Marvel's Thunderbolts TV Series Fan-Cast (MarvelCinemax) -Episode 1.0

MARVEL'S THUNDERBOLTS

COLD OPEN

Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross sits down at a desk in his home office and begins narrating directly to the viewer:

Secretary Thaddeus Ross: “I’m told that you don’t have children…”

“Well, if you haven’t been told this already, let me be the first to tell you that holding your child in your hands for the first time is one of the most humbling experiences that you can have in this life. I truly mean that. My career - from West Point and Vietnam up to my work with the Army Research Office and now as Secretary of State - has allowed me to be a part of some really extraordinary moments. And yet, none of those life defining achievements were ever quite as scary or as moving as being a newly minted father, and looking down into my daughter Elizabeth’s eyes for the very first time. But, if I’m being completely honest, something happened a few years ago that came pretty damn close. I had what is called a ‘non-ST elevated myocardial infarction’, which is just an elaborate way of saying ‘I had a heart attack’. I had to have a triple bypass surgery afterwards, which took about 13 hours to perform and several weeks of therapy to recover from due to complications. For that period in my life, I had to depend on others in a way that I’ve never really been comfortable with. I had to learn a lot of new things and I had to let go of a lot of old habits. But I knew that I had been given a second chance at life and I wasn’t about to stop fighting. It took some time but eventually I made it through.”

(Looks at a recently taken picture of his daughter)

“We made it through.”

“During that time, I met a man named Dennis Connolly, who - like you and I - had spent some time in uniform before settling into a career as a corrections officer at a prison in Maryland. Well, one night, Mr Connolly made the unfortunate mistake of putting too much distance between himself and his radio - a mistake that nearly cost the 60 year old vet his life when a young inmate decided to rush behind his desk and put him in a chokehold. He struggled...he tried reaching for a weapon...he tried pleading with the young man..he tried screaming...nothing worked. At one point, some of the other inmates saw what was going on and started rummaging through the desk, searching Connolly's pockets, one even punched him in the gut. And it was at that point that his legs and his heart started to give out on him and he fell to floor, thinking ‘This is it. This is how and where I die.’ But before he could close his eyes and feel his life slip away, he caught a glimpse of something amazing. A former soldier named Carlos Cruz, who was serving time for a second-degree murder conviction, started delivering - and I’m paraphrasing Dennis here - a hellacious ass whoopin’ to this group of cowards looking to do harm to this man who was just trying to do his job. Connolly found out later that he had suffered a heart attack during the ordeal and that Cruz quickly and decisively secured the radio, called for backup, and single handedly beat the shit out of nearly half the tier before help arrived.”

“This convict and former soldier, that many had written off, stepped up and played the hero when the situation called for it. Of course, I found the whole thing a little hard to believe, so I did a little digging on my own. And sure enough, I found the surveillance footage of the whole thing - and it all happened just as Dennis had described it. And the more I watched that video, the more I started to think about second chances.”

(Ross picks up a different picture from his desk - an older photo of his now deceased wife and young daughter - and gives it long look)

“I’ve been given more than my fair share of second chances over the years, and I think it’s time for me to show some deserving folks just how powerful a second chance can be...starting with you Mr. Garrett.”

(We finally see who Sec. Ross has been talking to this whole time  - former US soldier and mercenary Delroy Garrett Jr [Triathlon]  )

(Ross continues)

“What if I told you we were putting a team together?”

 

(Garrett turns to look at the two people sitting attentively at the far wall behind him in Sec. Ross’ office - SHIELD Agent Anne Weaver and ATCU Director Glenn Talbot. After a moment, he turns back to Ross and asks….)

Delroy Garrett, Jr: “Who’s ‘we’... sir?”

 

 

EPISODE OUTLINE
 

1. Some time later we see Delroy Garrett Jr (Triathlon) - who is now an ATCU operative - on his way to meet with the supervisory board of Project: Reintegration where they outline the rules, regulations, and goals of the program as well as introduce him to the approved members of the team.

