Dream Queens and Sorcerers
Team Appearances: Alpha Flight (1st series) #51, Alpha Flight Annual #2, Alpha Flight (1st series) #52-90, Avengers (1st series) #320-324, Alpha Flight (1st series) #91-95
Before
- In Tibet, Puck sought out the Doorway Between Worlds, hoping to try his chance at a new life in another dimension. However, when he located the monastery where the doorway sat, he found communist soldiers attempting to take over the monastery, wanting to destroy the priests who did not follow the way of the state. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #59]
- Among the soldiers as a secret weapon of the government was a young man named Dei Guan, who could transform himself into a massive, Asian-style dragon, called the Jade Dragon. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #59]
Chronology
Returning to Tamarind Island, Heather, Sasquatch and Madison Jeffries had forged themselves into a cohesive unit, and with the Purple Girl and Manikin at their side in training as Beta Flight, they were, as their government liaison Gary Cody noticed, almost like a family. Gary set up Alpha Flight to battle the finest government soldiers, and witnessed how effective they operated as a team. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #51]
Gary became somewhat worried, believing that Alpha Flight had the power to destroy regular people. Cody sought to create heroes that the Canadian government could control themselves and found in one of Mac’s old labs the being called Bedlam, a criminal who was slated for membership in the early days of Alpha Flight, but proved too unstable. Unfortunately for Cody, Bedlam slew him and tracked down Alpha Flight at Tamarind Island. He destroyed Mansion Alpha and kidnapped Vindicator, Sasquatch and Beta Flight. Box was not taken, though, and managed to rally Wolverine to aid him in retrieving their friends. They located Heather and Sasquatch in a base near the Arctic Circle, where they learned that Bedlam also kidnapped several other super-powered begins, whom he called the Derangers (the former prisoners of Scramble). Bedlam pitted Alpha Flight and the Derangers against each other, with the winning team getting the “prize” of becoming the core of his new master race. The battle ended when Vindicator blew off Bedlam’s head. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #51-53]
After recruiting one of the Derangers into Beta Flight, Alpha Flight was attacked by several of the Great Beasts, who had come for Sasquatch. During the battle, Box increased the mass of his armor by absorbing into it the entire Arctic complex, to defeat the oversized Tundra. Box was forced to convert part of himself into energy to defeat Tundra, the resulting explosion sending Alpha Flight into space. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #54-55] With the extra material he absorbed from the complex, Box’s form was large enough still to act as a spaceship for Alpha Flight, who soon found themselves under attack by Bedlamites. These organic experiments of Bedlam’s that were left behind in the complex began competing with Jeffries for control of what became known as the Boxship. When the heroes located the complex’s living brain, they learned it was actually the representation of Jeffries‘ brain and realized that, if they destroyed the Bedlamites, they risked lobotomizing Madison. However, they had no other choice but to try it and successfully destroyed the creatures, enabling Jeffries total control over the Boxship. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #56]
Alpha Flight encountered a strange crystal life form when they landed on an alien planet. Their combined intelligence and power could not stop the crystal life form that trapped them, and they were only released when the new Beta Flight recruit, Goblyn, purred against the crystal, matching its vibrations. Alpha Flight tried to deal with the fact that they were now stranded in space. However, Goblyn actually had a twin sister, a teleporter called Laura Dean. Originally, Goblyn and Laura would trade places, with one existing on Earth and the other in another dimension called Liveworld. The ruler of Liveworld, the mysterious Dream Queen, plotted her escape from the realm and captured Laura Dean. When the girls traded places next, Laura opened a portal big enough for the entire Boxship to pass through. Alpha Flight crash landed on Liveworld and, in the process, most of the Boxship was destroyed. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #57-58]
The team engaged the Dream Queen and her warriors in battle - and found themselves transported to the monastery in Tibet after Puck opened the Doorway Between Worlds. The battled raged, with Alpha Flight aware of the added danger of the Dream Queen being able to crossover from Liveworld to Earth. Even worse, Alpha Flight was in fact battling illusions created by the Dream Queen. Puck realized this and, as the Dream Queen was about to pass over into Earth, he jumped through the Doorway Between Worlds, keeping the Dream Queen from passing through as Laura Dean closed the portal. As this occurred, the Jade Dragon realized the error of his ways in blindly following the state and, after scaring his former comrades away, he aided Alpha Flight in battling the Dream Queens’ illusions. Alpha Flight, Beta Flight and the Jade Dragon were all teleported back to Canada by one of the priests at the temple. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #59-60]
