Avengers vol. 3 #34Avengers vol. 3 #34
Title: "The Nefaria Protocols”
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Penciller: George Perez
Inker: Al Vey
Colors: Tom Smith
Editor: Tom Smith
CONTINUED FROM THUNDERBOLTS #44
Goliath, Captain America, Warbird, Wasp, Iron Man, MACH-2, Charcoal, Songbird, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Triathlon, Vision, Scarlet Witch, and She-Hulk all dog pile on Nefaria. Nefaria swats them all away and laughs at them. Nefaria calls them all fools and says that they cannot win against him and that they know it. He says that his bomb s going to launch and that there isn’t anything they can do about it. Nefaria says that an ionic cloud will spread throughout the world. He says that millions will die, millions will be mutated, and that many will be unchanged except that the radiation in their bodies will leave them susceptible to his control. Nefaria tells them that the world will be reshaped in his image, but that they shouldn’t worry because he will be a merciful master. Wasp says that they don’t really have to defeat Nefaria. She says that all they have to do is get past him and stop the bomb. Nefaria says that is a sensible plan, but that he can’t let them succeed. Nefaria drives himself into the ground like a spike. His hole creates a divide between the mainland and the cliffside that the Avengers are standing on. The cliff starts falling over. Wasp tells everyone to go into rescue mode. She says that anyone that can fly should grab someone that can’t. Everyone starts catching someone else, but Vision says that it isn’t enough to save themselves. He says that they have to stop the avalanche. She-Hulk and Goliath act as braces while Songbird creates a giant dam. Hawkeye says that was a good call. He says that another quarter mile and that town would have been crushed. Vision says that his files tell him that it is called Blaircrest. Suddenly, an eighteen wheeler truck goes flying by Warbird towards the town of Blaircrest. Iron Man swoops in and grabs a boy that would have been crushed.
Nefaria is now in Blaircrest. He is throwing cars around and telling the Avengers that they had better save the people. He says that should keep them busy until the launch. Wasp tells Iron Man, MACH-2, and Warbird to intercept the cars and tells the others to stop them at the source. Hawkeye fires an electrical arrow at Nefaria. He says that they may not be able to beat him, but that they can pin him down there. Nefaria says that he doesn’t think so. Nefaria uses his eye blasts to ignite a gas main in the ground. Wasp shouts that it is a gas main. Nefaria says that was very astute of her. He asks if she wishes that they had stayed busy with the cars. He says that if they had he wouldn’t need to resort to widespread destruction. A gas station blows up. Triathlon grabs two people, but misses a third. Black Widow grabs the other. Goliath holds up buildings as She-Hulk and Cap evacuate the people. Scarlet Witch creates shields to protect the masses. Songbird scoops them up and lifts people into the air.
Hawkeye says that this stinks. He says that if they duck out of there they might be able to save the world, but that it will be at the expense of the lives of this town. He says that they can’t make that trade off. Charcoal says that he can. Charcoal starts to fly away towards the bomb, but Nefaria says, “Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear… nobody leaves the party!” Nefaria eye blasts Charcoal into pieces. Cap’s shield bounces off Nefaria’s chest. Cap tells Nefaria that he will never succeed and that he will never rule the world. Nefaria laughs at Cap. He says that they don’t understand him. He says that he doesn’t want to rule the world. He says that he can’t imagine a bigger headache. Nefaria says that all he wants is old world respect. He says that people should show “proper deference to men of good breeding… or get crushed for your insolence.” Nefaria says that once the world is irradiated that it can go about its business and that he will as well. Nefaria says that if anyone opposes him that he will have complete, total, and immediate power to grind them into dust. Nefaria hits Goliath and says that if the world had just recognized him as a nobleman and not pestered him with their laws that none of this would have been necessary. Wasp stings Nefaria in the face. She says that she doesn’t believe that he is going to murder millions and mutate even more just so people will be polite to him. Nefaria swats Wasp with one finger and says that the world has become “sadly ill-mannered” and that it will be better for the lesson. Nefaria finally grunts in pain as Scarlet Witch hits him with a hex. She says that she is going to shut down his power. Nefaria says that she can try. Warbird tells She-Hulk and Triathlon that she has a plan, but that they have to act quickly. Nefaria shouts and throws Wanda off. She says that the ionic power is too unnatural and alien. Warbird slams into Nefaria from above. She-Hulk begins pummeling him when he hits the ground. As she does, Triathlon runs up the hill towards the bomb. Charcoal cheers him on and says that he will join him when he pulls himself together. Nefaria grabs She-Hulk by the throat and asks if they really thought that he wouldn’t see through this “transparent ruse”. He tosses She-Hulk into a wall of rock. Iron Man says that Nefaria is more powerful than ever. He says that when he fought him before that he managed to wear him down so he would use up his energy. He says that maybe they can do it again. Goliath says that it is possible, but that it seems he has more energy than Iron Man reported. He says that he has been scanning him and that he is using energy faster than he is producing it. Iron Man asks how long it will take to wear him down. Goliath says that if they don’t give him a chance to catch his breath that it will take three weeks.
