No Future: The Death of a Dream
Team Appearances: Alpha Flight (1st series) #96-109, Infinity War crossover, Alpha Flight (1st series) #110-122, Infinity Crusade crossover, Alpha Flight (1st series) #123-127, Death Metal #1-2, Death Metal vs. Genetix #1, Alpha Flight (1st series) #128-130
Before
- Wild Child was a former member of both the original Gamma Flight and the replacement team led by Nemesis, not to mention being part of Omega Flight I, which had a hand in James MacDonald Hudson’s death. He was last seen teleported away by his teammate Nemesis after sustaining injuries in battle with Wolverine and Vindicator. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #90] Apparently, Nemesis arranged for Kyle to receive some treatment to cure his violent outbursts.
Chronology
Guardian, Puck, Box, Diamond Lil and Windshear were the only Alphans present when an oil tanker carrying five hundred million gallons of crude oil was set alight, after running aground in Queen Maude Bay. The heroes embarked on a rescue mission while also attempting to put out the fire. They were successful, but remained unaware that their deadly enemy, the Master of the World, had been reborn and was watching their exploits as he planned his next scheme. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #96]
Alpha Flight and Beta Flight finally prepared to move into their new headquarters in Ottawa, but still had various personal problems going on, as Shaman and Manikin prepared to find some technology that could pierce Diamond Lil’s impenetrable skin to do a biopsy on her breast. However Alpha Flight was called into action when the alien woman called Her crash-landed into Toronto, mistaking it for New York, the home of her allies - the Fantastic Four. Her was on the run from the aliens known as the Consortium, after disrupting their financial plans. Guardian, Vindicator, Northstar and Box defended Her and the people of Toronto from the Consortium warriors but their problem increased when the Consortium mother ship arrived. A distress call was sent to Department H, requesting all Alphan and Betans into battle, but only Sasquatch, Puck, Windshear and Diamond Lil were able to respond. Moments after receiving the alert, the others were teleported away by Laura Dean. Having recently awoken from a coma, the other members were visiting her in her room when the excited girl accidentally activated her powers, whisking them all away.
Sasquatch and the others arrived in Toronto and the battle increased. However, when shot by a weapon that actually pierced her skin, Diamond Lil fled the battle to chase after the alien that shot her. When she located the alien, Lil was shocked to learn that the weapon was cybernetically attached to his body. Still, Diamond Lil desperately needed an instrument capable of penetrating her skin, so she ripped the weapon (and possibly the entire arm) from the alien and returned to the fight. During the battle, Northstar received a broken arm, while Her considered surrendering to the Consortium. Vindicator promised that they would protect her no matter what, even though more and more of the Consortium arrived. Luckily, however,, the tide turned with the arrival of the Avengers. The battle continued, while the Chief Executive Officer of the Consortium offered Alpha Flight two alternatives: surrender Her to them, or face full-scale planetary take-over.
