Weapon X: Damnation/Issue Three

The third issue of Weapon X and the final part of the first arc of the series.

Synopsis
It's been two days since they where transported to this strange world, and still Weapon X has no idea what they're supposed to do! they've defeated many soldiers, they've given Tony Stark an army, and they've rescued many people, but still they're stuck in this world! but luckily for them, they're about to find out what they need to do. Unluckily for them, once they do this once thought easy mission becomes quite difficult.

Plot
A group of Hydra soldiers are panicking and firing blasts left right and center. One of them pulls out a grenade that causes a large explosion, another three are firing rocket launchers and there's one soldier with blue glowing lenses on his helmet telling everyone what to do. However, his actions prove to be useless as the roof over his head caves in and King Thor lands on top of him. It's revealed the soldiers are fighting Weapon X and the New Avengers, who are using Hydra's own weapons against them. The teams manage to win the battle, and return to the sewers after stealing a large weapon that the Hydra soldiers where protecting.

They run back to the base, with Spider-Man speaking to Super-Skrull, revealing Weapon X has been trapped on this Earth for two days and they are no where near close to finding out what they're supposed to do. Super-Skrull agrees that it's quite annoying, and it'd be great if "someone told us what to do", stopping in his tracks just to deliver that line. When nothing happens he continues running. The Timebroker is revealed to be watching this. The voice he was speaking to in the previous issue asks how Super-Skrull knows he was watching, with Timebroker revealing that they all know but are too determined to call him out. The voice goes silent before saying that the Timebroker is "kind of a jerk" with the Timebroker responding "shut up, here I have power!"

Weapon X return to the base, where Tony congradulates them on getting the weapon, with Tony revealing Hydra planned on using it against them, and that after all they've done after only two days he thinks it's finally time to go after Zemo himself. The entire base goes quiet. The silence is broken by members of the New Avengers building Zemo up, saying he's the most powerful person on the planet, he can defeat anyone in hand to hand combat, and he's one of the smartest men on the planet.

However, despite hearing all this, Spider-Man says he will go after Zemo, with the other members of Weapon X saying so afterwards (though Devastator says it's only to crush Zemo). However, despite seeing this, none of the New Avengers agree to go with them, showing that they are all terrified of Zemo. After seeing this, all of Weapon X has a different reaction. King Thor and Super-Skrull become extremely disappointed, Doctor Fantastic shakes his head, Devastator puts on a large sadistic grin, and Spider-Man becomes shocked, angry, and finally very sad.

Later, Weapon X is walking through the streets, with King Thor leading the way as he's the only one who knows where Zemo's base is. After thinking about everything the New Avengers said, Spider-Man asks Doctor Fantastic if he thinks they were exaggerating when they said all that about Zemo, with Doctor Fantastic replying that he's not sure but he hopes they where. After a brief silence, Spider-Man asks if Doctor Fantastic believes in pure evil. He replies that he doesn't, with Spider-Man asking if that means Zemo can be redeemed. This confuses Fantastic, who questions why he asks, with Spider-Man stating a simple fact that no one has brought up: once they get there, they might have to kill Zemo.

The other members of Weapon X, overhearing his conversation, turn to face Spider-Man. All their members go quiet for a bit before continuing to walk, revealing most of them where thinking the same thing. Meanwhile, Zemo himself is shown watching the heroes, saying that they'll have to get through every level of his defence before they can even think of reaching him. As he says this, Weapon X faces Zemo's first line of defence: small robots that can fire lasers so hot they can melt diamonds. The others are extremely worried, with Devastator letting out a high pitched scream, but all the robots are destroyed by King Thor, who simply throws his hammer and watches it smash all the robots to peaces before catching it and moving on. Super-Skrull then makes a quip about Devastator's scream, with Devastator responding with a swift punch.

