Do you know what the end of all things looks like?
In some mythologies, it takes the form of a giant bear. ‘You were warned to cease your pursuit of Weapon X, Alpha Flight! Turn away, or suffer the wrath of SNOWBIRD!’ exclaims the former Alphan Narya as she uses her shape changing abilities to morph into a giant polar bear at Devil’s Bay. Alpha Flight leap out of the way of their powerful - and supposedly dead - teammate. Ghost Girl a.k.a. Lilli, Alpha Flight’s newest associate calls to her not-official boyfriend Adrian “Flex” Corbo and points out that Snowbird is coming their way, and fast! Adrian tells Lilli not to worry, as he will protect her, if he can.
Eugene “Puck” Judd, James “Guardian” MacDonald Hudson, Jared “Radius” Corbo and Heather McNeil Hudson a.k.a. Vindicator all grab onto Snowbird in her polar bear form, and Judd mutters to Mac that he has experience in coming back from the other side of the grave, so how are they supposed to fight a deceased arctic goddess’ polar spirit guide? ‘Your guess is as good as mine’ Mac replies, before Radius points out that she is going for Gentry. Snowbird growls in front of Gentry, by Department H’s administrator doesn’t move - he simply stands his ground, despite Guardian telling him that he has to move quickly.
Judd agrees, and points out that Snowbird might take off again at any time. Heather orders Jared to throw a force field up between Snowbird and Gentry, but Radius replies that his power doesn’t work that way, he has to be there for his field to be there. Gentry tells everyone that there is no need, as this isn’t a bear. ‘Oh? And just what would you call it, then?’ asks Heather, when suddenly “Snowbird” begins dissipating. Heather takes to the air, while the men all fall to the ground. Judd tells Radius to roll left, as he needs something thick to land on.
Alpha Flight are joined by Manbot and Arlette “Murmur” Truffaut and Gentry replies to Heather’s question by telling her that he would call it a warning - just as Snowbird’s supposed “ghost” was - a warning concocted by Shaman to keep them away from the Hell Pounder.
For those who are more prone to believe in science than myths, the end of all things might indeed look like this - a nuclear warhead poised above the Devil’s Bay atomic incinerator chute. Gentry looks up at the massive structure and informs Canada’s premiere super heroes that as far as any of them in the Ministry of Defense knew, the Hell Pounder was never actually constructed. ‘So much for what we “knew”!’ Guardian asks Gentry what it does, so Gentry explains to everyone that, in theory, dangerous materials could be dropped into an extremely deep earth-drilled core tube and disposed of by a chasing nuclear detonator.
Though he is loathe to admit it, Gentry points out that it looks like Huxley might have been telling the truth. ‘You mean in thinking Weapon X was headed here for an ultimate blast of power to rupture his suit?’ Mac asks. Flex asks if that happens, then won’t they all become infected with his “yucky bacteria”?. The badly damaged Manbot whirs and clicks before calculating the rate of infection, and announces that Vancouver will be converted in 38 minutes, before announcing that he has a system failure in twelve minutes.
Heather suggests that she, Radius and Murmur should go find Huxley, after all, he seems to know the most about Weapon X at the moment. ‘Hey, yeah! Where is fatty?’ Jared asks. Murmur reminds her attractive teammate that Huxley vanished right after they landed. Mac takes to the air and tells everyone to stay together and watch the bomb while he makes a fast visual loop. He calls back that if he sees any trace of the other Alpha Flight, Weapon X or Huxley, then he will signal.
For Dr. Horatio Huxley, the end of all things may be nothing more than…an overhead labyrinth of pipes for an underground pressure system seen from his back. ‘Turn me loose this instant! I command you!’ he exclaims as he is dragged along the ground by his creation, the new Weapon X. ‘Do you think me a petty commoner? I will not be treated this way! I am a very big man!’ ‘Truer words were never spoken, luvy!’ Weapon X replies, before telling Huxley not to worry, as “we” are strong and could pull two or three of him if they had to.
‘And as for commands, you don’t make the rules out in the world - we do!’ Weapon X proceeds to tell Huxley that rule number one is that he is going to get this installation which Weapon X read about in his files up and running. Looming over Huxley to intimidate him, Weapon X exclaims that “they” would launch the big bomb themselves, but that there seems to be a sudden plague of super heroes under foot. Huxley asks Weapon X if he thinks he has the upper hand, before revealing to him a device which can control his suit’s internal temperature.
