Thunderbolts #75

Title: "Didn’t See That Coming”

Writer: Fabian Nicieza

Penciller: Manuel Garcia

Inker: Scott Hanna

Colors: Hi-Fi Design

Editor: Andrew Lis

Zemo and Hawkeye keep aiming at one another. Abe and Melissa look at one another. Zemo tells Hawkeye that this is pointless. He says that there is still work to be done. Hawkeye says that there is no rest for the world conquering. Zemo calls Hawkeye an idiot and asks him if he sees the big white void. He says that the void was only fully sealed on Counter Earth. He says that they have to plug both sides. Karla tells Clint to listen to Zemo. Hawkeye says that he is happy that Karla is back, but asks what is going on. Karla says that she will tell him later, but to listen to him now. Hawkeye says that this is Zemo. She says that if he doesn’t trust Zemo then to trust her. Hawkeye tells his team to do what the guy with the pink sock on his head says. Zemo says that it is magenta. Harrier and MACH-3 compliment one another’s suits. MACH-3 asks if he is Cardinal. Harrier says that he doesn’t go by that name unless Abe wants to be called Beetle. MACH-3 says, “Touché. And it’s MACH-5 now.” Songbird asks if they can ever have a reunion that doesn’t involve taking over or saving the world. Karla asks what they would talk about. Blackheath says that the metal is losing. Erik asks what he is talking about. Skein says that it is his way of saying to clear out. Dallas tells Erik that she can walk again. Erik says that she had better run.

The Vanguard is collapsing on itself. Jim Hammond, Elizabeth, Citizen V, and Silver Sable wait outside. Suddenly the Thunderbolts are coming toward them. MACH-3 is carrying Erik and Dallas. Fixer is carrying Blackheath. Moonstone is carrying Zemo. Songbird is carrying Hawkeye, and Harrier has Skein and Amazon. Both Zemo and Hawkeye tell Songbird to create a sonic wall behind them. Songbird says that it is stereo bosses. Zemo says that they aren’t done yet. He tells Moonstone to phase the Vanguard and everything around it. Citizen V sees Zemo, but Zemo says, “Not now, Watkins”. V says that Zemo stole his body and usurped his role as Citizen V. He says that now is a good time for Zemo to pay. Hawkeye says that it isn’t, and hits V with a net arrow. Zemo thanks Hawkeye, but Hawkeye tells him to shut up. Zemo tells Moonstone to do it now. Hawkeye feels Karla’s increased power. He feels himself get thicker as she manipulates the gravity around them. He thinks about how Karla is phasing a ship the size of a building and wonders how she will deal with such power. He sees Atlas separated, Dallas walking, Zemo their leader, and Jolt no where to be seen. Hammond asks if there is no way for the ship to be saved. Hawkeye says that he is sorry, but that he void would just keep feeding unless they close it. Elizabeth asks if it isn’t convenient that the only way to stop the void is for Zemo to destroy them. Zemo says that he would have used the word ironic. Zemo says that their war was with his father, and that his war is not with them. Elizabeth asks who he is fighting then. Zemo says, “Elizabeth, Alzheimer’s notwithstanding, you are still the one with the uncanny sense of deductive reasoning… why don’t you tell me?” The castle and ship disappear and the Thunderbolts have saved the world. Abe and Songbird kiss. Sable and V pull guns on Zemo. Sable says that he is under arrest for crimes against humanity. Zemo tells Sable, daughter of a Nazi hunter, and John Watkins III, whose grandfather was killed by Zemo’s father, that the man that they are trying to arrest is legally dead, and that no court could hold him accountable for his crimes. Zemo removes his mask to show his unscarred face. Hawkeye, Sable, and V are all confused. Zemo says that these people do not deserve to stand in judgment of them. Zemo cues Karla and the Thunderbolts all disappear. Hammond says that he has been leader of the V-Battalion for a month and that he has lost everything. Sable says that it is no big deal and tells Watkins to tell Hammond. V says that they have only lost everything that they know about.

