GORGON: Page 3 of 4

Publication Date: 13th Feb 2020
Written By: Monolith.
Image Work: Douglas Mangum.
Biography

BIOGRAPHY - page 3

The war progressed over six months as Hydra, Leviathan and Nick Fury's forces continually took shots at one another. Fury prepared a decapitation strike on Hydra's main base, Gehenna. He intended to use his personal teleporter, Eden Fesi, to get the Secret Warriors in, set a “mountain breaker” bomb and 'port right back out. Strucker had turned one of the Warriors, however, and was forewarned of Fury's assault. Hydra was waiting at the juncture point Fury had targeted. Fesi was quickly knocked out and Fury's Warriors were left to face Strucker, Gorgon and Madame Hydra personally. [Secret Warriors (1st series) #20]

Gorgon and the High Council pursued the Secret Warriors as they tried to find an exit in the tunnels and catacombs under Gehenna. Atop a stone bridge, the first stage of the mountain breaker detonated, collapsing the bridge with most of the Secret Warriors on one side and Nick Fury and Phobos trapped on the other with Hydra. Fury prepared a grappling gun to cross the gap, but Phobos kicked him on his way and remained behind. He prepared his sword, Grasscutter, to face its opposite number, Godkiller, wielded by Gorgon. Tomi Shishido saw the opportunity to fulfill his destiny promised him by the Kraken, and held back the rest of Hydra to fight Alex in single combat.

As the two crossed swords, Phobos proved as immune to Gorgon's petrifying stare as Gorgon was to Alex's gaze of fear. They matched each other for several minutes, and Phobos managed to slice Gorgon across the midsection. When their blades next struck, both Godkiller and Grasscutter broke, and Gorgon used the moment to palm strike Alex in the chest. In that moment, Gorgon seized the advantage and brought down what remained of his blade into the chest of the God of Fear. [Secret Warriors (1st series) #21]

Gorgon was fulfilled after that kill, and Gehenna was still on the brink of explosive collapse. Gorgon and Madame Hydra prepared to abandon the base, but Strucker refused and so they left him behind to die. Hydra was split in two by this falling out, as Kraken struck down and imprisoned Strucker for allowing Gehenna to fall while Gorgon operated independently with the rest of the High Council. His forces were severely curtailed when more of Fury's Secret Warriors brought down the Hive's home base as well. [Secret Warriors (1st series) #22, 24] While Gorgon was licking his wounds, the war ended without him. This Kraken was revealed as an imposter and double agent ever since before Gorgon's resurrection, and he helped Fury kill Strucker. Leviathan also imploded from within thanks to Fury's machinations. Hydra might survive, but the three-way war had significantly reduced its functionality. [Secret Warriors (1st series) #26-28]

Months later, Gorgon and Madame Hydra found themselves as part of a new coalition gathered under Norman Osborn. When Osborn fell as national security czar for America's Initiative, a number of followers remained loyal to H.A.M.M.E.R. and Osborn's dream for America. A new H.A.M.M.E.R. was built in the shadows and freed Osborn from prison. In addition to Monica Rappaccini of A.I.M. and Superia, Gorgon and Madame Hydra (restored to her original form as the Viper) stepped forward with their own factions of Hydra and the Hand.

Osborn intended to attack the Avengers physically and politically, playing to the American media and casting doubt on the veracity of the Avengers, the government and its version of law and order. In furtherance of that goal, one of his tactics was reforming his own team of Avengers, "dark" versions of existing super-heroes that would serve him. In his conversations with the Gorgon, Osborn recognized the vendetta that the assassin had for Wolverine. He asked Gorgon to stand with his new dark Avengers as their Wolverine. The Gorgon bristled at following the lead of a madman like Osborn, but Viper counseled him to be patient. They would allow Osborn to build the foundation of this organization and then seize it from him when he inevitably self-destructed. [New Avengers (2nd series) #17-18]

As "Dark Wolverine," Gorgon and his team of Avengers were deployed by Norman Osborn to defeat a sea monster on Miami Beach. The real Avengers were delayed just long enough to arrive late to Osborn's victory, making them look a day late and a dollar short. Osborn had threatened to kill Luke Cage's wife and child last time he saw them, provoking Cage into impulsively starting a fight with these dark Avengers. Gorgon went for the throat with Wolverine, matching his new clawed gloves against Logan's Adamantium. Eventually, Cage's Avengers fled from the battle under the cover of one of Doctor Strange's illusions.

While Gorgon and the dark Avengers had entertained Luke Cage's team, Viper had orchestrated the forces of H.A.M.M.E.R. and Hydra in capturing most of the second team led by Captain America. However, Cap had planned ahead and placed a mole on Osborn's team of Avengers, Skaar son of Hulk. When Gorgon and the dark Avengers returned to base and learned Captain America was their prisoner, Skaar revealed his true loyalties and turned on them. The Avengers freed themselves and both teams united to oppose the dark Avengers again. Gorgon sparred with the Iron Fist until being struck down by Daredevil. In the end, Osborn was in a coma and Viper escaped to carry out her plan without Gorgon, maintaining control of the Hydra and H.A.M.M.E.R. forces for herself. [New Avengers (2nd series) 19-23]