'I still think we should call it “The Peace Games”!' Hank Pym exclaims as he walks alongside Jennifer Walters a.k.a. She-Hulk, Wolverine a.k.a. Logan and Meggan Puceanu-Braddock, who hovers above the other three. 'Uh, no. Trust me, bub, the kids'll hate that' Wolverine frowns. 'Um, guys...' Meggan begins, while She-Hulk suggests “The Power Games”. But Hank tells her that “power” is too aggressive, pointing out that they are trying to hone their abilities and encourage unity. 'Definitely don't tell them that. They will hate that' Wolverine smirks. 'It needs to be something that's catchy. Something epic...' She-Hulk remarks. 'Guys, I'm trying to tell you...' Meggan calls out. 'What is it?' Hank asks. Meggan announces that she has made the logo for the presentation already – so she has already named it. 'Yeah? Well, good. What did ya call it?' Logan asks. 'It's called... CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS!' Meggan reveals as they stand outside the high-tech sprawling Avengers Academy, Palo Alto, California. Hank tells Meggan that is not half-bad. Meggan thanks him. 'Seems a little...' She-Hulk begins. 'Too epic? They're still kids' Wolverine suggests, but Meggan tells them that it doesn't matter, and points out that they are going to be late.
Inside a lecture theatre Hank Pym stands on a stage at the front of the theatre and thanks everyone for coming, and to those who are joining the discussion via satellite. 'Did you feel that?' a Moloid amongst the gathered young super beings remarks. 'No, what?' another Moloid asks. 'The ground. It shook with the might of a mighty Ben footstep' the Moloid wearing a number 11 on his costume – Korr - claims. 'I did not feel it' the female Moloid, Tong, replies. Hank Pym declares that it is with great pride that he introduces the new annual intramural competition known as... the Contest of Champions!' A viewscreen depicting several students from various schools appears. Pym reports that meta-human schools from around the globe will all be selecting their best students to go into head-to-head competition. He states that for the first time, Avengers Academy, Future Foundation, the Jean Grey School, Braddock Academy, the Wakandan School of Alternative Students, the Pan-Asian School for the Unusually Gifted and the Latverian School of Science will all be competing for the ultimate title of... champion!
'Wait, what?' Quentin Quire asks as he sits among an assemblage of students from the various schools – Genesis, Shark Girl and Pixie from the Jean Grey School, Lightspeed, Turbo and Finesse from the Avengers Academy, Leech, Bentley and the floating head Turg from the Future Foundation, Molly Hayes, who pokes her tongue out at Quire, and three other beings – an octopus-like tentacled being, a large being with horns and what appears to be buttons for eyes, and someone in a purple cloak with a Mysterio-like helmet. 'That's a lot of schools' Evan a.k.a. Genesis remarks. 'I can beat them' Finesse boasts. 'Can I get transferred?' Bentley mutters, putting his hands over his head, while Turbo asks 'Did he say Latverian School? Dr Doom is teaching now?' The Moloids sit together, 'Something is not right' one of them comments. 'I wish the Ben was here' another remarks, referring to Thing. 'We are brave for the Ben' the third states.
Images of the various schools appear on the monitors above Hank, who reports that they are doing this in an effort to hone the skills of all students and extend an olive branch between schools – to build bridges where communication lines might have been broken. He adds that they hope that with all their schools working together, competing together, learning together, they can better live together. Pym tells the students that in two weeks' time, three students from each school will be selected for the contest, which will take place on a remote island. An image of the island appears, as Pym explains that through various events, the students will test their skills against each other, and judges will be awarding bonuses to teams that show exemplary teamwork and tactical skills. Hank smiles as he points out that the students are scattered around the world, so they would love to tell them a little about each school, starting with Avengers Academy!
An image of the newly redesigned Avengers Academy appears on screen, as Hank explains that they started the Avengers Academy for the purpose of training super-powered youths to one day join the ranks of the Avengers. Pym adds that their students come from all different walks of life, often overcoming great adversity to be here. Striker and Finesse appear on the stage, and brief descriptions of the young super beings appear on screens above them. Striker's states that he has the ability to unleash large quantities of electrical energy at will, and that he can manipulate this energy to provide himself with flight abilities, while Finesse's description explains that she is a “polymath” who can learn various skills at incredible speeds, including fighting skills and languages, and has already amassed an incredible array of abilities for her young age. Striker a.k.a. Brandon Sharpe thinks to himself that it is pretty slim pickings for the Avengers Academy with all the kids who left, so he is going to have to carry Finesse as far as he can – there is no way he is coming out of this anywhere but on top. Finesse a.k.a. Jeanne Foucault decides that this sounds like an intriguing experiment, but that if she and Striker represent the Avengers Academy, she fears she will have to watch him as much as the other competitors.
