Avengers Forever #12
Avengers Assemble!
A group of Avengers from across time have been gathered to defend Rick Jones from the Time Keepers.[1] Having chased the Keepers back to their citadel at the end of time, the team tries to stop them from using a chronal cannon to wipe humanity from existence.[2]
To keep the Avengers busy, the Time Keepers have summoned every Avenger from every time line that has gone bad to try and slow them down. Rick Jones in turn has combined his Destiny Force with his older self to summon every Avenger from every positive timeline to counter these attackers.[3]
As the two Avenger armies fight with one another, the Time Keepers attempt to transform Kang into Immortus by artificially speeding up his timeline. Kang, who abhors his future self, refuses to surrender to his destiny and fights the transformation through sheer force of will.[4] Libra tries to rejoin the fight, but the Time Keepers keep him incapacitated to prevent his interference.
It gets to a certain point when the older Rick Jones is about out of power and tells his younger self to keep up the fight. He then clashes his Nega-Bands together, swapping places with Captain Marvel once more. Genis-Vell realizes that they are reaching the final battle and tells Jones to find some where safe to hide until the battle is over. Rick, however, refuses to to stay on the sidelines and continues fighting. As the Avengers push forward, the Wasp sees twisted versions of herself and Yellowjacket and tells her teammates to keep pushing as this madness needs to stop.
Meanwhile, Kang manages to rip free from the transformation process that is occuring, literally sloughing off the skin of Immortus. However, before he can train his guns on the Time Keepers, they block his path with more evil Avengers. By this time, the Avengers have pushed through as well. Just as the chronal cannon has reached its full charge, Rick Jones — fully charged up with the Destiny Force — takes a gamble and leaps into the machine. This causes the weapon to blow up seriously injuring the young man.
Unconcerned with the boy, Kang revels at the opportunity to have the Time Keepers at his mercy. They don’t get much time to beg before Kang blows them all to shreds and declares his victory over fate itself.[5] From the rubble of the chronal cannon, Captain America finds the Forever Crystal. Kang orders to give it to him, but the moment Cap touches it his mind is flooded with ways he can use it to undo traumatic moments from his past. He could use it to heal Rick Jones, or go back and prevent the death of his partner Bucky,[6] he could go back and erase Hitler from existence and prevent World War II, or he could erase Number One of the Secret Empire and eliminate his self doubt. Ultimately in the end, Captain America realizes that using the Forever Crystal it far too tempting and dangerous and shatters the artifact instead. In doing so, all the Avengers summoned for the Destiny War are returned to their proper places in time and space.
Kang is furious, but that’s when Immortus — who survived being separated from Kang and is rapidly aging up from a baby — tells them that the Forever Crystal cannot be destroyed for long and it will eventually return in time.[6] The Avengers are surprised to see Immortus back from the dead, but he can’t explain how this can be only that he and Kang’s destinies are no longer intertwined. The time master then teleports away so he can investigate this further. Kang begins to laugh with joy over having his own destiny to forge and he disappears to see how many more worlds he can conquer now that he is unrestrained by fate itself. With Rick Jones still dying, the Avengers plead with the Supreme Intelligence to help restore him to health. However, Captain Marvel knows what needs to be done and tells Supremor to cut the shit and get it over with. With the help of the Supreme Intelligence, Genis-Vell merges his essence with Rick Jones, restoring the human to health.
With the battle over, Libra tells the Avengers that it is time to return to their proper times. Although the Avengers won’t be made to forget their experiences, they will only be able to remember when it is necessary in order to preserve the timestream.
The first to return to her proper time is Songbird who meets up with the Wasp and Jack of Hearts outside Avengers Mansion. She tells them that she was just involved in the Destiny War, but doesn’t remember much of what happened.
Some years in the past, Yellowjacket returns to his time with no memory of what happened. When the priest asks if he suddenly got cold feet, Yellowjacket figures he was spacing out and wants to get the wedding started. A few months in to the future, Hawkeye also returns to his own time in Europe where he and an amnesiatic Hercules are trying to get back to America. Captain America returns to the Oval Office where the leader of the Secret Empire just blew his brain out. For a brief moment he remembers that he could have stopped it and didn’t.
