Appearing in "Finale"
Featured Characters:
- Avengers West Coast (Main story and recap)
- ⏴ Tigra (Greer Nelson) ⏵ (Main story and recap) (Impersonates Madame Misque)
- ⏴ Iron Man (James Rhodes) ⏵ (Reveals identity to team)
- ⏴ Hawkeye (Clint Barton) ⏵ (Main story and recap) (Impersonates "Louis")
- ⏴ Mockingbird (Bobbi Morse) ⏵ (Impersonates Bartender)
- ⏴ Wonder Man (Simon Williams) ⏵ (Main story and recap)
Supporting Characters:
- Shroud (Maximillian Coleridge) (Main story and recap)
Antagonists:
- Graviton (Franklin Hall) (Main story and recap)
- The Blank (Clyde) (Only in recap)
- Graviton's henchmen
Other Characters:
- Molecule Man (Owen Reece) (Mentioned)
- Avengers (Only in recap)
- Thor (Mentioned)
- Iron Man (Tony Stark) (Mentioned)
- Captain America (Steve Rogers) (Only in recap)
- Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) (Only in recap)
- Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff) (Only in recap)
- Vision (Only on screen as a static image or video record)
- Party-goers and entourage at Graviton's place
- Cheryl (First appearance)
- Maggia (Mentioned)
- Action-Line News
- Amy Lou Johnston (First appearance) (reporter)
- United States Marshals (Cameo) (First appearance)
Races and Species:
- Humans (Main story and recap)
- Asgardians (Mentioned)
- Moose (Mentioned)
- Synthezoids (Only on screen as a static image or video record)
Locations:
- Earth (Main story and recap)
- Pacific Ocean (Main story and recap)
- United States (Main story and recap)
- California (Main story and recap)
- Los Angeles County (Main story and recap)
- L.A. Metro Area (Main story and recap)
- Palos Verdes
- Santa Monica Mountains
- Graviton's base of operations
- San Francisco Bay (Mentioned)
- Bakersfield (Mentioned)
- Los Angeles County (Main story and recap)
- New York (Only in recap)
- New York City (Only in recap)
- Manhattan (Only in recap)
- Midtown (Only in recap)
- Fifth Avenue (Only in recap)
- Avengers Mansion (Only in recap)
- Fifth Avenue (Only in recap)
- Midtown (Only in recap)
- Manhattan (Only in recap)
- New York City (Only in recap)
- California (Main story and recap)
- Moon, Earth Orbit (Referenced)
- Europe (Mentioned)
- Battleworld (Mentioned)
- Heaven (Invoked)
Items:
- Iron Man Armor MK IV
- Mockingbird's Battle Staves
- Hawkeye's Bow and Trick Arrows (Main story and recap)
- Captain America's Shield (Only in recap)
- Tigra's cat's head amulet
- Wonder Man's belt-jets
Vehicles:
Events:
- Secret Wars (Mentioned)
Synopsis for "Finale"
Twenty miles out from shore in the Pacific Ocean, Tigra emerges from the surface holding the unconscious Shroud afloat. She uses her emergency signal beacon to call for help. She remembers being thrown through the air by Graviton, along with the Shroud and the Blank, who is nowhere to be seen. Just as the Shroud begins to regain consciousness, Iron Man appears to rescue them, having heard their signal.
Back at the Avengers Compound, Tigra relays the story of what happened to the others. She is worried about Wonder Man, whom nobody has heard from since the attack. Iron Man is tired of waiting and wants to attack Graviton head-on. Hawkeye reminds him that Graviton is one of the most powerful super-villains the Avengers have ever faced and that Iron Man should know that as he was there during their initial battle years ago. Iron Man decides it's time to tell the truth to the others, removing his helmet to reveal to them his true face, Jim Rhodes. Hawkeye is shocked and angered, unable to believe that they've been working with an amateur. Rhodes strikes back at the remark, reminding Hawkeye of how he helped them escape on Battleworld when the Molecule Man dropped an entire mountain on top of them. Hawkeye backs down and, remembering how much of a hothead he used to be to Captain America when he first joined the Avengers, realizes he was out of line and apologizes. The team then puts their heads together to come up with a plan to rescue Wonder Man and defeat Graviton.
Later, at Graviton's Santa Monica retreat, he is paid a surprise visit by the notorious Madame Masque, head of the Maggia crime family. She tells Graviton that she had heard that he was working to consolidate the Southern California gangs, and is interested in hearing more. When she informs him of her worries with the Avengers moving into the west coast, he laughs at her and shows her an example of what he can do to the Avengers - Wonder Man, who lies unconscious at the bottom of his pool. Graviton notices a look of shock on Masque's bodyguards face upon seeing Wonder Man, and she strikes him threatening to have him join Wonder Man at the bottom of the pool. Just then, they are attacked by Iron Man from above. Within seconds Graviton acts, taking control of Iron Man with his gravity power and disabling the Avengers.
Inside, Bobbi, who was masquerading as a bartender, sneaks away and slips into her costume as Mockingbird. She contacts Hawkeye by radio, putting the second phase of their plan in operation. As Graviton brings Iron Man to his knees, unknown to him Wonder Man has regained consciousness at the bottom of the pool. Mockingbird and Hawkeye join the fight, keeping Graviton distracted enough to allow him to slip, releasing Wonder Man. The entire pool collapses as Simon breaks free. He climbs out of the water just in time to deliver a well-timed punch to Graviton, forcing him to bring down his gravity force shield. Iron Man swoops in and grabs Madame Masque, flying off with her.
Graviton pursues Iron Man, but the Avenger has set up a trap. Hooking his armor directly into the power line for the Southwestern Grid, he fires an incredibly powerful repulsor blast directly at Graviton and his force shield. The immense power disables both Graviton and Iron Man. Madam Masque rushes up to Graviton, laying a tight-fisted punch across the villain's jaw. Pulling off her mask, she reveals herself to be Tigra in disguise, having used her amulet to give the illusion of Madame Masque. With the West Coast Avengers back together again, they attack Graviton as a team. He finds himself to be overwhelmed, and he is disabled and knocked unconscious by Hawkeye's tranquilizer gas arrows. The police arrive to haul away the defeated Graviton, and the news cameras capture the results of the new Avengers' first victory as a team.
The next day, the Avengers sit around the pool at their Compound watching the news story while finally having the barbeque that Hawkeye promised. Tigra tells Simon that when she saw him at the bottom of Graviton's pool, she was so terrified for him. He reassures her that ever since he rose from the dead those years ago, he hasn't needed things like food, water, or air. They then receive a call from the Vision on the East Coast, congratulating the team on a job well done. With all doubts now gone, the West Coast Avengers are ready to stand among the best. Their saga is just beginning...
Solicit Synopsis
Notes
- The West Coast Avengers appear next in Avengers #250.
- James Rhodes first reveals to his teammates that he's replaced Tony Stark as Iron Man.
Trivia
- Iron Man mentions his time on Battleworld during the Secret Wars, when he helped the heroes escape from under a mountain, as seen in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #4
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Graviton previously appeared last issue and will appear next in Secret Wars II #7.