Hank Pym states that it is time to go across the world to the Pan-Asian School for the Unusually Gifted! An image of the egg-shaped school facility appears on a monitor, and Pym explains that the school is located in the heart of Mumbai and headed by Jimmy Woo and Sanjar Javeed, responsible for recruiting the best and brightest students from all of Asia. He adds that funding for the school iss rumored to be with a cursed treasure, but the results of their work are anything but cursed. 'Mr Woo?' Pym asks, and appearing on the monitor are Jimmy Woo and Sanjar Javeed. Jimmy Woo thanks Pym and announces that it is a pleasure to be participating in the first Contest of Champions. He then begins to introduce a few students, who also appear on the Avengers Academy monitors. Wearing an orange and white jumpsuit with a clear globe around his head is Gang, a tech genius who built a suit and helmet beyond technology anyone has seen – he suffers from Muscular Dystrophy but no one would ever know it. Pom Pom is next. She can generate a nearly limitless supply of organic tendrils that obey her every command. Finally, Shri, the modern incarnation of the Hindu god Durga, who can generate weapons from each of her eight arms.
Shri thinks that it is her destiny to be selected for this team – she can feel it, much like her phantom limbs – she feels a sense of what is to come. 'Ugh. I know Gang is taking photos of me with that creepy gizmo of his. If he ends up on our team I am out' Pom Pom tells herself. Gang decides that it is unbelievable – he has got to make this team. 'There's Dr Pym right in from of me! What I wouldn't give to pick his incredible brain...!' the young man tells himself as he looks at Pym on the monitor.
Shark Girl, sitting next to Sprite, remarks that Gang is cute. Sprite tells her not to get attached, as they will be enemies soon. 'Oh, we're next!' Sprite exclaims, while on the stage the projection of Jimmy Woo reports that they look forward to fielding the finest students in Asia for this inaugural contest, before turning the stage back to Wolverine. Logan thanks Jimmy and asks him if he is sure he is not recruiting future secret agents over there. 'Um... I...' Woo replies. Wolverine addresses the students, telling them that most of them have heard of the Jean Grey School – schooling and training from the deepest pool of mutant talent in the world, this is just a taste of what they will be facing.
Sprite appears before everyone, her info-screen stating that she possesses wings that enable her to fly, as well as rock-hard skin which she can morph as desired. Quentin Quire's panel reports that he is an omega-level mutant with telepathic and telekinetic abilities that are nearly limitless, and then Genesis, whose power-set is similar to Apocalypse, which involves shape-shifting and dematerialization blasts, as well as a rocket-propelled suit that allows him to fly. Sprite, whose real name is Jia Jing, smiles and decides that it will be an honor to get into this competition and win themselves and their school honor by destroying their competitors. Evan Sabahnur a.k.a. Genesis has a bad feeling about this, as they are barely getting along in the classroom, so in a real-world scenario, someone might really get hurt. 'They're lucky I wanted to run away to LA or else I'd never sit through this' Quentin Quire smirks.
Pym thanks Wolverine and states that one of the purposes of the contest will be dealing with the unexpected, which is one of the true measures of a champion. Pym then invites the Wakandan School for Alternative Studies into the conference call.
'Wakanda? What do they have? A team of panthers?' Finesse asks. Striker wonders if they know that the Atlanteans are in this contest, too, suggesting that they might play this to the death. Quentin suggests that might be why they are playing this game – to get a piece of Atlantis for flooding Wakanda. Pym states that it is his hope that by bringing these schools together, they can broker an understanding between schools regardless of the past, as they as students and teachers are all striving for the same goals. Hank announces that he is pleased to introduce Shuri, Queen of Wakanda and Headmistress of the school. The eighth Black Panther appears on the monitor, on a hover-platform outside the Wakandan School for Alternative Studies. Shuri thanks Hank and reports that Wakanda is pleased to be part of this contest.
Shuri then starts to introduce some of their finest students to date. Asha with long hair and wearing a blue costume stands with her hands on her hips. She is able to reflect or absorb light and may virtually disappear at will. In a white costume with blue accents is Blocks, who can absorb kinetic energy and then transfer it – in interesting ways. Finally, the shirtless Bull, who possesses the strength, agility and keen senses of a lion. Bull cannot wait to get his hands and teeth into those doe-eyed sheep, and decides that in the confusion of the battle, he will take Blocks down, too. Blocks looks anxious and admits to himself that he is scared of what Bull is going to do. He isn't sure that he has got what it takes. 'Look at all those students... I'm gonna get killed'. 'Ug, Blocks is so stupid. And... oh my God. Who is that pale skinned blue lipped boy from the Jean Grey School? He is...' Asha thinks to herself. 'So hot. Look at her. What's her name? Asha, did he say?' Quentin Quire asks, gape-jawed, pulling Genesis's head to look at Asha's projection on the screen. Evan tells Quentin that he doesn't know, and remarks that she seems troubled – all surface with secrets boiling underneath or something.