• We see a quick flash-back montage of each member’s backstory (see my Marvel's Thunderbolts TV Series Fan-Cast write up on ComicBookMovie.com for each member’s backstory), beginning with his approved selection for second-in-command, ATCU Training Specialist Melissa Gold (Songbird) and ending with the mercenary Anthony Masters (Taskmaster) - an inclusion that Garrett doesn’t fully agree with. Glenn Talbot shares Garrett’s concerns, but points out the fact that Masters’ inclusion on the team is at the request of U.S. Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross and other higher-ups.

• When Garrett asks SHIELD Agent Tomas Calderon if he should be concerned about Raymond Bloch’s (Ox) ability to stay “on task” in his enhanced state, Calderon replies “...with due respect to Secretary Ross - Bloch won’t create a ‘Blonsky sized problem’  for the program once he’s out in the field”. He goes on to state that though Bloch appears out of control in his “blood lust” state, the former criminal has proven that he is able to maintain a reasonable level of control even in his most aggressive states. Furthermore, he believes that Raymond’s desire to bring Cindy Shelton’s murderers to justice and possibly clear his name is sincere and aligns with the overall goals of the program.

• Senator Stivak stresses the fact that the team needs to be trained in traditional law enforcement tactics and procedures to minimize “showboating” and to also reassure the public that the members are highly trained professionals. To that end, he and Director Talbot have secured facilities and equipment to house and train the team members while waiting for deployment. The group’s main facility is called The Tower.

• We find out that each member is only approved to use a number of hi-tech, non-lethal rounds during missions, and that the use of lethal force - though not strictly prohibited - requires approval from Brigadier General and ATCU Director Glenn Talbot.

• I.C.E.R. rounds - which use dendrotoxin to chemically tranquilize targets
   

• Taser rounds - which use electrical charges to stun targets

• We find out that each member willingly submitted to having microscopic Dendrotoxin Devices placed in their bodies. When Garrett points out that someone like Moonstone or Fixer will most likely find a way around such measures, we also find out that there are a number of other “fail safes” in place for each member of the team to help insure public safety. A fact that doesn’t sit well with Garrett.

2. Garrett (Triathlon) begins training the team by way of a series of military styled exercises over the course of several weeks to help them work better as a team and not rely solely on their enhancements.

• The team is informed that the training exercises will have the added feature of having various ATCU and SHIELD agents fitted with advanced tech that can mimic the abilities of several documented enhanced individuals.

• We are introduced to Special Liaison Ode Akua of the Wakandan Military whose official mission is to serve in an advisory capacity as a part of the Sokovia Accords and whose unofficial mission is to help get the team into shape. During a series of flashbacks, Akua uses a variety of martial arts skills and technology to counter each members enhancements - proving to the team members that the use of super powers alone will not always guarantee a victory.

• She uses marksmanship to deliver “kill-shots” to Karla Sofen (Moonstone) seconds into her frustrated attempt to take flight and gain a strategic advantage.
   

• She also delivers “kill shots” to Sofen moments into an attempt to use her gravity manipulating powers to bring down a covered area in enemy territory.
   

• She uses a smoke cover and a modified Stark Sonic Taser to resolidify and temporarily paralyze an intangible Karla Sofen, then delivers a “fatal”  head shot when Karla attempts to attack her from behind.
   

• She uses a little known Wakandan martial arts style to subdue a charged up Raymond Bloch (Ox) by delivering nerve block blows that temporarily paralyze portions of his body, then renders him unconscious with a chokehold.
   

• She uses special gauntlets and shin guards to block Melissa Gold’s (Songbird) close quarter “solid-sound” based attacks, knocks the wind out her with an open palm punch to the chest, then commends her fighting techniques before delivering a “kill shot”.
   

• Even with his high powered Tech-Pack at his disposal, she easily intimidates and “kills” Ebersol (Fixer) on several occasions.
   

• Masters (Taskmaster) gives her a good challenge during a long bo staff battle, but eventually falls to a foot sweep and a simulated “killing blow”.

