Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Scourge having defeated Techno gloats over Techno's partially destroyed body. Hard-air molecules hold Techno in place on the floor while he tries to find a way to escape and communicate with the machines around him through sending cybernetic wavelengths. Scourge continues talking to Techno even revealing that he killed Baron Zemo to Techno. Techno then wonders about the gel residue footprint he saw at Zemo's castle.
Scourge announces the next one to kill would be Atlas but he's already in a stasis chamber ready to blow himself up. Techno next realizes that the female in biochamber three is conscious and the only way Techno can save himself is to let her die.
Meanwhile the Thunderbolts accompanied by Captain Marvel are below the surface of one of Saturn's moons called Titan.
Hawkeye is with Moonstone as they talk to ISAAC and Mentor about Moonstone's recent problems. ISAAC reveals more of the story of origin of her moonstone from the story the Supreme Intelligence told last issue. A story about the Chosen Eight protecting the galaxy until they died or retired, with them now gone the galactic peace ended. The Life stones were to be kept somewhere safe away from Kree-Lar so pirates wouldn't steal them but before it could happen the ark that held them was attacked and the warp drive exploded causing a fissure in space that brought the stones to earth. Later many would find the fragments and access the power from the stones.
The original wearers of the gems had their memories archived inside them so when Moonstone tried to look for answers about herself that confused her she subconsciously accessed the stone's memory storage so it would answer the questions for her.
In Latveria Dallas Riordan is now under medical care as her spinal column has been crushed and she is paralyzed from her fall.
At a hospital in London a patient called Mr. Watkins has woken up, as Roger Aubrey and Elizabeth Barstow go to visit him. Mr. Watkins says he has been out of commission for years and wants to resume his responsibilities as he creates the marking of a V on the wall.
In Washington D.C. Andrea Sterman talks to Vernon Hatchway an FBI agent. All Andrea needs now is help in putting the last pieces of the puzzle together for her book. She has tied the bullet to Roxxon then to the Commission and finally to the Conspiracy. She knows the why she and most of the how she needs to verify the who though. Andrea thinks the who is someone for two years that Vernon has been hiding from the FBI.
Back at Mount Charteris Techno thinks over the whole situation he is in and his motives for being with the Thunderbolts. For Techno to create a new body he has to take the energy from the three bio-chambers. Techno wonders about doing it and what will happen to the female with bioelectric powers in biochamber three. Techno would just let his body die if he was sure about his redundancy program but he's not so sure that Scourge hasn't already found a solution to that. Techno isn't really concerned with two of the biochambers but the one with the female that has bioelectric powers was special to him.
On Titan ISSAC continues talking to Moonstone about her life stone being a source of information as much as for power. ISSAC suggests that Moonstone was looking something within so she could cope with how she was feeling or an excuse for her liking being a hero and to justify her love for Hawkeye. ISSAC says that Moonstone can't close the door she's opened with the gem for information and that the gem was intended for those that were worthy of using its power and responsibility so the gem will have to be removed from Moonstone.
Back At The Thunderbolts base Atlas has broken free of his stasis chamber and is still feeling the effects of his body being overloaded with ionic energy. Inside Techno debates his role with the Thunderbolts and admits he missed the challenge being a member of the Thunderbolts brings him as a reason he replaced Ogre. He also finds the social interaction stimulating and the death of hallie was unsettling to him. He knows what Zemo and Techno would do in the situation he is in choosing whether to keep himself alive or keep the biochambers alive but he wonders what Norbert Ebersol would do. Techno pauses the energy drain from the bio chambers that would have made his new body and then wonders what a Thunderbolt would do. Next the female breaks free from her biochamber as Techno's systems start to go down. He concludes that a Thunderbolt would die like a hero as his systems finally go off-line.
Outside Scourge watches over Atlas. Atlas now covers three hundred yards and is in agony and can't control his ionic energy. Scourge goes about analyzing Atlas as he zapped by something from behind him. The blast came from who escaped from the bio chamber that is Jolt.
"Easy, Erik, don't try to talk. It's me. I'm Back. And I'm going to help you out as soon as I'm done frying the scum who killed me!"
Comments: By far the most interesting scenes this issue were with Techno and Scourge. Receiving more hints as to Techno's motives to replacing Ogre and joining the Thunderbolts and seeing him wrestle with decisions.
Next most interesting behind Techno was the regular subplots. Three this time with Dallas, the man in the coma from last issue called Mr. Watkins, and then the Andrea Sterman's continuing quest. The rest with the Thunderbolts was the standard story it wasn't bad but wasn't spectacular like others parts of this issue were. Things also seemed a little strange with the Thunderbolts being in space and on the moon called Titan. The first scene of the Thunderbolts walking along a paved road with bushes and the setting being seemingly like paradise underground certainly set that tone.
Techno brings up the gel residue footprint from a past issue as a reminder. Maybe something a clone of Zemo's would live behind after hobbling out of its chamber.
With Dallas having her spinal column crushed looks like she will be out of the picture for being Citizen V from now on. Doesn't seem like she will be able to do much else unless one of marvel's miracle cures comes along and heals her.
The waking coma victim has a name this issue named Mr. Watkins. They say they have been out of commission for a few years but they don't look all that old. Certainly not old enough to be the original Citizen V but the original died, but who knows, maybe a descendent is a possibility too. Looks perfect to take the place of Dallas as Citizen V though and won't have a problem taking orders from the V battalion.
The Andrea Sterman plot continues and it looks like she's almost pieced the whole thing together. As for the who I'm still guessing at this point. If Vernon Hatchway has shown up before with a character it might be easier to piece together who he is hiding from the FBI. Seeming closely involved and I'm looking forward to seeing this unravel.
ISSAC saying that Moonstone's gem must be removed looks to provide the conflict for next issue hopefully that won't take up to much space and they can get back to earth in worse shape then they came in ;)
Well all the clues pointed to Jolt from pretty much her death so it wasn't so bad of a resurrection since it seems like that was the plan from the beginning. Something like that doesn't annoy me and neither does a real vague "death" like someone falling into a lake and not surfacing or something. Since its known they will be back. The resurrections that really bother me are the ones where the character should be dead. There is really no reasonable way around it and the resurrection tries to ruin a great story of their death and the character has been dead for a long time. If the villain is needed again after his or her death just get someone else to put on the costume or something. A prime example would be Norman Osborn that was completely unnecessary. Anyway Jolt's death looked planned out, and I was expecting it so I'm kind of indifferent since the character wasn't that interesting before so I'll see how things play out. Things better not return to normal for Jolt anytime soon though. If she almost kills Scourge need issue that will be added dimension to her personality. It wasn't surprising to see Jolt came back but at least it wasn't some oddball revelation that no one could have figured out.
Scourge sure has an interesting dilemma with Atlas increasing in size unable to control his ionic energy and then having to deal with Jolt. I wonder how much help Jolt will be Atlas.
The hard air actually is shown at the beginning of the issue containing Techno, which was neat, certainly handy stuff for any villain to use. I wonder if Techno's redundancy program will kick in next issue. I don't see him being gone too long. There are a whole slew of problems just waiting for the Thunderbolts with learning about Techno as Ogre, the biochambers, discovery of the lab, and what Jolt thinks of Techno bringing her back to life.
Thunderbolts and all associated characters are the property of MARVEL COMICS TM&©2003.