Avengers Unity Squad

Origin

In the wake of the war between the Avengers and the X-Men, Captain America asked himself a tough question - had he done enough to help mutants? The answer led him to create a sanctioned Avengers team comprised of both Avengers and X-Men - humans and mutants working together as the Avengers Unity Squad! Cap and Thor sought out Havok, the younger brother of imprisoned mutant leader and future revolutionary Cyclops, to act as team leader and represent mutants. The team's roster included mutant Avenger Scarlet Witch, as well as prominent X-Men members Wolverine, Logan and Rogue, Anna Marie. The team's first enemy came in the form of Captain America's arch nemesis the Red Skull, who had stolen the brain of the recently deceased X-Men founder Professor X to use for his tyrannical anti-mutant schemes.

Creation

The Uncanny Avengers were created by writer Rick Remender and artist John Cassaday. They were formed as one of the end results of the Avengers vs. X-Men story arc, with the team being comprised entirely of pre-existing Marvel characters. The Uncanny Avengers first appeared in the first issue of their self-titled ongoing series.

Team Evolution

Founding Members

• Captain America
• Havok
• Wolverine
• Thor
• Scarlet Witch
• Rogue
• For changes of roster see Old Order Changeth

Major Story Arcs

The forming of the team followed directly from the fallout between The Avengers and The X-Men in AvX. As a result, Captain America felt The Avengers had not done enough in the past to help mutants and in consultation with fellow founding member Thor, the two started recruiting members for the Avengers Unity Squad a.k.a. The Uncanny Avengers. Captain America chose Havok as the perfect leader for the team not only because he is a mutant but also due to to his clean public image and other leadership qualities. Wolverine was initially opposed to Havok being chosen leader but soon came around when he saw how the younger Summers brother dealt with the fallout from the attack on Manhattan from the mutant terrorist Avalanche.

Skull & Bones

The teams first major threat was a newly powered Red Skull and his S-Men. The Red Skull had implanted a part of the recently deceased Charles Xavier's brain into his own and gained Professor X's powers. He had also formed the S-Men, who were a group of genetically modified humans that had all suffered atrocities at the hands of mutants at some point in their lives. The S-Men kidnapped Rogue and Scarlet Witch whom Red Skull attempted to control. The S-Men brought the two mutants to Manhattan where Red Skull used his new powers to control the minds of humans and made them kill any mutant on sight - including those who were still unaware they were mutants. As the massacre raged, Scarlet Witch and Rogue broke free and Havok, Wolverine, Captain American and Thor arrived. During the fight Red Skull briefly managed to control the minds of both Havok and Captain America and turn them on their team mates before both became free. One of the S-Men known as Honest John the Living Propaganda used his mind manipulation powers to convince Thor of their genocidal cause and recruit his aid. A massive battle between Thor and Scarlet Which followed and Wanda was able to remove the Thunder God from the battlefield, albeit temporarily. meanwhile the combined powers of the Uncanny Avengers overwhelmed Red Skull and his S-Men, all of whom managed to escape.