Later, the team makes their way outside of Zemo's base, knocking out many guards before they are able to enter. But once they do, they are bombarded with attacks from all over the place. The walls are firing missiles, robots are busting out of the floor and more. During the fight, Devastator's arm is actually cut off, causing everyone to turn and stare at him. Devastator, grabbing his missing arm, stares at the robot who cut it off. Devastator goes on a seemingly meaningless tangent where he lists off his powers. The final power he mentions is a healing fact, and once he does he lets out a scream before his arm instantly regenerates and he destroys the robot before going on a rampage throughout all the base, breaking everything in his path. After witnessing this, King Thor delivers a short and simple line: "wow".

They all chase after Devastator to see what he's doing, revealing he's destroyed almost every line of defence in the building. Once they finally catch up to Devastator, he is attempting to rip in to another room but sadly has lost most of his strength due to his ripping of the base. Doctor Fantastic knocks the wall down and they enter the extremely dark room. They wander around for a bit, with Spider-Man finding strange green tanks that appear to have babies in them. He says he wishes he never saw that, with Super-Skrull not understanding it was a joke and claiming he can make him unsee it. Spider-Man, confused and slightly afraid, says that he's fine.

After a short conversation between Devastator and King Thor about why King Thor is the leader, a booming voice is heard. Every member of Weapon X say Zemo's name at the same time, with Zemo confirming it is indeed him. He then claims they should be happy, as this is the longest conversation he's had with one of his enemies before their deaths. A large red light turns out, revealing a massive mechanical monstrosity which Zemo claims is his body. The fight begins, with none of Weapon X being very good against Zemo, as he has faced all of them before (or at least versions of them) and thus his mechanical body is immune to their attacks and he know exactly how to defeat them.

They are all grabbed by mechanical tendrils, with Zemo bragging and giving a short speech before being interrupted by Spider-Man, who asks if Zemo has faced his counterpart. Zemo answers yes, with Spider-Man going on to ask if he's faced all their counterparts (Thor, Venom/Carnage, the FF and Doctor Doom) with Zemo still saying yes. However, before he can ask another question, Zemo demands to know what he's doing, calling Spider-Man "extremely annoying". Spider-Man then responds that Zemo may call it annoying, but he calls it a distraction. This confuses Zemo until he notices Super-Skrull is using his fire powers to super heat. He manages to melt through the tendrils and turns his arms to stone, smashing straight through the red light on Zemo's robot body.

The mechanical behemoth crashes to the ground, with all the heroes being set free. They jump down, with King Thor pulling the top of the body off, revealing... nothing. Just wires. Zemo was not in his robotic body. After this, Doctor Fantastic reveals one of the walls sounds like there's something coming from the other side. They break down the wall, expecting a massive fight, only to reveal the truth. Zemo isn't a beast, nor is he a god killer or a dragon slayer. He's a man. An old one at that. It's revealed Zemo can no longer breath without a mask that pumps air in to his lungs. After seeing this, all the Weapon X members stare at each other before leaving. However, Spider-Man comes back and tells Zemo that he's not sure how he's kept himself alive all these years, but he hopes he'll find it in him to change before he passes on. Zemo lets out a small, wheezy laugh before Spider-Man leaves.

After all this, Weapon X returns to Tony and tells him everything. Zemo is arrested and Hydra in America is toppled. Tony reveals that there is still a lot of Hydra bases to topple and a lot of countries to free before the world can go back to normal, but that without a leader it will be a lot easier to defeat Hydra. Weapon X says their goodbyes to Tony and the New Avengers before finally being teleported back home. Once they are, the Timebroker asks them what took so long. All of the members stare at him, with the Timebroker claiming that he is joking. As a congratulatory celebration, the Timebroker reveals that he has finished their rooms for them, much to their joy. They all enter their rooms, with each one being very different than the last. King Thor's mimics his own bedroom from Asgard, Doctor Fantastic's is a lab with a bed, Devastator's is more or less a very small palace, Spider-Man's is his old room from his Aunt May's, and Super-Skrull's is a regular bedroom (or regular for a Skrull). Timebroker tells them all to rest, but by the time he finishes his statement they have all already fallen asleep.