Synopsis
Avengers, The (1963 series) #334 synopsis by
T Vernon
Rating:
A ship crashes on the Blue Area of the moon. A team of Inhumans goes out to investigate, consisting of Quicksilver, Karnak, Timberius, and Alphan. The latter, a servant, is frightened of passing too close to the Watcher’s area. Timberius treats him with contempt leading to threats from both Karnak and Pietro. They come upon the wrecked vessel and Pietro tries to contact the Avengers but a force field suddenly rises over them, cutting off communication. Then three figures arise: Thane Ector, Sybyl Dorn, and the Fool, of the Brethren, the first of whom states that each new planet must be sanctified with native blood….
At the new Avengers HQ, the teammates are working out, including Captain America and Black Widow while Hercules spots Rage while he is lifting weights. Then Sersi enters, returning from a shopping trip and Herc dashes over to flirt, leaving Rage to drop all the weights. Before a fight results, Peggy Carter interrupts, reporting the cut-off communication from Quicksilver. Then Crystal and Lockjaw teleport into he room. She tells them about the force field on the Moon and how only Lockjaw was able to teleport inside, exhausting him. And the telepaths among the Inhumans are sensing great concern from the Watcher. Quasar asks why Crystal didn’t go to the Fantastic Four; she replies that she didn’t want to bother Johnny Storm and his family, and she was hoping to see Scarlet Witch. Cap tells her Wanda is with the West Coast Avengers and she will be notified….
The Avengers, joined by Vision and Crystal, fly to the Moon; on the way, Crystal muses how when last they met, Vision was married to Wanda and Crystal to Pietro; Vision’s matter-of-fact observations on the fragility of mixed marriages just makes her sad. They arrive at the force field to meet Black Bolt, Medusa, Gorgon, and Triton. Black Bolt and Gorgon merge their powers but leave no mark on the force field. Quasar and Vision work out a plan to join their specific abilities to crack the field….
Inside, Thane Ector has been torturing Quicksilver who steadfastly refuses to give them any info about their solar system, stalling until help arrives. Ector and Fool return to their people, the Brethren, planning a sacrifice and celebration. Fool suggests that Timberius would be a weaker subject for interrogation. It doesn’t take long for Timberius to crack (literally) under pressure and reveal they are near Earth. The Brethren are delighted, conquering the legendary planet that first defeated Galactus would redeem the dark years of their imprisonment and fulfill their destiny. Then Ector is told the force field is collapsing and he desires to face the true warriors of this world. Quicksilver tries to attack Ector but he is too fast for the mutant hero. Thane Ector moves to kill Pietro but Alphan comes to his master’s rescue and is killed instead, spilling native blood, after the practice of the Brethren. And then the Avengers and the Inhumans enter and a battle breaks out. Sybyl Dorn advises Thane Ector that having escaped from the “Elder” is enough of a victory for one day and they should be planning to conquer Earth. Ector uses the Elder’s Energy Transmuter to teleport the Brethren to Earth, surprising the Avengers. They tend to Quicksilver’s wounds and he reports that the Brethren have just escaped from a long incarceration. Cap proposes searching the ship…but the Watcher appears, warning him of the rebirth of a great threat to the universe: the Brethren. As they explore the ship, they discover countless tanks full of miniature civilizations, a collection from all over the galaxy. And then they meet the ship’s owner, the Collector, overcome by the Brethren, proving them an even greater threat than supposed….
CharactersGood (or All)Plus: Rage (
Elvin Daryl Haliday), Timberius.
Enemies
Brethren.