Wonder Man (vol. 2) #9
Operation: Galactic Storm Part 18 - Big Descisions
This story continues from Quasar #34…
The Avengers have found themselves in the middle of an intergalactic war between the Kree and the Shi’ar when their use of a warp gate threatens to destabilize Earth’s son. the team has sent delegations to each empire to try and convince them to cease hostilities. Unfortunately, they are unable to stop the Shi’ar from launching a nega-bomb into Kree space. The Avengers have just discovered that the Skrulls — eternal enemies of the Kree — have been responsible for escalating tensions with the Shi’ar.[1]
Aboard the vessel are Wonder Man and the Vision who have been trying to disable the bomb. As Simon works at trying to open access to a doorway the pair are ambushed by a pair of Skrulls but make short work of them. Wonder Man gets the door open and manages but rather than press on the Vision stops him. The android’s analytical mind has decided that allowing the nega-bomb to go off is the most efficient way of stopping the war between the Kree and the Shi’ar. Wonder Man refuses to allow this to happen as it will mean the deaths of countless innocent beings in the process. When reason doesn’t work on Simon, the Vision decides that the only option left is force.
Meanwhile, aboard the Skrull ship towing the nega-bomb, the crew have a good laugh at the way they stopped Quasar from stopping their passage into Kree space. This, they believe, came at the expense of the Super Skrull but they consider that a worthwhile sacrifice for the greater good of the Skrull empire.[2]
While back in the Shi’ar galaxy, the Avengers delegation have just uncovered the Skrull’s part in this conflict. With the other group of delegation stuck in the Kree galaxy, the team rushes to their Quinjet so they can traverse to the Kree empire through an alternate stargate.[3] While Lilandra believes that they are throwing their lives away to save their comrades, the Avengers all agree not that they can’t just abandon their friends. At the same time, most of the Kree delegation has escaped the Kree home world of Hala after learning about the nega-bomb launch. They are now piloting a course to the nega-bomb even though they aren’t sure how they are going to stop the weapon from going off.[4]
Back aboard the bomber itself, the battle between the Vision and Wonder Man rages on. When neither can convince the other of their position the Vision decides to use his phasing power to incapacitate Simon. The ionic energy in his body causes massive feedback that knocks the two out. For Wonder Man, he is plunged into unconsciousness where he is forced to relive the moment back when he first got his powers and they seemingly killed him.[5] Not wanting to be trapped in a death like state again, Simon refuses to succumb to the darkness and forces himself to wake up through sheer force of will. However, the Vision has just recovered as well and resume the fight as Simon continues to convince him that setting off the bomb is the wrong way to go about this. Their fight sends them crashing through the floor and into the main chamber of the bomb. There they are stunned to see that the weapon is powered by a portal to the Negative Zone and that its destructive force will be caused by clashing matter with anti-matter. Finally realizing the full devastative scope of this weapon, the Vision realizes that perhaps he is not the one best suited to determine the fact of the lives threatened by the weapon and concedes to Wonder Man.
That’s when Wonder Man and the Vision are ambushed by an army of Skrull soldiers. As they fight to contain the bomb, the two delegation teams arrive and join the fight outside. While aboard the Skrull ship that is ferrying the nega-bomb the crew debate on what to do next. The captain refuses to set off the bomb until they are safely away from it since this was never supposed to be a suicide mission. However, the decision is taken out of his hands when one of the crew men detects a strange energy surge coming from within the nega-bomb itself. Moments later, the nega-bomb explodes![6]
… This story continues in Avengers #347.
Recurring Characters
Wonder Man, Avengers (Iron Man, Thor, Goliath, Scarlet Witch, Hercules, Vision, Black Knight, Captain Marvel, Starfox, Sersi, Crystal, Living Lightning), Lilandra, Skrulls
Continuity Notes
The Avengers discovered that the war was destabilizing their son in Quasar #32. The delegations formed and went off into space in Avengers #345. Wonder Man was part of the Shi’ar delegation as seen in Thor #445-446, Quasar #33, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #8, and Avengers West Coast #82. It was only in that latter issue that the Skrull’s involvement in this whole affair was exposed.
Quasar attempted to stop the Skrulls in Quasar #34 but he was foiled by the Super-Skrull.
Up until Thor #445, one could use warp gates to get between the Kree and Shi’ar galaxies by piggy backing through a corridor in Earth’s solar system. However, the Shi’ar side of the portal was sealed off by Thor during his battle with Gladiator.
The Kree delegation traveled to Hala and got caught up in the Supreme Intelligence’s coup to reclaim the empire for himself. They to leave the planet after Deathbird — sent to Hala to assassinate the Kree leadership — warned them about the nega-bomb. See Iron Man #278-279, Captain America #399-400 and Avengers #346.
When Wonder Man first got his powers in Avengers #9 he was told a side effect of the process would kill him unless he got an antidote. He would have only gotten it if he helped Baron Zemo kill the Avengers. Simon ultimately turned on Zemo, seemingly sacrificing his life in the process. However, as explained in Avengers #164, Simon didn’t actually die but entered a metamorphic state as his body converted into pure ionic energy. He eventually came out of this death-like state in Avengers #151.
It’s revealed in Avengers #347 that the Supreme Intelligence was responsible for detonating the bomb. In fact, it was the mastermind behind this entire ordeal hoping that a nega-bomb explosion would kick start the Kree’s stagnant genetic code.
Operation: Galactic Storm Reading Order
Captain America #398, Avengers West Coast #80, Quasar #32, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #7, Avengers #345, Iron Man #278, Thor #445, Captain America #399, Avengers West Coast #81, Quasar #33, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #8, Avengers #346, Iron Man #279, Thor #446, Captain America #400, Avengers West Coast #82, Quasar #34, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #9, Avengers #347, Captain America #401, Quasar #35