As Warbird and Iron Man go flying, Madame Masque arrives. She says that they have failed to stop Nefaria as she knew they would. She thinks how she gave them an incomplete ionic lock. She says that without the intensifier that it works on most ionic beings, such as Atlas and Wonder Man, but not Nefaria. She thinks to herself that maybe they, as Tony said, aren’t her enemies. She says that she wishes that she could believe them, but that she can’t take the risk. She says that her father will destroy them and that she, with the true ionic lock, will destroy him. She says that then she will be safe again. A shadowed figure follows Madame Masque.
Near the castle, Wonder Man wakes to find
Atlas is getting up as well. Atlas says that he is feeling
strange, but that he is finally thinking straight again. Simon
says that they are out of Nefaria’s control, but that the
canon destabilized their powers. 
Suddenly there
is a big rumble. Nefaria’s bomb launches into the air. Atlas
asks if he is floating. Wonder Man says that he can’t let it
go off. He says that he has to stop it. Atlas asks what he means
when he says that he has to do it. He says that they have to
bring that “puppy” back and then marvels that he is
actually flying. Atlas and Wonder Man streak after the bomb.
Nefaria has Captain America by the throat when he sees them going after his ionic bomb. He starts to say that he has to stop them when Hawkeye shoots a flare arrow in front of his eyes. Hawkeye says that it won’t stop him, but that it will keep him from seeing anything for a few seconds. Hawkeye tells Songbird to keep him that way. Songbird screams and creates a cylinder around Nefaria. As Nefaria struggles, Songbird screams louder and louder, but eventually she gives way to Nefaria’s power. Everyone is blown off their feet. Nefaria says that is enough and that he has to go deal with his “upstart thralls”. He says that he will deal with them when he returns. Vision is coming down on Nefaria and says that he will deal with them now. Nefaria asks if he is dropping on him at his full density again. Vision says that he isn’t because Nefaria is prepared for that. He says that he will try something else. Vision phases his entire body into Nefaria’s. As Vision starts to solidify both of them scream in pain. Nefaria says that the pain is incredible, but that he will not succumb. Vision says that he will. Iron Man asks MACH-2 if he is ready. MACH-2 thinks that he is working with the Avengers and with Iron Man, a guy he would have run from a year ago. Nefaria says, “I… am… Nefaria! Get… OUT!” Nefaria casts Vision out of his body. Iron Man and MACH-2 blast Nefaria. Goliath hits Nefaria and says not to let him recover. Warbird follows with another punch.