'And next let me introduce you all to...' Hank begins, as She-Hulk takes the stage, behind her on monitors show the Baxter Building and students from the Future Foundation busy at work. She-Hulk introduces herself to the students and announces that at the Future Foundation they are implementing Reed Richards' vision of recruiting the best and brightest minds, with facilities and training, they are molding them into a team that will solve the world's problems for generations to come. An image of the Evolved Moloids appear on the monitors, and a monitor explains that they were recruited by Reed Richards, and it is assumed that they have hidden talents and abilities that have yet to be noted. A scowling Bentley-23 appears, with the note that he is a clone of his villainous “father”, the Wizard, and shares the genius intellect of his father along with his self-confidence that he is the smartest in the room. It is Reed Richards' hope that Bentley's positive upbringing will be the thing that separates him from his father's dark path.
Finesse turns to Striker and tells him that she expects the Latverian School to house future super villains, but she is surprised that the school created by Reed Richards is also making them.
She-Hulk then announces that it is her proud honor to introduce a school that she assures everyone has as much potential to bring good to the world as any other – the Latverian School of Science. However the monitor depicting the school's sign does not switch to link-up with the school itself. 'Well... hopefully this is just a... uh... technical difficulty' She-Hulk remarks.
'How am I just learning there's a freaking Dr Doom School for Wayward Youngsters?' Quentin exclaims, asking if they take transfers.
The three Moloids turn their attention out the window, 'Something is bright!' Tong excaims. 'Something is not bright!' one of the male Moloids retorts. 'Ben. Ben will have the insight' the other male states.
'Up next is the Braddock Academy!' Pym announces. Meggan smiles as she stands on the stage, an image of Braddock Manor, which serves as the Braddock Academy, on the monitor behind her. Meggan reports that the Braddock Academy is training the best and brightest to become the next generation of heroes. She admits that they are experiencing some truancy problems, and their ranks are depleted, but they have the most confidence in their candidates Loch and Box! The tough, scaly-skinned, long-armed Loch appears on the monitor. His arms have nearly unlimited strength and flexibility, and he can alos swim rapidly and breathe underwater. The red, blue and white armored Box is the son of Roger Bochs, scientist, engineer and one-time Alpha Flight member. The monitor indicates that Box operates in an exoskeleton-style construct based on his father's original design, but modified to increase his speed and strength ten-fold. The monitor also reveals that Roger Jr suffers from the same congenital condition that robbed his father of his legs at birth. Roger Jr is not shown, only the armor.
Quentin smirks: 'Really? Man, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel here. Although, those two would make a great '80s detective show, am I right? “Loch Box”?', but Evan ignores his comments and tells Quentin that something is not right. 'I know, right? If we get picked? It's almost like the whole thing fixed. We'll walk away with -' Quentin begins, as Evan declares 'No... that vibration? Do you feel something?' Quentin tells him that he feels all those other fools shakin in their Ugg Boots.
Hank Pym reports that, finally, this is where he had hoped to announce the participation of the Atlantean school, but that recent history has made it difficult to bring peace between them and the Wakandans. Suddenly, the monitor goes fuzzy, and a voice cries through the static, asking for help. 'Oh!' each of the Moloids declares, while cautiously peering around. Pym glances at the monitor and remarks 'That's odd... I just talked to them earlier. They refused to participate so I thought...' and points out that something is interferring. 'Ben!' 'Help!' 'No!' the Moloids shout as they start to panic. Suddenly, Namora's terrified face appears on the monitor, screaming for help.
'Everyone!' 'Look!' the Moloids exclaim, pointing out the window. 'Under attack...' Namora utters, wide-eyed. Several students move towards the windows, 'What... what is that? A comet or...' Evan asks as a large chunk of a building drops down on the Academy grounds.
Several students rush outside, 'What the hell -' Evan asks as his legs increase in length. Quentin stands near him while Lightspeed flies around the large fallen building that has landed on the Academy grounds. Evan increases his height even further, and as Lightspeed hovers next to him, they see flames rising up from the city. 'The city...everything's on fire' Evan reports. 'This is an attack!' Quentin declares as Sprite, the Moloids, She-Hulk, Striker, Wolverine and Finesse gather around him. Iceman can be seen on an ice-sled up in the air near Lightspeed, while Quentin announces that this is big – really big.
Back inside, Pym is trying to reach Namora as the screen is filled with static once again. 'Namora, are you there?' he calls out. '...all gone... all... all of Atlantis...gone' comes Namora's reply through the static. When the screen shows Atlantis, all Pym sees is broken buildings and dismembered Atlanteans floating in the blood-red water....