Lastly, we have Goliath, the Wasp, and Rick Jones who are returned to the present day. That’s when Rick notices that he is wearing the Nega-Bands again. When he clashes together, he trades places with the present day Genis-Vell who has no idea what’s going on. Suddenly, he is transformed to resemble his future self, complete with Cosmic Awareness. Rick telepathically inform Genis what happened and he flies off, upset over this raw deal he has just been dealt. Goliath and Wasp have faith that the two will work it out and head inside to process everything they’ve been through.
Back on the moon, Libra visits with the Supreme Intelligence. He asks the Kree super mind if he got everything he satisfied his scientific curiosity. The Intelligence believes it has once he goes over everything he has learned. Libra leaves to the place in-between so he can continue his studies, wondering when the Forever Crystal will return. Moments after he is gone, the artifact appears before the Supreme Intelligence who finds its sudden appearance very interesting indeed.[7]
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Wasp, Goliath, Captain America, Hawkeye, Yellowjacket, Captain Marvel, Sonbird), Rick Jones, Kang, Immortus, Libra, Supreme Intelligence, Time Keepers (Vorth, Ast, Zanth), Avengers-616 (Beast, Black Knight, Hercules, Iron Man, Quasar, Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man), 689 (Giant-Man, Iron Man, Thor, Wasp, Hulk), 982 (American Dream, Freebooter, Coal Tiger, Kristoff Vernard), 9930 (Black Panther, Crimson Dynamo, Killraven, Jocasta, Thundra, Living Lighting), 8410 (Iron Man 2020), 86501 (Colossus, Storm), 9105 (Captain Assyria, Giant-Man, Storm, Horus, Iron Man, Spectre), 98120 (Jack of Hearts, Wasp), 730784 (Falcon, Tigra), 9811 (Malefactor, Torrent), 99315 (Captain America, Giant-Man), 9997 (Captain America, Daredevil, Iron Wasp), 776 (Giant-Man), Captain Marvel, Adam Warlock, Hornet, Eternal Brain, Edwin Jarvis, Circus of Crime (Ringmaster, the Great Gambonnos, Princess Python), Quicksilver, Death’s Head, El Aguila, Batroc, Black Widow, Luke Cage, Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell), Captain Ultra, Cloak, Crystal, Darkhawk, Deathcry, Deathlok (Manning), Deathlok (Kelly), Dr. Druid, Dr. Spectrum, Doom 2099, Firelord, Ghost Rider, Gilgamesh, Gladiator, (Kallark), Gladiator (Potter), Goliath (Barton), Goliath (Josten), Human Torch, Iron Fist, Jack of Hearts, Jocasta, Killpower, Machine Man, Moonstone, Motormouth, Namorita, Nighthawk, Northstar, Paladin, Photon, Quasar, Red guardian, Sasquatch, Scarlet Witch, Sersi, She-Hulk, Shroud, Silhouette, Sleepwalker, Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Woman, Super-Adaptoid, Swordsman, Star Brand, Thor, Thunderstrike, Triathalon, Ultron, Vision, Warbird, War Machine, White Tiger
Continuity Notes
The Avengers were all plucked from different points in history as seen in Avengers Forever #1 and explained last issue. They are:
Captain America circa Captain America #175, after he discovered that the President of the United States was secretly the leader of the Secret Empire.
Hawkeye was plucked out of time circa Avengers #99. This was after he returned to Earth following the Kree/Skrull War without his Goliath growth serum or his trick arrows.
Yellowjacket was abducted from Avengers #60. Actually Hank Pym, a mental breakdown convinced him that he was someone else and that he killed Hank Pym.
Goliath and the Wasp come from the present day, having been plucked out of time circa Avengers (vol. 3) #11.
Songbirdand by extension Captain Marvel) aren’t from the mainline Marvel Universe, but an alternate reality. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #5, it has been designated Reality-98120.
First seen in Thor #245, the timeline where the Time Keepers are the last beings at the end of the universe has been designated Reality-794282 in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #5.
There are lot of variants of the Avengers in the next 4 pages which consist on two double page spreads. Here are the ones that can be singled out:
There are versions of the Falcon and Tigra that are from the Avengers: Unite They Stand cartoon series. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #5, that universe exists in Reality-730784.
Versions of Thor, Hercules, Iron Cross, and Wasp from the unpublished Avengers: World in Chains.