Madame Masque watches and says that they are doing better than she would have thought possible. She thinks about stepping in to help them, but decides that they would just turn on her and that she has to play it safe. Madame Masque hears a twig snap and turns to see her bio-duplicate Masque. She says that she thought she was destroyed. Masque says that she survived. Whitney asks if she has come to turn on her too. Masque says that she came to plead with her to help the Avengers. She says that she know, even if she won’t admit it, that they are good people. She says that she can trust them. Whitney says that she can’t and that they are no better than her father. Masque says that she is sorry then, but that she has no choice.
Black Widow hears as Masque steps out of the woods with the ionic lock. Just as she is about to fire the lock she is incinerated by Nefaria’s eye blasts. Iron Man shouts, “Whitney!” Giulietta Nefaria, aka Whitney Frost, aka Madame Masque watches it all. She sees her father smiling with triumph and Iron Man’s anguished cry. She sees the ashes of her other self and something lets go inside her. With a little sigh old hurts and old hatreds aren’t the same. She wonders how she could have ever been so foolish. Whitey leaps out of the woods and dives on the ionic lock. Nefaria is stunned that there are two of her. Madame Masque takes advantage and fires the ionic lock. Masque thinks to herself that the weapon has never been tested. She thinks that without the intensifier that it stopped Wonder Man and Atlas from accessing their powers, but that with the intensifier that it should disrupt the power and cause the target to drive the ionic out of his body. Whitney stops firing and looks. Nefaria laughs and asks if that was her dreaded Nefaria Protocols. He starts to say that it tickled him, but then he realizes that ionic power is oozing out of his finger. Goliath says that it is working and though it is slow Nefaria is leaking ionic energy. Hawkeye fires an arrow and says that to squeeze Nefaria until he pops. Everyone starts piling on Nefaria, but he just keeps shrugging it off.
Up in the sky, Atlas and Wonder Man are approaching the ionic bomb. Atlas says that he can feel it in his head and gut as if the thing was calling to them. Wonder Man says that the ionic power inside of them is harmonizing with the energy in the bomb. He says that it is making a connection the same way Nefaria tapped into them. Atlas says that he doesn’t like it and asks what they should do. Wonder Man says that maybe he can diffuse it. He says that he was in a situation like this not that long ago. Atlas asks what happened then. Wonder Man says, “I died.”
Nefaria blasts
into the sky knocking all the Avengers and Thunderbolts off him.
He says that they are like a rash that won’t go away and
that he is going to treat them as such. He grabs a water tower
and slams it into the ground where the Avengers and Thunderbolts
are. They are washed away in a torrent of water. When they
recover they look up at Nefaria as he says, “Hear me,
Avengers! You may think that foolish weapon injured me…
weakened me… but it’s nothing to me… nothing but a
pinprick! I still have the power to destroy you… to destroy
your loved ones… everyone you’ve ever met! I am
Nefaria! I am Nefaria, and you are nothing! Nothing!” They
listen to his ragged voice and the crackle of ionic energy
leaking away. They realize that he is angry and lashing out and
that it means they have a chance. Nefaria shouts that they will
respect him and bow down. He says that he commands it. Wasp says
that they will never stop fighting. She says that they will stop
him or die trying. Nefaria says that it will be a pleasure.
Above, Atlas says that he feels the buzz worse and asks what is happening. Wonder Man says that he has found the timing mechanism, but that his engineering skills are too far out of date and that he can’t figure it out. He says that worse yet it is about to go off. Atlas asks what he means. Wonder Man says that they have one chance.
The Avengers and Thunderbolts look up and watch as the ionic bomb explodes and fills the sky. Wanda shouts for Simon. Nefaria laughs and shouts that he has won. The explosion gets bigger and bigger until suddenly it starts to contract. Nefaria says that it can’t do that.
Above, Wonder Man and Atlas’ forms are almost dissipated, but their minds keep commanding the fireball to come back. One of them thinks of Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, and thinks how he isn’t going to fail this time. One of them thinks of how after screwing up for all those years that it will end with a heroic sacrifice… something good. The explosion grows smaller and smaller.
