Captain Marvel #45
Title: The Bi-Centennial!
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: Al Milgrom
Villain: Supreme Intelligence, Null-Trons
Regulars: Rick Jones
The Null-Tron/cyborg hybrid has just asked Captain Marvel for help in his
battle against the Null-Trons. To do this, he has to enter a large red gem in
the underground chamber. This is a soul gem, one of six gems scattered
throughout the universe. The gem on Warlock's forehead is also a soul gem, but
the other four gems have been lost. These are the gems that are called the
Infinity Gems in later comics. This is the first time we're told that there
are six gems, and we see the other gems in future issues of the "Silver
Surfer", also written by Steve Englehart. This red gem is later identified as
the Mind Gem.
We see in a flashback that the gem was discovered in the dirt on Deneb IV.
This is the scene P2 from
Captain Marvel #41.
First the cyborgs throw Rick Jones' unconscious body into the gem. Then Captain
Marvel follows him. Captain Marvel and Rick see one another on opposite sides
of a glass barrier, as if they're in a mirror. Neither of them think it's
real, so they start to fight one another.
On the surface, the Null-Trons and the cyborgs are fighting again. Through the
power of the Mind Gem, the battle between Mar-Vell and Rick Jones is being
used to power them. When Mar-Vell has the upper hand, the Null-Trons are
winning, and when Rick Jones has the upper hand, the cyborgs are winning. The
hybrid admits to his servant Rambu that it doesn't matter who wins. He wants
peace on Deneb IV, and that can only be achieved when one side is defeated.
The problem is that Captain Marvel and Rick Jones share their power via the
nega-bands. Whenever one of them draws on his band's power, the other weakens.
The mysterious woman, Fawn, comes to Rambu and tells him he must help her stop
the fight. She wants to enter the gem, but she says her substance is not of
the universe, so she needs his aid. Strange. He takes her hand, and they plunge
into the gem. Fawn says that if Rick dies she'll die as well. Rambu pulls
Mar-Vell and Rick apart.
The Supreme Intelligence is watching the fight, accompanied by his servant
Bun-Dall. He says that he arranged all the events leading to this fight. He's
made the Null-Trons more powerful, which is the micro-circuit relay in scene
P3 of Captain Marvel #41.
Fawn touches Captain Marvel, and he sees her for the first time. She says that
it was a lie that Captain Marvel and Rick Jones are merging into one another.
They'll only merge if they want to.
The war on the surface ceases. Fawn leads Captain Marvel, Rick Jones and Rambu
out of the gem.
This is a confusing story. It's not clear what's happening unless you read it
more than once, but it's worth it.
Now we've seen the meaning of the first four scenes from Captain Marvel #41.
Only the last two are outstanding.
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