Once back in Canada, Vindicator and Box attended an inquisition, where they were forced to reveal their recent activities and defend their previous actions where they acted out against their government sponsor. Jade Dragon spoke out at the inquisition, urging the court to allow Alpha Flight to continue to operate as free individuals. The inquisition became quite heated, resulting in Vindicator rejecting any further government control and therefore any government spending. While Box proposed marriage to Vindicator, Sasquatch sought to get access to her fortune to help fund Alpha Flight - only to learn that Walter Langkowski’s ex-wife, Veronica, inherited it and was not going to give her a dime. Vindicator offered Jade Dragon to accompany them, but he had not decided on his next step after being transported to Canada against his will. At any rate, he had to remain in government custody for further questioning. With no funding and no home, Alpha Flight and Beta Flight decided to go their separate ways. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #61-62]
In Between
- Heather and Madison began to plan their wedding and, in the process, dealt with a virus in the Box armor. Madison also conquered some guilty feelings he was having about the deaths of Roger Bochs and Scramble. Vindicator too had personal problems in the form of temporarily not being able to remove her battle suit. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #63, 65-66]
- Sasquatch went to trial against Veronica to fight for her fortune, with the courtroom becoming a battleground for Snowbird and the Arctic Gods and the Great Beasts - in truth constructs of the Dream Queen. However, Wanda lost her court battle, due to a member of the National Security Council manipulating the judge. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #64]
- Elizabeth Twoyoungmen was involved in an archaeological excavation and discovered a strange rock formation - unaware that the Dream Queen was encased within, and was manipulating events in the outside world to suit her needs [Alpha Flight (1st series) #62, 64, 66]
- While in custody, the Jade Dragon was tracked down by the Chinese super team, China Force. When Dei Guan demanded to be released, China Force made their move - killing the agents who held him in custody (on the day where it was to be decided whether he could remain in Canada or be deported, no less) and demanded that he join them. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #64-66]
- Diamond Lil and Wild Child were both freed from prison by the Canadian Government as they began to put together a new official super team that they could control. Shortly after her release, Diamond Lil decided to track down her ex-lover, Madison Jeffries. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #71, 76]
Chronology continued
Heather gathered Jeffries, Sasquatch and the former Beta Flight girls to discuss the strange events that they all had been experiencing, as she believed the Dream Queen was behind them. At the same time, Elizabeth inadvertently freed the Dream Queen when she opened the rock formation, enabling the Dream Queen to teleport to the gathered former Alphans and take them out with ease. Elizabeth raced to Ottawa but, en route, learned the Dream Queen had already defeated her former teammates. When Elizabeth arrived, she found the Dream Queen had left them alive and unharmed, while she set about causing chaos in Edmonton. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #67-68]
With Vindicator, Sasquatch and Box active again as Alpha Flight, they traveled to the Eye of the World with Elizabeth and Beta Flight, and enlisted Michael Twoyoungmen, still the wearer of the Talisman, in their plight against the Dream Queen. They then journeyed to Ottawa, where the Dream Queen was based. Elizabeth was convinced that it was time for her to become the Talisman once again, as she was ready to face up to her responsibilities. When Shaman agreed, he passed the coronet to his daughter. However, Sasquatch, possessed by the Dream Queen, stole it and, as they arrived in Ottawa, rushed to give it to the Dream Queen. However, as she did so, the spirit of Snowbird appeared and switched Wanda back into Walter, restoring Sasquatch’s manhood. Walt gave the coronet to Elizabeth, who became Talisman once again. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #68]
