Writer: Fabian Nicieza
At the administrative offices of the Commission of Superhuman Activities the Redeemers are making their way through the building when a robot called The Destruction attacks them. The Redeemers fight off the robot as Gyrich on a floating platform appears above them.
The fixer discovers that the entire room is covered in nano-probes as everyone in the room is stopped from moving by them, all but Citizen V because his helmet is the most airtight of the team the Nano-probes will take longer to affect him.
Citizen V throws a smoke bomb to cover his escape as he plans to carry everything else out on his own as he is grabbed by Moonstone and pulled through a wall. The Thunderbolts greet him on the other side but they are not so trusting of Citizen V. The Thunderbolts and Citizen V exchange facts and are interrupted by Jack Monroe in the Scourge costume who says that they don't have time for it. They split up into two teams with Mach-2, Songbird, Jolt, Charcoal and Moonstone in one team, with Hawkeye, Citizen V, and Scourge in another. The teams organized the way they are as the Thunderbolts can watch their backs while Hawkeye can be with the others the Thunderbolts have less trust in.
The Redeemers now under Gyrich's control because of the nano-probes are sent to stop the Thunderbolts. Shortly the larger of the two teams encounter the Redeemers and are shocked at the sight of the Fixer back from the dead?
As the fight continues Charcoal becomes more brutal with his tactics burning the occupant inside the Beetle armor. Moonstone battles Meteorite. Songbird fights the sound creature called scream whose scream exists on a familiar pitch. The sonic screams from Songbird fighting scream break Mach-2's visor on his helmet and causes Mach-2 to make the discovery that the Fixer doesn't remember anything he did as robotic Techno. The fixer says that the last thing he remembers is a pain in his neck.
The fixer disables Mach-2's armor as Jolt knocks out the fixer with an electric blast. Next the Smuggler goes after Jolt accessing the shadows and the darkness inside her. The Smuggler then reveals himself as Erik Josten's brother.
Meanwhile the other group continues to their destination of the Omega-32. They all talk for a bit before the nano-probes within Citizen V take control of his body as he goes to stab Hawkeye in the shoulder with a knife. Scourge fights with Citizen V as Scourge comments that Hawkeye has lost his edge since he stopped working with Captain America.\Hawkeye says he wouldn't have much of a chance with his injury in taking down the Omega-32 chamber so Hawkeye tells Scourge to go to the Omega-32 chamber and he will handle Citizen V.
Scourge arrives at the Omega-32 control room just as Gyrich is up on a large platform and says that Scourge will be the first true test of Omega-32 through his nano-probes. Gyrich is just about to tell Scourge the why of the situation when an arrow goes through his hand knocking a control for the Omega-32 from his hands. The arrow came from Hawkeye whose shot wasn't accurate since he was aiming for Gyrich's head. Scourge leaps up to where Gyrich is ready to confront him, while Gyrich says the reason he started this whole thing was because of Hawkeye.
Elsewhere Conrad Josten, the Smuggler relays a small story until Charcoal brutally attacks him from behind. Jolt tells Charcoal to stop his attack as Jolt turns into her other form taking about the good the Thunderbolts did.
The fixer recovers no longer under the control of the nano-probes thanks to jolt's bioelectric blast from earlier. Moonstone returns with the body of an unconscious meteorite and says that she convinced the creature called scream that turning on Gyrich would be more fun. The creature wasn't affected by the nano-probes since it was a being of sound and was just fighting because everyone else was.
Meanwhile Gyrich rants about his master plan with Omega-32. Satellites around the world will release trillions of nannities that everyone will absorb and with that everyone will have a program code. With the program code Gyrich can rid the world of superhuman and others like Dr.Doom, the Red Skull, the Hulk because they all pose a threat to the world. All that remains are the fine-tuning of it so innocent people are not killed.
The Thunderbolts arrive at the Omega-32 control room with the Redeemers. Gyrich continues with his story saying that the Thunderbolts needed to be removed first before his plan could continue. If the Thunderbolts redemption campaign would have worked then there would have been no chance that he could convince people that super humans needed to be swept off the face of the earth.
Hawkeye yells to Scourge to take the Omega-32 controller that had fallen from Gyrich's hand earlier but before that can happen Gyrich steps on it with his foot crushing it. This releases Omega-32 particles in a broadband sweep through the room. Everyone withers in agony until Mach-2 takes a wild shot for the Omega-32 chamber, which then explodes.
Before Gyrich can do anything Jolt confronts him and destroys all the nano probes in the room. Jolt then points out that while destroying nannities in the room that Gyrich had them in his body too but they were not ones everyone had in their body. The ones in Gyrich's body were working so he was being controlled. Still Gyrich admits it was all his idea but someone made him follow through on his ideas.
Hawkeye threatens Gyrich that he can now expose him and that every hero will know not to trust the Commission on Superhuman Activities. Then Valerie Cooper arrives with guardsmen behind her as she says that this can never be revealed to anyone or else a war will be started between humans and super humans that Gyrich wanted to start.
