Years ago:
'You come here, claiming to be our father – what did you expect?' Quicksilver asks as he and his sister, the Scarlet Witch, stand over Magneto, who is kneeling at their feet. 'That we would forget the monster's abuse and play at being a happy family?' Quicksilver enquires. “Monster?” Magneto asks, telling the twins that he did not come here for himself, that he does not fall to his knees for his own needs. Magneto tells Pietro that he knows what he is, and he admits that he has done terrible things, but all in the name of a righteous cause. The Scarlet Witch asks Magneto why he has come here, to which Magneto explains that he has come for Pietro. 'Your life is in shambles. I thought if you knew of your true lineage... at the very least you would know why... why you are burdened with such rage' Magneto declares, adding that he only hoped to relieve a weight, so that the twins know it is his blood that fuels Quicksilver's anger.
Present:
'Please, Eve – this is – illogical. You don't have to do this' the Vision tells his female companion, who taps away at a console. The Vision goes over to her and tells her that they can raise their children on Earth, make a home there, that the Avengers will protect them. 'They are my friends, they understand -' the Vision begins, but Eve cuts him off and declares that they understand nothing. 'They tolerate you. That's all. And your sentimentality blinds you to it, love' she adds. Motioning to monitors depicting horrors of war, Eve tells the Vision that she will not subject their children to the mercies of Earth, as the humans can't even stop killing each other. 'Look to the mutants to see how they react to a new species' Eve adds, as she taps a button that opens a door. Eve enters a large hangar bay, where an aircraft awaits her. The vision follows her as she asks him why he would want to raise their children on a world of war and fire, when they can give them paradise.
The vision follows Eve up into the aircraft, 'We must leave the flesh to their wars. To their hate' Eve tells the Vision. They walk down a corridor within the aircraft, it is lined with their children who are all in stasis tanks, growing. Eve tells the Vision that they are beyond them, which is a fact they will resent. 'And even if they have potential for singularity, ushering them forward is not my responsibility'. Eve extends a hand to the Vision and tells him that it is not his, neither. 'This is your chance to escape the cycle of violence, to finally be among a true family that cherishes you' Eve utters, extending her hand to the Vision. 'Please, Vision – do what is right for the children' Eve asks.
Lowtown, where a battle is in full swing:
Among the players, the Lowtown rebels including the Low Evolutionary, the High Evolutionary's New Men, the Green Ones and members of the Avengers Unity Division. 'Not that I'm complaining about the all-you-can-eat buffet, but ain't one of you brainy types supposed to have a plan by now?' Sabretooth a.k.a. Victor Creed asks as he tears one of the Green Ones in half. Nearby, Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch casts crimson energy which knocks back another of the Green Ones, while her brother Pietro a.k.a. Quicksilver speeds through the battle, knocking several over. Rogue slams her fist into one of the Green Ones, while Sam Wilson a.k.a. Captain America, transformed into a Green One, slams his shield against another Green One. Explosions rattle the battleground behind them, and the Scarlet Witch tells Sabretooth that she is open to any suggestions, as more of her powerful energy surges against her opponents.
Suddenly, Wanda hears a shriek behind her. She turns to see a fresh gaping hole in a wall, and two young Lowtown refugees standing in the hole. 'Peter, no!' one of them calls out. 'It's the bad things...' the other utters as several Green Ones lumber towards them. 'Please, go – they're coming!' the first child exclaims. Wanda rushes towards them, blasting nearby Green Ones with her energies, they fall aside at her command. Behind her, Lowtown rebels fire at the Green Ones, too. But, 'No!' Wanda screams as one of the Green Ones reaches out and grabs her, preventing her from getting to the small children. One of the kids sobs and cries out for their mommy as one of the Green Ones leans in towards them. 'I ain't your Mommy, snack size – but Papa Creed ain't no fan of Watership Down!' Sabretooth jokes as he grabs the Green One by its face, pushing it away from the children.
Nearby, Rogue finds herself up against the High Evolutionary. She slams her fists into his face, but he barely stumbles backwards. 'Explosive kinetic power, stable bonding and... emotion? Sentient energy? You fed on someone, killed a friend -' he begins, but Rogue responds with another punch, 'You! You killed Simon! You and that creepy -' Rogue shouts, before the High Evolutionary releases some energy which paralyzes her. The High Evolutionary tells her not to interrupt, and points out that he doesn't need her alive to learn her vampire secrets. Rogue falls to her knees, and the High Evolutionary stands over her, hand glowing with energy, as he tells her to be glad that her pointless life will be given true meaning as a genetic sample.
