Avengers #117Avengers #117
Title: "Holocaust”
Writer: Steve Englehart
Penciller: Bob Brown
Inker: Mike Esposito
Colors: P. Goldberg
Editor: Roy Thomas
Loki stands looking nervous as Dormammu discovers that the Avengers are fighting the Defenders. Dormammu says that his plan should have been foolproof. Dormammu asks Loki if he has any idea how this happened. Loki reminds Dormammu that he is blind and is powerless to act without DormammuDormammu believes him. Dormammu says ’s guidance. Loki hopes that it was foolish to suspect Loki. Dormammu wishes that he could use his magic to help the Defenders against the Avengers killing the Avengers, but that any use of his magic would be detected by Dr. Strange and that would reveal his hidden part in this scheme. Dormammu says that he canif this wouldn’t be a good time to help him ’t do anything but watch. Loki asks restore his vision. Dormammu says that the battles are completely occupying his mind.
Swordsman finally arrives in Bolivia. He notices a large German castle and figures that it must have been built by some fleeing Nazi. Swordsman thinks back on his life and how up until last year he was so caught up in being a supervillain. He says that all he earned was hate and disgust. He says that there was never enough money and that he never earned the respect of anyone who mattered… until he met Mantis. Swordsman says that he was little more than a hired hand. He thinks how the Avengers have accepted him even after he fought with the Mandarin against them there in South America. He thinks how he is going to show them that he deserves their acceptance. Suddenly Valkyrie flies up to the quinjet on Aragon and slashes it with her sword. Swordsman is forced to land, but when he sets down Valkyrie is gone. Swordsman figures that she must have gone inside the castle since there is no other place to land the horse. He also figures that she distracted him because the Evil Eye was probably inside. He realizes that if she had wanted to that she could have killed him. Swordsman knocks on the castle door and introduces himself. He says that he believes that the man has an unwanted visitor. The man asks Swordsman to come in. The man says that he assures Swordsman that they are alone. He says that this was the castle of a Nazi, but that he was captured long ago, and that he just bought the place. He says that he values solitude and that Swordsman is the first person he has seen in three months. Swordsman hears a noise and rushes to find out what it was. He opens the door to find Valkyrie looking for the Evil Eye. Swordsman says that despite the sword that she is carrying that she isn’t leaving with the Evil Eye. Val says that she has not found the Evil Eye, but that if Swordsman likes Black Knight’s sword that he can see how he fares against it. The begin fighting, but it becomes clear that Val is no match for Swordsman. She wonders if she can die, but decides not to find out. She swings off on a tapestry. Swordsman leaps and cuts the tapestry. They fall to the ground, and Swordsman says that she seems inexperienced to have fought the Avengers to a standstill before. Val says that she may not have his skill, but that she excels in strength. Val spots the owner of the castle trying to lock a giant door. She reasons that if she and Swordsman don’t have the Evil Eye that he must. She wallops Swordsman to the ground. She runs and catches the door before it can close. Inside she spots a treasure chest with the Evil Eye inside it. Swordsman runs in and quickly grabs the Evil Eye. He starts to go, but the man that owns the castle shoots Swordsman in the back. He says that he couldn’t take the risk of Swordsman telling others about his treasure. As Swordsman collapses he throws his sword and skewers the man. Swordsman starts to say that this is a funny way for him to die. Val inspects his wounds and says that she doubts that he will die. She says that she will go for a doctor. Val takes the Evil Eye and then hears footsteps. The police are rushing up the stairs after hearing about a flying horse and a strange jet. Val salutes Swordsman, but then runs as the police find Swordsman and the man. After she is sure they are going to take care of Swordsman she flies off on Aragon.
In Osaka Japan, the locals are all yelling
at Captain America to go home. Cap says that he isn’t there
for the government or as an America, but as an Avenger trying to
prevent a catastrophe. Namor says that sounds very noble, but
that it is all a lie. 
