Synopsis
The 8 Exemplars were empowered by special icons created long ago by particular mystic beings who made the Wager Of The Octessence. The Exemplars were intended to conquer the world and divide its population into 8 armies. They would then lead their armies into battle against each other for the greater glory of their patrons to decide which was the mightiest. Cain Marko found the Crimson Ruby Of Cyttorak which turned him into Juggernaut in a flashback in the original X-Men #12. But the other Exemplars didn't find their icons until the recent 8th Day event. However Juggernaut turned against the others and helped Iron Man and Thor defeat them. But last issue the other 7 captured him for revenge and the Avengers were unable to stop them.
Now they intend to kill him and then start the war with only 7 sides. Stonecutter will build a machine to remove the protection of Cyttorak, but his scan tells him that Juggy's magic strength will enable him to escape long before that. So Bedlam psionically renders him unconscious again (last issue Marko lost the helmet that protects him from psychic attacks).
A TV report summarises the current situation. The giant stone flying craft (created by Stonecutter) appeared destructively over New York last issue and caused the Avengers to retreat to Avengers Mansion. There they are still besieged by protesters demanding more members of colour and the sacking of mutant members. It seems that Iron Man and Giant-Man are working on a large weapon on the roof. And then Hercules arrives by helicopter to join Thor.
We of course are party to what's going on in more detail. IM thanks reserve member GM for help with the flux-cannon, and for many other recent times when they've had to call on him. Henry Pym says he's more comfortable being an Avenger now since defeating Ultron (#22) helped him lay the ghosts of his past. Tony Stark mentally compares this with Warbird finally going to AA meetings (IM#25), but on the downside he still believes the Triune Understanding are behind the protests. And both Gods are scornful of the ungrateful protesters.
When Duane Freeman their Government liaison brings Captain America a disc of info on the Exemplars he faces a certain amount of reserve since revealing that he is a member of the Understanding. The data reveals who the Exemplars used to be before their transformations. Cap notes that their human selves were driven people unhappy with their lives.
Meanwhile visiting Quicksilver is having a prickly meeting with his sister Scarlet Witch. Wanda Maximoff is unhappy that he's joined their biological father Magneto as part of his cabinet ruling Genosha (as seen in the Magneto Rex mini-series). Pietro counters that the mutants of Genosha need a strong leader but he can be there to guide Magneto and keep an eye on him. His sister says the UN should never have given the country to the villain who blighted their early life as part of his Brotherhood Of Evil Mutants. Pietro says he's still their father, but Wanda says *her* father will always be Django Maximoff who brought them up. Magneto may now be hiding his true nature but she *knows* what he is. And now he's stolen her brother. But Pietro insists that isn't true, he will always love her. And they give each other a hug.
Wanda then gets her brother to tell her what it's like in the island. Pietro describes the place full of former mutant slaves with their former masters in hiding. Wanda knows that he and others are really trying to improve the place. And if they ever need Avengers help they'll get it immediately.
Edwin Jarvis alerts Cap and Duane to trouble outside. The defences in the outer wall have been switched off so as not to harm the protesters. But some of them have climbed over to spray graffiti on the front door but have been automatically snared by tentacles. Meanwhile other citizens are calling to demand that the team deal with the Exemplars. And reporters want comments. Steve Rogers bites back an angry response and tells Jarvis to switch the door defences off too, but don't issue any statements. Duane thinks its unwise to leave the newspapers free to speculate.
But he also adds a suggestion from the Security Council that the Avengers just leave the Exemplars alone to execute Juggernaut. Cap bridles because if you give in to people like this they go on to do even worse (he throws in a reference to Hitler and Poland). Cain Marko may be a criminal but he won't let him be murdered without a fair trial. But then he apologises for overreacting, but both of them know it's because the Triune business has tainted their relationship.
Meanwhile Wasp and Wonder Man are having a chat and a bite to eat. Simon Williams continues to think he doesn't deserve to be an Avenger, but doesn't want to leave them in a crisis. Janet Van Dyne says there's *always* a crisis, and assures him that they'll be cool about him taking time off to get his head straight. Firestar and Justice join them with something to say (presumably what we didn't hear them talk about last issue). But we're still not going to learn what it is because Cap calls the Avengers to assemble.
They all fly off in an open-topped not-a-quinjet with the flux-cannon built in. On the way Spider-Man webslings his way aborad, and Nova joins them with news that the other New Warriors, Daredevil and others are tackling looters below the stone 'airplane'. Iron Man and Giant-Man fire the cannon which keeps shifting the frequency of its output energy to keep the defences guessing. As IM guides Henry Pym in the details of their attack Firestar comments to Justice that she thought Tony Stark was the scientific genius and Iron Man was just the pilot of the armour. (They're the only current Avengers who aren't in on the secret.)
