Appearing in "The End Is The Beginning"
Featured Characters:
- Thunderbolts (Disbands)
- Luke Cage (Leaves)
- Songbird (Melissa Gold) (Leaves)
- Mach-V (Abe Jenkins) (Leaves)
- Troll (Gunna Sijurvald) (Leaves)
- Moonstone (Karla Sofen) (Leaves)
- Centurius (Noah Black) (Leaves)
- Boomerang (Fred Myers) (Leaves)
- Mister Hyde (Calvin Zabo) (Leaves)
- Man-Thing (Theodore Sallis) (Leaves)
- Satana (Leaves)
- Ghost (Leaves)
- Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts
Supporting Characters:
- Avengers
- Giant-Man (Hank Pym)
- Juggernaut (Cain Marko)
- Warden John Walker
- F.A.C.T. (Disbands)
- Ms. Kell (Death)
- Fantastic Four (Mentioned)
- Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) (Mentioned)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Iron Man (Tony Stark) (First appearance)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Sharzhad
- United States of America
- The Raft (Mentioned)
- Earth-13584 (First appearance)
- New York City (First appearance)
- Manhattan (First appearance)
- New York City (First appearance)
Items:
- Mach-V Armor
- Moonstone (Behind the scenes)
- Captain America's Shield
- Iron Man Armor Model 42
- Spider-Man's Suit and Web-Shooters
- Giant-Man's Suit
- Captain Marvel's Suit
- Mjolnir
Vehicles:
- Quinjet (Destroyed)
Synopsis for "The End Is The Beginning"
The world congratulates the Avengers for saving the world once again. Meanwhile, in Sharzhad, Songbird is bringing in the Dark Avengers. Toxic Doxie attempts an escape by controlling Songbird, only for the Dark Avengers to be subdued by their nanites, their control resting with Kell, the only surviving F.A.C.T. member.
Suddenly, a giant rock moves, revealing a wounded Sultan Magus. He promises to regain his strength before seeking his revenge on America, despite the Thunderbolt's insistence that F.A.C.T. acted alone.
The Quinjet arrives to take Kell and the Dark Avengers home. At the same time, Skaar loses the mind lock Sultan Magus placed in him to prevent him from transforming while Cain Marko loses the power of the Juggernaut. Though Marko is willing to surrender for the Raft's destruction in Fear Itself, Luke Cage tells him he's not to blame for Kuurth's actions. In turn, he admits he wasn't a good leader for the Thunderbolts.
Moonstone then approaches MACH V and Songbird to inform them to Fixer's death when he sacrificed him to save the time-space continuum.
Warden Walker exists the Quinjet, ready to load up the prisoners but asks of the Thunderbolts. Cage reminds him that they helped save the world. As the Quinjet takes off, Songbird realizes Cage is stepping down as team leader. He then get reacquainted with Man-Thing, now reborn and capable of speaking.
On the Quinjet, Doxie mind controls Skaar into smashing the controls, causing the plane to fall. Moonstone flies to intercept, while at the same time, Man-Thing opens a portal, causing both the Quinjet and Moonstone to vanish. Man-Thing explains that he set the portal for the Raft and takes his teammates there, but strangely the Quinjet is missing. Though Songbird wants to search, Cage reminds her that they still have to discuss about the Thunderbolts. Technically, they are still criminals with time to serve, even though Songbird would vouch for them. Instead, they choose to follow Man-Thing. Marko departs, telling Cage he was a great leader. But as the portal closes, another opens as Mister Hyde tosses Troll out, reminding her that she's no criminal.
The Thunderbolts arrives at the nexus of realities, where Man-Thing opens portals to other realities suited to their tastes. As they part way, most of the Thunderbolts state they never regretted being a team.
Elsewhere, Walker's Quinjet crashes. From the wreckage, a wounded Kell exits and spots Iron Man. As she asks for help, he kills her. The last panel of the comic shows a black and red Iron Man, showing this is not Earth-616.
Notes
- This story is reprinted in the trade Dark Avengers: The End is the Beginning.