Weapon X lets Huxley get to his feet, and the “good” Doctor explains to Weapon X that if he activates the device, then he can give him the power to regulate his bio-environment without consuming massive amounts of energy. Huxley tells him that he could live as a normal man - the most powerful on the planet! ‘With only me to answer to, of course!’ Weapon X grabs the device and replies ‘We don’t want to live with the suit, pet - we want out of it!’ To Huxley’s horror, Weapon X crushes the device in his fist. Weapon X pushes Huxley back to the ground and drags him along behind him, telling him that they need to get to the control room and get things running. Weapon X warns Huxley not to pull any funny stuff, ‘We know you’re a tricky one, but if you do anything other than what we tell you to - you’ll be the next home for a little Weapon X bacteria…if you catch our meaning!’
Nearby, ‘…You’ll be the next home for a little Weapon X bacteria…if you catch our meaning!’ Jeanne-Marie “Aurora” Beaubier exclaims before screaming. Still wrapped in the netting which Manbot trapped her in, Aurora is surrounded by the living members of the original Alpha Flight - her brother Jean-Paul a.k.a. Northstar, former lover Walter “Sasquatch” Langkowski, Michael “Shaman” Twoyoungmen and an older James MacDonald Hudson, who claims to be the real Guardian.
Walt informs Shaman that Aurora is doing it again - speaking in a voice that is not her own. Twoyoungmen explains that it is Weapon X, his evil reaches out to Aurora, meaning he has arrived. Shaman explains that this is fortunate, for the bacteria is dangerously close to devouring Aurora’s core persona - and if it succeeds, she will surely go insane. ‘It will not succeed!’ shouts Northstar, declaring that he will save his sister at any cost. Shaman informs Walter that his perimeter defense incantation has been deployed, so Walt transforms into Sasquatch and climbs up a tower so he can look out over the surrounding area.
Guardian informs Shaman that he can hear something, and when Michael asks what it is, Mac replies that he doesn’t know, but that it is as if there is someone in - Sasquatch suddenly interrupts, announcing that there are intruders on the tarmac. ‘It’s the new formula Alpha Flight all right…though I prefer classic myself!’ Shaman remarks that Department H’s desire to see Aurora’s transformation fully executed means that they will stop at nothing to prevent them from securing Weapon X, so they must take immediate action!
To Jeanne-Marie, the end of all things sounds like the troubling voices reverberating through her head…voices telling her to break free. Lights flash around the sultry Alphan as she declares ‘Non! We will be bound no longer! We will be free!’ and escaping the netting, she takes to the air, exclaiming ‘We are of the bacterial whole and will not rejoin them!’ Mac tells Aurora not to, but she is so fast, and Shaman hurries Northstar along to get her. Fortunately, Aurora doesn’t get far, and she falls into her brother’s arms.
Sasquatch looks at the woman he once lived with. Walt wonders if it was her madness back then that ended their world together - for it is her madness now that scares her in exactly the same way. Walt suggests that they should place Aurora somewhere during the battle - for her safety as well as theirs. Dropping down to the ground with his unconscious sister, Northstar declares that the pursuit of Jeanne-Marie’s health is all that has saved his own crazed life, and for that he will not see her cast aside again.
Thoughtfully, Guardian informs Twoyoungmen that what he said about the new Alpha Flight’s agenda, he has this strange feeling that they are not here for the reasons they believe. Shaman exclaims that he is surprised that such a notoriously science-minded man would pay any heed to his intuitive senses. Mac replies that he doesn’t know why either, and explains that it is like there is a voice inside his head speaking on behalf of them - telling him that their motives are pure.
Back outside the Hell Pounder, the young Guardian approaches Heather and tells her that what they were saying about the original Alphans, for some reason, he has a feeling that they aren’t here for reasons they think. ‘A feeling? Since when did you go by feelings?’ Heather asks her estranged husband. Mac replies that he doesn’t know, but that it is like there is a voice inside his head speaking on behalf of them - telling him that their motives are pure.
