Avengers Arena (2013 series) #5

This issue is mainly about the kids from the Braddock Academy in Britain.

Kid Briton *knows* he's the natural leader of this bunch. He considers the other 2 males, Cullen Bloodstone and Anachronism, weak or cowardly. He thinks about killing them now but he knows his girlfriend Katy (Apex) wouldn't like that. He ignores the young cyborg girl, Death Locket, that Katy has dragged into their camp as her 'protegee'. (The last member, the Atlantean Nara, is around somewhere.)

Then we get a flashback to Braddock Academy where Elsa Bloodstone (Cullens' older sister), Meggan (Captain Britain's human/faery hybrid wife), Spitfire (Jacqueline Falsworth) and Union Jack (Joseph Chapman) are fighting a big monster on the grounds. Inside the Manor Captain Britain (Brian Braddock) is trying to talk some sense into Kid Briton (a younger Brian B from a different timeline). CapB knows that KidB was born into a much tougher world than he was and it's made him a fighter from an early age. He sees so much potential in the kid which he's throwing away. He could be the team's noble leader but instead he's a cocky, self-important bully. But KidB reminds him that their powers depend on their confidence, and his self-confidence allowed him to save his universe at least 5 times before Cap 'pulled him out'. KidB has been suggesting that they might need some help outside, and Elsa terminates their 'chat' when she's thrown through a window and asks for it.

Now the denizens of Murder World are shaken by an earthquake. We see Cammi shaken out of her tree, and Hazmat and X-23 tending to Reptil, burned last issue. Then a vision of their captor Arcade appears in the sky to tell them that he's bored by the low death count so far, so for the next 24 hours the island will become a more 'interesting' place. Chase Stein and Nico Minoru are running away from their beach base which is menaced by a tidal wave. They see Cammi riding an avalanche of snow which is about to engulf her when Nico's magic staff gives her a protective globe. But Chase still has to blast away the load of snow she's buried under and Cammi assumes he's going to attack her. Meanwhile Arcade has announced that there is a safe zone on the outskirts of each of the 4 quadrants, and the Q2 safe zone is full of food, water and medical supplies.

In what I believe is Q1 Anachronism is moving a large fallen tree to look for his axe, and Cullen is helping him look. KidB suggests that he and the women leave them to it, because Aiden would never have the guts to use it anyway. Cullen announces that he's found it and throws it directly at Brian's head. He calls "Catch" and Aiden does so. Angry Kid Briton knocks Cullen down but Anachronism stops him from landing another blow and the 2 have a staring match. Nara enjoys it but Katy tells them to cut it out.

Another fb has power couple Brian and Katy interrupted by Aiden (pre-Anachronism) wandering in playing a dragon-slaying game on his laptop. Brian uses his flaming sword to cut through the computer, showing him how to really slay dragons. Then he goes to see Nara who it turns out he's having an affair with. Aiden wanders in again and KidB beats him up to make sure he doesn't tell anyone. He tells Nara that the coward would probably have kept quiet without the beating but he knows it turns Nara on. At this point I think Aiden gets turned into Anachronism.

Now Chase and Nico have apparently persuaded Cammi they don't want to kill her. She believes there are 4 dead:- Mettle, Red Raven (the bird girl from day 1), the kid with the Sentinel (Juston) and surprisingly Darkhawk because he's been missing for days. She says she's good at surviving but she has no superpower so she offers an alliance. She'll teach them how to stay alive and they'll protect her.

Aiden and Cullen are lagging behind the others discussing how Arcade is doing all this. Is it magic? Or are they in a computer simulation? Cullen thinks it doesn't make any difference to what they need to do. The pair are walking across a natural rock bridge over a fast-flowing river when the bridge gives way, dumping them in the water. KidB laughs and Nara suggests it saves having to kill them later (because only 1 char is allowed to leave Murder World alive). Death Locket blasts her and she falls in the water.

Hazmat and X-23 are carrying Reptil on a makeshift stretcher, desperate to get him to the promised medical supplies in the Q2 desert. Humberto Lopez wakes up for the 1st time since he got burnt. Relieved Jenny Takeda says she was worried because Chase hurt him so bad. But 'Berto says it *wasn't* Chase it was the Deathlok girl.

Kid Briton is shaking Becca Ryker asking her why she blasted Nara and Becca says she doesn't know. Katy Bashir intercedes and points out that the Atlantean can't be fazed by being pushed into water. She follows on by saying the 3 of *them* have the best chance of getting to the supply cache. He himself had said that the other 2 males were dead weight, and she adds that Nara is impulsive, mean-spirited and not much use on dry land. She also says that she *knew* they were having an affair back at the school, but now she's done sharing. And KidB's displayed power rating drops to 3/6 because of the dent in his self-confidence.