What Would the Mirror Say?

The Thunderbolts — Moonstone (Karla Sofen), Mach-3 (Abner Jenkins), Fixer (Norbert Ebersol), Atlas (Dallas Riordan/Erik Josten), and Jolt (Hallie Takahama) — have found themselves stranded on Counter-Earth. Their only ticket home is in a space shuttle launch in Germany that will be happening in the next six hours.[1] Having created phony credentials to get near the ship, the Thunderbolts are getting to work to ensure they are on board when the rocket blasts off.

The Fixer coordinates everyone from a van parked outside the launch pad. He monitors the others along with the digital essence of Baron (Helmut) Zemo, who is trapped inside Norbert’s tech-pack. Zemo reminds the Fixer that they need to find him a new body before the launch as his mind cannot survive the trip back if it remains in its current state.[2] To remind Ebersol that he has no choice in the matter, Zemo sends a painful jolt through his central nervous system. Norbert assures the Baron that he’ll get his body soon enough.

Inside the facility, Karla Sofen poses as a reporter and interviews one of this world’s Thunderbolts, an American hero calling himself the Phantom Eagle. Karla knows that this is Counter-Earth’s version of Lloyd Bloch, the original Moonstone whose powers she usurped for herself years earlier. While flirting with this version of Bloch, she slips a device under his armpit before he leaves. She remembers how much of a lout her version of Bloch was, which makes her backstabbing easier, but she still feels a pang of guilt nonetheless.[3]

Elsewhere on the grounds, Abe Jenkins poses as a NASA technician helping with the final preparations before the launch. This is overseen by Counter-Earth’s version of Iron Cross, who seems to have high hopes for the future success of their mission. Abe wonders if this Iron Cross is the same man (Helmut Gruler) as back home. However, that would make him over a century old, leaving Abe to wonder how someone that elderly could be put in charge of such a vital space launch.[4]

At that same time, Hallie is among a crowd of people listening to a speech being given by Counter-Earth’s version of Baron (Heinrich) Zemo. Hallie doesn’t really listen to the words he is saying, but she recognizes the tone, as it is very familiar to the speeches given by Adolf Hitler during the Nazi’s rise to power during World War II.

Lastly, Atlas is burrowing beneath the launching pad so they and their teammates can sneak aboard the shuttle unseen before the launch. During this time both Dallas Riordan and Erik Josten remark about how their recent fusion into a singular is a perfect union of two individuals. Erik and Dallas are both enjoying the result of this synthesis.[5]

The Thunderbolts all reconvene shortly thereafter, with an hour and a half before launch. Hallie has learned that Zemo’s satellite isn’t going to reconnect the world, but help him dominate it and suggests that they stop him. The Fixer reminds everyone that this is their only ticket home and that this isn’t their world to fight for. This leads to a moment of silence before Abe does a final run down of the plan. The only thing they need left are the access codes to open hatch doors before launch. This is a task for the Fixer to accomplish and he assures them that he’ll get it done. A few minutes later, he has infiltrated a hanger and takes out Makeshift. Norbert suggests transferring Helmut’s mind into her body, but the white nationalist refuses to be in the body of a Black woman and reminds him that he has his eyes on one of the other Counter-Earth Thunderbolts in mind.[6] Moments later, Norbert is tossing gas bombs into the room where the Counter-Earth Thunderbolts are having a final meeting. He then ambushes them as the gas begins taking effect. The only one unphased by the gas is Iron Cross thanks to the air tight seal in his armor. However, this plays right into the plan, as Iron Cross was the person that Zemo wishes to possess. The Fixer wires his tech-pack into the armor and begins transferring Helmut’s mind. Once the process is complete, Makeshift bursts into the room with guns blazing. With his mission accomplished, the Fixer high tails it out of there.

With a little over a half-hour to spare, the Thunderbolts are suiting up to sneak aboard the space ship. That’s when the Fixer flies by, chased by Chain Lightning, Makeshift, and Phantom Eagle. The team then swings into action to save their teammate and in doing so, they all come to the silent realization that they don’t actually want to leave Counter-Earth to its fate after all, much to the Fixer’s dismay.