Judd turns to Manbot, and tells him that he knows he is hurting, but wants to know if he can read anything. ‘My system is not capable of experiencing pain’ Manbot replies, before announcing that he detects five life-forms to the Northeast and on in the command center. As Manbot states that he will have a systems failure in 9.5 minutes, he suddenly bursts into flames. Flex grabs everyone else’s attention, and seeing her teammate in peril, Heather orders everyone to step back so she can put Manbot out with a geyser blast. However, Manbot points out that water is ineffective for an electrical fire. ‘Oh my Lord, Manbot! I’m so sorry!’ Heather exclaims.
Suddenly, Radius exclaims that he has an idea, and explaining that fire needs air, he pulls Manbot into his force field so he can seal him off for a second, hopefully before Radius himself burns to death. Inside the force field, Jared tells Manbot to stop blowing up and go out - and he does. Flex examines Manbot and tells his brother that he saved him. ‘Great…an eye for an eye’ mumbles Radius as he gets his breath back.
Guardian orders Judd to take Flex and Ghost Girl to the command center, as that is where he is betting Huxley has gone, before telling Mr. Gentry that he thinks he should go back to the craft, before informing everyone else that they will go and handle the other Alpha Flight. Suddenly, Heather exclaims that it doesn’t look like they are going to have to wait long to handle them - as the five original Alphans appear before the new team.
‘You were warned to stay out of this!’ Shaman declares. Sasquatch remarks that since Heather and company do not seem to take advice from friends as easily as orders from evil dictators, then they should make the point in a more concrete manner. Heather quickly tells Walter that she always thought his bravado sounded tough against their opponents, but truth to tell, it is rather puerile. With that, Heather unleashes a powerful stream of lava from the ground and knocks Shaman out of the air with it. ‘How quickly the turn’ Walter mumbles.
The younger Guardian flies over to the older and exclaims ‘It’s you, isn’t it?’ ‘What?’ the older Guardian asks. The young Mac exclaims that the voice in his head - ‘It’s yours!’ He remarks that he thinks their thoughts are identical and he is hearing him, knowing that he is having the same doubts he is having, thinking that they all want the same thing here. ‘Indeed we do want the same thing - but you aren’t going to get him. We are!’ exclaims Sasquatch as he picks up the young Mac and tosses him aside, despite the protests of the older Mac. Young Mac tells Radius to look out, but it is too late, as he is thrown right into him.
Manbot announces that he is about to have another systems failure, to which Murmur exclaims that she doesn’t care, and taking hold of one of his arms, she exclaims she will aim his weapon, all he needs to do is fire them. Manbot begins firing at the original Alpha Flight. Flex begins to congratulate his teammate, when suddenly Aurora swoops down and picks up Arlette. ‘See if you can be so helpful up in the air, little moppet!’ Jeanne-Marie exclaims. Murmur informs Aurora that she can, because the holes in Aurora’s gloves touch Murmur’s skin, allowing her to use her powers to command Aurora to be calm.
‘And we command you to fly!’ shrieks Aurora as she laughs and lets go of Arlette, ‘Be calm! Be calm!’ Aurora sings as she flits about in the air, while Arlette plummets to her doom. Fortunately for Murmur, help arrives in the form of Heather, someone she has never really got on with. Heather catches Arlette, who explains to Heather that she was trying to stop Aurora. ‘We shouldn’t be battling them at all’ Heather states. ‘We should be banding together to prevent a greater catastrophe’. Suddenly, much to Gentry’s dismay, the Hell Pounder comes to life, and a recording announces that the launch sequence has been initiated, and deployment is in T-minus five.
Inside, Adrian and Lilli follow Judd when the Hell Pounder comes to life. ‘Puck! Do you hear that?’ exclaims Flex. ‘What is it? It sounds like…like…’ begins Lilli. ‘Like the end of the world?’ offers Judd. ‘Might be if we can’t get in this control room, find Huxley and shut it down!’ Adrian suggests that he could cut through the doors, but they look too thick even for him. Suddenly, Lilli exclaims that she can help, and phasing herself into the wall, she tells the Alphans to step through her. ‘Through you?’ asks Adrian. ‘Sure! That’s part of my power!’ the aptly-named Ghost Girl replies, explaining that she can make this into a ghost door for a second. Looking at Lilli, Flex blushes as he walks up to her. ‘Wow…uh…excuse me…oh!’ he mutters. ‘Hee hee! That tickled!’ laughs Lilli as Flex walks through her.
