Order #5
Title: "Blinded by Science”
Writers: Jo Duffy and Kurt Busiek
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inker: Jose Pimentel
Colors: Gregory Wright & Tom Smith’s Color Arts
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Bunnyhopper assures the Parringtons that he is sure that everything is going to be all right. Reginald says that he has been assured by a computer-simulated moth eaten plush rabbit and that he feels so much better. Bunnyhopper says that Reginald is the one that programmed him to be this way, but that he also set him up to be able to tap into news feeds and government information sources and that his daughter and the Defenders do tend to come out okay. Reginald recalls that he also programmed Bunnyhopper to be upbeat and encouraging. Bunnyhopper says that he is still honest though. Malicia says that she thought that Samantha would grow out of the Valkyrie fad like she did all the others, but that now she has been gone for so long. She says, “that vile little Papa Hagg, who magicks them all over creation, and doesn’t seem to care about anything… he’s gone too. And I don’t know where Samantha is or what she’s doing! Confound it! I’m her mother! I have a right to know!” Reginald asks Bunnyhopper to show them something. Bunnyhopper says that he even disabled the ‘upbeat/encouraging filter’ and that the Defenders seem, to have vanished off the face of the Earth. Bunnyhopper says that they went after the Order and that they haven’t been seen or heard from since. Bunnyhopper says that he can tell them about the Order though. He reminds them how the Order shut down violent entertainment and ceased oil drilling. He says that petroleum stores are being used up at an alarming rate. He says that the world’s armed forces and super humans keep trying to stop them, but that it always ends the same. Bunnyhopper shows them some footage from a ‘military-only cable-feed from the Pentagon’. The Order flies away from a now closed nuclear power plant. Strange says that mankind can look for new energy sources now that they aren’t spending all their time watching television and waging war. Hulk says that he doesn’t get it and that he thought that the whole purpose of the Order was to make their lives easier by eliminating and guarding against anything that could trigger the curse, but that all this other stuff doesn’t have anything to do with that. He says that they are making more work for themselves and not less. Surfer says to call it a whim and asks why shouldn’t they do it. Surfer says that since they have the power that they may as well improve the Earth while they are at it. Namor says that he agrees and that while the Hulk may be afraid of confrontation that he sees no reason not to make the surface monkeys tidy the planet up a bit. Hulk says, “Fine, fine. I jus got here, after all… at least in this incarnation. Still seems like we’re picking a fight… but if that’s what we’re doing, then that’s what we’re doing. Bring it on.” Malicia says that she thought it was all a game, but that their little girl went up against those monsters. She asks how she could win or even survive. Reginald says that they will just have to hope that she did.
At the center of the Citadel, the unclaimed throne stands, The Order are each in their quarters dreaming of the violence of the day. They are enjoying and reveling in it. They enjoyed releasing the anger and the power and imposing their will on others. They dream of darkness and joy. The smoke from before now becomes a smoke form of Yandroth. Yandroth smiles an evil smile.
In her realm, Gaea wonders if her decision to keep Yandroth’s curse in place was a mistake. She thinks that the idea was a good one, but wonders if these defenders’ actions will bring health and peace or cataclysm and destruction.
In Manhattan, Captain America asks Reed Richards if there has been any word yet. Reed says that there has been none, but that if there is anything to find that they will turn it up. Reed says that he still can’t believe it. He says that he knows most of the Order well and that he can’t believe that any of them, even the Hulk, could be capable of this. Professor X agrees and says that they have often been misunderstood, but that their instincts are good. Iron Man says that if Professor X were there when their ‘good instincts’ pounded them all over Antarctica that he wouldn’t have any trouble believing. He says that they have to find them before things get worse. Scarlet Witch says that they have been looking when suddenly there is a ‘ping ping ping’ on the sensors. Reed says that they have something. He says that it is barely a hint, but that there has been a dimensional breach high above the North Atlantic recently. He sends the signature over to the other consoles for analysis. Professor X says that he senses fear, pain, and overwhelming rage. Professor X sends it to Wanda. Wanda says that there were sorceries at work there and that wherever the breach leads that it was opened by Dr. Strange. Captain America says that he will tell the others to get ready. Reed reminds Cap that they may not be able to find them. Cap tells Reed to keep at it, and that he has confidence in all of them. Cap says that they will lead them somewhere and then the hard part will begin.