Meanwhile, the Jade Dragon was defeated by China Force, who prepared to take him home back to China. However, the Dream Queen was manipulating China Force, forcing their aircraft to land in Edmonton, though they believed they had arrived back in China. The Dream Queen’s influence and evil was spreading further and further across Canada as she took up residence in Edmonton. Heather got Alpha Flight prepared for the approaching conflict, with Shaman once again able to assist now that he was no longer under the influence of the Coronet of Power. Alpha Flight crash landed in the West Edmonton Mall and battled China Force, who was convinced they were in China, until Laura Dean opened a portal to actual China and Shaman cast them into it. Jade Dragon also returned to China, wanting to prove to his country that he was not a traitor. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #69]
The government monitored Alpha Flight as they prepared to engage the Dream Queen in a final battle. The heroes were subjected to all sorts of illusions from the powerful villainess. Nevertheless, Laura Dean was able to open a portal back to Liveworld and Talisman punched the Dream Queen though it, returning her to Liveworld and freeing Canada of her evil thrall. However, Talisman revealed a premonition of hers that the worst was still to come. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #70]
Alpha Flight rejected a proposition to work for the government once more and the former Beta Flight girls departed to live with Purple Girl’s mother. Talisman explained to Vindicator that Canada was a nexus for negative forces. This revelation, compounded by Talisman’s take-charge attitude, began to cause friction between Heather and Elizabeth. Matters were not helped when Talisman ordered Alpha Flight’s move to Edmonton. Alpha Flight prepared for their move and, as Box packed up his life in Ottawa, he was reunited with his ex-lover and fellow former member of Gamma Flight, Diamond Lil, now free from prison. As this was happening, a young couple unwittingly unleashed the evil Talisman knew was coming: Llan the Sorcerer. Llan arrived to confront Heather and Talisman, and teleported them to a strange “non-zone.” Llan then teleported Sasquatch, Shaman and Box, with Diamond Lil in tow, to join them. Llan told Alpha Flight that they would be left to starve here unless they fought him, as he knew this would provoke Talisman into making the first move, freeing Llan from his remaining restraints. Llan then vanished, leaving Alpha Flight and Diamond Lil stranded in the non-zone. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #71-72]
Traveling through the Crossroads of Realities, Alpha Flight found themselves struggling not only with the enemies they encountered but each other, particularly Vindicator and Diamond Lil, as it was clear there was no love lost between the two of them, with Madison caught in the middle. One reality they entered they encountered counterparts of American heroes from their Earth, only these heroes had turned American into a fascist state and fought Alpha Flight as unregistered superhumans. It was on this reality that Alpha Flight was reunited with Puck, who was stranded there after the Dream Queen returned to Earth earlier. Puck had altered his form, thanks to the malleable matter of that reality, and he joined his former teammates in battle, with Alpha Flight being able to tear apart the fascist counterparts thanks to the malleable matter. Talisman then teleported the team, Diamond Lil and Puck back to Earth… unaware of what had transpired in their absence.[Alpha Flight (1st series) #73-75]
Alpha Flight learned that they had been gone from Canada for three months but, soon after their return, Shaman and Puck fell ill, attributed to using the malleable matter of the previous dimension on themselves. They were taken to hospital, where Vindicator and the others learned of a disaster in Montreal. They departed for Montreal and en route they learned that a new hero team called Gamma Flight was already investigating. Diamond Lil explained that she and Wild Child were freed from prison to join Gamma Flight, but she disappeared with Alpha Flight when the Sorcerer attacked. The bad news continued to arrive as Alpha Flight learned that their help was not needed. They aided in defeating the civilians under the spell of the Sorcerer, only to be told by Nemesis, leader of the new Gamma Flight, that Gamma Flight had orders to arrest Alpha Flight if they continued to operate in Canada. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #76]
As tensions continued to mount between Vindicator and Talisman (Vindicator because she thought Talisman was making a play for her role as leader of the team, and Talisman because she was stressed while working out how to defeat the Sorcerer), Alpha Flight moved into their new base in Edmonton, Maison Alpha. Male again, Sasquatch returned to his ex-wife to get his fortune back so he could fund Alpha Flight. Meanwhile, Diamond Lil decided to remain assisting Alpha Flight, as Nemesis told her Gamma Flight didn’t’ need her. Additionally, it meant she could stay close to Box, as they began to rekindle their earlier romance. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #78]