Nefaria, now gushing ionic power, shouts, “NOOOOOO!” He says that he will not be defeated and that he cannot be defeated. He starts flying up and says that he will stop them and fix it. Wasp tells everyone to go after him, but Goliath tells her not to. Hew says that he has lost control. He says that he was holding back the effects of the ionic lock by sheer will, but that he has lost that now. He says that he isn’t going to make it. Nefaria flies high into the sky. He says, “I am Nefaria! I can’t be defeated! Can’t…” Nefaria explodes. Everyone watches. When the light fades, Wasp spots two falling forms falling. Iron Man magnifies his vision and sees Wonder Man and Atlas falling. They are glowing green with power. Iron Man catches Wonder Man, and Songbird catches Atlas in a giant pink hand. Iron Man says that they are overloaded, and that it is too much ionic power for them to handle. He says that if they are alive after all that, that there may be hope.
Hawkeye puts his arm around Wanda and says that they are both going to be fine. Masque watches them. She sees their concern and the bonds of loyalty for one another. She looks at the ashes of her bio-duplicate. She was a fake, but it took her sacrifice to wake her up. She wants to share in what they do, but she feels that she can’t go back to what she was. Madame Masque slinks back into the shadows. She isn’t sure what she will do. She knows that she won’t go back to the Maggia. That part of her life is over. She doesn’t want to be a criminal, but she is wanted by the law. Masque hears jets and turns to see MACH-2 looking back at her. He says that his onboard computer caught her sneaking away. Masque asks if he is going to stop her. MACH-2 says that she just saved the world and that as far as he is concerned that earns her a free “get-out-of-jail-free card”. He says that it might not be right, but that it is how he sees it. MACH-2 says that if she needs to talk to someone and holds out a computer chip. He tells her to plug it into any phone and that she will reach the Thunderbolts on a secure line. He says that they have a psychiatrist on the team. He says that they don’t know where she is, and that she is a piece of work, but that she is good. Masque thanks him, but says that she thinks that she has to find her own road. She says that she appreciates the offer more that he knows though. She asks him to thank Iron Man for her. She says to thank everyone, but especially Iron Man.
Iron Man asks Hank how Wonder Man and Atlas are. Hank says that he doesn’t think that they are doing good, but that he needs to get them to the medlab quickly. Wasp calls in to SHIELD and orders a medevac unit. Songbird leans in to Erik and tells him that he is going to be okay. Erik mumbles that he did something right and that it will be okay if he goes out like that. Wanda asks Simon if he will hold on. Simon says that she brought him back to life. He says that she had faith in him and that he has to live up to that. Hawkeye tells Wanda that he will pull through and to just look what he is pulling for. Wanda thanks Clint for the Thunderbolts’ help. She says that she doesn’t think that they would have won if it wasn’t for them. Hawkeye says that he needs a favor. He says that Moonstone is missing, and he was wondering if he could ask the others to rig some way for them to find her. Jasper Sitwell comes over Wasp’s communicator and says that he is acknowledging her request. He says that he has a question for Iron Man and asks if that was the real Whitney. Iron Man says that it was, but that she slipped away in the confusion. He says that she really came through when it mattered. He says that she is gone, but that if you look at it she is really back.
Later that night in the Brew House pub, the television has a report on the Avengers’ victory over Count Nefaria. On the screen is Wasp, Goliath, Iron Man, Vision, She-Hulk, Captain America, and Warbird. Wasp is saying that she is glad that they stopped him. One of the patrons recognizes Wasp and asks “Doc” if that isn’t his wife. Pym says, “Why, yes… yes it is.”
Avengers Files rating: 9.5 out of 10
Perez gets a 5 out of 5 on his last issue of his great run on Avengers. He really puts out a tremendous effort to get across this intense plot. The writing gets a 4.5 out of 5. The only real reason I didn’t give it a 5 is because I don’t understand why Vision was able to phase into Nefaria when his previous attempt to do so was met with failure. Still an outstanding issue. Busiek and Perez were truly a classic team.
Review and pictures by The Leader