hercules has come to get revenge as many of the Thunderbolts were members of the Masters of Evil a few years back when the villains sieged Avengers Mansion. Atlas in particular was part of a group that beat Hercules so bad he was left brain damaged for a time. Herc has come to avenge himself after hearing about how the Thunderbolts are trying to pose as heroes once more.[6] Hawkeye tries to calm Hercules down and Atlas even attempts to apologize for his past actions. Unfortunately, the Olympian demi-god doesn’t want to listen and cold cocks Atlas. This prompts the rest of the Thunderbolts to fight back. When Hawkeye tries to stop things from escalating further, Hercules throws Moonstone into him, knocking the archer out as well.

Meanwhile, in downtown Denver, the NTN News Network headquarters, reporter Gayle Rogers gets an interesting photo. It shows that the Avenger Hawkeye recently rescued Mach-1 and Songbird of the Thunderbolts from the National Guard.[7] With Gayle’s reporting on the Thunderbolts turning out to be a ratings magnet, the question is: How are they going to angle this newest development.

Elsewhere, Mach-1 stands at the top of a mountain and thinks back to the murder of Jared Goulding. He recalls how he was a member of the Sinister Syndicate and how that he took Goudling’s life as a message to others. It was something he had to do at the time as he was under the pressures of leading a criminal gang, a role he never wanted to begin with.[8] Now thinking back to those days, Abner admits that he guilty of murder but doesn’t want to go to prison. He then begins contemplating the idea of running and establishing a new identity somewhere else.

Back at the cabin, Atlas decides to take responsibility for what happened all those years ago. Forcing Hercules outside with his own tremendous strength, Erik allows the Olympian pummel him, willing to get beaten to death for the sake of his teammates. However, that’s when Mach-1 arrives and blasts Hercules off of his comrade. This enrages Hercules further and he picks up a massive boulder to crush the Thunderbolts with. By this time, Hawkeye has recovered and stands between Herc and his newfound allies. He tells Hercules that if he wants to kill the Thunderbolts he is going to have to kill him as well. Realizing he can’t bring himself to do this, Herc agrees to spare their lives due to his past friendship with Hawkeye, but warns the archer that when they meet again they will all be his enemies.

Seeing that Hawkeye is willing to put his own life on the line for the team is what finally convinces the rest of the Thunderbolts to trust him with their fate. Moonstone, however, secretly begins plotting to use Hawkeye to her advantage. Mach-1 then tells the other that he has decided to comply with Hawkeye’s request and turn himself over to the authorities. Hawkeye then shakes Abner’s hand, telling him that he is making the right decision.

That evening, Abner and Melissa spend what will probably be their last evening alone. He tells her that going to prison is the right thing and he won’t run from it. However, he tells her that even though he’s going away for a while he’ll still be there for her no matter what and tells her to wait for him to get out. He also is concerned about how Hawkeye would feel if he found out that Moonstone murdered the ruler of Kosmos and has Melissa promise to continue keeping this a secret for everyone’s sake.[9]

Meanwhile, the image of Hawkeye assisting the Thunderbolts becomes national news. Leading the media to speculate if the avenging archer is doing so of his own free will for altruistic reasons or if he has gone bad. The story makes the front page of the Daily Bugle the following morning, a copy of which is delivered to the front gate of Avengers Mansion.

Recurring Characters

Thunderbolts (Hawkeye, Moonstone, Songbird, Mach-1, Atlas, Jolt), Hercules, Gayle Rogers

Continuity Notes

1. Hawkeye left the Avengers in Avengers (vol. 3) #10 and has been propositioning the team over the last two issues.

2. Hawkeye specifically mentions how Mach-1, as the Beetle, murdered Doctor Jared Goulding in Deadly Foes of Spider-Man #3. However, he has also killed a man named Terry Burns in an attempt to frame Spider-Man for murder as seen in Spider-Man: Web of Doom #1-3.

3. Mach-1 references the times he fought the Crimson Cowl (Thunderbolts #3 and 20) and Graviton (Thunderbolts #17).

4. The obligatory reference to the Thunderbolts originally posing as heroes as part of a plot to take over the world. See Thunderbolts #1-12.

5. Hawkeye reminds Atlas that they have fought before and he is still standing. The pair fought a number of times back when Atlas was known as both Power Man and Goliath as seen in Avengers #21-22, 29-30, Annual #1, 78-79, Iron Man Annual #7, West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #1-3/Vision and the Scarlet Witch (vol. 2) #2, Iron Man #206, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #1, and Avengers West Coast #92.

6. Hercules is referring to the savage beating he got during Avengers #273-277, as we later learned in issues #281-285, Herc was left brain damaged. He eventually recovered from this injury by the time he returned in Avengers Annual #17. For a time, Herc even feared being in battle again until he got over it in Thor #418. Herc learned about the Thunderbolts’ recent activities in Thor (vol. 2) #7.

7. Gayle mentions that she once interviewed Hawkeye in the past. She did so in Solo Avengers #9 and 13.

8. The Beetle first formed the Sinister Syndicate in Amazing Spider-Man #280. He was kicked off the team in Deadly Foes of Spider-Man #3 because nobody on the team trusted him anymore.

9. The Thunderbolts were recently abducted to the Kosmos dimension in Thunderbolts #13-14. In order to get back home, Moonstone arranged to murder the king so that his vizier could seize power. Mach-1 and Songbird were the only ones who witnessed this and have stayed silent about it ever since.