New Avengers: Illuminati #3

Overview

THE MEGA SMASH MINI SERIES IS BACK!! Years ago a mysterious creature called the Beyonder gathered the heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe for an epic called SECRET WARS. Now, finally, after decades of mystery, the TRUE origin of this powerful creature is revealed when the Illuminati try to stop the Beyonder from interfering with the Earth once more.

What powerful connection does the Beyonder's true origin have to one of the power players of the Illuminati? Another stunner from Bendis (NEW AVENGERS, MIGHTY AVENGERS) Reed (MS. MARVEL) and Jim Cheung (YOUNG AVENGERS)

Professor Xavier recalls the events of the first Secret War and appearance of The Beyonder. He remembers that he had thought about using his psychic powers to put all the heroes and villains to sleep, but had reconsidered out of fear that Beyonder would retaliate if he interfered. He had felt something in the Beyonder’s mind though, something “almost mutant in nature.” He mentally reached out and found himself pulled inside of the Beyonder’s consciousness. Inside, he discovered that the alien was not the cosmic being it pretended to be, but really an Inhuman. Not only that though, he was also a mutant. On the moon outside Attilan, Professor Xavier explained to the other members of The Illuminati (save Iron Man who was away) that the Beyonder was a mutant who had Inhuman that had been exposed to the Terrigen crystals.

Namor asks why Xavier is bringing this up now and Professor says that he’s recently been feeling that The Beyonder is close again so they should “handle” him before he gets to them. Strange asks Black Bolt, king of the Inhumans if he knows who The Beyonder is, but Black Bolt has no idea. Xavier says he knows where Beyonder is but the others don’t know what they’ll do once they get to him. Namor says that they won’t have to do anything, that Beyonder will bow before Black Bolt and beg forgiveness.

The group takes a stolen Skrull ship that Namor says they should have destroyed, and flies to the asteroid belt where Xavier detects The Beyonder. As they get closer, Dr. Strange grows weak, saying that something unnatural is going on. The ship moves up and they see what he’s talking about. The entire island of Manhattan has been duplicated and is floating in the asteroid belt. Reed parks the ship on the Baxter Building and the team gets out to look around. They see people on the streets below but Strange tells them that they’re not real. Reed spots Beyonder and amongst a group of heroes and realizes that Beyonder has created all of this to be his own personal playground. After Reed sees Beyonder, Beyonder turns and sees the Illuminati. He teleports to where they’re standing and is genuinely surprised to see anyone new. He wonders if he created them and made himself forget so it would be a special treat for himself, but once he sees Black Bolt he knows they are real. Beyonder bows before his king but before he can say much, he is attacked by a fake Hulk. The Illuminate remain calm and Beyonder tells them that he forgot he had scheduled that attack. He resumes speaking with Black Bolt and tells his king that he can talk hear because Beyonder can control everything so he’ll do no damage. Everyone else tells him not to and Strange says that Beyonder is messing with the natural order of things. Reed goes on to say that Beyonder’s very existence threatens the universe and that, basically, he is unnatural and doesn’t belong. Beyonder ignores all of this and asks Black Bolt how he’s still alive after so long. Xavier asks him how long he thinks it has been but Beyonder doesn’t reply. Namor tells him to leave the universe and Xavier says that he shouldn’t be interfering with the development of the species. Beyonder replies by saying that they interfere, but Strange says that that’s because it’s their species, not his. Beyonder says he just wants to do good, and that he can make the world however they want.

Suddenly the world changes and Dr. Strange wakes up in a bed with two naked women. Above him, Iron Men, mutants and cars fly through the sky. Beyonder makes it so the Atlanteans are invading the surface world and tells Namor that he can give them everything they want. Strange does a spell and Namor begins to speak the words Black Bolt wants to say. He tells Beyonder that he is not a god, he is not immortal he demands that Beyonder stop what he’s doing and leave the universe immediately. Beyonder seems to comply and everything turns to dust. The Illuminati decide it’s time to go.

As they pile into the ship, they talk about Beyonder. Xavier and Strange no longer detect his presence and say that what happened should not have worked. Beyonder could have destroyed them if he wanted to. Reed questions if Namor still wants to conquer the surface world and he says, “Only sometimes.” Black Bolt is embarrassed that he doesn’t remember The Beyonder from when he lived with other Inhumans and Xavier tells him it’s not his fault. The ship disappears into dark space that becomes the black pupils of Beyonder’s eyes. The Beyonder resumes his activities in his Manhattan playground.