Synopsis
Avengers #313 synopsis by
T Vernon
Rating:
Anti-superhero protestors have gathered outside the ruins of Avengers Park to protest the reckless activities of the Avengers while police stand guard around the perimeter. Far below ground, Jarvis reports to Captain America, Hank Pym, and Hawkeye with Mockingbird. All are concerned about the sudden shift in public opinion but can do nothing about it until they learn its origin….
The Mandarin, in blue armor, flies into the center of Avengers Park; when a police officer orders him to leave, Mandarin kills the man with a burst from one of his rings. Other officers open fire on him and again the villain responds with his power rings, laughing as the cops flee…
…which is witnessed via viewscreen by Doctor Doom, who calls Mandarin an imbecile for his blatant and childish use of his powers. Red Skull enters and argues with him, which turns into a fight and Red Skull shoots Doom. Kingpin enters and mocks both of them as fools for not knowing how to handle true power. Meanwhile, the disguised Loki merely observes….
At the ruins of the Hydrobase, Captain America, Wonder Man, and Vision explore the depths, seeing what equipment can be salvaged. They receive a call from Jarvis, reporting the Mandarin ravaging Avengers Park and the three heroes head to the scene. The Wingless Wizard also arrives, having followed the Mandarin, and Wonder Man attacks him. But Wizard is able to blast Simon out of the sky and also to short out Vision with a power surge to the chest….
At the West Coast Avengers Compound in California, Scarlet Witch sits in a coma, watched over by Agatha Harkness. Agatha detects something odd; when she steps outside to investigate, the house rises into the sky, heading for space. And Magneto reveals himself to Wanda….
As the Avengers arrive at the Park, Mandarin shoots down Cap’s jet and as he is about to deliver a death blow to the stunned Cap, he is attacked by Black Widow and Hellcat. Mandy flips them off of him but by now, Cap has recovered and fights the baddie. Mandarin uses a ring to freeze Cap’s legs in a block of ice. As Wizard goes to deliver the final blow, Cap cartwheels away and Wonder Man punches out the Wizard. Then Thor arrives to defeat Mandarin with Mjolnir. Mandy then blinds everyone with a ring and flies off, leaving Wizard in the hands of the Avengers….
Wizard is questioned about the grand scheme and insists that he is the one who has duped the other supervillains into thinking they are the ones in charge. Loki watches from his remote location and laughs. He then enters the meeting room where the supervillains are fighting, with Red Skull denouncing Mandarin as a fool. Then Doctor Doom caches fire and explodes, revealing it was a Doombot. So was the real Doom ever there?