Welcome back to The Man in the HYDRA Castle, Multiversity Comics’s ongoing recap of Marvel’s “Secret Empire” storyline. As always, spoilers abound.
Last time on “Secret Empire”…
Thanks, tiny caption.
Because we’re one issue away from “Secret Empire” ending (two if you include “Secret Empire Omega” which I’m trying not to), we’ve hit that point in the Marvel Crossover Narrative wehre everything is just sort of resolving itself. Under Sam Wilson’s leadership, all of Marvel’s heroes are having a massive battle in DC while everyone else in this issue finds different ways to get out under the fascist grip they’ve been in for nine issues so they can join the battle. Or they can be Spider-Man and just show up with no explanation for where he was this entire time.
Thanks, Pete. Black Panther’s also held captive on Steve Roger’s mothership along with a delegation from New Tian who decided to finally betray HYDRA with Magneto who attacks their ship. Out of all the theories that were popping up back when we thought “Secret Empire” was going to be super offensive instead of super undercooked, I’m glad “Magneto Joins HYDRA” didn’t come true at all. Unfortunately, “Thor Joins HYDRA” did until the very moment he realized we were near the end of the series and chose to start wrapping things up.
Apparently the inhuman Inhuman concentration camps, the destruction of Las Vegas, and the other time all the heroes got together to fight weren’t enough. No wonder he stopped being Worthy.
Elsewhere in the “things getting wrapped up” department, the Vision’s daughter Viv saves him by purging him of his virus and Doctor Strange cures Scarlet Witch’s possession by Cthon via summoning Thor to smack her in the back of the head. Not everything needs to be solved with magic. Also, The Champions get bailed out by Taskmaster and Black Ant who have the best reason for suddenly leaving HYDRA: they’re just not feeling it.
I desperately need one last tie-in that’s just Taskmaster anxiously standing around a Shake Shack, holding onto his pager and nervously wondering if the cashier forgot to buzz him.
Up on the HYDRA base, Winter Soldier and Black Panther knock out Baron Zemo while Sharon Carter just straight up poisons Doctor Faustus with, uh, knockout poison. With everyone finally outside HYDRA’s grip, there’s just one boss fight left. Steve Rogers in Wolfenstein armor powered by the Cosmic Cube.
And that’s where we leave off! See you in two weeks when we finally get to the finale of “Secret Emp- wait. I forgot, I skipped something about those vision scenes with bearded Cap.
lol
