Avengers, The (1963 series) #261

Story continues from AVENGERS ANNUAL #14.

The Avengers (Captain America, Hercules, Starfox, Wasp, Black Knight, Captain Marvel) are with the Skrulls, summarizing the most recent developments in the plot. The Hyperwave Bomb has eliminated the Skrulls’ shapeshifting abilities so they decide to content themselves with claiming the Sanctuary II. But Starfox destroys the craft, which, as brother to its late owner (Thanos), he has the legal right to do. As the Avengers prepare to take their leave, Firelord tells them to beware of the Skrulls’ treachery—until Wasp and Captain Marvel inform him that it was the Skrulls who saved his life and Firelord is astonished. General Zedrao sees them off, noting that while he doesn’t understand such selflessness, he does appreciate their help….

Starfox’s ship takes off from the Skrull liner and enters sub-space. Starfox informs his teammates that he is leaving the Avengers. He tells them of Nebula’s claim to be Thanos’ granddaughter and his personal and familial responsibility to stop her. Firelord adds that, as Nebula destroyed his homeworld, it is his duty to capture her as well. The Avengers leave the starship by their own Quinjet and return to Earth. Cap M departs before they land to visit her parents in New Orleans to assure them she is well after her long absence….

The rest of the team arrives at the Mansion to be met by Jarvis, telling them of a strange visitor looking for the Avengers, whom Captain America deduces was the Beyonder. They decide that tracking him down is their priority. Then Jarvis shows them a letter from the Federal Aviation Administration, giving them 30 days to move the Quinjets out of the city….

Cap and Wasp follow it up with the FAA and learn that their stockpile of jet fuel is considered a safety hazard and their exemption has been revoked by the government. Cap argues that they are facing a new menace and, to oblige, the Beyonder appears in the room. He agrees to talk to them but only after they catch him and he dashes out. Cap and Wasp pursue him though Washington but when they catch up to him, Beyonder decides that it was too easy and vanishes again….

Black Knight and Hercules visit Project Pegasus with a recording of the Beyonder’s energy signal, asking if it can be used to track him down. The Beyonder then appears before them; Herc seizes him and the alien visitor blasts Herc away, taking half of the mountain with him. Terrified, Black Knight challenges the Beyonder to a sword duel so the visitor raises sword-wielding arms from the floor; Dane chops them down and finds they weren’t illusions. Beyonder faces BK with a flaming sword and impales himself on the Ebony Blade; he decides he must go elsewhere and process this experience and vanishes, leaving the sword behind….

The Avengers convene to talk over the problem and when Hercules says he knows what he would do if he met the Beyonder. The Beyonder then appears and asks what so Herc punches him, sending him upward through several floors. Jet fuel is ignited, touching off an explosion and fire. The automatic extinguishers deal with it and Beyonder tells the Avengers he just wants to understand everything and thought he would ingratiate himself to the heroes by having them pursue him. Wasp offers to make him an Avenger-in-Training; her thinking is that if they can keep him under watch, they can guide him into that appropriate behavior among humans. He is uncertain about membership but he does them a favor and restores all the damaged parts of the Mansion and departs. The Avengers wonder what will happen next….