Jeanne-Marie Beaubier has always heard voices inside her head. That is part of what led to her identity as the super hero Aurora. How odd that as her life begins to ebb, the voices are down to two…neither of them her own! Speeding through part of the complex, ‘Calm! Calm!’ ‘Just a little further…’ are the words that come from Aurora, though not her own. Suddenly, ‘Just a little further, luv!’ exclaims Weapon X as he grabs Aurora by her ankle when she flies past him. ‘No!’ exclaims Aurora.
‘Yes!’ Weapon X replies as he jumps on her, informing her that “they” have been looking for her, for “they” sensed her back at the power plant in Calgary and have been chatting her up ever since. ‘Leave…me…alone!’ Aurora exclaims. ‘”Me?”’ asks Weapon X, before telling her that with the bacteria, there is no “me”, only “we”. He adds that if “they” are going for the big blast, then they want to have all of them there that they can. Staring at Jeanne-Marie right in the eyes, Weapon X tells her to say so long to “them”, for it is time to give up what wasn’t rightly hers to begin with. ‘Sacre Coeur!’ exclaims Aurora.
Nearby, the young Mac asks Radius if he is all right. Jared replies that he is, and that they haven’t invented a punch that can touch him yet. He is about to get back into the battle, when Mac tells him to hold off, as Heather has been right about this - they have to find a way to stop this infighting with the other Alphans and pull everyone together. ‘You’re the team leader, dude. Just lead them!’ Radius exclaims, before telling Mac that he has been doing an okay job of it on this mission with them so far. Boosted by Jared’s compliment, the young Mac calls to the older Mac, and takes to the air to talk to him.
Young Mac tells the other Mac that they cannot end this with both teams fighting each other. ‘You and I are the guardians of our country!’ He adds that they must bring their teams together, or else they could lose everything. The older Mac reveals he was thinking the same thing, can calling to the originals, he tells them to stop fighting the other Alpha Flight, as Weapon X is their top priority. Sasquatch then informs everyone that Weapon X is back, and rushing for the drop zone. ‘You’ll let us pass or we’ll make you wish you had!’
Back inside, Judd motions to a large “Department H” stamped on the wall and remarks that it is funny how a facility Gentry didn’t know existed has his company seal all over it. Flex asks Judd if he thinks Mr. Gentry is evil, to which Judd replies ‘Nah, he’s on the…up and up’, but the same cannot be for the sad sack of skin he can see up on the platform. Puck calls out to Huxley and asks him what he thinks he is doing. ‘I? I am doing what I must to save my own life!’ Huxley shouts back, before revealing that under Weapon X’s very threat to his existence, he is about to trigger the final launch codes that will launch…the Hell Pounder!
Huxley mutters that he will at least say that at his official inquest should matters here not turn out as he has planned. ‘”Why”? you might be asking yourselves?’ Huxley asks, before explaining that upon plunging deep into the Earth’s darkest dungeon, the Pounder’s atomic bomb chaser will release energy sufficient to trip the electrical binding locks of Weapon X’s suit, and release his mutated bacteria, freeing it to conquer the Earth! Judd points out to Huxley that it will kill him also, and asks what kind of numbskull he is. ‘I? I am the smartest of all me!’ Huxley boasts.
Huxley explains that the bacteria are driven as a collective entity, and Weapon X has shown that a human mind can control over that bacteria consciousness, but whereas Weapon X’s mind is small and will falter under the sweeping influx if new minds, ‘Mine is enormous and could easily feast on the totality of an infected humanity!’ Pushing a red button, the pompous Doctor declares ‘And then…I, Dr. Horatio Huxley…will rule the world!’
Back outside, Heather informs everyone that she has just got word from Puck that Huxley triggered the final launch code - meaning they have got a live nuclear warhead and about four minutes to kill it! As both teams of Alpha Flight race into action, Manbot announces that he will have systems failure in 3.48 minutes, while the young Guardian exclaims that he needs everything they have got - Alpha Flight old and new, all their abilities combined with one focus - to keep Weapon X away from the core area! ‘You don’t know what you need, luves!’ exclaims Weapon X as he rushes away from Canada’s premiere super heroes.
Shaman remarks that Weapon X is avoiding his enchanted powers as if there were little more than common dust. Heather tells her old friend not to feel bad, as she has been training using the volcanic blasts for months and she is nowhere near connecting with Weapon X. The older Mac tells the younger to try and use his electromagnetic blasts to - ‘Corral him away from the site? I’m way ahead of you!’ young Mac exclaims. ‘Pity we’re so far ahead of you both then, isn’t it, Wonder Twins?’ Weapon X exclaims.