Under the influence of the Sorcerer, evil began to spread through Canada, by means of pollution and an influx of criminals from the United States. Naturally, despite having no official status, Alpha Flight sought out the villains, which brought them into conflict with Gamma Flight, who, after the villains were defeated, arrested Vindicator, Sasquatch, Box and Diamond Lil, unaware that the Sorcerer had managed to open the Gateway of Night. As all this occurred, Alpha Flight went unaware that their old enemy the Master of the World had been resurrected by Llan. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #78-80]
With the active Alphans either imprisoned or in hospital, Talisman was forced to summon the powerless Aurora, who was still at the nunnery, and the former Beta Flight girls, whom were all sent to Asgard to rescue Northstar. There, they encountered followers of Llan who were preparing to sacrifice Northstar. The women managed to rescue Northstar and they escaped back to Edmonton. In prison, Alpha Flight learned that the horrors spreading through Canada were seemingly being blamed on them. Shaman, meanwhile, recovered from his injuries and prepared to leave hospital, only to learn that Puck had been released earlier. However, Puck was kept elsewhere and was being drugged by an operative of the Master of the World. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #81-82]
While the imprisoned Alphans dealt with the soldiers guarding them – who just happened to be demons, impersonating the soldiers – Shaman returned to Edmonton and sent Talisman on a spiritual journey to learn how her predecessor defeated the Sorcerer. Alpha Flight were forced to run from the law when given chance and headed to Edmonton, while Talisman departed for the Eye of the World. Northstar and Aurora were reunited with their former teammates, rejoining Alpha Flight, before Gamma Flight, who had learned Alpha Flight escaped custody, attacked them at Maison Alpha. Eventually, Vindicator managed to get the two teams to stop fighting and they soon learned that Llan’s massive army had made its way through the Gateway of Night and was marching upon Canada. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #83-84]
Alpha Flight, Gamma Flight and the former Beta Flight girls teleported to the Eye of the World and engaged Llan’s army in battle. Meanwhile, Talisman prepared to open the Gateway of Day but, in the process, the Sorcerer trapped her. During the battle, Northstar shared his power with his sister, restoring Aurora’s abilities. Talisman managed to send Northstar and Aurora to get Dr. Strange, while Alpha Flight continued to battle Llan’s army. Llan, however, came under direct attack when Talisman managed to free herself and was aided by Vindicator and Box. The Gateway of Day was finally opened and the forces of light emerged from it, enough to counter Llan’s forces of darkness, banishing Llan in the process. However, Llan warned Alpha Flight that their world will become a polluted hell and cursed them. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #85-86]
In the aftermath of the “Sorcerer Affair,“ Vindicator announced to Alpha Flight and their associates that it was time for a new beginning. Vindicator was then granted a parliamentary hearing, which she headed, accompanied by Northstar, the former Beta Flight girls and all of Gamma Flight. The Canadian Prime Minister granted Alpha Flight full status to act as operatives of the peace, with Department H refunding to support them. However, Gamma Flight was to be disbanded, with the members being assigned to training status under Alpha Flight. This angered Gamma Flight and sent Wild Child into a rage, randomly attacking people. The confrontation bought Wolverine back on the scene. They eventually placed Wild Child in a maximum security facility but, when Heather learned Wolverine was ill and in need of Wild Child’s healing factor, they attempted to break him out, only to learn he was missing. They eventually tracked down Gamma Flight, who had freed Wild Child and were not going to give him up without a fight. A battle ensued and, in the aftermath, Gamma Flight separated, with some leaving peacefully, some in anger and one accepting training status. Wolverine then revealed that he had faked the illness; he just wanted to restore Heather’s faith in her leadership skills.
Meanwhile, Sasquatch, Shaman, Aurora and Talisman were granted permission to go in search of their missing teammate, Puck. They were attacked by some deformed creatures and, during the battle, Aurora displayed her new peaceful approach to life, before they learned that the creatures were the slaves of the Master of the World. They located the Master’s base, which was situated between dimensions and discovered Puck, deformed beyond recognition. Shaman and Sasquatch attempted to return Puck to his true form, while the Master of the World attacked with his army of Remnant Men. Though Puck was returned to his true form, Talisman suffered severe neurological damage after using her mind as a filter for Shaman’s medicine pouch. She had been searching for the right spell to turn the Remnant Men, who were overpowering Alpha Flight, back to their true form. Unfortunately, in the confusion, the Master escaped.