In a private villa in the Canary Islands, Norbert tells Karla that this is a nice place. Karla thanks him and asks if this was the home of Dr. Faustus. Fixer says to tell him that there are enough bikinis to go around. Karla asks him if he is going to wear one. Hawkeye looks at Zemo and asks what now. Skein says that she is going for swim and asks who has time to look for a suit. She uses her powers to remove her clothes. Fixer’s tongue hangs out of his mouth. Hawkeye says that everyone is making it hard to want to kick Zemo’s ass. Hawkeye looks at Erik and Dallas. Karla says that it is a long story. Karla asks about Amazon, Blackheath, and Harrier. Hawkeye says that is a long story too. Karla says that they have time, but Zemo asks if they do. Hawkeye says that for now they’ll trade stories. He asks where Jolt is for starters.

On Counter-Earth, Jolt and the Young Allies teleport to Attilan. The people recognize Jolt, but wonder where the rest of their Thunderbolts are. Bucky says that she thought closing the void would kill Jolt. Jolt says that Fixer fired something on her, and that she thinks he saved her life. Toro says that they made it home, and that she is stuck there. Jolt says that this is where she wanted to be. Toro asks what they do now. Jolt says that they keep working to save the planet together. She asks the Young Allies if they are interested. Bucky asks Jolt if she has a dental plan.

Katrina Luisa Van Horn thinks about leaving. She is used to running away from challenges, responsibilities, and ever herself. She thinks about being part of the team and making friends. Erik tells her that Morocco is a couple hundred miles to the east. She looks at him and he asks if that is what she was thinking. She asks what if she was. Erik says that he is sorry to interrupt. He says that they are up there talking about who is going to lead them and everything. He says that he is just a grunt and figured he would go for some air. Amazon says that he doesn’t even have powers anymore, and asks if he thinks of himself as still part of the team. Erik says that powers don’t make me who or how he wants to be. Man-Killer says that is the difference between them. She says that she doesn’t have the guts that he does and wades into the water and leaves. Dallas stands behind Erik and says that she has outstanding warrants in eight states. Erik says that she will get caught and that “our kind always does”. Dallas holds Erik from behind. She says that it isn’t her kind and that it isn’t his either. Erik wonders if Man-Killer is right. He wonders if he can make any difference without powers anymore. Dallas says that the two of them shared body and soul. She says that she knows what is in his heart, and that he will be fine. She kisses him. She says that as far as powers go that she feels a little guilty. Erik asks why. She says that when they “de-merged” that the ionic energy and bioelectricity repaired her nervous system, but that it also lets her do this. Dallas does a back flip. Launches off one tree to another and then flips again. Erik says that is amazing. He asks her what she is going to do now.

Fixer watches Erik and Dallas. He watches all of them. He thinks how all of them tried to make new lives for themselves, even Zemo, but that all he did was keep playing games. Being brilliant, but still just as a game. He sees that Plantman is sticking around and says, “Plantman? He’s gonna make a go of it? $#@! me. What am I doing with my life?” Zemo is standing in Fixer’s doorway and says that it is interesting for people like them to have the luxury of choices. He says that it seems that their paths had been chosen years ago. Fixer says that he thinks that they are past individual decisions. He says that they are past that and that they do what they have to. He says that the only real question is how they go about doing it. Zemo asks if the formula matters more than the solution. Fixer says that it isn’t more important, but that they know the answer, all of them, in their hearts. He says that he bets even Zemo knows. He says that the question is how will they structure the equation to arrive at the answer that they already know. Zemo asks how will they. Fixer flies out the window.

Hawkeye watches Fixer flying away and asks Karla if he is running away. Karla says, “With Norbert, who can tell? Want me to stop him, Clint?” Hawkeye says to forget him. He says that with all these changes to the group that he isn’t sure that he can herd the group anymore. Karla says that they might not need him to. Hawkeye asks if she really thinks that Zemo can lead them. Karla says that it sure would push the envelope on the whole “wanna-be heroes” media label. Hawkeye asks if she is serious. Karla says that she doesn’t know.

Two hours to the East, Fixer targets Iraqi soldiers. He wipes out all the guards and enters a secure vault by ripping the doors off. He looks at all the canisters and says, “Saddam, you bad boy.” Fixer neutralizes all the chemical weapons. He takes a weapon and then flies out of the place as it explodes.