On the other
side of the breach, the Defenders and the female Order arrives at
their destination. Namorita says that the place looks “kind
of sucky”. She-Hulk agrees but says that she is just glad to
be anywhere. She says that all of them were so angry that she
thought they were going to kill them instead of banishing them.
Clea says that She-Hulk may have been right, but that there was
something in the magicks around the Citadel. Val says that it
doesn’t matter what they intended as they have wounded in an
unknown hostile land. Val says that they need to find shelter
before something “sucky” dooms all of them. Ardina
apologizes to Hellcat and Nighthawk she never dreamed that she
would be used as a missile, or that she would injure them so
much. Nighthawk says that is all right. Val tells She-Hulk to
move quickly and that they are being observed. She-Hulk spots a
giant angry snail moving towards them. Nighthawk jokes that the
thing is moving at three miles per hour. Hellcat adds that in a
month they could be in trouble. Nighthawk says that she is loopy
with pain, and Hellcat asks, “And y-you’re
not…?” Val tells Namorita and She-Hulk to get the
wounded and retreat. She says that a predator so slow must have
other means of disabling its prey. Suddenly a high pitch
frequency pierces Namorita’s ears. She-Hulk grabs Nighthawk
and Clea uses a spell of levitation to move Hellcat and Namorita.
Clea spots an enormous bat flying right at She-Hulk. Val manages
to deflect the snail’s attack towards the bat. The bat is
hit and falls to the ground on top of the snail.
As they run, the hear alien voices. She-Hulk looks over and spots two children size people in the path of volcanic molten. Namorita says that she sees it and flies towards the kids to save them. Ardina discovers that she has a cosmic power like the Silver Surfer’s and manages to deflect the lava with a blast. Nita tells Ardina that was nice work when suddenly an unknown voice says in English that it was indeed nice work. They all turn to see a man flying there. He says that he trusts that his translation vocorithm is making it possible for them to understand him. The man introduces himself as Dr. Christopher Ganyrog, Scientist Supreme of the realm. He introduces the woman with him as “Romantic Objective Pamela” and says that they were on their way there, but he wants them to accept his and the thanks of the young children’s parents for saving them. Hellcat realizes where they are when Ganyrog calls himself the “Scientist Supreme” and says that she knows now who has been behind all of their troubles.
The Hulk walks along in the Citadel and says that he can’t sleep. He says that something is wrong. He says that something is at the back of his brain, that he doesn’t know what it is, but that he doesn’t like it. Suddenly Namor, Strange, and Surfer are there as well. Namor says that he doesn’t like the Hulk’s tone. Surfer snipes at Namor that every expression of displeasure is not a personal attack on him. Strange tells Surfer and Namor to be quiet and that the Hulk is right and that they are all on edge. Strange wonders why. A mist starts to form around the throne. Strange says that the Earth is protected from outside attackers and from their fellow creatures. He says that they are almost done their work. He says that humanity will not change immediately, but that they will adjust. Surfer says that their lives will be their own again to live relatively undisturbed. Hulk says that is what they all want, but asks why the thought of it feels like backing down. Namor says that he is surprised to be agreeing with the Hulk, but that it does feel like retreat and cowardice. Namor asks if they are afraid to face their opponents openly. He asks if they are afraid that they would lose. Hulk’s face turns into a grimace and says, “Lose? Lose?” Yandroth’s body seems to be forming on the throne.