To complicate matters, Vindicator, Guardian, Box, Windshear as well as Her and several of the Avengers suddenly found themselves teleported away by the Qwrlln, who, after being approached by Galactus’ herald, Nova, had shunted themselves and their entire planet elsewhere. Unfortunately, they were not prepared for the fact that Galactus could follow them by homing in on his herald. Vindicator reverted to his cybernetic-program courtesy of the Qwrlln, who were in danger of being devoured by Galactus. Realizing they had to save the innocent Qwrlln, the assembled heroes battled the Planet-Devourer. However, after defeating him, they were unsure how to get him off the Qurwrlln’s planet and themselves back to Earth. Galactus learned that the heroes were up against the Consortium and, given his own dealings with the them, the heroes learned that the Consortium used living planets as an energy source. Using the Qwrlln’s organic technology and some of Galactus’ planet-devouring equipment, the heroes developed a device which could send the Qwrlln and their planet back to their rightful place in space and the heroes back to Earth. Unfortunately, an energy source was needed to propel them. Vindicator offered to sacrifice himself in order to achieve this. Guardian and Vindicator shared a touching farewell, before Mac use his abilities to return everyone to their rightful place in Space-Time. The heroes arrived back in Toronto, as did Galactus, who informed the Consortium that he had come to feed… on them. For the heroes, though, the battle was hardly over, as Toronto lay in flames from the destruction endured during the war. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #97-100]
The Avengers remained in Toronto to aid Alpha Flight in the clean-up, while Alpha Flight also got back to their personal matters. Northstar requested Doctor Strange’s aid in searching for his missing sister, to no avail. Alpha Flight attended a memorial service for Vindicator in which Guardian spoke of her husband’s dream. However happier news was received when, after Manikin and Box were able to use the laser from the alien to pierce Diamond Lil’s skin and perform the exam on her breast, the results of which revealed that the lump was benign. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #101]
Guardian, Sasquatch, Northstar, Box and Diamond Lil soon infiltrated the nation of Tierra del Maiz, of which Diablo, the alchemist lover of their old foe Gilded Lily, had become the ruling leader. This espionage assignment brought the team into conflict with not only the criminal Whirlwind but also USAgent, who was representing the United Nations, which had voted not to get involved in the affairs of Tierra Del Maiz. Nevertheless, the members of Alpha Flight were not ones to stand by idly while the innocents of the nation got hurt. However, Box and Diamond Lil were taken out of the mission early when Box was injured in a crash-landing and Diamond Lil refused to leave him, despite the danger they were in from one of Diablo’s fire creatures. Facing imminent death, Box asked Diamond Lil to marry him and she accepted. This gave him the strength to construct a small craft to protect them. While performing her part of the mission, Guardian encountered a mysterious agent apparently working with Alpha Flight. Dubbed Weapon Omega, he was actually their old associate, Wild Child, now finally in full control of his feral side. Alpha Flight had some heated discussion about Weapon Omega being forced onto the team, however Weapon Omega assured them he was cured of his former self.
Back at Department H, Puck was appointed acting Chief Administrator after Vindicator’s death, but Puck was not keen on the position and abdicated it to Windshear. However, when Windshear went on national television, announcing he did not support the decision to aid Her against the Consortium, Puck briefly regretted his decision. With the security detention and treatment center within the new Department H complex operational, Headlock was the first prisoner - only Headlock had a captive of his own … Aurora! When Alpha Flight returned to their new headquarters Northstar suddenly sensed that his sister was alive and close by, so he raced to find her. When Alpha Flight caught up with Northstar and found Aurora, they learned she had been the prisoner of Headlock for weeks, for when Laura Dean teleported everyone away Aurora had already sped en route to the meet with the others to go to Toronto. During her ordeal with Headlock, Aurora’s split personality returned - this time with Jeanne-Marie no longer meek and unwilling to use her mutant power. In a surprise move, the Jeanne-Marie persona wanted to re-join Alpha Flight, which was perfect timing, as Box and Diamond Lil announced their resignation to get married. The team was also restructured with Guardian, Sasquatch, Northstar, Aurora/Jeanne-Marie and Weapon Omega forming “Core Alpha,” while Windshear kept his administrative role and Puck acted as some sort of trouble-shooter. At the same time, the entire team took up Alpha Flight’s first ever official team uniforms. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #102-104]