Two hours later to the West, Abe tells Melissa that he is sorry, but that it is a choice he has to make. Songbird storms out of the room past Harrier and Skein. Harrier asks what choice that is. Abe says that it is none of his business. Skein says to let her talk to Melissa. She walks out.

Skein asks Songbird if there is anything that she can do. Melissa says that she is sorry she overheard that. Skein says that men suck. She puts her hand on Melissa’s head and says that she could forget him and ditch all this. She says that she knows a club in Casablanca. Melissa asks if Skein is kidding her. She says that first of all that she doesn’t swing that way, and asks “ditch all this?” She says that Skein hasn’t learned anything from her experiences of the last few months. Skein watches her walk away. Blackheath appears and tells Skein that she should go. He says that she doesn’t belong there. Skein says that she guesses that she doesn’t. She asks if he is going to stick around to start a New World Order. Blackheath says, “I expect to be the difference between them helping the world or ruining it.” Skein says, “Ego much?” She asks what about having a good time and starting a ruckus. She asks if the mayhem wasn’t a bigger turn on. Blackheath tells Skein to go.

Hawkeye asks Zemo what he means when he says that he doesn’t know where Fixer went. Zemo says that they were talking, and then he left rather rudely. He says that Fixer has always been rather difficult to manipulate. He asks if Hawkeye prefers “lead”. Hawkeye says that Zemo hasn’t changed at all. Moonstone appears. She says that she returned Skein to her apartment in Hamburg and that she is out. Zemo says that Moonstone is just who he needs. Hawkeye asks for what. Zemo says that jealousy becomes Hawkeye, but that he needs Karla to help him prove that he is not the man that he once knew. Zemo smiles and asks if Hawkeye is mature enough to deal with that.

In Burton Canyon, Zemo, Hawkeye, and Moonstone appear in the home of a young mother and her son. Hawkeye asks how she did that. Moonstone says that it is a little gravity bending and refracting of light so that they aren’t spotted. Hawkeye asks why they are there. Zemo says that he rescued those people from Graviton’s rampage. He says that he did it for no other reason than because it was the right thing to do. Hawkeye says that Zemo is a prince. Zemo says that he is a baron actually.

Seconds later in Central America, Hawkeye asks Zemo if the locals are living in his old castle. Zemo says that after his old body was killed off that the American agents removed everything. Hawkeye says that it is good for the people after all the things that Zemo and his father did to them. Zemo says, “They are at my behest.” Moonstone asks why he bothers. Zemo says that, like Hawkeye said, he treated them like cattle, and that the house stood for death for too long. He says that he wanted it to stand for something more.

Back in the Canary Islands, Hawkeye says that Zemo isn’t a complete piece of crap and asks what that trip proved. Zemo says that Hawkeye said he hadn’t changed at all, but that he thinks that he has. He says that he is a new man in both body and mind, and that he has the unlimited potential to do good if he should choose. Hawkeye says that he could choose bad. Zemo says that the only way they are going to find out is if he finds out for himself without Hawkeye at his side. Hawkeye asks if he wants him to hand over the Bolts to him and then not “watchdog” him. Zemo says that he will have very able watchdogs… the very people that Hawkeye taught to do the right thing. He says that Karla knows that he is right. Hawkeye looks over at Karla. Zemo says to talk to the people that he trusts and walks away. Hawkeye says to Karla that she has never said that she loved him. Karla asks what he wants to talk about. Hawkeye says that when he was going to jail that he said that he loved her. He says that she said, “Me, too”. Moonstone says, “OK. Yes?” Hawkeye says that isn’t the same as “I love you, too’ or even ‘Yeah, ditto”. Karla phases through Clint and asks how he can even question her. She asks if he knows how lost her has been without him. She says that everything she has done has been to earn his approval. She says that because of him that she looked in the mirror and saw how pathetic her life was. She says that she has realized that she can’t do it for him and that she has to do it for her. She says that she can’t do that if he stays and that she would never know if she were doing it for the right reasons. Karla flies away. Hawkeye tells her to wait, but when she is gone he says that she still didn’t say it.

