Defenders vol. 2 #3
Title: “The Armies of the Slain”
Writer: Kurt Busiek and Erik Larsen
Penciller: Erik Larsen
Inker: Klaus Janson
Colors: Gregory Wright with Color Arts
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Six months ago Pluto transports himself into Asgard. From an old man he demands to know the location of the Enchantress. The old one says that he senses Pluto’s power and his anger, but that the Enchantress has been long missing. To keep his life the old man directs Pluto to Lorelei, the Enchantress’ sister. Pluto addresses Lorelei, the Ice Queen. Lorelei asks who Pluto is. Pluto says that if she is indeed Lorelei that she knows who he is because he knows that she is her sister’s superior. Pluto says that he needs a spell. He wants her, as the Enchantress has done in the past, to create a Valkyrie with the power over the dead. Lorelei asks what her reward is if she does this for him. Pluto says that he will make her his queen when he takes over the world. Lorelei consents and Pluto and Lorelei teleport to New York to get what they need next.
Now, Valkyrie stands next to Pluto with a power smoldering spear. The dead are beginning to surface out of the ground. Hulk, Strange, Namor, Silver Surfer, and the old man from the mountain are all bound within the pillar of a temple. Dr. Strange tells Pluto that he is destined to fail as his covenant with Zeus allows him to only hold sway over the dominion of the dead. Pluto says that with his power over the dead channeled through Valkyrie, the Chooser of the Slain, that he will raise up a vast army that will allow him to turn Earth into a dominion of the dead. The Hulk tells “Bald-Man” that he will smash him. Pluto says that is an empty threat. Pluto says that the temple is steeped in magicks that will hide him from Zeus’ eyes. He says that Valkyrie will mask him power, and that he will remain hidden until there are so many risen dead that the Earth itself becomes a realm of the dead and therefore rightfully Pluto’s. Pluto says that the covenant will be satisfied and Zeus will be bound by his own words. Namor says that they have defeated greater threats than him before, and that they will stop his as well. Pluto says that the Defenders aren’t going to be doing anything as long as the Gem of Tartarus binds them within the pillar of the temple. Pluto says that even Strange’s astral form can’t get out. Pluto says that once his army is raised that he will kill each of them with the proper rituals he will need to raise them up as his servants. The old man starts shouting at Pluto. Pluto walks up to the old man’s head that sticks out of the pillar and snaps his neck. Pluto laughs at the Defenders’ outrage. Valkyrie slightly twitches.
Nighthawk, Hellcat, and “Val” arrive. Pluto calls for his Valkyrie to defend him. Hellcat leaps to the top of the pillar trapping the Defenders and kicks the Gem of Tartarus. The Defenders are free and Hulk starts rambling that he is the strongest one who lives. Namor says that Hulk’s strength didn’t have anything to do with them getting free. Strange asks Nighthawk how they got there. Nighthawk explains that his man Papa Hagg developed a teleportation ring that is linked to the power of the curse. Strange asks about the Valkyries, and Nighthawk replies that he thinks theirs is the true Valkyrie.
Pluto shouts to “kill them all”. Suddenly thousands of the dead advance on the Defenders. Nighthawk says that now that the team is together again that nothing will stop them. Namor says that there is no team, only the curse. Hulk is just happy to be smashing. Surfer blasts the demons with the power cosmic. Strange faces off against Pluto. Strange says that it is time for Pluto to retreat. Pluto says that no oddly dressed mortals are going to foil his plans, and that no matter how formidable Strange’s powers are that they are no match for his power.
Hellcat is fighting off the dead as she watches the two Valkyries fight over the glowing spear. As the struggle a bolt of lightning crashes down and strikes the Valkyrie that came with Nighthawk and Valkyrie. “Val’ is revealed to be Lorelei, the Ice Queen. Lorelei says that she absorbed enough of her power from the Valkyrie spell to break free from the half-life that Pluto inflicted on her. Lorelei flies towards Pluto and tells him to tremble in fear.
Pluto tells Lorelei not to mess with him or he will trap her again. Lorelei says that Pluto’s plan is dependant on her power, and that he had it willingly. Lorelei says that now she will withdraw her power and finish Pluto’s plan and place herself on the throne. Pluto and Lorelei start to fight over control of the Valkyrie. Valkyrie starts to break free of their control. Pluto suggest that they team up again to ensure that Valkyrie doesn’t escape. Lorelei says that Pluto must be mad to think she would allow him to betray her again. Lorelei says that the tortures she will inflict on him will make Zeus seem merciful.
Hellcat hears this and recalls that the temple is what is hiding Pluto from Zeus’ eyes. Silver Surfer, Hulk, and Namor rush towards the temple and destroy it. Strange says that they should have consulted with him before they did that. Strange says that the temple wasn’t just a hiding place, but that it was a link to Hades’ underworld. The ground begins to shake. The ground explodes creating a giant path to Hades. Myriads of demons pour out. Pluto says that with the gateway destroyed that he can no longer control the opening to Hades. Lorelei laughs as she says that at least Pluto has succeeded in destroying the Earth.
RETURN TO DR. STRANGE'S DEFENDERS