Synopsis
Superior Avengers (2025 series) #5 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
Kristoff Vernard used a time machine to pull a bunch of super'heroes' from a future to bear witness to the success of his adoptive father Dr Doom's reign. But actually they'd killed future Doom. However the death of the Sorcerer Supreme had allowed other-dimensional things like Annihilus to invade Earth. So they had come back to gather magic to save their world. But Ghost wasn't the villain they thought she was and betrayed them to Kristoff last issue. So the rest of the team caused a useful distraction by arranging for present-day Annihilus and his Annihilation Wave to attack the only free country Wakanda, which they then proceeded to 'save'.
Black Panther (T'Challa) is currently off-world (in the Avengers' orbiting base the Impossible City, and even possibly still within the captive Meridian Diadem there) so his sister Shuri and the Dora Milaje Okoye lead the Wakandan forces, reluctantly accepting the help of Doom's Superior Avengers. Armoured Abomination holds Annihilus steady while Onslaught telepathically suppresses the insect-lord's power. Meanwhile Dr Octopus has sent Killmonger on a mission. She has to kill 2 Dora Milaje guards to get to the chamber she wants where she takes a special dagger and waits for Ock to teleport her out. Malekith flies to join the attack on Annihilus who replies by throwing Abomination at him and charging towards Onslaught. Shuri tells Ock that her team has failed but then KM is teleported above the foe to drop down and plunge the blade in his back. We learn that it is the sacred vibranium Skybreaker. Shuri isn't convinced by Killmonger's suggestion that some of the Annihilation Wave must have killed its guards. Anyway Ock mimics Annihilus' signals to send the Wave back to the Negative Zone while they keep the leader prisoner.
Now we get a flashforward to the team's future world in Anno Doom 112. In #3 we saw the girl who will be Killmonger reach the supposedly still-free Wakanda only to find it was a ruined myth. Now we see Doom investigating who had the tenacity and will to reach the goal, and he offers her a job.
In the present we see multiple Doombots aiding Wakanda's recovery. Kristoff has joined the team there and pretends to still trust them. He knows that his adoptive father Doom is pleased that the people of democratic Wakanda have at last agreed to join One World Under Doom. But then KM stabs him in the chest with Skybreaker as she admits their true plans. But something he says makes her realise that the missing Ghost has told him already. But it's irrelevant because Vernard's death by Wakanda's sacred blade should cause enough commotion while they complete their mission in this time.
More flashforwards as we see Killmonger's rise in the ranks of Doom's followers.
The SupAv teleport away leaving Kristoff to be found by Doombots. But then Ghost uncloaks and KV tells her to remove the blade. She obeys even though that would usually make things worse, but he uses Doom's magic to heal himself and says they must follow the team. She asks why he cares about *their* future. Just let them go and tell Doom that Annihilus' bugs ate them. But his pride won't let them win.
The team are back in Doomstadt in Latveria. Onslaught is telekinetically bringing the fully-charged (with stolen magic) Arcane Warhead from their Negative Zone hideout through a teleportal and placing it on Kristoff's time platform. Doc Ock prepares to send it to their future ... but Abomination steps forward and hits it with his shield, intoning "Embrace annihilation".
Another flashforward, this time to AD 128 where Doom is dead and the Annihilation Wave attacks. A small Waveling crawls inside Abomination's mouth.
And in the present something much larger climbs *out* of Abomination's mouth.
Characters
Good (or All)
Abomination (SupAv), Dr Octopus (SupAv), Killmonger (SupAv), Malekith (SupAv), Onslaught (SupAv).
EnemiesPlus: Ghost (
SupAv), Kristoff Vernard, Okoye.