Meanwhile, this world’s Baron (Heinrich) Zemo recovers from the gas and realizes that his attackers were the American heroes he spared the other day and is furious. That’s when Iron Cross gets up, Zemo thinks that this is his son, Helmut. He’s not entirely wrong, unaware of the fact that the younger Zemo has been replaced with the mind of his counterpart from another world. Without a moments hesitation, Helmut Zemo kills Heinrich in a hail of bullets.

Minutes later, the rocket launches, and event that is watched all over the globe. Among those watching are the heroes known as the Young Allies, as well as a Japanese man who speaks to parents that don’t appear to be in the room with him.[7] Moments later, the Thunderbolts blow the rocket out of the sky. Appearing before the gathered media, Mach-3 explains how Zemo and his World Party were not trying to help the world, but dominate it and that they are the heroes that are going to prevent that from happening.

After leaving the scene, Mach-3 thanks Jolt for convincing them that staying on Counter-Earth and fixing this world was the right thing to do. That’s when someone steps out of their van applauding the group. It is Baron Zemo, now in the body of his Counter-Earth counterpart — complete with an unscarred face — and asks the Thunderbolts if they want to help him rule this world instead.[8]

Recurring Characters

Thunderbolts (Baron Zemo, Moonstone, Mach-3, Atlas (Josten, Riordan), Fixer, Jolt), Thunderbolts (of Counter-Earth: Baron Zemo, Iron Cross, Solarr, Chain Lightning, Makeshift, Phantom Eagle), Young Allies (Bucky, Toro, Kid Colt, IQ, O, K)

Continuity Notes

1. The Thunderbolts found themselves stranded on Counter-Earth following their battle with Graviton in Thunderbolts #57-58.

2. Zemo was decapitated in by Scourge in issue #39. As explained last issue, his mind was transferred into the body of John Watkins III in Thunderbolts #45. However, it had since been transferred into Fixer’s tech-pack in Thunderbolts #58.

3. On Earth-616, Lloyd Bloch was the original Moonstone starting in Captain America #169. Karla stole his Moon Stone and became his successor in Incredible Hulk #228. Here, Karla mentions that her Bloch is dead. He was killed by Count Nefaria in Iron Man Annual 1999. As of this writing (September, 2023) Lloyd Bloch is still considered among the deceased.

4. On Earth-616, Iron Cross has always been Helmut Gruller, a Nazi from World War II. He was first seen in Invaders #35. In more recent times, Gruller had reformed and become a member of the V-Battalion, encountering the Thunderbolts in issue #38. We’ll learn that this is not the case later this issue. As of this writing (September, 2023) It’s never fully explained how Gruller could still be alive in the modern age (see below). It’s entirely possible that the V-Battalion has access to technology that has prolonged their natural life spans.

5. Recently, Atlas’ powers reached critical mass, causing him to explode in Thunderbolts #47. His essence lived on and latched onto Dallas due to their love for one another. This served as an anchor to bring him back to the world of the living and the two were merged togeather, as seen in Thunderbolts #57. This will remain their status quo until issue #74.

6. Fixer chides Zemo by saying being Black isn’t so bad, and to just ask Abe. Jenkins recently underwent reconstructive surgery to change his outward appearance. As a jest, Fixter made him African-American instead of his usual caucasian skin tone. See Thunderbolts #37. This will remain Abner’s status quo until Avengers/Thunderbolts #1.

7. This young man is later identified as Koyami Sazaki, who will later imperil Counter-Earth as the Anomaly. See Thunderbolts #64, 66, 68, 70, 72, and 74.

8. Zemo’s unscarred face comes as a surprise since his face has been fucked up for years after taking a dip in a vat of boiling Adhesive X back in Captain America #168.

Topical References

• Abner Jenkins figures that Helmut Gruler is about 100 years old at the time of this story. Although this is likely a rough estimate, this should also be considered a topical reference. This is because the Modern Age of the Marvel Universe operates on a Sliding Timescale that constantly bumps it forward in time. As a result, the length of time between World War II and the present continues to expand over time. This would also incrementally increase Gruler’s age. Modern readers should not apply an actual age to Gruelr, only that he is generally over a century old.

• TVs in this story are depicted as CRT models. This should be considered a topical reference as this is now an obsolete technology.