They didn’t like the answer…
But it was simple math.
Marlene Stamford reports on television news that tensions are high around the country with the emergence, or better yet, re-emergence, of a team of gone, but definitely not forgotten super-heroes: the New Warriors. Whether this super-group is actually the infamous old team, or an entirely new one, has yet to be determined.
She reminds the people that the New Warriors were a group of teenagers who were killed at Stamford, Connecticut, resulting in the slaughter of 612 civilians. Their deaths at the hand of the super-villain Nitro touched off a firestorm of public outcry that led to the implementation of the superhuman registration act. Which, in turn, precipitated the so-called Civil War amongst the country’s superhuman community. The conflict resulted in widespread violence, destruction, and ultimately, the death of the leader of the anti-registration movement, Captain America.
Marlene further shows a first photo they’ve acquired of a New Warriors member. It’s a picture of young woman of incredible strength, dressed in a yellow uniform and mask which covers her face, only her eyes being visible through goggles. She is lifting up a bus in a devastated area, while other people are watching here. The woman was actually saving a school bus full of children at the scene of a horrific freight train accident. Nobody knows the identity of the woman, but by most reports, her timely actions saved many lives.
The report is being watched by people from around the country. These include the president of the United States, and the new Fantastic Four team. Also watching the interview are the renegade Avengers. Among them, Spider-Woman is impressed, and Luke Cage admits the kids got heart. With them are also Dr. Strange and Maya Lopez. Sitting in a chair is a surprised Wolverine. He gets up to get a closer to the screen to look at the picture of the New Warriors member. He touches the screen with his hand, and looks closer into the woman’s eyes. Without a word, he immediately departs. When Luke asks Logan what’s going on, he just replies for them not to wait up.
Continuing, Marlene says that roughly a month ago, these young, unregistered heroes of the New Warriors have made their presence felt around the country, apprehending several at-large super-villains like the Rhino. They’ve also foiled three bank robberies, quelled a potential gang war in Los Angeles and even found time to save a cat or two from trees. She concludes that nobody knows who these vigilantes are, but their calling card of colored letters of their group name has become a symbol – their name in the form of decorative graffiti-like “tag” – that’s captured the attention and imagination of youth across the country.
The scope of the New Warriors phenomenon is perhaps best measured by a telling statistic: they are the number one search topic on Google, Yahoo and MSN.com. From tagging to blogging, the reporter concludes, the New Warriors’ message is clear: resistance. She shows an Iron Man poster about registration, and with the letters “NW” sprayed on it. Nobody knows how long these new New Warriors will be able to escape the law of authority.
Also watching the interview are Ms. Marvel and her Avengers team at their base. She turns off the TV and walks into Iron Man’s office. Tony fears these kids are going to get themselves killed, and if not, even worse, somebody else. Carol jokes Tony knows how kids are. Fads spread like wildfire and blow over inside of a season. She thinks that in six months, these kids will be into something else. Tony reminds Carol that’s what they said about reality TV. As he gazes outside his window to the city beyond, Tony adds that, on top of everything, these kids have the nerve to call themselves “the New Warriors.”
Tony then asks what kind of intel they have on them, to which Carol answers, “Not much.” Previous New Warriors members are either dead or accounted for. After Tony asks who’s not on those lists, Carol cites Helix, Firestar and a few others aren’t. They should start from there. Tony then asks Carol if they’re sure none of the alleged deceased have survived. “As sure as we can be,” she adds. Tony grows silent as he thinks, until Carol interrupts, asking what’s on his mind. Tony smiles to Carol if she remembers Vito Corleone. He’ll make them an offer they can’t refuse.
Elsewhere, at a secret base…
Sofia calls Night Thrasher crazy. He in turn, along with the now-human Beak, glare doubtful at her. Sofia is serious though: she won’t join the New Warriors. Night Thrasher simply adds that every revolution requires someone with a vision. He reminds her that she saw it with the X-Men, and they see it as New Warriors. They see the threat of a bleak future, with no hope in sight. They’re there to change that.
However, Sofia isn’t in the mood to listen to theatrics. In that case, Night Thrasher wants her to listen to the truth: MIC. Government control. Superhuman militarization. He wonders where it will end. The old days worked, he tells her, and they should be free to do what is right when it’s right. And they want Sofia to be part of it. They need her. “Save the waitress, save the world,” Sofia mocks. She’s not buying it. She has a life now. Friends. A job. People who care about her. Her other life… is in the past. And the person Night Thrasher is looking for… she no longer exists. When Night Thrasher asks if she’s sure about that, Sofia dismisses him with a “whatever.”
To this, she then adds a reminder to Night Thrasher that she also has no powers. In response, Night Thrasher quietly shows Sofia a coin-like disk, with a slit in the middle of its face. He tosses it to Sofia, who asks what it is. “Your future,” Night Thrasher states with a firm voice. Sofia thinks about it, but demands to get out of there. Beak leads Sofia to the exit, while Night Thrasher watches.
Behind a glass window stand 7 individual people, unseen by Sodia, all wearing costumes. One of them, a young woman, mocks that that sure went well, but Night Thrasher just calls this a minor setback. He points his attention to the others behind him, and suggests they get back to work.
