Synopsis
In the Wyoming Rockies, Shafik Wazzan has summoned an astral form of the captive Gargoyle and ordered him to destroy the Defenders. On the wizard’s command, Isaac creates a forest of thorns around the heroes who easily break out. Iceman and Cloud (now male) try a trick they worked out: Bobby fires icicles at the baddie and Cloud, in gaseous form, rides them to the wizard and fills his lungs, choking him—but Wazzan forces Cloud back to human form and has Isaac pick him up to crush him. Angel swoops in to rescue Cloud while Valkyrie rides Aragorn to strike at Isaac with Dragonfang which hurts him. Several more blows strike home but the thought that the next blow might kill their friend Isaac causes her to pause and so Isaac punches her into the distance. She returns just as Wazzam orders Isaac to strike them all down. But it all stops as Moondragon reaches into Isaac’s mind, asking him to fire his lightning bolts at her headband which would free her to use her full powers against the villain. But Isaac balks, knowing that Odin had her powers curtailed for a reason. She gives him a peek into her soul to show that she is not evil but everything starts up again and Isaac blasts Val and Aragorn out of the sky. Iceman creates an icy slide to bring her safely to the ground (mostly) as the thorns again surround them. Beast has an idea and jumps over the thorns to greet Wazzam, spouting Gnostic terminology to distract the wizard while Angel carries him off. Warren feels the pentagram under Wazzam’s robes, used to control Gargoyle and he also spies the giant pentagram on the ground, confining them all. Warren tries to take the pentagram but touching it severely burns his hands and he drops Wazzam who is caught by Isaac. Warren discovers his hands are unharmed. Wazzam orders Isaac to crush the Defenders but Val can immobilize his giant fist and she orders Hank to use Dragonfang to slice their comrade’s hand off. The severed hand morphs into a two-headed dragon which Val, Warren, and Cloud fight, while Hank (with Dragonfang) and Bobby attend to the growing thorns. Moondragon again asks Isaac to strike at her headband and again he refuses. She calls out to the others to obey her without question. Val flies into Isaac’s giant face while Warren takes Dragonfang and drops it, Cloud striking it with lightning to blind Wazzam. The wizard calls to Isaac to give him Isaac’s sight and Wazzam sees the Defenders as they truly are but he does not believe it. Beast explains that he now has true sight and he sees Hank as a wise man, Warren as a dove, Bobby as a “holy fool,” and Cloud as a harmless boy and girl. Then he looks at Val and Moondragon—and it causes him to flee in panic. Bobby creates an ice bridge for Wazzam to cross the chasm which also breaks the pentagram. Isaac regains his form and his mind and he mutters, “Be careful, Moondragon” which leads everyone to stare at her….
Give that special marvelite a timely gift
CharactersGood (or All)
Angel(Warren Worthington III) Antagonists
Shafik Wazzan.