Iron Man and Sceptre from the Forever Yesterday storyline. History had been temporarily changed so that Egypt was the dominant nation of the world, affecting culture appropriately as the dominant superpower. See New Warriors #11-13. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Realities 2005 #1, this timeline has been designated Reality-9105.
Wonder Man wearing the costume he wore circa Avengers #167.
The Kree Captain America and Giant-Man who were seen in Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #16. They come from a world where Earth is taken over by the Kree and they create their own version of the Avengers. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #5, this takes place in Reality-99315.
Coal Tiger from the MC2 universe, first seen in A-Next #4. Per Marvel Encyclopedia: Fantastic Four, this is designated Reality-982.
Murdock the Blind from Timeslip: Coming of the Avengers #1. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #5 he hales from Reality-98101.
Jonz Rickard, leader of the Galactic Avengers Battallion, first seen in Avengers Forever #1. They come from the timeline where the Avengers become a star-spanning empire that the Time Keepers are trying to prevent from happening. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #3 designates this Reality-9812.
The Vision: This one appears in the Vision’s original form seen in Avengers #57. We also see another version in his white skinned form circa West Coast Avengers (vol. 2) #45.
Nova: Aka Richard Rider, this cosmic powered superhero first appeared in Nova #1. At the time this story was published, Nova only had a passing association with the Avengers. Years later he would become a member of Steve Rogers’ Secret Avengers in Secret Avengers #1.
Warbird, aka Carol Danvers, aka Ms. Marvel. She first began affiliating with the Avengers back in Avengers #171.
Spider-Woman, aka Jessica Drew, first became associated with the Avengers back in Avengers Annual #10. She will go on to become a member of the New Avengers in New Avengers #48.
Star Brand, aka Kenneth Connel who first appeared in (care to guess?) Star Brand #1. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Realities 2005 #1, he existed in Reality-148611. While this version of Star Brand won’t be affiliated with the Avengers his Earth-616 counterpart, Kevin Connor, will in the future as seen in Avengers (vol. 6) #7-9.
Jack of Hearts: First appearing in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #22, Jonathan Heart won’t officially join the Avengers until Avengers (vol. 3) #43.
Quasar: Appears here wearing his costume circa Quasar #18. He has been associated with the team since Avengers #302.
The Scarlet Witch: As she has appeared circa Avengers #75.
Wonder Man as he was depicted during his solo series Wonder Man (vol. 2)
Thorion who first appeared in Thorion of the New Asgods #1 is a member of the Judgement League Avengers, a combination of the Avengers and the Justice League of America. Per Marvel Encyclopedia: Fantastic Four, his world is deignated Reality-9602.
Iron Man: A founding Avenger. It’s hard to tell which version of the Iron Man armor he is wearing here. Looks like maybe the Model 9 suit from Iron Man #231.
Captain Marvel, aka Mar-Vell, has been an associate of the Avengers since the Kree/Skrull War in Avengers #89-97 until his death in Marvel Graphic Novel #1.
Luke Cage as he appears circa Heroes for Hire #1. Luke won’t officially become an Avenger until New Avengers #1-5.
Another Iron Man, this one wearing the Promethean Armor in the Heroes Reborn pocket dimension, as seen in Iron Man (vol. 2) #1-13.
Spider-Man 2099: There are multiple variations of this hero that exist in the multiverse. The original, coming from Earth-928 (per Marvel Encyclopedia: Fantastic Four) first appeared in Spider-Man 2099 #1. This version exists in Reality-98120 per Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse #1. He will later be killed by Mourlin in Spider-Man 2099 (vol. 2) #5.
The Hulk from a timeline where the Avengers are coaxed into defeating every other superhuman on Earth by the Scarlet Centurion as seen in Avengers Annual #2. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Realities 2005 #1, this is Reality-689.
The Clint Barton version of Goliath, first seen in Avengers #63.
The Swordsman, aka Jacques Duquesnie as he appeared in Avengers #19.
The Black Knight aka Dane Whitman as he appears circa Avengers #355, complete with bomber jacket and energy sword.
Thunderstrike, aka Eric Masterson, became an Avenger by defeault as he was merged with Thor circa Avengers #343. He became Thunderstrike in Thor #459/Thunderstrike #1.