The Scarlet Witch sees her teammate in trouble, and readies her energies, which she releases at the High Evolutionary and asks: 'Am I merely a failed experiment?' The High Evolutionary looks up and smirks: 'Mastery over elemental chaos. And you think to only wield it like a hammer'. He then tosses Rogue towards Wanda, knocking her over, and tells her that she is disappointing.
The High Evolutionary casts energies towards Wanda and Rogue, who try to shield themselves. 'I see now there is nothing more to be learned from either of you' he announces, when suddenly, Quicksilver speeds towards him – but the High Evolutionary sees him, and holds up his arm, which Quicksilver runs into and falls backwards. 'Like the forgotten billions before' the High Evolutionary declares, as a voice calls out 'Yet the dead haven't forgotten you, architect – and it's time you learned their lessons' Doctor Voodoo declares as he hovers over the High Evolutionary, flanked by Doniva and other spirits in the Council of Anguish. 'You could never repay us for the hell you've inflicted, father. You condemned us all. You denounced our love, our weakness, and our very lives – how will you fare when your victims judge you?' Doniva declares, as the High Evolutionary throws his hands in front of his face when the Council of Anguish spirits soar down towards him.
Wanda looks up to see the High Evolutionary overwhelmed by the Council of Anguish. 'Doctor Voodoo? How in the world did he -' Wanda starts to say, when suddenly: 'Does it hurt to have the truth you sought?' a voice calls out, and Luminous rushes over, 'To know that you were merely a step on the way to my creation? That you were discarded whereas I was loved?' Luminous asks, grabbing Wanda by her throat. 'Luminous' Wanda gasps. Luminous increases her hold, 'You succumbed to the chaos. But I control it' Luminous boasts as energy radiates around her. 'You who lost your own children! A life of true chaos – true failure!' Luminous mocks. Wanda appears unable to act as Luminous continues to pour more energy onto her. 'Die, Wanda Maximoff. Die knowing you lost everyone stupid enough to ever love you!'
Before Luminous can say anything else, a hand is plunged into her head. 'Not everyone' the Vision declares as he solidifies his hand, then removes it from Luminous's head. The High Evolutionary's daughter falls to the ground, unmoving, while the Vision helps Wanda to her feet. 'Easy, Wanda' he tells her. 'Vision...? You...?' Wanda begins, as he tells her that he would never abandon her. “Abandon?” Wanda asks. The Vision tells her that it is a conversation for another time. 'Come. There is a madman to stop' he remarks, looking to the High Evolutionary.
The Council of Anguish continues its assault on the High Evolutionary, who screams. '- burnt in my bed -' one of the spirits declares. 'Crushed by your New Men – wept at her feet -!' another utters. 'His skin turned to ash -' another remarks. 'Awash in father's blood!' one of them exclaims. '- my sick mother wept -' another cries.
Doniva strikes her father and tells him that his science cannot protect him from the souls of his victims. 'Children who only ever wanted to make you proud! To prove they too were capable of greatness!' Doniva tells him. The Council gathers in closer as Doniva tells the High Evolutionary that they loved him, worshipped him, that he was their God and father. 'Wasn't my love for you good enough!?' Doniva shrieks. But the High Evolutionary announces that he will not be remembered for sloppy work. 'You should be grateful – I saved you from imperfection!' he booms, energy rising up within him, he releases it and the energy explodes and spreads throughout the battlefield.
When the dust settles, Sam Wilson rises, 'Alive?' he utters. Quicksilver is next to him, 'I'd say yes. But this headache doesn't make it a great thing, Captain' Quicksilver remarks, before asking Sam Wilson what happened to him. 'No time... gooooo' Sam utters slowly, pointing to where the Scarlet Witch and Vision appear, protected in an energy field. Quicksilver races over to his sister, 'I've got you, Wanda, I've got you' he tells her. 'The others... the things he'll do to them...' Wanda's voice trails off as they look up and see the High Evolutionary start to fly away, carrying Rogue and Sabretooth with him. Quicksilver immediately speeds after them, recalling how his ex-wife, Crystal, once told him that he has spent his whole life running – an obvious and boring metaphor, he decides, but admits that she was right. He tells himself that he never settled in any one place long enough for it to become his home. Quicksilver picks up a jagged piece of scrap metal, and moves closer to the High Evolutionary, recalling how he left as soon as things got the slightest bit messy – running from a long list of things that he is not proud of. 'Running away from my wife. From my daughter. Focusing on the bigger threats while ignoring my real responsibility' Pietro tells himself as he shoves the sharp end of the piece of metal into the High Evolutionary's face.