Then the cannon makes a breach in the defences and Thor sends Mjolnir to smash through the stone wall. The heroes surge through the opening and the Exemplars surge back. Spidey warns Nova that the foe are tougher than they look (he too fought them in the 8th Day event), but the headstrong teen gets easily repulsed by Conquest. Bedlam mind-blasts Firestar, Justice and Scarlet Witch. Decay rots the floor beneath Giant-Man, Quicksilver and Spider-Man, but Wasp bio-stings him in the face and Spidey's webbing saves the other 2 from falling to the streets below. Tempest's gale-force tornado has Hercules and Iron Man helpless, while Carnivore and Stonecutter vie to take on Thor. Cap notes how the Exemplars are too arrogant to fight as a team.
IM repulsor-blasts Bedlam freeing Nova, Spidey and the Witch from her mental barrage. Cap leaps on Conquest but uses her response to launch him feet-first into Carnivore's face. And Wonder Man punches Conquest. Thor and Hercules stand back-to-back against Decay and Tempest respectively. Then they have more success swapping opponents. Quicksilver runs around distracting Exemplars and allowing others to get their licks in:- ScW and WM on Conquest. GM and IM on Bedlam. Justice and Wasp on Carnivore. Nova on Stonecutter. Firestar on Inferno.
But then fallen Conquest grabs Pietro's ankle as he goes by and smashes him against some stone (what else?). Concern for her brother allows Bedlam to mind-blast Wanda, and then Simon and Vance Astrovik. Maybe concern for her boyfriend lets Tempest defeat Angelica Jones, and then Jan Van Dyne. And maybe Hank Pym's relationship with Wasp lets him and then Nova fall to Inferno. Carnivore tackles Cap and Spidey until Decay causes a stone wall to fall on them. And Stonecutter's stone machinery manages to take control if IM's armour. Only Herc and Thor are still standing but then everyone piles on them. And when the dust settles Stonecutter has the heroes and Juggernaut in his thrall ...
... all except Captain America. Stonecutter tells Bedlam and Carnivore to hunt him down. But Exemplars don't like being ordered about by other Exemplars so they both attack *him*. Conquest and Tempest then object to *their* actions. Cap watches their squabbling and decides on a plan.
He steps out and says he wants to talk to them. The Exemplars move to attack but Steve Rogers points out that he couldn't possibly be a threat to them, and they obviously can't be scared to listen to what he has to say. He suggests that they have been created by their masters to cause destruction and death, but is that what *they* want?
Tempest is Nicolette Giroux who was a game warden. Does she really want to devastate the Earth?
Inferno is Samantha McGee who was a charter pilot deep in debt who dreamed of wealth and freedom. Where would she find that in a world of war?
Carnivore was Andreas Zorba who thrived on competing to find rare artefacts. He now thrives on competing against the other Exemplars, but who will be left to compete against when this competition is over?
Stonecutter was Utama Somchart, a rebellious young artist who wanted the chance to make his voice heard. But who will be left to hear him after the war?
Bedlam was Olisa Kabaki, a child who wanted to learn. But who will be left to teach her?
Decay was Yoshiro Hachiman, a patron of the arts. But in the coming world there will be no arts.
Conquest was Bridget Malone who saw family and friends imprisoned or killed in the Irish Troubles. Does she want that to happen to others she loves in the Exemplars' world?
While Cap is talking Iron Man absorbs some energy from the Avengers' imprisoning forcefield so that he can move an arm. Thor tells him to touch Mjolnir, and their combined efforts free them both. But Cap signals them to wait.
Most of the Exemplars are angry at his suggestion that they are programmed puppets, and are disdainful of their previous lives. But Bedlam reaches out with her mind and restores their human personalities. And now they can't stand what they were about to do. So Inferno whisks all 7 away.
The heroes and Juggernaut are free from the forcefield. As Stonecutter's flying craft disintegrates the flying chars carry the others to safety. The debris falls harmlessly in the water of the Narrows. Grateful for what the Avengers have done for him Juggernaut surrenders peacefully to the cops, but thinks to himself that he can always escape later. The press besiege the team accusing them of doing everything wrong. And Thor loses his temper and smashes a TV camera.
Later the regular Avengers hold a debriefing meeting along with Giant-Man, Hercules, Quicksilver and Wasp. Steve Rogers does believe that someone is behind all their problems, and it may or may not be the Triune Understanding. But *he* doesn't know how to combat such a nebulous threat, and he feels the foe *does* know that. So he proposes to step down in favour of a leader with more experience of the modern world, such as Iron Man. And in fact he will quit the team so they can blame all the failures on *him*.
And to their stunned surprise he walks out.