Avengers #259: Review

Sep 1985

Roger Stern, Tom Palmer

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Story Name:

Duty Over All

Review & Comments

Rating:

Avengers #259 Review by T Vernon (July 8, 2023)

Comments: Part five of eight parts. The Atomic Steed was discovered in AVENGERS #187 and brought back by Beast. The Skrull Throneworld was devoured by Galactus in FANTASTIC FOUR #257. General Zedrao previously appeared in DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL.

Review: The Avengers are once again launched into space opera and the issue is interesting with its galaxy-spanning threat. I’m a big fan of stories like this so I’m already on board for what happens next, anticipation growing since #255. More to come!

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers #259 Synopsis by T Vernon

Nebula surveys the devastation on the Skrull base caused by her anti-matter torpedo yet she doesn’t see wreckage of the huge number of ships that were there and becomes suspicious. Her henchman Levan expresses the hope that Captain Marvel has survived; Nebula tells him to remember his loyalty to her lest he be eliminated. She sends down another torpedo which burrows its way to the planet’s core and detonates, obliterating the small world….

On Earth, Firelord has joined Hercules in cleaning up a toxic waste site, part of his restitution for the property he destroyed earlier in his visit. The former Herald’s flame power not only destroys the barrels of waste but cleanses the air as well. They return to Avengers Mansion…

Captain America also arrives at the Mansion, meeting She-Hulk who is going out with Wyatt Wingfoot. Cap meets Jarvis who fills him in on the latest news, telling him there is still no word from the missing Captain Marvel. In the gym, Cap finds Black Knight riding the Atomic Steed as Wasp cheers him on. The Priority Alarm sounds and they rush to the communications room where Starfox reveals a message sent by Captain Marvel, summing up her situation before the base was destroyed. The Avengers plus Firelord board a Quinjet that takes them to a starship sent by Starfox’s father Mentor….

Nebula arrives on a Skrull colony world whose governor, Gorth, insists on being addressed as Emperor; she has Levan cut him down to size and shows him the Sanctuary II which will make his planet the next Skrull Throneworld….

Starfox’s ship emerges from sub-space where they are surrounded by the Skrull Armada and they peacefully surrender. Captain Marvel joins her comrades via the comm device. They meet with General Zedrao aboard his flagship, the Earth team and the Skrulls being wary of one another but Zedrao insists they put aside former rivalries to face a common threat. Zedrao fills them in on the conflict: Galactus destroyed the Skrull Throneworld, setting off a battle among multiple Skrull factions, each one wanting to be the new Emperor. Then a mercenary army led by Nebula began conquering Skrull worlds until they reached this point. CM continues the account: She was able to stop the anti-matter torpedo, detonating it far from the planet and the Skrulls destroyed the surface of the small world to convince Nebula that her attack obliterated them all. Firelord refuses to ally with the Skrulls, no matter the reason; Black Knight asks if any of this is the Avengers’ responsibility and he is told that Nebula poses a threat to Earth’s solar system as well….

Aboard the Sanctuary II, Nebula receives word of the Skrull Armada and prepares. A frightened Gorth tells her she must… but she resents his telling her what to do so she kills him and prepares an official message that he died heroically. She continues her preparations for battle….

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