Close to Christmas, Alpha Flight celebrated the impending nuptials for Diamond Lil and Box with bachelor and bachelorette parties. At the bachelor party, Northstar defended a gay couple being harassed, before the party was interrupted by a man who held up the bar, demanding money. Alpha Flight intervened and learned that the man’s landlord was going to throw him and his starving family into the streets. The men were touched and visited the landlord, whereupon they bought the poor man’s house. Guardian, Jeanne-Marie and Diamond Lil headed to the establishment where Aurora made a booking for Diamond Lil’s party, only to learn it was a male strip club. While there, the Aurora personality took control and began dancing with one of the male strippers, an action prohibited by the establishment. The girls learned that Pink Pearl, an old enemy of Northstar and Aurora’s, owned the club and a battle ensued, with the girls taking Pearl down, but ending up in jail for one night because of having caused a riot. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #105]
While battling the criminal Mr. Hyde, Northstar discovered a baby girl in a trash can. The baby girl had a fever and Jean-Paul rushed her to a hospital, where he learned that the girl had AIDS. Northstar adopted the baby and called her Joanne, while keeping a watchful vigil over her. The media went into a frenzy, covering Northstar and Joanne’s plight, which was observed by retired World War II hero named Major Mapleleaf. Incensed, Major Mapleleaf attacked Northstar, for one of his sons had previously died of AIDS but, as a gay man, got no public sympathy like Northstar’s daughter received. During the battle, Northstar revealed that he was also gay. Soon after, Joanne passed away and Northstar publicly announced he was gay. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #106]
The Core Alpha team soon embarked on what was known as their World Tour, with their first stop being Washington DC. Unfortunately, their luggage went missing at the airport and they were forced to wear spare X-Factor uniforms. Alpha Flight accompanied X-Factor as observers on a mission to locate missing civilians in a town. They soon discovered a woman whose mutant power kicked in after she died of food poisoning. The tragic woman was determined to get married to her fiancé, regardless of her death. After battling zombies, Alpha Flight and X-Factor successfully united the groom and his zombie bride, who passed away after her vows were said. Core Alpha soon arrived in Switzerland for the first Pan-European Conference on Super Human affairs, which was interrupted by the arrival of the villain Brain Drain, who hypnotically commanded various heroes across Europe to assassinate their political leaders. After Brain Drain was defeated, Alpha Flight spread out across Europe to prevent the assassinations from happening. However, thought seemingly dead, Drain still lived and was discovered by Alpha Flight’s foe, the Master of the World. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #107-108]
Core Alpha’s World Tour was cut short when they were joined by Puck in Moscow, as he had come to take them back to Canada to discuss an emergency brewing in the States. Before leaving, however, they managed to foil a plot by the terrorist group called the Hand. Back in Toronto, Core Alpha and Puck were joined by Box and Diamond Lil, who cut their honeymoon short and were informed that the fate of the universe hung in the balance, so they departed for the States. In New York, Alpha Flight united with many American super heroes where they learned that Adam Warlock’s evil self, the Magus, had returned, forcing an unlikely alliance between Thanos and Adam Warlock. Worse, evil doppelgangers of the gathered heroes began to appear. During that crisis, Alpha Flight also met Shaman again, who, as it happened, had not been teleported away by Laura Dean but used his mystic powers to try and follow Beta Flight when they disappeared. After losing them at the Crossroads of Realities and not wanting to deal with further failure, Shaman opted to remain away from Alpha Flight. He had only returned now as the Elders of the Universe had informed him he was needed during the cosmic battle. Still, he remained cold towards his former teammates. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #109, Infinity War #1-6, Alpha Flight (1st series) #110-112]
Both Northstar and Sasquatch had problems with Aurora’s returned multiple personality disorder. For Sasquatch, it was because, while the Aurora persona was once again interested in him, Jeanne-Marie was not. Similarly, Aurora was happy her brother had finally revealed his sexuality but Jeanne-Marie was not so welcoming. Meanwhile, Heather was still mourning having lost her husband a second time, while Windshear began to coach the Beta Flight team, all of whom, after briefly demoting them to trainee Gamma Flight status, he was actually quite fond.
