Giant-Size Avengers (1974 series) #4

This is the finale of the Celestial Madonna saga, continuing from AVENGERS #135.

But it starts off with the Vision. In Av#135 he watched as Ultron-5 created him using the body of the WWII android Human Torch (and the mind of Wonder Man). The synchro-staff that had guided him through times past then said it would return him to Immortus and the present. But instead Vision found himself alone in the dark.

Now he hears a psychic scream and heads towards a light. And discovers that he's at the centre of the Earth where Dormammu and his sister Umar have imprisoned the Earth Goddess Gaea (in Dr Strange (1974) #7). But they also have Scarlet Witch and Agatha Harkness prisoner. Dormammu is seeking revenge for Wanda defeating him at the end of the Avengers/Defenders War in Av#118.

Wanda has been learning witchcraft from Miss Harkness for several issues. Dormammu explains that she overreached herself, allowing him to possess her in Av#134, and spirit her and Agatha away in Av#135.

Dormammu sends demons to attack Vision. His intangibility saves him for a while, but he is aware that his long journey through time cut him off from the solar radiation which keeps his batteries charged, so to speak. However, now knowing that his body was once that of the Torch, he realises that he can absorb power from the demons' flames, and blast them with his solar beam.

But Dormammu now commands Scarlet Witch to attack her love Vision.

Meanwhile Mantis has returned with Hawkeye, Iron Man and Thor from their travels in time learning the history of the Kree and the Cotati plant-beings. They arrived back in the garden of the Temple of Pama in Viet Nam to be greeted by Mantis' father Libra and the apparent ghost of her lover Swordsman. They were joined by Moondragon, and then Immortus.

But now Immortus nips off into the timestream to find out what's keeping Vision.

'Swordsman' at last starts to explain what all the Kree/Cotati business has to do with Mantis being the Celestial Madonna.

He claims that Mantis has been raised to be the perfect human. But that Moondragon was also brought up with the same intent. In Av#123 we learned that infant Mantis lost her mother and was given by her father to the Priests of Pama to raise. And in Av#135 we were reminded that young Moondragon lost her parents and was raised on Titan in the Shao Lom monastery. In Av#124 we saw that the Priests of Pama were descended from pacifist Kree. Now Swordsman says that the orphaning of Mantis and Moondragon happened on the same day, and the Shao Lom monks were also part of the Kree pacifist sect.

Both girls were put through similar training of body and mind. In Av#135 we learned how the pacifist Kree nurtured the telepathic Cotati. And Mantis recognised the Cotati as some of the plants in the temple garden. It turns out that there were Cotati in the Titan monastery too. And both women have been trained without knowing it to communicate with the plants. In Mantis that is expressed in her empathy. In Moondragon it is her knowledge of genetics and the human mind.

But then the women were set on different paths. While Moondragon remained in the monastery studying, Mantis had her memories of the temple erased and was sent to work as a bar girl in Saigon. In this way she learned about mankind, while Moondragon remained aloof. It is this which makes Mantis the more perfect human, chosen to be the Celestial Madonna.

The ghostly Swordsman then dashes through the story of Mantis that we followed in the past year and a half of Avengers issues:- Working for Monsieur Khruul. Meeting Swordsman. Joining the Avengers with him. Her attraction to Vision. Libra of Zodiac revealing himself to be her father and telling her of her forgotten childhood.

Then the 'ghost' reveals the purpose of it all. 1 of the trees in the garden is the Eldest Cotati. He is the perfect plant. As the perfect human Mantis will marry the tree, which is animating the body of her love Swordsman. She will be the Celestial Madonna and bear a prophesied child.

Meanwhile Hawkeye has dragged Iron Man and Thor away from the revelations to see Crimson Dynamo, Radioactive Man and Titanium Man (the Titanic Three from Av#130 and Iron Man #73) lying beaten and battered. They say that the guy who did it called himself Kang. The Avengers figure he's back for a 3rd attempt at claiming the Madonna as his bride (the previous attempts ending in #2 and #3). They split up to find him. But each of the 3 heroes defeat and capture a Kang!

At the centre of the Earth Scarlet Witch isn't holding back, and it takes all of Vision's powers to defend himself from her enhanced hex attacks. But then she drains all his stored energy, and he sinks to her feet dying and declaring his love for her. Which of course snaps her out of Dormammu's control.

Wanda challenges Dormammu, who tries to reassert his control but fails. This is because the Witch has also freed Agatha Harkness who is a much more accomplished witch, and she is protecting her pupil. Scarlet Witch then cools the lava which Dormammu is standing in, and which he has been using in Dr Strange to fuel his regeneration. Umar sneaks up behind Wanda. But Scarlet Witch has also revived Vision, who knocks Umar out. Dormammu sues for peace, and Wanda gets him to send her, Miss Harkness and Vision to the surface. (Along with some promises like freeing Gaea which he doesn't intend to honour.)

The 3 materialise in Avengers Mansion. Miss Harkness leaves the duo, saying that her work is done and Wanda can continue her studies on her own. Vision tells his love that learning of his previous life as Human Torch has made him more sure of himself. And he asks her to marry him. Wanda says "Yes".

As does Mantis in Viet Nam.

Just then the Avengers arrive with their captive Kangs. But another Kang turns up in his time sphere and abducts Mantis. He has come to this place and time multiple times, the other iterations being diversions. And his time sphere leaves Earth with the Celestial Madonna aboard.

Thor prepares to follow, but he is stopped by the reappearance of Immortus with Vision, Wanda and Miss Harkness. The Master of Limbo directs them to a large box he brought with him in Av#135. He opens it, and Mantis is inside.

The magician then explains his trick. The box originally contained the Space Phantom, an inhabitant of Limbo. When Kang's time sphere appeared the Phantom used his power to swap places with Mantis and assume her appearance. Which Kang is only now discovering for himself.

Immortus then officiates over 2 weddings. Mantis and Swordsman/Cotati become energy beings and zip off into the cosmos and Vision and Wanda go off on honeymoon.