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Quote1 We are gods, 'tis our purpose to set aright the path of lesser beings. Quote2
Thor Odinson (Earth-616)

Appearing in "War Against the Gods!"

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Vehicles:

  • Hooverbike
  • Moondragon's spaceship

Synopsis for "War Against the Gods!"

This story is continued from the previous issue.

Moondragon has used her vast telepathic abilities to dominate the war-torn planet of Ba-Bani and enforce a peaceful, docile nature upon the populace. Realizing how Moondragon, his daughter, has been mentally controlling him, Drax accompanies the Avengers as they confront her. But the self-styled goddess now holds Thor in her thrall, and he battles his fellow Avengers on her behalf.

A titanic battle takes place. The Avengers try to reason with the Asgardian. Ultimately, he realizes how he’s being controlled and thwarts Moondragon's will by changing back into Donald Blake - to the surprise of the Wasp (who was unaware of his alter ego.)

Moondragon realizes that controlling the minds of an entire planet’s population is limiting her ability to confront the Avengers. When the heroes enter her temple, she withdraws her telepathic control over the minds of the Ba-Bani and they resume their warlike ways. Regaining sufficient power, she telepathically paralyzes her attackers.

Drax resists her control, however, and presses forward in a rage. He collapses from a stroke only inches from his goal. However, the concentrated effort Moondragon must exert to stop him leaves her unable to keep the Avengers immobilized. Flitting over to her quickly, the Wasp resumes her normal size and delivers a knockout blow.

Ba-Bani resumes its endless warfare, but at least it is their choice. As the Avengers return home, Dr. Blake tries to heal Drax, but he is beyond help. Blake again becomes Thor and takes Moondragon to Asgard to face the judgment of Odin.

Back on Earth, the other Avengers send the mind goddess's ship aloft for the final time as Drax's funeral pyre.

Notes

  • The Wasp learns Thor and Dr. Donald Blake (the team's longtime physician) are the same person.
  • One reader saw parallels between Moondragon's unethical control over Ba-Bani and the then-current, real-world invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union and wrote a letter about it which was printed a future issue's letter column. In response, Shooter remarked how glad he was that he could teach readers about real-world issues. This is noteworthy because Jim Shooter, in his role as publisher of Marvel Comics, was notorious for refusing to allow writers to reference real-world poltics. Shooter's official stance was that real-world politics did not belong in comic books. He often exempted himself from this ban, such as in this story, and wrote stories that reflected his own (conservative republican) political viewpoint.
  • This issue contains a letters page, "Avengers Assemble". Letters are published from: Elizabeth Holden, David Schmidt, Thomas Purdy, Carols M. Fernandez, and John A. Wilcox.

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