Weapon Omega’s past suddenly caught up with him when he found himself hunted by the enigmatic mercenary called Wyre. Accompanied by Talisman, who expresses concern for her ever-distant father since he returned to Department H, Alpha Flight searched for the now missing Weapon Omega, who was battling Wyre. Wyre claimed to have a familial connection to the former Wild Child, given that Weapon Omega was modified with Wyre’s DNA and survived the experience. After Wyre escaped following the arrival of Alpha Flight, Weapon Omega knew that he needed to talk to his former Gamma Flight teammate Nemesis for answers about Wyre. However, Nemesis was held prisoner and being tortured by the villain Rok. Weapon Omega searched for Nemesis, only to be taken captive by the Children of the Night. Weapon Omega’s past was revealed when Weapon X became involved in the situation; in the early days of Department H, Walter had hidden a psychiatric report damning the unstable Wild Child. Eventually, Rok was defeated and Weapon Omega overcame his programming. Weapon Omega and Wyre confronted their shared past and eventually Weapon Omega settled on his own individual code-name, Wildheart. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #114-118]
Trouble continued to brew for Alpha Flight, as General Clarke met with the Canadian Prime Minister and Senator Hagon, who proposed a Super Powers Bill, suggesting the registration of all super-beings in Canada. General Clarke took a more administrative role at Department H, this often interfering with Guardian’s leadership, particularly when she learned about the proposed Super Powers Bill organized by Senator Hagon. The Hardliners began following orders from a mysterious man known as Joshua Lord and started rounding up super-beings. Among the first was Albert Louis, who began a trek across Canada to get help from Alpha Flight as he evaded the Hardliners. The “Core Alpha” system naturally phased itself out as Windshear and Puck began working with the others on a regular basis. Several Alphans were aided by Nemesis in battling Thunderball of the Wrecking Crew but no sooner was he defeated than his three teammates showed up. Senator Hagon and Joshua Lord met and discussed the Super Powers Bill and how the Hardliners would be used to monitor the registration of super-beings, though Hagon was unaware that Joshua Lord had mysterious plans for him. The Wrecking Crew soon departed but not without causing a lot of damage in their battle against Alpha Flight. Unfortunately, Alpha Flight was then confronted by the Hardliners, who were still chasing Albert Louis. Alpha Flight stepped in and protected the young mutant and swore to continue defending Canada. Heather pointed out that Alpha Flight must take control of the Super Powers Bill situation, as, if the Bill is passed, they may have to hunt down other super-beings. Deciding it was better them than the Hardliners, all of Alpha Flight agreed and Shaman rejoined the team, though Nemesis declined membership. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #117-120]
Guardian, Puck, Wildheart and Nemesis attended the funeral of former Gamma Flight members Silver and Auric, only to learn that their bodies were missing. The team eventually tracked the siblings’ remains to an auction being held by the Brass Bishop, who was offering the auction’s criminal attendees the chance to bid on the powers of not only Silver and Auric, but also a scientist with whom they had been linked. During the ensuing battle, the bodies of Silver, Auric and the scientist inexplicably merged into a new being… which promptly vanished. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #121] With the Super Powers Bill passed, Puck was forced to bring in several former associates of his known as the Outcasts. He was assisted by Northstar and Wildheart on this mission. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #122-123]
Another cosmic event occurred when the Goddess, the “good” persona of Adam Warlock, created a planet called Paradise Omega and brainwashed several heroes from around Earth to do her bidding. Among these heroes included Sasquatch, Puck, Talisman and Windshear, all of whom vanished from Department H. Soon thereafter, Guardian, Northstar and Wildheart departed for the States to deal with the Goddess situation and were joined by Aurora, whose personality switched to Jeanne-Marie. Given Jeanne-Marie‘s religious beliefs, she succumbed to the Goddess’ calling. The true origin of Beta Flight’s Witchfire was revealed as she sought to oppose the Goddess and infiltrated Paradise Omega, planting the seed of doubt in Talisman and Sasquatch. Now freed from mental coercion, the pair gathered Puck and Windshear and returned to Department H, preparing to kill Witchfire. However, Guardian prevented them from doing so, forcing them to return to Paradise Omega. Back in Paradise Omega, Shaman was confronted by Talisman, who berated her father for failing her so many times. Talisman prepared to expose her father as a traitor within Paradise Omega, but he managed to defeat her and escaped. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #122-125, Infinity Crusade #1-5]