At the same time, unbeknownst to Vindicator, Box and Diamond Lil were sent to Roxxon in Denver. There they met Windshear, a mutant from the British Division, who needed help getting a handle over some out of control machinery which Box learned in fact had been under someone’s control. Box, Lil and Windshear journeyed to Muir Island and, after a skirmish with the Muir Island X-Men, returned to Roxxon with Forge. There, the techno X-Man located the man inside the machinery, who turned out to be none other than the long-believed dead James MacDonald Hudson. As it turned out, Delphine Courtney’s apparent phony explanation as to how Guardian survived was indeed true. He had been found by the alien Qwrlln on Jupiter’s moon. In a complex process, Guardian was freed from the machinery, truly alive. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #87-90]
In the aftermath, Alpha Flight was officially sanctioned and a new Department H headquarters was planned to be built in Toronto. Meanwhile, the Gamma Flight name would be redeemed as an administrative service responsible for super human studies and Beta Flight the center for the identification, recruitment and training of tomorrow’s super-humans. Heather also appropriately changed her code-name to Guardian, as she was indeed the guardian of her country, while Mac returned to Vindicator after the two were reunited. While the heroes were reviewed for membership on Alpha Flight, Beta Flight and the Gamma Support Staff, rotating rosters would be used for any missions until the final roster was established. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #90]
Guardian, Shaman, Puck, Box and Diamond Lil soon found themselves involved in an international incident with the Avengers and the Soviet Union’s premier super team, the People’s Protectorate. The two teams had been attempting to stop a terrorist organization called the Peace Corpse, which had hijacked a British nuclear submarine and taken to the coast of Newfoundland. As the situation had arrived upon Canadian shores, Guardian took control of the situation, ordering evacuation of the locals, while a small squad infiltrated the nuclear vessel to take down the terrorists. In the course of events, the nuclear warheads detonated, though Shaman managed to cast a spell to “catch” the nuclear explosion inside his medicine pouch - along with all the super beings, crew and civilians involved. Aiding by the other heroes, Shaman was able to teleport everyone back to Earth, slowly, with the aim of keeping the nuclear energy trapped in his medicine pouch. However, some of the terrorists had mutated into the being called the Combine, which complicated the return to Earth. Thankfully, the combined effort of all three super teams ensured a safe return, with no nuclear fall out. [Avengers (1st series) #320-324]
Vindicator, Northstar, Puck, Box, Diamond Lil, Sasquatch and Guardian soon found themselves involved in the next diplomatic incident when Dr. Doom came to Canada as the sovereign of Latveria, asking to be traded some of Canada’s fresh water, as Latveria’s supplies had been tainted by terrorists. Those same terrorists, the so-called Latverian Liberation Front, were also threatening Doom’s life, causing him to demand being protected by Alpha Flight while he was visiting their nation. Alpha Flight did so only reluctantly and eventually found their suspicions about Doom confirmed as it turned out that he was behind the Latverian Liberation Front himself. He had staged the whole conflict to make his heir, Kristoff Vernard, then-ruler of Latveria look bad.
Meanwhile, Alpha Flight’s reinstated military liaison, General Clarke, made a push with the team’s new government liaison, Kerry Patrick, for Vindicator to replace Guardian as leader of Alpha Flight. Apparently, Clarke believed that James Hudson would be easier to control and more likely to follow protocol than his wife. However, James did not accept the new position when it was offered to him, making Heather understand that underneath his emotionless, cold demeanor and efficient thinking (caused by his technological implants), a flicker of the man she loved and married remained. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #91-92]
Alpha Flight soon found itself working with the Fantastic Four to face off against the villain Headlock, who had taken mental control over the town of Tuktoyatuk. Headlock managed to take control over half of the group, forcing a battle between the heroes. Eventually the villain was subdued, but he gave several heroes much to think about. Among them was Aurora, who pondered her place amongst Alpha Flight, as she was often faced with much violence. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #93-94]
When it was time for the new official line-up to be announced, Aurora took this opportunity to resign from active membership. Instead, she wished to serve in the psychiatric department of the new Gamma Flight, which was a new support function of Department H, involving the science and supernatural. While she recuperated from her serious injuries, Talisman was relegated to Beta Flight, while also serving in the supernatural sciences section of Gamma Flight. Shaman was stood down from Alpha Flight to act as a mentor to Beta Flight, while also serving in the supernatural section of Gamma Flight. That left Guardian, Sasquatch, Northstar, Box and Diamond Lil all remaining on the team, and Vindicator, Puck and Windshear returning or joining for the first time. Vindicator, Sasquatch and Box also held dual roles in the new Gamma Flight, as Alpha Flight was ready for its new future. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #95]
Afterwards
- Shaman’s tenure as mentor to Beta Flight would not start well, as the entire team was transported to Liveworld by Laura Dean during a crisis. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #98] It was originally believed Shaman was with them but he was not. Instead, he teleported a split second after them, only to lose them at the Crossroad of Realities. A very distant and cold Shaman would later re-join Alpha Flight. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #120, 125]
- Talisman slowly recuperated from her injuries and actively served with Beta Flight, remaining with the team despite her vast experience. Presumably, this was so she could be with other super beings closer to her own age. [Alpha Flight (1st series) #110-112]
- Back in China, the Jade Dragon did not return to serving the communist state, instead opting to help the people of China. He later become one-third of 3-Peace, a group of Chinese mutants attempting to help other mutants in China. This led Dei Guan once again into confrontation with China Force. [X-Force Annual #3]