Becoming Villains, Part 5: No Win

The Thunderbolts — Baron (Helmut) Zemo, Moonstone (Karla Sofen), Mach-3 (Abner Jenkins), Atlas (Dallas Riordan/Erik Josten), Fixer (Norbert Ebersol), and Jolt (Hallie Takahama)) — have discovered an alien ship phased into the core of Counter-Earth that is threatening to destroy the planet. This led to a battle with the Young Allies — Bucky (Rikki Barnes), Toro (Benito Serrano), Kid Colt (Elrik Freedom), O, and K — when it seemed as though the young heroes were willing to sacrifice the real Earth to save their home. Ultimately, both teams were knocked out by Anomaly, an entity that is channeling the power of order and chaos. The only one left standing is Baron Zemo, who is willing to sacrifice his own home world in order to rule Counter-Earth.[1]

Zemo has taken some time to research Anomaly and knows he is a young man named Koyami Sazaki they met back in Tokyo before it was destroyed.[2] Koyami was a graduate physics student before he was transformed, and Zemo suggests that they pool their mutual knowledge together to save Counter-Earth. What he knows is that there is a void linking the two worlds that has been gathering matter from both. Helmut suggests that rather than letting the void feed on both, they sacrifice one completely to save the other.

Moonstone is the first of the Thunderbolts to come to and she cannot believe that Zemo is willing to save their home world. Karla isn’t sure what decision to make and when she rouses the others she asks Jolt what the correct course of action is.[3] Hallie, naturally, doesn’t believe that it is right to sacrifice one Earth for the other as it means wiping out an entire population, nor should they trust Zemo to make the right choice. Regardless, this leaves them at an impass that needs to be solved quickly or else both Earths will be destroyed, a process — from the sounds of it — is ramping up.

Meanwhile, Zemo has figured out that Anomaly is drawing his power from the void and that by returning that energy from whence it came will change the polarity of the void itself, causing it to draw in more matter from Earth, sacrificing it in place of its twin. Anomaly then confers with his “mother” and “father”, two orbs that represent the Rip — Counter-Earth’s embodiment of order and chaos — for guidance. “Mother” is reluctant to destroy an entire world, while “Father” believes that it is the only course of action. A daddy’s boy himself, Helmut suggests that Sazaki listen to his “pater”.

By this time all of the Thunderbolts and Young Allies have recovered from Anomaly’s sneak attack and have been brought up to speed. After considering all of the facts, everyone agrees that they can’t sacrifice one world for another as it would end countless lives. Jolt considers how they neutralized the radiation surge in Tokyo and wonders if they can utilize her bio-electricity and Atlas’ ionic energy on a much larger scale to eject the alien ship from Counter-Earth, thereby breaking the link to the void and saving both planets int he process. However, they need to create distraction so Anomaly and Zemo can’t figure out what they are up to until it is too late. Mach-3 suggests that Karla do what she does best and use her psychology skills to work Helmut up into a full on rant that will keep him preoccupied until they are ready.

Moonstone finds Zemo and begins questioning his motivations for saving Counter-Earth. Helmut responds by suggesting that Karla wants to save the Earth because of her love for Hawkeye (Clint Barton) whom she left behind.[4] Sofen points out that Zemo has changed as well, reminding him how he killed Counter-Earth’s version of himself and his father in order to rule this world through salvation rather than domination.[5] She then questions if Zemo is willing to sacrifice his current power base in order to save the planet.

In the other room, the Thunderbolts have nearly completed the device that will channel Jolt and Atlas’ powers to displace the alien ship. As final preparations are being made, something about the Fixer rubs Bucky the wrong way. She then asks IQ — the Young Allies’ telepathic ally — to confirm his true intentions. IQ admits that of the Thunderbolts, Norbert is the most morally questionable and offers to telepathically nudge him to do the right thing. Rikki tells him to keep the option open.

When they are ready to go, they check in with Karla to see how she is doing. She tells them that Zemo hasn’t budged on his position. That’s when Rikki tells IQ to do his thing. The telepath makes a mental link with Zemo and details their plan to save both worlds. Zemo isn’t willing to give up his power base until he is mind linked with the entire world and sees how everyone is counting on the Thunderbolts to do the right thing. While they now have Zemo on their side, there is still a matter of piloting the alien ship when it is out of phase. They deduce that the Thunderbolts can pilot it and use it to be transported back to their proper world.

Everyone agrees to this plan except for Anomaly who still wishes to destroy both worlds. Zemo grabs the orbs that represent order and chaos and tosses them into the void. Unwilling to be separate from his “mother” and “father”, Anomaly sends his energy form into the void after them.[6] With Anomaly dealt with, Jolt and Atlas begin charging the device to transport the Thunderbolts back to Earth. The process causes Atlas’ merged form to being splitting into Dallas Riordan and Erik Josten again.[7] This forces Jolt to remain behind in order to properly channel the energy and get the others home. Before they go, Fixer tags Hallie with a device before her powers fail on her. She is caught by Toro of the Young Allies, who informs the others that they have a new teammate.

Meanwhile, Moonstone uses her powers at the right juncture to allow them to jump through the void and return home. While they were there they sensed others in it and that they were followed back. When they materialize back on Earth, they find themselves face-to-face with Hawkeye’s Thunderbolts team. The two groups find themselves in the middle of a stand-off with Hawkeye spoiling for a hight.[8]

Recurring Characters

Thunderbolts (Baron Zemo, Moonstone, Songbird, Hawkeye, Mach-3, Fixer, Atlas (Josten/Riordan), Jolt, Amazon, Blackheath, Harrier, Skein), Young Allies (Bucky, Kid Colt, Toro, IQ, Order, Kaos,), Anomaly

Continuity Notes

1. The battle of the Young Allies and the threat to both Earth’s was discovered in Thunderbolts #74.

2. The Thunderbolts first encountered Koyami in Thunderbolts #64. He was transformed into Anomaly after the heroes nuked the city of Tokyo to prevent cosmic storms emanating from the area from spreading all over the globe in issue #66.

3. It is mentioned here that Karla recently got her powers boosted by a second Moon Stone. She stole it from Counter-Earth’s Phantom Eagle in Thunderbolts #68.

4. Prior to being stranded on Counter-Earth, Moonstone and Hawkeye began a relationship as seen in Thunderbolts #29. The two admitted that they loved one another in issue #50. The pair had been separated while Clint was in prison and Karla and the rest of the Thunderbolts got stranded on Counter-Earth in Thunderbolts #59.

5. Counter-Earth has been destabilized by a series of cosmic level disasters in the Heroes Reborn one-shots Doomsday, Ashema, Rebel, Masters of Evil, Remnants, Young Allies, and Doom #1. It’s versions of the Thunderbolts (led by Counter-Earth’s Heinrich and Helmut Zemo) plotted to conquer the planet but were thwarted by our titular heroes. Helmut killed Heinrich and stole the body of his counterpart. Oh yeah, Baron Zemo was disembodied at the time after getting decapitated and transferring his mind into Fixer’s techpack. See Thunderbolts #39, 45, 58, and 60-62 for all the details.

6. As of this writing (October, 2023), Anomaly’s ultimate fate remains unrevealed.

7. Erik and Dallas have been merged together since Thunderbolts #56. Prior to that, Erik’s body reached critical mass and exploded in issue #47. His love for Dallas brought him back to the world of the living, yadda yadda yadda.

8. We saw these events transpire from the perspective of Hawkeye’s team last issue.