Hawkeye thinks that they have bargaining power now and wants immunity for the Thunderbolts and Jack Monroe. Gyrich says he will reveal everything to the press and won't go along with that, and to buy his silence Hawkeye has to go to jail. Gyrich recites a list of crimes that Hawkeye committed while with the Thunderbolts. Hawkeye agrees to the terms as the Thunderbolts try to talk him out of it.
Through all the excitement everyone forgot about Jack Monroe whose scourge armor has been left behind. Two blocks away Jack Monroe disengages his holographic disguise and walks away.
A day later n Symkaria the V-battalion discuss the recent turn of events with Gyrich. It is then decided that anyone that could have made Gyrich do what he did and infiltrate secret government agencies then that is someone the V-battalion wants to stop or recruit. (Plug for the Citizen V and the V-battalion limited series)
At Mt.Charteris G.W.Bridge talks about the Redeemer program that will be a shared operation between S.h.i.e.l.d. and the Commission on Superhuman Activities, with their first goal helping the town of Burton Canyon after Atlas's rampage. Charcoal, Meteorite, Jolt, Fixer, Beetle, Scream and Smuggler all listen as Captain America is introduced as their temporary leader until Citizen V returns.
Two days later at a Commission on Super Human Activities facility the paper work on the pardons has been done even one for Erik Josten since the Thunderbolts said he would be back eventually. The conditions Abe, Melissa, and Karla have to live by are no costumes, no powers, no breaking the law or they go to jail. Without their equipment Abe and Melissa are powerless but Karla's are still part of her so she is a little annoyed. Karla leaves for an airport while Melissa asks a question Abe has no answer for.
"What do we do now?
"I...I don't know..
Comments: Not exactly what I expected for the fifth issue and it serves as a sort of ending/beginning.
I always wondered how long the Thunderbolts campaign for redemption would go on and I had given it some serious thought, maybe issue 300, I once thought. Well it looks like I won't have wait quite that long as this issue spins the title off into some new directions, while tying up some old stuff too.
I think I'm going to really miss Bagley as artist on the title, it seems I've always followed him around from New Warriors, Amazing Spider-man and to here and he's always done a great job. For his last issue just about everything looks fantastic and he's good at storytelling. The only quibble I have about this issue is where Citizen is controlled by the nano-probes and goes to stab Hawkeye. It's not all that evident what is happening at first, but one little thing in the whole issue I can look past.
The issue starts off fast enough with 'The Destruction' attacking the redeemers. The name of the robot could make things a little confusing but it's a good way to start things off, another reference to Heinrich Zemo's castle.
When the Thunderbolts confront Citizen V, problems with Charcoal seem to flare up again. Every issue seems to bring another reaction from Charcoal that could spell bad news for the future. It's been building for some time now and becomes all the more evident when he is in combat with the Beetle. The roughing up of Citizen V could be overlooked but what he does to the Beetle can't easily. Burning the occupant inside the Beetle armor is more of a brutal action and less heroic from what he and the Thunderbolts are striving for. Charcoal has never gone to this extreme before. Charging into battle when he shouldn't is one thing and an impulsive reaction but Charcoal made a choice here. He not only burns the occupant within the Beetle armor but also hears screams and the smell of flesh. Instead of backing off at the realization he raises the temperature some more. Charcoal then later attacks the Smuggler and would have done more if Jolt had not told him to stop. Charcoal even comments about hypocrites and how people don't know how hard life really is. So this is what has been bugging him for so long and all these things that were happening with the Thunderbolts possibly set him off. Charcoal seemed to be deal with things easier before.
The Fixer is back as a human seems to really put to rest that little tidbit of Thunderbolts history from their first year. I suppose there's still a sliver of hope that this Fixer is really the robotic Techno but I'm not hoping for it. One fixer is enough at this point, although some time in the future I could see the Techno issue being picked up again. I wonder if Robotic Techno knew that has body was saved from Elements of Doom's base before it exploded. If Zemo had saved the body was he hoping to give it back to Techno at some or use it for his own needs? What leads me along this thought path was that Techno was constructing another human body for himself before, although not of himself.
The revelation of Smuggler didn't exactly make me go wow. It's all right, but at this point I'm more interested in Atlas than his brother. It becoming that every character that appeared in the title is turning out to be involved in some super villain outfit one way or another. Now when is Songbird's Mom going to show up? Some villains actually are new villains or characters we don't know about. The only problem with that is if the mystery is played up and the revelation turns out it is no one anyone knows it seems like a waste of time trying to guess the identity. It still would be nice to see a new villain develop without any links. There's always the occupant of the Beetle armor still waiting to be exposed. I'm sure the occupant won't be too fond of Charcoal.
I liked the group with Hawkeye, Scourge and Citizen V. How they came to be together and the Thunderbolts losing Hawkeye's trust is still evident. It's a group of people who each want to do things their way and not the best to have together. Even though Hawkeye knows the Jack Monroe is within the Scourge armor and its under his control, I would have thought him or the Thunderbolts would have found it a little unnerving to have him around, something like how Citizen V reacts. Every time they look to Monroe they would see the Scourge armor reminding them of the deaths.