Sasquatch comes up behind Weapon X and tells him that he has a big mouth. ‘Do you think my big fist will fit in it?’ Weapon X leaps out of the way, ‘Not if it doesn’t touch us, you mucky little koala!’ The older Mac announces that Weapon X is getting away, but the young Mac exclaims ‘Not on my watch he isn’t!’ and asks his senior to back him up, before asking what the energy is that is crackling around the drop zone.
‘No! The containment shield!’ exclaims Weapon X. However, he shouldn’t be surprised, after all, Weapon X did read the files about the shield in the same files that told him about the Hell Pounder in the first place. He knew that in the minutes before detonation, an energy field designed to cover the drop tube would be generated to keep the radiation in…and to keep innocent bystanders like himself out. It could mean the end of all his plans…. ‘No! I haven’t come this far to fail - We! We haven’t come this far to fail’. And leaping into the gaping hole in the ground, Weapon X declares ‘And we won’t!’ And after all, with what Weapon X has at stake, he really cannot have it end this way.
The older Mac announces that he has Weapon X, but the younger Mac exclaims that he is getting an irregular amperage reading from those energy spheres and tells the other Mac that the field is still increasing and might interfere with his suit’s - too late, as the older Mac is knocked back when the energy web comes up. Sasquatch exclaims that they cannot get to Weapon X in the drop zone with this web up, to which Radius asks if they are just going to kick back, let him nuke Canada and bust out of his prison suit?
Weapon X tells Alpha Flight that they have him all wrong - for “they” didn’t come here to use the bomb - but to join it! Heather realizes that Weapon is trying to kill himself, to which Northstar exclaims ‘Let him! If he is in any way responsible for what happened to my sister he deserves to die!’ Suddenly, a weary Aurora comes up behind her brother and reveals that Weapon X saved her life. Northstar rushes over to his sister before she collapses, and Jeanne-Marie informs everyone that Weapon X doesn’t want to hurt any of them, and that he drew the bacteria from her and she was in touch with his mind for a moment, so she learnt that the part of him that is human wishes now only to destroy the bacteria in the heat of the nuclear explosion. With that, Aurora collapses in her brother’s arms.
Radius asks if this is all some sort of suicide run, to which Weapon X exclaims ‘True to a “T”, luv. But I couldn’t tell a big herd of heroes that! You’d never let me get away with it, now would you?’ An exhausted Aurora tells Weapon X that he mustn’t, that he cannot kill himself, for there is always another way. ‘Let us help you as you helped me!’ Weapon X tells Aurora that “they” cannot kill themselves, but this bomb can, and they will be happy to let it just do that. ‘Better than living life as a weapon everyone’s fighting to use!’ he exclaims before jumping into the gaping hole.
Sasquatch confirms that Weapon X is gone, and reminds everyone that with the energy web in place, there is nothing they can do to stop him. Judd, followed by Flex and Ghost Girl arrive back on the scene, and Judd remarks that it might be for the better. Guardian asks where Huxley is, to which Judd replies that he is locked in the control center, and since the three of them could barely get in, they figure he probably could get out either.
Judd informs everyone that Huxley has flipped his lid top over bottom, for Huxley thinks that once the Weapon X bacteria is freed from the suit by the blast, he can use it to take over all of humanity. Heather remarks that it is nice to know that Huxley’s megalomania is alive and well, before asking if he doesn’t realize that Weapon X isn’t trying to escape. ‘In the interest of time, I reiterate: This is the End!’ exclaims Sasquatch.
Is this what the end looks like, James MacDonald Hudson, the younger? Failure at a mission he was fighting so valiantly to triumph in. ‘No!’ Mac exclaims, before beginning to bark out orders. He tells Judd to signal Huxley and order him to shut down the energy web or else. Mac orders Flex to take what is left of Manbot and have him try to freeze the bomb deployment manually. ‘Systems failure in 2.02 minutes’ Manbot replies. ‘Then do it in 2.01!’ exclaims Mac.