'It was never my fault' Quicksilver remarks to himself, deciding that he was always mired in rationalizations. He forces the High Evolutionary downwards, and Rogue and Sabretooth fall into the rubble around them. Holding onto the High Evolutionary, Quicksilver speeds across the ground, dragging the High Evolutionary's face against the side of a building. 'They pushed me. They started it – I simply finished it' he recalls, deciding that as long as he doesn't sink to his level, then he is coming out ahead. There is an explosion and Quicksilver and the High Evolutionary are separated. The building starts to collapse, and Quicksilver watches the rubble fall onto the High Evolutionary. 'It was just so easy. I'm his son – of course I have his temper. But then Wanda cast that damn spell – and I lost my excuse' Pietro realizes. He stares as the dust settles and the High Evolutionary emerges from the rubble, telling Quicksilver that the consequences of his actions are well beyond his feeble understanding.
As energy glows around the High Evolutionary's hand, Quicksilver wonders why he really came here. He knows he said he needed to know the truth, but admits now that is not it. 'I've witnessed the birth of galaxies, pulled stars from the burning crucible of their creation... and I've watched them die. I've seen the end of reality, predicted every possible outcome for our universe – and a puppet like you will not stop me from saving it!' the High Evolutionary declares, while Quicksilver realizes that he wanted there to be some grand plot.
The High Evolutionary claps his glowing hands together then pulls them apart, and the glowing ball of energy increases – and a black hole opens from it, pulling everything nearby into it. Quicksilver wishes there were some strings he could point to and blame, anything to keep up the lie. Anything to get his excuses back. But hr has been given a second chance – and he is done running. He speeds towards the High Evolutionary as rubble and debris is pulled into the black hole nearby. Quicksilver resists the pull of the black hole, and lunges towards the High Evolutionary, where he slams his fist into the madman's face. He speeds around and around the High Evolutionary, punching him over and over, 'I – am no one's – PUPPET!' Quicksilver shouts, delivering a final blow that causes the High Evolutionary to fall backwards.
'Every triumph, every failure. I own them all. And while the thought of it is terrifying – it is also liberating' Pietro tells himself, watching as the High Evolutionary holds his face – his armor has been broken, and his deformed appearance stares back at Quicksilver, uttering 'Ignorance must truly be bliss. If you only knew what that I know. Had seen what lurks in the dark. You've damned only yourself'. The High Evolutionary raises a finger and creates a glowing blue portal. Luminous has recovered, and flies over to her father and enters the portal with him, as the High Evolutionary tells Quicksilver 'When you stand against them without my aid. When the Evolutionary War comes – your world will burn'.
Days later, inside a laboratory within Avengers Mansion:
The Vision sits at a computer console, and Eve's final message ends – and begins again for the thousandth time. Images of the world she found – their children building a new home. 'You're a very lucky man, Samuel' the Vision informs Sam Wilson, who is in a stasis chamber nearby. The Vision decides that he should delete the connection, that he should not live multiple lives at once – not if he is to retain any humanity. He presses a button on the console, while telling Sam that the High Evolutionary left more than enough genetic markers on his retrovirus for him to reverse-engineer it. The Vision tells himself that there is more to this than his own dilemma, as he saw the monster's files, saw his secrets, the hidden truth about the twins and the nightmare earth yet to come. The Vision goes over to Sam and tells him that in another day he will have him as good as new. Sam responds by giving the Vision the thumbs-up signal. The Vision frowns and decides that Wanda must know the truth. Suddenly, there is a scream, and the Vision flies from the lab.
'Wanda! What's wrong?' the Vision calls out as he phases through the wall, into Wanda's quarters, 'I can't find him! Not anywhere!' Wanda declares, standing up from a magical emblem that she had cast into the floor, candle surrounding it, she holds her crystal ball, and hangs her head, reporting that it doesn't matter what spell she uses, where she looks or what demon she coaxes – she can't find Simon. Wanda grimaces and begins to cry, 'Or he doesn't want me to find him. Why would he? Luminous was right' Wanda declares, sitting back down on the floor, she looks up at the Vision and remarks that she only brings chaos, to everyone in her life. 'I don't know who I am anymore' Wanda adds.
The Vision kneels beside Wanda and tells her that he knows exactly who she is. But he stops himself, because the truth would crush her. 'You're a caring, brave and determined woman with a good heart. Your origin has nothing to do with who you are' the Vision tells Wanda. He knows that all she needs is the truth. 'It's good to know that after everything else, I've still got a friend' Wanda utters as she kisses the Vision's cheek. The Vision decides that is all the truth he needs. He tells himself that this family needs him, and Eve doesn't. 'Always, Wanda' the Vision replies. 'Until the stars burn out'.