Shaman detected another matter that needed attention and, with all of Alpha Flight and Beta Flight otherwise occupied, he assembled Alpha Flight associates Nemesis and Wyre. He also summoned former Alphans Diamond Lil and Box, both of whom were having marital problems due to Madison’s inability to leave the Box armor. The demon Carcass had invaded the Land of the Dead and, in order to defeat the demon, Shaman and his allies had to be dead themselves. So… he killed them all. Knowing they had to participate in Shaman’s mission to return to their bodies, Diamond Lil, Box, Nemesis and Wyre battled Carrion, while Shaman fell in battle to his reanimated wife. However, this was a trick by Shaman to get closer to Carcass and destroy the demon, freeing the Land of the Dead from his thrall. Afterward, through the adventure and his recent distant attitude, Shaman was forced to re-evaluate his situation with Talisman. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #125-126] The dealings with the Goddess came to an end when Shaman, who continued to deceive the Goddess, invaded the minds of his teammates and daughter under the Goddess’ influence. The Goddess unleashed a cleansing fire, after which Alpha Flight and the other heroes under her influence were set free. Shaman and Talisman also reconciled their differences and decided to repair their broken relationship. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #127, Infinity Crusade #6]
Alpha Flight was forced to once again battle the Hardliners when the proposed law-enforcers captured their former quarry, Albert Louis, now called Feedback. Guardian led Northstar, Aurora, Sasquatch, Shaman, Wildheart and Wyre in a battle against the Hardliners, while Puck rescued Feedback. However, trouble continued as the Master’s new Omega Flight appeared. Worse, they were followed by the Master and his latest ally: Vindicator, now known as Antiguard. Taken aback by her husband’s return, Guardian confronted her husband and recalled how after his first apparent death she carried on his dream. Meanwhile, with the arrival of Windshear and some of Beta Flight, the assembled teams learn that Joshua Lord was in fact the Master, attempting to bring about his world of perfect beings. Swayed by Guardian, Antiguard turned against the Master’s programming and seemingly destroyed him.
Later, back at Department H, General Clarke had summoned Alpha Flight, Beta Flight, Mac, Diamond Lil & Box, Feedback, Wyre and Nemesis and announced that in the wake of all the Super Powers Registration Act and the anti-super-hero hysteria throughout Canada, the Prime Minister ordered that Alpha Flight (and Beta Flight) be suspended. The team would have no official status and its members being stepped down to advisory roles. This did not go down well with Northstar, who was angry that Alpha Flight had spent their lives protecting Canada and this being the thanks they get. As a result, he departed. With no official status, it seemed certain that Alpha Flight had no future and the Mac’s dream, which Heather had kept alive for all this time, was now dead. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #128-130]
Afterwards
- Northstar became the target of an anti-gay, anti-mutant attack, and spent some time trying to clear his name as he was framed for murder. Additionally, he had to deal with Weapon PRIME, the Canadian government’s new super-team. [Northstar #1-4]
- Guardian, Vindicator, Aurora, Puck and Wildheart remained at Department H in the “limited unofficial” capacity that General Clarke had promised them.
- Wildheart and Aurora even began a romantic relationship during this time. However, Aurora’s multiple personality disorder worsened and Wildheart was called up by his old friend Valerie Cooper, who recruited him into the American government-sponsored team, X-Factor. Aurora did not take Wildheart leaving her well and hunted him down. She was brought back to Canada by Puck and Northstar, who arranged for her to receive treatment in a psychiatric facility. [X-Factor (1st series) #116]
- Guardian and Vindicator became involved in researching the hole in the ozone layer and its effects on the environment. This brought them back into contact with Wolverine, who had recently lost his adamantium. They spent some time with Logan, which led to some strain between the Hudsons, as they had differing views on how to help their friend. [Wolverine (2nd series) #83-84, 91-92, 95]
- Unlike most of the other original Alphans, Walter did not remain active as Sasquatch. However, he remained at Department H in a purely scientific level, using the laboratories for his research. [Generation X #19]
- Shaman departed Department H and retired from his heroics, returning to his people instead. [Over the Edge #2, Wolverine (2nd series) #110]
- Following the official shut-down of Department H, Windshear returned to his native England and retired from heroics, instead using his mutant power to create “hard air” statues and selling them in a shop. [Thunderbolts #43] When M-Day struck, he was among those mutants who lost their powers. [New Avengers (1st series) #18]
- Box and Diamond Lil returned to their civilian lives together and, in the process, Madison somehow gave up using the Box armor. [Alpha Flight (2nd series) #1, 5]