Scourge talking about Hawkeye losing his edge was a good bit. Ever since he joined up with the team too, they have been reeling from one lose to another, all starting with the failure with the Hulk. Hawkeye coming through against the odds and shooting Gyrich in the hand with an arrow was something typically heroic for Hawkeye to do.
Gyrich as the big ranting mastermind behind the whole scheme didn't seem to go together completely last issue. He needed some more motivation, which was provided this issue with plenty of reasons why he would do these things. Still there was the whole crossing the a line with the character, and then things became even more bizarre when Gyrich showed up in Black Panther's title and it seemed like he would be there with some regularity, so Gyrich having the intent but not following through with actions on his thoughts on his own works perfectly for me.
Its good practice to tie up everything from a plot in a title in the same title, which didn't happen. The big mastermind who nudged Gyrich in the right direction has yet to be revealed. Making people pick up another limited series to find out who it will be could annoy some people. Especially after a long arc like this you want an answer. I'm not really disappointed with that turn of events though since I was going to buy the series regardless. Gyrich revealed as the planner gives half of the revelation to the person behind everything anyway. When the mastermind is revealed it should be referenced in Thunderbolts as well when the Citizen V limited series is over, I'm sure the Thunderbolts will like to know the identity of the mastermind as well. With Hawkeye going to jail he may never find out for some time.
Hawkeye turning himself in for the good of the team is something I didn't think I would ever see, but it helps achieve the goal for the Thunderbolts to redeem themselves. I wonder how long he will stay there. I wasn't sure if Hawkeye was going to sticking around with his lie revealed but now he certainly won't be which leaves room for the new leader. At least with Hawkeye in jail it keeps him away from Moonstone. I was never too fond of their relationship and here it just doesn't seem right either. Moonstone sure leaves the scene quickly too at the end of this issue.
The "It was an impossible shot." Echoes the first issue the Nicieza wrote as well with the Thunderbolts tackling the Hulk.
With the Epilogue's at the end of this issue it has me curious for where this title will go next. It feels like a last issue in a sense where the Thunderbolts get pardons, but also a first issue with a new set up with the Redeemer program. It's an end of an era for the Thunderbolts and beginning of a new one. Will the title now follow around those in the Redeemer program that is different from what the Thunderbolts were or will it also focus on the Thunderbolts now that they have been pardoned?
The Redeemer program could have a long life span and used as a way for others to redeem themselves. The line up ever changing as some leave for another life, some fail in their attempt for redemption and others finally do redeem themselves. This should make for interesting stories. Will they still think of themselves as Thunderbolts? Jolt and Charcoal are the Thunderbolts remaining, and then there is the fixer but he's an odd ball.
I'm a little disappointed in the line up of what appears to be the 'new' Thunderbolts. I liked reading about villains, and some of these characters just don't strike me as too villainous yet. I would have liked the Redeemers team to be around some more before they were integrated into a Thunderbolts like team, they could have provided more conflict and besides they were being controlled this issue so it wasn't a real fight between the Thunderbolts and the Redeemers. Conrad Josten as the Smuggler doesn't strike fear into me as a member; his life has just been ruined that's really it. The Fixer is still the fixer but still has some mystery surrounding him. Meteorite doesn't have enough known about her to consider villainous. Then there is the occupant within the Beetle that is still unknown; maybe this one will provide a decent villain. Captain America as their temporary leader is intriguing. See how he does with a team that is quite different from the Avengers, and following in Hawkeye's footsteps this time. Citizen V as the leader in the future provides a V-Battalion link and his duties to the team could conflict with his duties with the V-battalion.
Abe and Melissa echo reader's sentiments at the end of the issue with the feeling of uncertainly with their characters. They don't have powers so just what will they do now that they have what they always wanted. There is no need for Abe to use his Matthew Davis alias anymore either. Then there is Moonstone scurrying away quickly to the airport, it looks like she has somewhere to go and perhaps her relationship with Hawkeye will not last now. I really hope these characters don't fade away from the title though. I thought they would have been part of it for a much longer time still fighting to be heroes but now what? There characters have been built up so much through the series it would be a shame to see them go. They could be featured in a small part every issue or every few to check in on what they are doing or maybe become involved in subplots of some kind. Take up a job involved with super heroes in some way, or even do research for the Thunderbolts when they need it. Then they could run into the dilemma of knowing someone or the team is in trouble but being unable to do anything about it because of the conditions of their pardon. Their being pardoned presents many possibilities.
With the regular Thunderbolts and now the Redeemers added to the book, the cast has swelled to a large number that could become unmanageable. The Thunderbolts that were pardoned could be pushing aside for a while in favour of the team that actually is active.
Now with the long storyline with Scourge done I hope the title can settle down for a bit. The Scourge storyline was enjoyable but I think I need a moment to catch my breath and settle into reading some good shorter stories about the Thunderbolts. A few sub plots thrown in but not quite as many as before would keep the title continuing going as well. There are also a few story threads that still need to be followed up on too eventually.
The evolution of the title continues and I eagerly await the next issue with the Citizen V limited series to tide me over in-between
Thunderbolts and all associated characters are the property of MARVEL COMICS TM&©2003.