Namor stands
above Cap holding the Evil Eye. Namor says that he knows Cap is
there for the Evil Eye, but that if he wants it he is going to
have to take it by force. Namor says that he heard Cap had gained
limited super strength recently, but that he has unlimited
strength. Namor says that he doesn’t care for what the
Avengers have been doing to his Defenders, and says that he hopes
Cap will attempt to get the Eye from him. Cap says that of course
he will try, and that he rises to meet any challenge. Namor says
that it has been a long time since they last fought, but that he
will win again like he did then.
Namor tells the “surface-crawlers” to stand back. Namor tells Cap that the next move is his. Cap swings around and pastes Namor in the face with his shield. Namor punches Cap and says that like always the surface-dwellers seek to defeat him through deceit. Cap smashes a sign over Namor’s head. Namor knocks it back on Cap and knocks him unconscious. Namor says to think that he used to play war with his cousin Byrrah and that he usually chose to be the “American”. Namor says that it has taken him many years to relearn what he knew in World War II, that no Sub-Mariner, even one with an American father, can be anything but a Sub-Mariner. Cap wakes up to see Namor getting away. Namor is saying to himself that his association with the Defenders is grating his sensibilities, and that after this business is concluded that he is going to go his own way. Namor is diving towards the water, but Cap throws his shield and Namor bounces off it before he reaches the water. Namor asks what it takes to teach him a lesson. Cap says that if the lesson is that “might makes right” that people have been trying to teach him that since World War II, but that he flunks the course everytime. Cap says that no matter what the odds that he will never say die. Namor says that he would laugh at Cap’s naivete except that Cap really believes what he says.
Suddenly, Sunfire blasts the both of them and grabs up the Evil Eye as it flies through the air. Sunfire tells Cap that he should have listened to his countrymen. Namor tells Sunfire to give him the bauble now, but Sunfire says that Namor doesn’t scare him. Sunfire says that they both want it, but that he is taking it for himself to teach them a lesson. Namor flies into the air, but Cap grabs Namor’s ankle. He says that as long as Sunfire is keeping the Eye away from Namor that he is on his side. Cap swings around and punches Namor in the face. He says that the Defenders will never get that weapon while an Avenger still lives. Namor says that they are trying to save the Avengers’ fellow member and they attack him. Cap says that he knows that they kidnapped the Knight, and that they are going to try and take over the world with the eye. Namor says that Cap’s head is filled with Loki’s lies. Namor pulls Cap off, and holds onto him by the ankle. Namor says that he should drop Cap, but as the only other superhuman remaining from World War II that he deserves better. Namor tells Cap to listen and he will explain. Namor says that they were with the Black Knight when the Enchantress turned him to stone, and that the Evil Eye is his last chance to be restored. Cap says that doesn’t jibe with other facts. Namor says that whether he believes him or not that he will not waste anymore time with him. Namor drops cap into the water.
Namor catches up with Sunfire and tells him again to surrender the weapon. Sunfire tries to blast Namor, but Namor keeps dodging and punches Sunfire. The Evil Eye spirals to the ocean and into the hand of Captain America. Cap tries to run with the Eye, but Namor lands in front of him. Namor asks if he can have the Eye peacefully or if he needs to take it with more violence. Cap says that there is too much about this war between the Avengers and Defenders that doesn’t make sense, and that maybe trust is the one thing that can create some sense. Cap says that if their reasons for fighting aren’t the same that it seems they have all been manipulated. Namor says that if they have been tricked he swears there will be hell to pay.
Avengers Files rating: 8.5 out of 10
First off I have to say that Bob Brown does remarkably better in this issue than he did in the last. 4 out of 5 for the art. Great layouts and action sequences. The writing is superb. The meeting between Swordsman and Valkyrie was really cool, but the Namor/Captain America fight takes the cake. This is the first fight between Namor and Captain America since Avengers #4, and the dynamic between them is just fantastic. This is what the Avengers/Defenders War is really all about. Dormammu and Loki had better watch out.