Exiles (1st series) #62

Issue Date: 
June 2005
Story Title: 
Timebreakers - part 1
Staff: 

Tony Bedard (Writer), Jim Calafiore (Penciler), Mark McKenna (Inker), JC (Colorist), Dave Sharpe (Letterer), Sean Ryan (Assistant Editors), Nick Lowe (Associate Editor), Mike Marts (Editor), Joe Quesada (Editor in Chief), Dan Buckley (Publisher)

Brief Description: 

The Exiles find themselves in a crystal palace, where Namora recalls being once when the Timebroker first conscripted her. After the Exiles swap recruitment stories, they sneak around the empty building. Along the way, they spot many monitors that show images from other realities. Soon, they stumble upon doorways that lead to other worlds, including the desert that Blink, Mimic and Morph first met in. Afterwards, they find a stasis gallery full of all the dead Weapon X and Exiles members, as well as Heather and Beak, who may or may not be alive. Suddenly, they find a tiny, fat bug that claims to be of the working caste and has never heard of a “Timebroker.” He takes the group to the control room, which is sealed. Blink teleports the group inside the control room, where they encounter short, slender bugs known as the sovereign caste, who claim that they only wanted to help. Before they can be questioned on what they mean by “help,” the true villain responsible for the team’s recent misfortune is revealed: Hyperion! Holocaust is unimpressed and attacks Hyperion, who kills the son of Apocalypse with ease. Hyperion then turns his attention to the rest of the Exiles.

Full Summary: 

The Exiles stand in the crystal palace, unsure of what to do next. Morph shape-shifts into the Timebroker and announces that if this is where the Timebroker really lives, then he gets an ‘F’ for décor. Then again, what would one expect from a guy who dresses like Mister Belvedere. Namora, however, is puzzled. She recalls being here before, back when the Timebroker first conscripted her for the Exiles. One moment she was in her throne room, the next minute she was in a place very similar to this crystal palace.

Morph shape-shifts into him sitting on a toilet reading a newspaper, as he sarcastically comments that the Timebroker grabbed him out of the throne room as well. Holocaust becomes annoyed and aims his weapon at Morph, wondering why they have to tolerate the shape-shifter. Sabretooth pushes Holocaust’s primary weapon away and tells him to take a number. He wants to hear the rest of Namora’s story.

Namora admits that there is not much to tell. The Timebroker was all alone there. He explained that she was unhinged from time and that she must carry out his missions if she wanted to return to her former life in her kingdom. Of course, she attacked him, but at that instant she was teleported to the other Exiles and emerged from an inter-dimensional portal with her new companions. She has been putting up with them ever since.

Blink speaks up and tells Sabretooth that she was never brought to a place like this. She, Mimic, Morph, Nocturne, Thunderbird and Magnus all materialized in a desert. Mimic continues the story and adds that once they were all there the Timebroker showed up and gave his speech to them about how they were unhinged from time, but it seemed like the first time he had gathered a group of Exiles. Sabretooth reveals that a similar situation occurred when Weapon X was formed. It was he, Deadpool, Kane, Maverick, Mesmero and Wolverine. However, they all materialized in an ocean. Soon, the Timebroker showed up in a houseboat, with a case of beer and his recruitment speech. Once they all realized that they could not kill the Timebroker, they agreed to jump realities and do the missions.

Holocaust explains that he was taken from a hero-infested version of Earth that he was stranded on since the Age of Apocalypse came to an end. He reappeared in front of all of them, and they all saw what little explanation he was given. However, they should find the Timebroker now and free themselves from their captivity before he realizes that they are in the crystal palace. The Exiles begin to walk down the steps and through a corridor. Mimic wonders where this place is. It is underground? Is it in space? Sabretooth whispers to the others and tells them to shut up. He will take point, while Holocaust takes the rear. From now on they will use hand signals. “Can ya read this one?” whispers Morph as he gives Sabretooth the middle finger.

The Exiles quietly march through the empty palace. Soon, they pass doorways, which seemingly lead to nowhere. They come across a part of the structure with video monitors on the walls. One screen shows the Silver Surfer flying over a burning facility, another shows the rampaging Hulk, while a third shows a six-armed Spider-Man terrorizing innocents. As Sabretooth passes by a screen with Thanos courting Death, he beckons for the Exiles to follow him. Blink, however, spots something that stops her in her tracks.

Blink, Morph and Mimic peer through a doorway, which leads to the desert where they first met one another. Morph wonders if it is the exit. Blink recognizes the desert from when they first met, though Morph comments that all extra-dimensional portals look the same to him. Namora approaches them and shushes them, for they have found something very important. She points ahead to the glass wall in front of them.