Turning to Heather, Mac asks her to, once the shield has dropped, go with Shaman and work together in brining Weapon X out of the pit. ‘I don’t care if it is on a column of steam or with an Inuit spirit guide, but I want him back!’ Judd quickly informs Mac that Huxley is shutting down the power dome, for he told the doofus it will make it easier for the bacteria to find him, and he actually believed him. Mac exclaims that is good, and tells Puck, Sasquatch, Northstar and Aurora - if she is able to - to be at 12.00, 3.00, 6.00 and 9.00 around the perimeter, so if X comes out, then it is going to be up to whichever two of them he tries to rush through to stop him.
‘And the rest of us?’ asks the older Mac. Young Guardian informs him that the two of them will generate a temporary electromagnetic shield to contain the blast should it come, while Radius is to push his field to the limit to reinforce them - and open a rift for Weapon X if they retrieve him. ‘Deal!’ exclaims Jared, before a sullen Murmur exclaims ‘And Ghost Girl and I are to wait in the “car” again?’ Mac replies that Ghost Girl will have to, as her specific powers do not fit into his plan, so she can go and keep Gentry safe, before telling Arlette that he wants her beside him, and that if it looks like he is losing his nerve, she is to tell him otherwise.
As Shaman hovers above the opening, he announces that he is calling on the spirits of his ancestors to guide and protect, while Judd calls out to Heather as she dives into the pit. Heather knows what Judd is going to say to her, and informs him that she will be fine, and assures him that Mac’s plan is fine, so they will all follow it. On top of Manbot, Flex informs everyone that Manbot found a switch and can delay the bomb by holding it in, but he cannot override it. Manbot announces that his systems failure is in .57 minutes, to which Guardian the younger urges Flex to keep that button pushed in, before calling out to Guardian senior and asking him if he sees anything.
The older Mac replies that something is moving, when suddenly, Weapon X, with Heather right behind him, leaps out of the pit. ‘Weapon X! I got him, Mac…I mean, Macs!’ ‘Good work, Heather!’ both the Mac’s exclaim. Sasquatch grabs Weapon X, who asks him to release him and let him die - so he can take this weapon of a body with him straight to the fiery Hell that it deserves. Sasquatch tells Weapon X that this isn’t the answer, that his death, when it comes, should mean something, that it should be for some greater good, not just to quell an evil.
The younger Mac asks Weapon X to let Alpha Flight give him the chance to put his life on the line for something that matters, and the older Mac remarks that they have done it before for others with the name Weapon X who also thought themselves threats to the world around them. Flex encourages Manbot to hold on, but Manbot announces that a systems failure is imminent and tells Flex to remove the down-load disc and disembark from the main structure before - suddenly, there is an explosion, and Manbot burst into flames again. Sometimes, the end doesn’t come when you’d like it to…it comes when it will. And as Manbot and Flex fall back to the ground, the recording announces that deployment has resumed.
The end comes with little regard for your plans. ’Launch’ announces the recording, and suddenly there is a loud rumbling. Heather exclaims that without Manbot manually overriding the detonation pin, the Hell Pounder is going to detonate above ground! Shaman hovers over the opening, when Sasquatch tells him to pull Weapon X out of here so he can hold the delay button in until the bomb drops, but Twoyoungmen tells Walter that it is another suicide mission and he cannot allow him to take it in his place.
Weapon X leaps past Shaman, knocking him off balance and exclaiming that it sounds like they need a sacrificial lamb - ‘A position we’ve been aspiring to of late!’ he reminds everyone, when suddenly he leaps back into the pit, declaring that it looks like his chance to save the world might come sooner than they thought. ‘Thanks for helping me make my end mean something special!’
The end rumbles down the hall of thundering feet and casts your wishes aside. Young Mac exclaims that it is working, but that he doesn’t know if he and the other Mac can hold their electromagnetic shield in place to contain the blast when it comes. Arlette places a hand on the man she has had a not-so-secret crush on and exclaims ‘You may not, monsieur Hudson, but I know you can. And you will too if only you believe’. And with that, there is a mighty explosion…
Do you know what the end of all things looks like? That is a question you could only answer 24 hours later at the headquarters of Alpha Flight - Department H - where a new day brings new questions. Outside, the younger members of Alpha Flight are bundled up in the cold, and Flex asks Ghost Girl if she is ready to go to Mr. Gentry’s meeting. Lilli replies that she supposes so, but that she is a little nervous, as there is so many “Alpha Flight people” now, she is so sure she will get fired before she even has a chance to really prove herself. Flex replies that he was thinking the same thing, before informing Lilli that Gentry told him to go and get the others, and asks if she wants to come with him. ‘Sure!’ exclaims Lilli.