Batroc the Leaper: Has been a foe of Captain America since Tales of Suspense #75. However, he won’t fight the Avengers proper until JLA/Avengers #4.
Rage: Elvin Haliday started his association with the Avengers in issue #326. He was made a provisional member in issue #329. However he left the team in issue #342 when it was learned he was only 16 years old at the time.
Iron Fist, aka Danny Rand, first appearing in Marvel Feature #15. Although not an Avenger at the time this story is published, he will join the team in New Avengers #27.
Hawkeye wearing his costume circa Avengers #107.
Gilgamesh the Eternal was a short lived Avenger from issue #300 to 310.
Red Guardian: It is unclear which version of the Red Guardian this is, other than the fact that he’s male. The Avengers first interacted with Alexi Shostakov, in Avengers #43-44. Another Red Guardian who has worked with the Avengers is Josef Petkus who interacted with the team in Avengers #319-324.
Crystal of the Inhumans. First appearing in Fantastic Four #45, she didn’t join up with the Avengers until Avengers #336.
There’s also a version of Hercules with an eye-patch, not sure what that’s about.
There are also a number of characters who have not been members of the Avengers or have had much of a connection to the team (time of this writing in December, 2022). They include:
Firelord: Firelord: A former herald of Galactus who first appeared in Thor #225. yreus Kril has only been an occasional ally of the Avengers a few times, such as Avengers #258-261.
Adam Warlock who appears here as he did in Marvel Premiere #1. He has only had minor associations with the group since they first met in Avengers Annual #7.
Doctor Spectrum aka Joe Ledger is a member of the Squadron Supreme. Heroes from Reality-712. The Squadron have associated with the Avengers starting in Avengers #85.
Captain Ultra and Texas Twister, aka Griffin Gogol and Drew Daniels respectively. They both first appeared in Fantastic Four #177. The closest Gogol has gotten to becoming an official Avenger is by joining the Avengers Initiative, as seen in Invincible Iron Man #21-24. Daniels has likewise been affiliated with the Avengers Initiative, as seen in Avengers: The Initiative #1-2 and 9.
Gladiator of the Shi’ar Imperial Guard. First appeared in X-Men #107. Gladiator has only had passing interactions with the Avengers. Notably during Operation: Galactic Storm as seen in Thor #445.
Motormouth and Killpower, aka Harley Davis and Julius Mullarkey, they both first appeared in Motormouth #1. This duo has never been directly associated with the Avengers.
Gladiator, aka Melvin Potter, is a frequent foe of Daredevil, first appearing in Daredevil #18. To date, he has no direct association with the Avengers.
White Tiger: One of the High Evolutionary’s New Men, the White Tiger first appeared in Heroes for Hire #1. To date she has no known affilation with the Avengers.
Sasquatch aka Walter Langkowski, he first appeared in X-Men #109. He has not had a significant association with the Avengers in any capacity time of this writing.
Then we have a smattering of other characters that appear throughout the story which includes:
The Beast, who was a member of the Avengers from issue #137 to 211. However, the version appears here is a hairless version back in his graduate days with the X-Men, circa X-Men #39.
The Captain America killed by the Gatherers in Avengers #355. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005 #1, this version of Cap comes from Reality-355.
Bravado, Torrent, and Malefactor, who come from a timeline where those involved in the original Secret Wars ended up getting stranded on Battleworld and spawned a new generation of superhumans. This world was first seen in What If? (vol. 2) #114. Per Marvel Encyclopedia: Fantastic Four this has been designated Reality-9811.
The evil Scarlet Witch, twisted by the deconstruction of the Vision, the loss of her children. She went evil for a bit, joining up with Magneto. This was all part of a scheme by Immortus to harness her nexus being powers. See Avengers West Coast #56-57 and 60-62.
The Heroes Reborn versions of Captain America, Thor, and Hawkeye from Avengers (vol. 2) #1-13 and Captain America (vol. 2) #1-13.
Thor wearing his enchanted armor circa Thor #378.
American Dream, Kristoff, and Freebooter from the MC2 Universe, a timeline where the next generation of superheroes take up the mantles of their predecessors. This reality is best known for its version of Spider-Girl, May Parker, first seen in What If? (vol. 2) #105. Marvel Encyclopedia: Fantastic Four designates this Reality-982.