The Exiles are shocked to find that behind the glass wall are all the dead members of the Exiles and Weapon X, suspended in a watery substance. The group recognizes a few Weapon X members, such as Colossus and Maverick, the latter still having Captain America’s shield in his gut. Morph walks down and spots someone familiar. Blink realizes that it is Thunderbird, as the bandages on him are exactly the same as when they were forced to leave him behind! Mimic is disgusted and wonders if the Timebroker keeps his fallen soldiers as trophies. Morph, however, is distraught, as he finds the body of Sunfire between Iron Man and She-Hulk. He tells Mariko’s body that she deserves better than this and that he will see to it that she is buried at home.

Namora and Holocaust walk on and look at the fallen soldiers, spotting former Weapon X member, Vision. Suddenly, Sabretooth picks up a scent and walks over to a massive shattered hole in the gallery. Sabretooth is confused and wonders if this spot is reserved for one of them. Mimic, Blink, and Morph suddenly rush over to Sabretooth and tell him to forget about the hole. Doesn’t he see who are next in line?

The three Exiles look up to see Beak and Heather Hudson behind the glass in the gallery. Morph is saddened and asks if they are dead. Mimic pops his claws and tells Morph that there is only one way to find out. Blink stops Mimic, though, and reminds him that it would be easier if she teleported the two out. Sabretooth, however, steps in and tells her that the two might be on life-support. Taking them off could kill them if they are not already dead. They need to learn more first. Mimic becomes angry and tells Sabretooth that Blink is the leader and he should stop second-guessing her. Annoyed, Sabretooth decided that Mimic could use a few less teeth.

Suddenly, Sabretooth picks up a scent and looks around. Mimic is confused and reminds the man that he is standing right there. Sabretooth tells Mimic to be quiet and asks if he cannot smell it. He orders everyone to duck into the next room as someone is coming. The Exiles do so, as something comes scurrying into the gallery, speaking in a unknown language. A short, fat brown beetle-like creature walks in with a handheld device and begins taking to itself in another language. It inspects the shattered hole Sabretooth found earlier and mutters something to itself. Sabretooth tells the fat bug to switch to English, because he will be begging for his life soon. With that said all six Exiles jump on top of the bug.

The group gets off of the down bug. Sabretooth admits that he shouldn’t have been surprised that the Timebroker was noting more than a stinkbug. The scared bug asks Sabretooth if he speaks the new tongue. Annoyed, Victor tells the bug not to play stupid games with him. He orders the creature to give them back their old lives now or they will squish him and they will figure out his equipment by themselves. The scared bug agrees to help, for he does not want to be squashed. The bug asks them to tell him what they mean by “Timebroker” and then he will help them. Angry, Holocaust aims his gun at the bug as Sabretooth told him not to play games or else. The scared bug tells Holocaust that he does not play games, for he is part of the working caste. If they tell him what they mean by “Timebroker” then he can help them.

Blink believes the bug, and Morph agrees that this bug may not be the Timebroker at all. Namora is relieved by this deduction, as it would be embarrassing if an insect enslaved the queen of Atlantis. Morph transforms back into the Timebroker and asks the little bug if he can show them the person in charge of this whole operation. He looks just like him. The bug apologizes, for he does not understand what Morph means by “in charge.” The Panoptichron is charged by ambient radiant quanta collected from adjacent solar clusters. Morph gets angry and wonders who taught this creature English. He then decides to put this in terms anyone could understand. Morph transforms into a green alien with tentacles and a ray gun and tells the bug to take him to his leader.

The working caste bug understands and decides to take the Exiles to the sovereign caste. The Exiles follow the creature down the hallway. Mimic begins to think that the Timebroker really is an artificial construct. The working caste bug does not seem to recognize the Timebroker’s image, so maybe they really do project it to interface with the team. Morph disagrees; however, as the Timebroker’s mean streak seems too personal to be artificial, unless he is an evil living computer. Holocaust does not care if the Timebroker is real or not anymore. This all ends today.

The working caste bug takes the Exiles to a locked door. He explains that the control room has been sealed now, which is very unusual. It has been off-limits for five-week cycles now. Sabretooth turns back and orders everyone to get ready in case the bug is leading them into a trap. Blink tells the little bug that he seemed surprised by their appearance. Aren’t there any sensors or cameras in this place to allow the sovereigns to know that they arrived?

