Synopsis / Summary / Plot
A new theme park will soon be opening in Los Angeles - Sword & Sorcery World. And the Avengers West Coast have arranged to have the place to themselves and their guests the Fantastic Four tonight. And in particular for Reed and Sue Richards' son Franklin Richards and for Rachel Carpenter the daughter of Julia Carpenter, secretly Spider-Woman. The rides are all automated so there aren't even any staff around.
Rachel recently started reading comics so her mom took her to meet the AWC earlier today. And then mom slipped away and returned as Spider-Woman, saying Julia had asked her to look after her daughter at the amusement park.
Everybody has a go on various rides. Living Lightning comments to Human Torch (Johnny Storm) how he started his super-career by fighting the WWII android HT (#63). Scarlet Witch misses her children who were exposed as figments of magic (#52). Rachel tells Franklin about her parents' divorce and how she only gets to see her mom 1 weekend a month. She's not supposed to tell her dad about mom leaving her with some superheroes.
The kids go for a ride by themselves on the Arkon ride, based on the Arkon movies that Wonder Man stars in - which are themselves based loosely on the other-dimensional villain Arkon. As the ride speeds up canopies enfold the dragon cars to protect the passengers. But the mothers get worried when the dragon train accelerates way to much. Hawkeye tries to pull the brake lever but it comes of in his hands. Lightning tries to drain the electricity from the machinery, but to no avail - even after Miguel Santos switches off the control on his costume and becomes pure electricity himself. Some other characters don't use their powers for fear of harming the children.
Mr. Fantastic grabs the train as it shrooshes past and crawls along the roof until he can slide in through the tiny aperture at the edge of the canopy over the lead car where the kids are. The ride slows to a stop but when the roof opens Reed tells them the car was empty. They assume an enemy has kidnapped the kids.
Then the park goes dark. Torch flames on to supply some light. Mr Fantastic thinks they should ride the train themselves and hope to get taken to where their children have gone. He asks Miguel to provide the power. Everyone piles into the cars except U.S. Agent. Iron Man tells him to stay behind in case the kids return. Johnny Walker's not happy until IM butters him up by saying they need to leave someone who can handle *any* emergency.
Living Lightning is on the train too as he shoots electricity into the tracks. Iron Man and Human Torch help speed things up with repulsor rays and flame-bolts. The train accelerates and goes closed again. A bit later it slows down of its own accord. The canopies open and all the heroes have gone.
Hawkeye, Lightning, Mr Fantastic, Spider-Woman and Thing find themselves separated from the other 5. The FF'ers recognise that they are in the future timeline of Thundra and the Sisterhood. Thundra admits that they tried to bring the 2 children here but claims that only Franklin arrived. They see an image of him on a crystal screen. Spider-Woman traps Thundra in a psychic web and demands to know where Rachel is. But the strongwoman breaks free. Others of the Sisterhood stop Rachel attacking their leader.
Reed explains to Spider-Woman that they are in an alternate timeline ruled by the United Sisterhood Republic. Thundra explains that Franklin and Thing have been brought here so that Ben Grimm can become her husband. Ben thought she'd given that idea up after her last app in FF#303. He demands to know where Rachel and the other Avengers are. Thundra thinks they were diverted to the Arkon's world.
She's right. We see Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch and Wonder Man on Polemachus where their willpower and memory has been drained. Rachel is being looked after by a Samurai-looking guy named Shigaru. Arkon had hoped to keep all 10 of the Avengers/FF out of Thundra's clutches. But his Vizier points out that at least they have balanced out the advantage *she* had aimed for.
It transpires that Thundra had lead a delegation from her future world to this 1. Arkon claims that she had demanded tribute from them rather than bowing to their superiority. The idea of a world ruled by a woman is anathema to him, so he intends to take it for himself. And the assault must happen soon before the heroes recover their wits.
There's a little interlude where Arkon remembers offering to make Wanda Maximoff his bride (in his 1st app in Av#75-76). He considers trying again but rejects the idea in favour of sending Scarlet Witch into battle with her comrades.
And his forces are teleported to the Sisterhood's world, where Thundra's army awaits. The Earth heroes have agreed to fight to rescue Rachel. Reed and Ben know Thundra well enough to believe that she wouldn't actually hurt Franklin. Arkon starts the war by hurling 1 of his scarlet thunderbolt weapons. The 2 sides clash, and our heroes are dismayed to find themselves fighting against their brainwashed companions.
Meanwhile Franklin has squeezed out of his cage because the widely-spaced bars weren't designed to hold someone so small. He runs in front of a device which is about to teleport some women warriors to the enemy's rear. And gets zapped to the far side of the battlefield where he sees Rachel escaping from Shigaru's grip. The 2 kids meet and hide.
Our gang have paired up in individual fights. Invisible Woman's forcefield is holding off Spider-Woman's webs. Scarlet Witch's hex makes Mr Fantastic lose control of his malleable body. Thing and Wonder Man are pounding each other when Iron Man attacks Ben from behind. But Hawkeye's electro-arrow interferes with Shellhead's armour and Thing gets him in a bear hug. Arkon's heroes aren't in general operating at their best because of the brainwashing.
Julia spots her daughter hiding behind a rock and runs towards her, pursued by Sue's forceballs. Shigaru finds the kids and sacrifices himself to protect them from a missile blast. With his dying breath he warns them and Spider-Woman that another missile is heading towards them. SpW spins a psychic web which saves them from harm.
Then Franklin runs to his mother. But Sue Richards doesn't react to him. But then his tears break her conditioning, just in time for her forcefield to keep all 4 of them safe from yet another missile. And her field and the explosion combine to send out waves of force that knock the opposing armies over. And also bring the other 3 of Arkon's superheroes to their senses.
Arkon and Thundra, both seemingly unaffected, try to rally their stunned troops. Arkon throws a thunderbolt at some of his men to 'inspire' them. But Thundra knocks him off his lizard-mount. She suggest they fight 1-on-1, and Arkon agrees to forego weapons. (But Thundra still seems to be wielding her chain.) The Earth heroes decide to leave them to it.
Whilst fighting they of course chat. Thundra claims she only wanted to get Ben Grimm as a husband, and never intended to invade Polemachus. Arkon thinks she's lying, and only wanted Thing as a weapon. After exchanging insults Thundra says she only went to Polemachus to find out about *him*. Arkon's ego is stroked. And Thundra is pleased that he described her as the only woman worth fighting.
They kiss, and then 1 of Arkon's golden thunderbolts transports them elsewhere to continue away from prying eyes. The armies fade away. The Sisterhood reappear in their citadel and the Polemachans have been called home by the Vizier. And then the Earth people are returned to the dragon ride to be greeted by US Agent.
Julia Carpenter decides to take Sue Richards' advice and be honest with her daughter. She unmasks before Rachel. But the kid says she'd figured it out as soon as she *met* Spider-Woman. But she didn't want to expose her mum's secret.
And everybody goes home.