Zemo stands with Dallas and Erik. He sees Moonstone flying away and says that he guesses that went about as he expected. Dallas asks if he is so insecure as to think that he has some control over the choices they are making. Zemo says that isn’t it at all. He says that since he is in a truthful mood that he will tell her that he prefers it this way and that they are making the decisions for him. Zemo walks away. Dallas asks why it is that even when he is trying to be sweet that Zemo leaves a bad taste in her mouth. Erik says that she is going to stay and keep and eye on Zemo. He asks where that leaves him. Fixer says that he will be right where he is supposed to be… by her side. Fixer blasts Erik. Dallas asks what Fixer is doing and that Erik isn’t even bleeding. Erik grows and grows until he is gigantic and nude. He says, “Holy #@$%, I’m Atlas again!” Fixer tells Erik that proportionately speaking that Erik doesn’t have much to be proud of. Erik asks how he did that. Fixer says that he took a trip to Iraq. He says that he trashed a biochemical factory, but that Saddam was hiding a single tank of Pym Particles. He says that it is no wonder that he gives the UN inspectors such a hard time. . Fixer says that he had his own problem. He says that he had to be him, namely a jerk, and still do something worthwhile. He says that the answer is that he can… with no rules or boundries except the rule of right and wrong. He asks if everyone can just make a decision now. Abe says that he has and that he is going back to prison. He says that he has been feeling wrong about himself, and that it just wasn’t the skin. He takes Melissa’s hand. He says that surrendering himself for the murder he committed was the hardest thing he’s ever done in his life. He says that everything since he blackmailed his way out of jail has been a cheat. He says that it is time he stopped cheating himself. Abe says that they all want redemption, and that he knows that he has to earn his. He says that he has to go pay his debt to society, and that anyone crazy enough to understand can come along. Erik asks Mel if this is what she was discussing. Mel says that she is not okay with this. Hawkeye asks if they can talk him into waiting a few days. Abe emerges in his MACH-3 armor. He says that he has waited long enough. Abe thanks Hawkeye for everything. Hawkeye says that Abe is the one that showed him it could work and thanks him. Abe tries to talk to Mel, but she tells him not to. She says that she understands. She says that she doesn’t like it, but that they have made their peace and that she can’t do anything but support the man she loves. Abe is about to go, but Harrier tells him to wait. He says that Abe is going to need someone to watch his back. He says that he was scammed by the Crimson Cowl, but that he knew it and that he ate it up. He says that he doesn’t want to be hunted like a dog, and that even though his daughter isn’t alive to see it that maybe this is a way he can make things right with her. Hawkeye shakes his hand and tells him good luck. Fixer hands Abe a vial. He says that he if wants to change back to his old look that this will undo what he did. Abe says that he really was the Techno robot. Fixer asks if he is mad. Abe says that prison will be safer than being Norbert’s friend. Abe tells Melissa to be a hero and that she owes it to herself. She tells him to also. MACH-3 and Harrier fly off.

Hawkeye says that it is time for him to go too. Dallas asks if he is okay leaving and Zemo staying. Hawkeye says that he isn’t okay with it, but that he sees why he has to. He says that this has been all about getting their lives straight. He says that he fought to give them enough rope to swing or hang. He says to look how many of them swung with it. He asks how he can’t give Zemo the same chance. Mel asks what about her. Hawkeye says that he knows that she will make the right decisions and that if they don’t that beating the snot out of them is what the Avengers live for.

Later, Moonstone reappears and says, “Yeah, ditto…” She goes back to the house and Blackheath asks where she dropped him. She says that she took him to Washington DC, and that he said he wanted to pull some practical jokes on Gyrich and Val Cooper. Zemo asks if Hawkeye was convinced. Moonstone says that he doesn’t suspect a thing. Zemo dons his mask and says that she did the right thing. He thanks all present for making a hard choice, and for believing in him. He says that they would not have agreed that they had the best interests of the world at heart and “That in order to save the planet… the Thunderbolts will have to rule it!”

Traitor’s rating: 7 out of 10

Review and pictures by the Leader

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