The
Elf with a Gun has brought Luann Bloom before the mysterious Tribunal where they
ask her to report; she is confused and defiant until the Elf rips her face off,
revealing she is a robot called Time-Buoy Number 6-C. Programmed to spy on Kyle
Richmond, she is unable to resist the command to project the info she has
observed. The Tribunal sees images of Nighthawk with the Defenders fighting
David Kessler, the transformed Hellcat, Mandrill, and the team being disbanded
by Nighthawk. The Tribunal has seen all of this before. Suddenly, something new
comes up and it is dramatized for the Tribunal….
Alien
baddie Yandroth, having merged with the mind of scientist Stephanie Donal, stands
protected by a force shield as the Hulk pummels it and, to her surprise, it is
starting to buckle. So she nullifies gravity so that Hulk is hurled high into
the air to come crashing down. Again, to her surprise, Hulk is just madder so
she fires an implant into his brain, replacing his mind with her own….
At
the Defenders Long Island HQ, Nighthawk is trying to break a wild horse and
failing, as Valkyrie laughs then shows him how it is to be done. Patsy
“Hellcat” Walker arrives to join in mocking Kyle. Kyle and Patsy walk into the
house where Yandroth/Donal is waiting for them; she quickly captures Kyle’s
mind then Patsy’s, and then Valkyrie enters and, unable to fight another woman,
becomes an easy target for mind control….
At
the Sanctum Sanctorum, Hulk arrives unexpectedly and Doctor Strange, sensing
something is wrong, tries to cast a magic shield but is punched out.
Yandroth/Donal then captures the mind of Clea and declares victory over the
Defenders. But drugged Dr. Strange is unaffected as he had jumped into his
astral form as Hulk swung at him. Donal reveals herself to be Yandroth, who was
killed in combat with the original Defenders, but his consciousness fled his
body and drifted until it discovered embittered scientist Stephanie Donal and
they merged minds, plotting to work together for their goals of (his) revenge
against the Defenders, and (hers) world conquest—and she has now taken control
of their joint minds, shooting an implant into Strange—who is unaffected in his
astral form. Strange summons the Sub-Mariner but Yandroth/Hulk fights him,
giving Y/D the opportunity to implant his brain too. Astral Strange decides
that Hulk’s brain is too weak and Val’s mind too strong to be easy to control
so he is able to break them out of Y/D’s power and a battle breaks out, Y/D
controlled Namor, Clea, Nighthawk, Hellcat versus Strange, Val, and Hulk. The
melee is intense with Strange reentering his body to challenge Y/D who seems to
be growing stronger—until she collapses with a scream. Controlling the minds of
the seven Defenders was one thing, what she didn’t count on was their being
joined by an eighth: Yandroth, who resented being used….
Back
at the Tribunal, they decide that this new information wasn’t very helpful,
though they could have used Yandroth. Elf and Time-Buoy Number 6-C are set
aside in case they will be needed later. Meanwhile, the Tribunal declares, “The
Defenders must be destroyed…or time itself will die…!”