Also present are the Black Panther and Crimson Dynamo that we saw in Avengers Forever #4-6. Their world was invaded by the Martian Masters. Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z 3, they hale from Reality-9930.
The Eternal Brain from Red Raven Comics #1 appears here for some reason.
Wonder Man as he was circa Avengers #162.
El Aguila: First appearing in Power Man and Iron Fist #58. To date, the character has no affiliation with the Avengers.
Sersi first appeared in Eternals #3. She would go on to join the Avengers in issue #314.
Silhouette: First see in New Warriors #2. To date she has no direct affiliation with the Avengers.
Sleepwalker: Appearing in Sleepwalker #1, the closest association he has ever had with the Avengers was being part of the Initiatve, as seen in Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #19-27.
Darkhawk, aka Chris Powell, first seen in Darkhawk #1. He’s only briefly helped the west coast team in Avengers West Coast Annual #7 and #93-95.
Deathcry was briefly member of the core team from Avengers #363-399.
The Black Widow, first seen in Tales of Suspense #52, she joined up in Avengers #111.
Quicksilver circa X-Men #4, prior to his joining the team in Avengers #16.
Northstar: First appeared in X-Men #120. Has no known affilation with the Avengers.
Paladin: Paladin has only been an associate of the Avengers during a brief affair with the Wasp which began in Avengers #251. He also has not been an official Avengers as of this date.
Namorita: First seen in Sub-Mariner #50. She has no direct affiliation with the Avengers as of this writing.
Deathlok: Judging by his appearance this seems like the Michael Collins version that first appeared in Deathlok #1. He has not been affiliated with the Avengers.
War Machine: Probably the Jim Rhodes version who took up the mantle in Iron Man #284. He was affiliated with the west coast team from Avengers West Coast #94 to 101.
The Human Torch: the Human Torch: This is likely the android Human Torch from World War II that first appeared in Marvel Comics #1. This is because the android Torch became a short lived member of the Avengers West Coast from Avengers West Coast #50 through 64.
Photon: Originally Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau joined the team in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16. She changed her name to Photon in Avengers Unplugged #5.
The Super Adaptoid, an android created by Advance Idea Mechanics that can adapt the abilities of others. Since it’s creation in Tales of Suspense #82 it has routinely adapted the abilities of the Avengers.
Cloak aka Tyrone Johnson first appeared in Spectacular Spider-Man #64. He is briefly part of Captain America’s Secret Avengers in Civil War #3-7. He’ll later join up with the Savage Avengers in Savage Avengers (vol. 2) #1.
Doom 2099: First seen in Doom 2099 #1. It’s unclear which version of Doom 2099 this is, but possible the Earth-928 version. He has no affiliation with the Avengers to date.
Conan the Barbarian: First appearing in Conan the Barbarian #1. He will form the so-called Savage Avengers in (oddly enough) Savage Avengers #12.
She-Hulk: Jennifer Walters first joined the Avengers in issue #221.
Jocasta has been associated with the Avengers since shortly after her creation in Avengers #162.
Doctor Duid: This mystical sex pest has been affiliated with the team since issue #278.
Rik from the Gatherers. His home reality is unknown as of this writing. He was first seen in Avengers #372.
There are probably a lot more I’m missing, but I’d like to get this done by doomsday and a lot of these are hard to tell what versions they are because they are drawn teeny-tiny on the page.
It has been said that Kang was destined to become Immortus since Giant-Size Avengers #2. The original Immortus was killed by the Time Keepers last issue.
Although the three Time Keepers are seemingly killed here, Kang will reveal that he has one frozen in his time ship in Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #19. Is this one of the original three? A fourth previously unrevealed one? Is this a a Time Keeper from earlier in its timeline or the future? These answers have not been clarified as of this writing.
Immortus’ rapid aging is a callback to the very problematic life of his son Marcus, as seen in Avengers #200.
The Supreme Intelligence will go on to use the Forever Crystal to advance the evolution of the Kree as seen in Maximum Security #1-3.
Topical References
References to the present day taking place in the 20th century should be considered topical. The Sliding Timescale has pushed the Modern Age forward so that it does not begin until after the start of the 21st century.
