Synopsis
Avengers, The (1963 series) #230 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
Last issue Henry Pym defeated the Masters of Evil. But their leader Egghead was about to shoot him in the back when Hawkeye fired an arrow down the barrel of the gun. The gun exploded and now Egghead is dead. Hank regrets not being able to bring Elihas Starr to justice for all the things his long-time foe had done to him. Clint Barton has mixed feelings, because Egghead caused his brother Barney's death in #65.
Now the new female Captain Marvel zaps in, who is a complete surprise to Pym. The other Avengers Captain America, She-Hulk, Thor and Wasp join them in time to take Moonstone and the unconscious Radioactive Man and Tiger Shark prisoner to join Beetle.
Moonstone confesses all in a plea-bargain. And when Tony Stark's cerebral scanner reveals that Egghead's niece Trish Starr had been brainwashed by Elihas to accuse Yellowjacket in #217 of stealing adamantium from the military, the trial of Henry Pym collapses.
Hawkeye is also found innocent of the death of Egghead.
There follows a couple of interludes sowing seeds for future plotlines.
Beetle is taken to a prison where he literally bumps into Sam Smithers, otherwise known as Plantman. Neither he nor a guard notice a hole knocked in the pseudo-skin covering a wooden arm.
On Titan Eros has been looking after Elysius the lover of his deceased friend the original Captain Marvel. But now his wanderlust has returned and she releases him from his vow to the dying man. Eros consults his father Mentor and the super-computer Isaac over planets that might afford him adventure, and chooses Earth.
Henry Pym accompanies Trish and her friend Fred Sloan to scatter Elihas' ashes in the river. Hank and Trish reminisce about the 3 times they met, all involving Egghead. He tried to use her mind to power machines (in Marvel Feature #5). He planted a bomb which cost her an arm (Giant-Size Defenders #4). And his elaborate scheme in #217 involving a cybernetic replacement arm led to Pym's arrest.
Hank then answers a call to Avengers Mansion where his ex-wife and chairwoman Wasp impassively oversees a meeting to reconsider Hank's recent actions. They want to uses the cerebral scanner to see if those actions might have been caused by mental control. Pym submits, but as he expects it was all his own doing.
He stays for the next item on the agenda as the team hold their own enquiry into the Egghead shooting - accusing Hawkeye of using undue force. Clint states that he's been found not guilty in court, and that he was acting to save Hank's life. Pym supports his case, while affirming on the other hand that they're dismissal of himself in #213 was fully justified.
As Henry leaves the room Jarvis takes him to pick up some personal items he'd left at the Mansion. 1 case contains his Yellowjacket outfit. On the way out the team meet him to offer him his place back. But he says he's quitting the superhero business and returning to science - he already has a job offer. He hands over the Yellowjacket duds for someone better qualified.
Henry has a final private meeting with Jan. They agree that their marriage is still over, but part as friends. However after he's gone Janet Van Dyne at last allows herself to cry.