The bug explains that the Panoptichron looks outwards all the time. Why is there a need to look inward? The bug then walks over to an access panel and explains that he must first announce their presence to request access into the control room. He is certain that the sovereigns will be eager to speak with them. Blink quickly yanks the bug away from the door and thanks him, but they will just announce themselves. She then asks him how thick the door is. Thirteen quat, responds the bug. Blink sighs and asks if the door is thicker than she is tall. No, replies the working caste bug. Blink stands up, determined, and announces that they are going to teleport in blind. “Do it, pup,” says Sabretooth.

The Exiles teleport into the control room of the building. The room contains many raised crystal platforms, all of which contain a monitor and a computer panel. In the center of the room in the air is a glowing orange ball of energy. On many of the platforms, however, are short, yet slender bugs with two arms and four legs. They are the sovereign caste. The sovereigns freak out at the sight of the Exiles and begin to run.

Namora screams that they cannot allow the sovereigns to escape. Sabretooth drop kicks one bug, but Mimic tells his teammates not to hurt the creatures, as they don’t seem to be fighting back. Blink confronts two sovereigns, one of whom tells Blink that they did not mean to harm her. They only wanted to help. This leaves Blink confused. Holocaust tells another that it is too late for apologies. He is about to smash the bug with his first, but Namora stops him. She refuses to allow anyone to die until they learn the truth.

As a door opens behind Blink, unnoticed by the girl, she tells the sovereigns to calm down and take them to the Timebroker. Where is he? Suddenly, a familiar and evil voice tells Blink that there is no Timebroker and, if there was, he would have killed him the minute he took over. Blink turns around in horror and sees her enemy. “That’s right baby…” says the villain, “…HYPERION.”

Holocaust stands unimpressed. Sabretooth as well does not feel threatened. Blink, Morph, and Mimic are taken aback at the sight of Hyperion, who is totally healthy and alive, the complete opposite of when they last saw him. Blink tells Sabretooth that Hyperion joined Weapon X after he left. Hyperion is absolute evil and he is… impossible to beat. Morph transforms into a chicken and realizes that things are bad if Hyperion is running the show around there.

Hyperion laughs and tells them that every last Earth in every universe that ever existed better get used to calling him “God.” Holocaust is tired of being pushed around and controlled and blasts Hyperion away with his weapon. He then charges his foe, much to the horror of Blink. Holocaust punches Hyperion, who was torturing them this whole time. Did he think he could enslave the son of Apocalypse? Holocaust then throws Hyperion into a wall.

Holocaust is about to deliver the finishing punch to Hyperion, when the evil villain catches the other villain’s fist with his hand. Hyperion says that he did think he could enslave the son of Apocalypse. It turned out to be a let down. He was to make things tougher for the Exiles, not work with them. Hyperion then catches Holocaust’s other arm, thus disabling his weapon. Holocaust tries to grapple, but Hyperion is too strong. Holocuast tells Hyperion that he cannot do this. He is Holocaust! He is a walking H-bomb!

Hyperion smiles and tells Holocaust that he knows exactly what he is. He read his file before he forced him onto the team. Holocaust is pure energy in a delicious candy shell. He is the kind of sunshine that he soaks up like a sponge. The son of Apocalypse should face it… Hyperion eats chums like him for breakfast. Holocaust screams in terror and denial as Hyperion head butts him and shatters his helmet. Hyperion then breathes in all the gas coming out of Holocaust’s containment suit; the gas that kept Holocaust alive.

Holocaust falls to the ground, dead. Hyperion stands atop the body and tells the Exiles that now they are going to have some real fun.

Characters Involved: 

Blink, Holocaust, Mimic, Morph, Namora, Sabretooth (Exiles)

Hyperion

Various sovereign and worker cast bugs

Bodies of Colossus, Daredevil, Firestar, Iron Man, Maverick, She-Hulk, Storm, Sunfire, Thunderbird, Vision, Wolverine (former Exiles and Weapon X)

Story Notes: 

Namora joined the Exiles in Exiles #46. Blink, Morph and Mimic were part of the originals in Exiles #1. Sabretooth was originally part of Weapon X until Exiles #12 and then joined the Exiles in Exiles #59. Holocaust was brought to the team recently in Exiles #60.

Thunderbird was left behind in a coma in Exiles #10. Sunfire was killed in Exiles #37. Heather went missing in Exiles #59, and Beak was missing in Exiles #60.

Hyperion died in Exiles #45.

Mr. Belvedere was the title character of a television show starring Christopher Hewett. A former butler to the British royal family, Belvedere becomes the servant to middle class Pittsburgh, PA family, the Owens.

The stinkbug – or shield bug - is one of several species of insects that use an offensive odor as its defense mechanism.

Issue Information: 

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