Carol Danvers’ Plan Saves the Day: Avengers Vol 1 #188– October 1979
Avengers Vol 1 #188: "Elementary, Dear Avengers"
At last, we get to see Carol Danvers use her brain and not just her muscles during a battle with the Avengers.
After the events of the previous issue, the Avengers are heading home. They are also leaving Quicksilver in Attilan with his wife, Crystal. The Avengers are of course impressed by the Attilan and the thought of living in a place where all people have powers. Powers which they don’t need to hide. Crystal announces that a celebration will be held, to celebrate the fact that she is pregnant with Quicksilver’s child. Quicksilver gives the happy news to the Avengers as soon as he realizes the meaning of her words. Of course, all of them are happy to hear the news.
All accept Scarlet Witch who wonders about her own future. Could she have kids with Vision? Does she even want children?
After a night of celebration, the Avengers head home and leave Quicksilver behind. On the jet, Scarlet Witch and Wonder Man see Beast reading the Darkhold. Nothing good can come out of that. That’s what Scarlet Witch thinks. So, she burns the Darkhold while Beast is holding it. Setting a fire on an airplane from some reason sounds like a good idea to her.
Apparently, their flight back leads them straight over Russia, who is not very friendly at this point. A few airplanes join them pretty fast. Just as things cool down, the Russian airplanes get attacked. Beast suggests that the Avengers will offer their assistance. Captain America is hesitant, because it is the Cold War after all. The WASP sides with Beast and Wonder Man and Scarlet Witch side with Captain America. Wonder Man is very fearful, and Ms. Marvel tries to calm him by reminding him that the U.S. have signed agreements with the U.S.S.R. Beast says that they save everyone and saving the world means saving the world for Russians as well.
Wonder Man wants them to consult with Mr. Gyrich. The man who didn’t approve of their previous mission to save Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Not a great plan.
Ms. Marvel takes care of this problem by secretly destroying the radio. How nice and actually very active of her. This is the most active in a none-battle way that we’ve seen her with the Avengers so far. Ms. Marvel comments, sarcastically, that now the Avengers will have to make the decision for themselves “like real people!” However, I think that the more correct terms would be like a real team and not a government organization. Captain America agrees to at least investigate the cause. He did not even ask for Falcon’s opinion, a fact that angers Falcon and reinforces his token status in his own eyes.
The Avengers find themselves inside of a Nuclear Power Plant. Something from inside the plant is attacking the Russian soldiers. The six new Avengers arrive to help. At first the Russians think the Avengers are the enemy, but then a Colonel correct them that Captain America fought with the Russians during World War II. He also informs the Avengers that someone with superpowers have taken over the reactor. Then all of the Russians fall down in one blast.
The WASP is the first to notice that something is coming their way.
A creature called Vanadium appears.
Ms. Marvel tries to attack it, but she greats defeated easily. Of course. It’s almost a tradition at this point that she is the Avenger to go down.
Apparently, Vanadium is a type of metal, so it will be difficult to take him out. However, it was too difficult for Wonder Man. The Avengers go into the plant since Vanadium said he is only the first of many. At last, Captain America notices that Falcon’s silence is strange.
Inside the plant they find elements that have turned into living human shaped beings, emblements like carbon. Captain America attacks first with his shield, but it has no impact on them. Then all of the Avengers join the attack.
They all get defeated. Falcon attacks the deadliest one, a lethal gas. This causes the Avengers to retreat. When Falcon notices that WASP is missing he turns back to try and save her. He thinks he doesn’t belong with the Avengers and that he is not a team player. He gets defeated and the Avengers retreat.
Outside they notice that the Russians are investigating the Quinjet. They were too trusting. Scarlet Witch takes them all out with one blow of her powers. She is still by far the most impressive female Avenger. Although apparently, the WASP managed to doge the elements unharmed.
She tells the Avengers what she saw in there. Then it is Ms. Marvel that comes up with a plan to defeat the elements. At last, her Kree knowledge seems useful.
All of the Avengers walk into the plant again. Scarlet Witch uses her powers to get Falcon out of his imprisonment. Now he is grateful to not be forgotten. Ms. Marvel and Beast hold a laser canon and blow apart the fusion reactor. This causes a rain of hot nuclear plasma. Whatever that is. The Avengers runaway before they will get burned as well.
They can’t escape fast enough, so Wonder Man flies through the ceiling. That clear away for the flying Avengers to carry the rest of their members.
Ms. Marvel is so strong that she flies while carrying two Avengers: Scarlet Witch and Beast. That is mighty impressive. Falcon saves his buddy, Captain America.
The Russians try to harm the Quinjet as it flies away, but they don’t stand a chance.
Ms. Marvel shines in this issue at last. She wants the Avengers to be a team and not a scared government organization, so she takes out their radio. She tires to take out Vanadium by herself because she is brave, and she knows that she is strong. She comes up with the plan to destroy the elements because she is smart. In this issue she really got to shine. The problem in most issues is that she is not the strongest nor the smart Avenger, so she seems less impress than she really is. Iron Man and Beast are smarter than her, Wonder Man and Thor are stronger than her and Scarlet Witch’s powers are more impressive than hers. But, despite all of that, she at last got her moment to shine.
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