New Defenders, The (1983 series) #147

Back at the Sanctum Sanctorum, Candy Southern finds the missing Gargoyle in one of the remoter rooms and informs him of the danger. He slips a gem he was examining into his pocket and apologizes as he heads out to Central Park…

…where he comes upon what looks like a firelight party but notices the revelers are laughing as they slash and cut one another. And the Defenders are gathered behind the newcomer Andromeda who demands that Hotspur release his captive followers and surrender. He merely laughs so she hurls her trident—then dashes behind him in the wink of an eye to seize him and hold him for the trident. But he catches the trident and tosses it away, laughing as though he is enjoying the experience. She breaks his arm and apologizes as she did not mean to; he pops it back in place and Valkyrie seizes him; he pours the Muspel-Flame in her face but she is able to withstand it—and then he transforms into a troll. Val and the troll battle, sword versus axe with all of his followers becoming trolls as well and attacking Val. She slices through a tree with Dragonfang, toppling it on the trolls—and then Beast stops her. It was all an illusion in her mind, created by Hotspur. He draws the flames of the bonfire around them then summons his demon troops, taking on a more fearsome appearance, the word “hate” written across his chest, announcing he is remaking the world in the image of his torment. The Defenders battle the demons until Hotspur causes his Hades-Engine to emerge from the ground and it seizes the heroes in its metal tentacles….

Back at the Sanctum, Candy Southern is concerned about the Defenders so Nancy Turpin brings her some tea…which turns out to be drugged….

In Siberia, the hungry wolves see a big burly man coming and prepare to attack. But then they recognize him and flee in fear. [He is Betilakk the Interloper. More on him later.]  

Hotspur relates his story to the Defenders, captive in his Hades-Engine, draining their powers. In 18^th century London, Hotspur led a band of upper-class wastrels called the Lords of Fun, reveling in their exemption from prosecution because of their high social positions. But when Hotspur lay dying he made a bargain with a demon to return to Earth when a mortal is foolish enough to summon him. It was a long wait but now he is back and ready to conquer the world. And the Defenders are helpless…or are they? Sergeant Fury arrives, confusing Beast who wants to know why Fury lacks an eyepatch and SHIELD. Fury frees them from the machine, equips them with military weaponry and leads them into battle against Hotspur and his demon forces. The heroes take aim against the coming enemy and then, as one, they realize that such actions are wrong. And then reality clears and the Defenders see that the demon troops were never there, the Hades-Engine is just a pile of junk and they were about to fire on Hotspur’s hypnotized revelers. Isaac warns Hank and the others that Hotspur’s only goal is not world conquest but to get the Defenders to join in his perverted fun. And the villain agrees, promising that sooner or later he will present a fantastic scenario which will finally trick the heroes into committing an act of horrific mayhem and enjoying it. So Isaac orders Cloud to remember the pain she felt from Moondragon’s rejection of her and Isaac enhances those bitter feelings with his bio-blasts, while Val and Andromeda hold Hotspur still, forced to feel for the first time the pain he inflicted on others—and the demon is driven out of him, leaving him a catatonic human. The revelers are freed from the villain’s spell, Val thanks Andromeda for her assist, and Nancy accompanies Cloud, scolding them for manipulating their young teammate, revealing herself to be Seraph, telling them that she is taking Cloud away because she knows who Cloud really is….