While some questions one can easily answer…others are more difficult. Jared stands before the tombstone of the mysterious Sasquatch that was a short lived member of Alpha Flight and tells him that if there is any way he can hear him, then what he is trying to get at is, ‘You know, I’m sorry I didn’t follow orders - even if you weren’t the real Sasquatch, I’m sorry you died because of me, okay?’ Adrian, Lilli and Arlette approach Jared and Flex announces that they are on their way to the big meeting, and asks him if he wants to come with them.
Radius replies that he is done here, and that it is as good a day for bad news as any. Joining his friends, he exclaims that this sucks, for you start to do something good, get your feet under, then someone pulls out the rug just because the old team came back. Arlette remarks that it might not be bad news, to which Jared jokes ‘Sure, and maybe I’m Marilyn Manson’ before Murmur remarks that they should go and join Mac, for he is in the Beta Flight lab.
Some questions defy answers all together, like the one Gentry asks: ‘How did we wind up with two identical James Hudsons?’ With Hames at his side taking notes, Gentry announces that though he is not proud of it, it seems the Department grew enhanced semi-organic synthoid replicas of Mac to varying ages, and that it appears one of them is one of them, while the other is the read deal. The older Guardian asks which of them it is, to which Gentry replies that it is a good question, for the stories both men tell of death and rebirth or age regeneration are equally outlandish.
Gentry reveals that it was Huxley who was responsible for this project, so he is the one who should be explaining himself here. ‘I wonder how escaped the base and where he went?’ Gentry adds, when suddenly, the “good” Doctor enters the lab. ‘Ship jumper?! Hardly! Horatio Huxley is a business man!’ Horatio boasts, exclaiming that he must ply his craft wherever he feels he can best exploit his immense talent. Huxley mumbles on about how only one day ago he was in the employ of Gentry’s direct competitors and speaking ill of him should have no bearing whatsoever on his application here. ‘There are…are…are you going to finish that muffin?’
Gentry turns back to the Guardians and tells them that while one of them is indeed a synthoid of the other, the fact that they have both been outstanding leaders and have both proven themselves in the rigors of battle, he feels that each has earned the right to continue doing so, therefore he has decided not to reveal which of them is the original James Hudson. He tells the men that for all intents and purposes, they both are the real Guardian, and Department H would be well-off to have them both in the service of Canada. ‘Thank you, sir’ the men reply in unison.
Eventually, long lingering questions begin to fall away, as Heather and Judd approach the Mac’s, Judd exclaims that he wants a word with them, as he wanted them to hear it from him instead of through the grapevine, and informs them that he and Heather are going out on a date tonight. ‘WHAT?’ exclaim the Mac’s. Heather remarks that she checked her horoscope and it said “Endings bring new beginnings. Though matters of the heart remain complicated, love it right beneath your nose”. ‘Who am I to snub fate?’ she asks, before Gentry informs them that on that note, it is time for their meeting.
Do you know what the end of all things looks like? Heather, the Mac’s, Judd and Gentry are joined by Northstar, Aurora, Sasquatch and Shaman before they join up with the younger members. Guardian apologizes to Flex for the hold up, as they had some big news to hear. ‘And more on the way, I imagine’ Walter remarks, while Judd asks why they are having the meeting in the hangar bay. Standing with Flex, Lilli and Murmur, Jared exclaims that it is because now there is too many of them, ‘And this way they can ship out us rejects the minute we’re booted’.
Gentry tells Radius that he is sorry to disappoint them, but they chose the hangar bay, because it is the only place big enough for the kind of celebration that they deserve. Entering the hangar bay, Alpha Flight old and new are greeted by hundreds of Department H personnel, ready for the celebration. ‘We aren’t getting fired because there are too many of us?’ asks Flex. ‘Of course not!’ replies Gentry. ‘Having too many Alphans might be a problem if someone were trying to write stories about you, but the Department would never allow that to happen!’
Alpha Flight group together for a photo-opportunity team shot and Gentry exclaims that when it comes to heroes willing to risk everything for their country, you can never have enough, and so, they are here to extend a congratulation and official welcome to all of them who want to stay. ‘Three cheers for ALPHA FLIGHT!!!’