Hellcat says, “It’s Yandroth, isn’t it? Somehow, some way… It’s Yandroth.” Romantic Objective Pamela tells Hellcat that she should lie back and let the indigo ray do its work. Ganyrog tells her that it is all right and that Hellcat and Nighthawk are both nearly healed. He says that they are a hardy lot. Ganyrog says that Hellcat is right though. He says that this is Yann in the Geuliscwarz system. He says that she is also right in that it is Yandroth, their former ruler, is responsible. She-Hulk says, “Okay. I’ll bite. The dead guy did it? How does that work?” Val asks if he escaped death and forced the Defenders to become the Order. Ganyrog says that Yandroth is dead, but that all he wants from the Order is their anger. Ganyrog says that Yandroth has worn many form , but that for years he always had the same goal, to be reborn into his own world. Ganyrog says that Yandroth seems to have given up on that for another road to power. He says that for months now Yann has been experiencing upheavals, like the volcano, as a result of energy channeled into the planet’s core. He says that he tracked the energy to its source to Earth and specifically from the violence unleashed by the Order. Ganyrog says that if the energy influx continues that Yann will be destroyed and the power of the destruction will bounce back. Nighthawk guesses that the power will bring Yandroth fully back to life. Ganyrog says that it correct, but that he will also be reborn with enough power to rule their world and to destroy any who stand in his way. She-Hulk says that is why Doc’s blast led them through the Earth-Yann link. Namorita says that Yandroth never cared about anything they did so long as the curse made them cranky and cause them to get into fights. Ganyrog says that there is a certain arrogance to being a hero. “I can help others’ is where it starts. ‘I can do good’. That arrogance is checked by conscience, by intellect. But when emotion overwhelms conscience, when anger drowns out reason, as your friends discovered… ‘I can help’ becomes ‘I will help, like it or not.’ And ‘I can do good… becomes ‘my way or the skyway.”
Hulk says that it is not enough to make the world safe. He says that they have to acknowledge it. Namor says that they have to thank them and bow down before them, They all agree. Yandroth’s shadowy form smiles.
In a room in New York, members of the X-Men, Generation X, Avengers, Fantastic Four, and solo heroes like Spider-Man and Daredevil have gathered. Wasp says that the signal could sound at any moment and that everyone should stay ready. She says that they have to separate and overwhelm them. She says that they have to try and neutralize their powers. Black Knight says that he still thinks that there has to be another way. He says that the four of them are heroes and that they have saved humanity time and time again. Wolverine says that he has already seen this movie. He says that they might have started as cute puppies that saved the farm, but that now they have gone rabid. He says that they feel bad about it, but that it can’t stop them from putting them down. Suddenly the siren blares.
Clea says that Strange and the others may not have triggered the situation, but that they are responsible for how they reacted reacted to it. She says that they are going to need Ganyrog’s aid on stopping them. Ganyrog says that they will provide passage back to Earth and anything else they need, but that they have to stop them quickly and do it without violence. Ganyrog says that Yandroth is frighteningly close to his goal and that the Order must be stopped before Yandroth gets the power he needs.
Hulk shouts that they will not hide and
slink back like cowards. Surfer says that they saved the world
from itself. He starts to say that if the people don’t like
it, but Hulk finishes, “… we’ll rub their noses in
it!” Namor tells Strange to drop the shields and that they
will hide no longer. Strange says that the shields are gone
forever and that they will seek out those that oppose them. Reed,
Captain America, and all the others are right there. 
Hulk says,
“What? Already…!” Captain America orders everyone
not to give them a chance to act. He says that for Earth,
freedom, and humanity that they attack.
Ganyrog finishes, “…or your Earth, and our Yann.. are doomed!”
Yandroth laughs a laugh of triumph.
The Order’s Mandate: 9 out of 10
This story has really turned out well in my opinion. I have to admit that I’m a little disappointed that the “mystery” villain in Defenders vol. 2 #8 wasn’t responsible, but this seems to be working out just as well. I hope that Yandroth gets a little closer to his goal and that we get to see a battle royal in the next issue. Ivan Reis does a magnificent job with the art in this issue. I hope we get to see his work next issue as well.
RETURN TO DR. STRANGE'S DEFENDERS