The next day…
Agent Sykes places another pin on a USA map, to indicate a city where the New Warriors busted another villain. Mostly to herself, she calls them good. Now addressing her partner, Harry, she says she has been thinking: how do they know the New Warriors are really dead. The old them. Harry reminds Bev that the Warriors were at ground zero, so they must be dead. Bev isn’t sure about it, but Harry thinks he’s right. Bev reminds him how many times they have heard one of these capes or super-villains is dead, and a year later they pop back up, alive and kicking.
Harry understands the point. He wants to assume the New Warriors are still alive. Or that some of them did. He wonders why they come out now. And why use the name of “New Warriors” because they have to know it would draw a lot of attention. Bev thinks about it for a moment, and guesses that perhaps that’s the point.
later…
Along with Wolverine and Colossus of the X-Men, as well as fellow student Nico, Sofia is fighting the Blob. She is clad in her Wind Dancer costume, her powers at her command. Taking her turn at their foe, Sofia strikes a few powerful winds into the Blob’s face, her abilities overpowering him and ending the threat. The X-Men, New Mutants and Hellions all look in awe at Sofia, and are pleased at her performance. From their number approaches the smiling Hellion, who takes her in his arms, kissing her passionately.
reality
On that moment, Sofia wakes up screaming. She rises from bed, and looks at a picture of her old team. “Seems like a lifetime ago,” Sofia sighs.
The next day…
Sofia, dressed in her waitress uniform, tosses a bag of lunch into Sam’s lap. He’s glad to see his angel again, and she goes to sit next to him. He immediately notices something’s troubling her, and tells her to spill it out. Sofia asks him if he ever hears this voice inside him telling him to do something, even though he knows he shouldn’t. Sam sure does, and explains that his dad used to call it “the devil’s whisper.” Like the sirens of old that beckon a man to his grave. He says that, if you listen long enough to the voice, you do what it says. It’s why he’s on the streets, because he never took his old man’s advice.
Sofia apologizes, but Sam just calls it life. God never promised anybody a rose garden. The way he looks at it, you got two choices in life: either you play it safe, or you can risk it all and go after what you really want.
Sofia thinks about herself being Wind Dancer again. She fantasizes about rescuing a baby alongside some SHIELD agents and Iron Man, while the Helicarrier soars above them.
Meanwhile…
Tony, dressed in his SHIELD uniform, walks down the Helicarrier hallway together with Ms. Marvel. When Carol asks Tony if he’s sure about this, Tony points out these kids are playing an adult game. If they want to be adults, so be it. He enters a room where he holds a press conference, which is aired live on TV.
Tony announces that he would like to issue a challenge to the New Warriors. Whoever they are and whatever they’ve done, they’ve made their point. Tony admits they’re good. And that they need more kids like the Warriors to become role models for the youth of not only America… but for the world. Therefore, he’s offering the Warriors complete amnesty and a chance to join The Initiative.
At her diner, Sofia watches the interview and is so shocked by it she even spills some food over a guy’s shirt. Her boss, Al, sees it and is angry at Sofia for watching TV instead of doing her job. And because she is late again, he punishes her with alley duty. Distraught, Sofia goes into the alley to empty the thrash cans.
Suddenly, the coin Night Thrasher gave her falls out of her dress and onto the ground. It gets stuck underneath the wheels of the thrash, which crushes it. Sofia picks it up, and remembers how Thrasher called the coin: “her future.” She laughs at it and angrily throws the coin away. But then, a bright blue light appears! A scared Sofia covers her head for protection but, after the light is gone, she gets up and is surprised to see… a gigantic web spread across two walls.
A voice announces that Sofia is no longer alone. “What a mess,” a female voice says. Sofia gets up, and is surprised to recognize the young woman standing in front of her… Jubilee?! Clad in civilian clothes and a long, black coat, Jubilee suggests that they take a walk.
Later…
Sofia finishes telling Jubilee how her life goes right now, and jokes the only thing she hates about it, is coming home smelling like onions. You could thinks she’s dating Bob Big Boy. Jubilee is impressed at how well Sofia is doing, because not all the ex-mutants have landed on their feet so well. Sofia doesn’t know what other choice she had.
They walk into an empty construction site, a demolished building about to be rebuilt. Sofia goes to sit down on some rubble, and admits she knows she isn’t kidding anyone. She tells Jubilee she has been having these dreams, and these phantom feelings, like she still has her powers. Jubilee reveals they all have from time to time, and calls it normal.
But there’s more, Sofia continues. Those militant Young Avengers wannabes, the so-called New Warriors? They contacted her yesterday. They want her to join, and now she can’t get them out of her mind. Her expression stoic, Jubilee replies that there might be a reason the Warriors want Sofia to join them. When Sofia says that she thinks Jubilee is saying she should consider the invitation, Jubilee calmly replies that she did.
Shocked, Sofia stands up, asking Jubilee if she knows what she’s asking of her. Jubilee does, but no more than she and Barry have asked themselves. She’s certain the world needs them, even though it doesn’t know it. “How,” Sofia asks Jubilee. She knows they both lost their powers, and they’re not coming back.
“Oh yeah, about that,” Jubilee smiles. She looks at a nearby wall, where an Initiative poster of Iron Man is hung. She shows a special gauntlet on her arm to Sofia, and uses it to completely demolish the wall with a punch! Turning back to Sofia, Jubilee points her thumb at the wreckage and, to Sofia’s earlier statement, jokes: “no problem.”
