Synopsis
Marc Spector, Moon Knight #41 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
This issue starts with a scene-setting recap of some events in IW#1-2. Mr Fantastic called a meeting of all available heroes at the Fantastic Four HQ in Four Freedoms Plaza. When it convened in IW#2 he, Iron Man and Wolverine described how they had individually fought and beaten their evil Doppelgangers (in IW#1 and other places). But Logan claimed that the other 2 were lying and *they* were Dops (which we know is true). IM countered by suggesting the mutants might be to blame. Moon Knight tried to calm things down but Daredevil attacked MrF because his acute senses told him Wolvie was right. This brings us to the non-mutants vs mutants melee in the latter pages of IW#2.
Marc Spector has reason to suspect that DD has enhanced senses and so tends to trust his judgement here. So he tries to dodge and weave his way through and over the battle to get to Reed Richards' podium to learn the truth. But no-one will believe he's not attacking them and they hit back. Psylocke invades his brain and sees horrific images from his mercenary past. But she also detects that he's dying (which he already knows) and there's a demon inside him (which I think he also knows). The IM-Dop tries to stop him reaching the podium but the confusion works in MK's favour this time. He gets to the battling DD and MF-Dop in time to see Reed hyper-extend an arm to push a button which raises into view a gamma bomb which goes off at the end of IW#2.
We then see the beginning of IW#3 where Invisible Woman (who had already worked out her 'husband' was a fake or mind-controlled and was ready for him) uses her forcefield to direct the blast upwards, taking the top off FF HQ but saving all the lives. Then Magus and his Thanos-Dop portal in and rescue the IM and MrF Dops. But the heroes think they were Adam Warlock and the real Thanos.
Psylocke wants to tell MK he's dying but Gambit says now's not the time. Captain America wants to talk to him after this is over about his illegal confrontation with Dr Doom. Later Psylocke goes off with the expeditionary force to track Thanos and Warlock through other dimensions, but before she goes she tasks Gambit with giving the bad news to MK. He tries but Marc Spector has other things on his mind.
While the FF are away in the expeditionary force Alicia Masters is looking after the building and young Franklin Richards. MK asks her for Internet access and then contacts members of his Shadow Cabinet via special software. A member called Junior Birdman seems to be in control of their comms system. Scout relays news about heroes and their evil Doppelgangers throughout the New York tri-state area. JB suggests this is a merging of 2 worlds. MK asks Sheriff for info on Alicia and Franklin. And he books his 1st session with psychotherapist Sigmund.
Then an alarm goes off signalling the invasion of FF HQ by Dops near the end of IW#3, and then we're into IW#4. MK dispatches a Gambit-Dop as Gambit tries again to talk to him. But then he sees his own Dop sneaking off with another, and overhears them plotting against their master. The MK-Dop delays MK but he seems vulnerable to his recent adamantium weapons. Marc follows them to Franklin's room where he finds his Dop silencing Alicia and the other bending over the sleeping boy.
The other is Franklin's Dop and he has put a Psi-Phon device on the kid to drain his powerful dream-power. The MK-Dop holds MK off as the other Dop dons the Psi-Phon to absorb Franklin's power. MK KO's the Franklin-Dop and ushers Alicia out carrying the child. But the MK-Dop grabs the Psi-Phon and executes *his* secret plan to take Franklin's power *and* that of his Dop. And with that combined power he rips open the walls of reality to absorb versions of Moon Knight from all over the multiverse and declares himself now the supremely powerful Moon Shade.