• After one drill, Garrett (Triathlon) confronts Masters (Taskmaster) about a number of killshots and defeats that he suspects the mercenary intentionally failed to avoid. Masters admits to the deception, offering that he just wants the program and the team to work. When asked if he has any other secret motives that he would like to share, Masters says that he just needs to find out more about his past and has calculated that his current path has the highest probability of achieving that goal. Garrett ends the conversation by letting Masters know that he wants and expects Masters’ best on every drill.

• On a “take-the-flag” drill immediately following his conversation with Garrett, Masters single handedly runs the course, out maneuvers and disarms the opposing team of ATCU and SHIELD agents (including those with “superpower” tech), and defeats Ode Akua using the same Wakandan pressure point attack that he observed her using on a fully charged Raymond Bloch (Ox) during an earlier drill.  

• Melissa Gold (Songbird) and Karla Sofen (Moonstone) engage in aerial maneuver training, and Sofen starts trying to manipulate the situation by playing passive-aggressive mind games with Gold over their communication units. When asked by an agent if he would like to break into the conversation and intervene, Garrett (Triathlon) declines, stating that he needs to know if it’s Sofen or the moonstone causing the mid-drill drama and that he also wants to see how Gold will react. Ode approves of his actions and logic, commenting that Garrett must have some Wakandan in his bloodline. In the end Melissa keeps it together, does extremely well in the drill, and doesn’t buy Sofen’s paper-thin excuse that the moonstone cause her to act out on occasion.

• We see a montage of Norbert Ebersol (Fixer) getting progressively better with the defensive and offensive uses of his Tech-Pack and gauntlets during “in battle” situations - going from panicking under pressure to blocking concussion grenades, discharging non-lethal concussive and ICER rounds, using a focused EMP blast to render an armored vehicle useless, scaling a wall with a propulsion blast, and using a non-toxic, fire suppressing chemical explosive to extinguish a fire with skill and precision.    

3. We get a glimpse of the growing group dynamics during some down-time interactions

• Norbert Ebersol (Fixer) catches Melissa (Songbird) leaving The Tower’s gym after a workout and fumbles his way into asking her an embarrassing question. She assumes he’s trying to ask her out but he eventually reveals that he followed her fighting career prior to her arrest, that he’s a big fan, and that he would like to get some extra one-on-one combat training if and when she has a chance. Flattered, Melissa agrees.

• We see Stivak strike up what appears to be an off-the-cuff conversation with Raymond (Ox), then subtlety begin to test Ray’s memory  to see if he recalls a past interaction that the two had - when Bloch was still a cleaner for the mob underboss Carmen Nobili. Initially Raymond doesn’t appear to remember meeting Stivak at any of the parties or events that Stivak lists. But as the conversation is drawing to a close, Bloch nonchalantly drops a name that clearly upsets the Senator.

• We see Garrett (Triathlon) sitting in a commons area in The Tower, struggling to control a worsening tremor in his left hand. After a few moments, he decides to call an unidentified person on his cell phone and let them know that he needs to see them. As he’s ending the call, he notices that Karla (Moonstone) has been attentively watching him the whole time.

• We see Masters training with a variety of weapons, which cuts back and forth between shots of various boxers, martial artists, archers, olympic athletes, etc. While he continues training, we see Nick Fury and a female SHIELD agent watching Masters from an undisclosed location via a remote surveillance feed

4. The group are given uniforms designed to give them more control of their abilities and provide them protection from various attacks and elements.
    

• Triathlon - Is given:
   

  • A pair of goggles fitted with the Stark-Fujikawa “Heads Up Display” (HUD) interface that gives him real time information about his team and the surrounding environment.
     

  • A custom designed, lightweight tactical suit constructed from nomex and kevlar fibers that is resistant to fire, various chemicals, certain bullets, substantial levels of impact force, and edged weapons. It also has an advanced graphical interface that appears on the surface of the suit’s left arm and provides up to the minute diagnostic information and data from The Tower's command center.(i.e. a MCU version of his comic book outfit)
     

  • Specially designed, multi tread, highly slip resistant running shoes built to withstand the stresses of Garrett’s high speed running.
     

  • Specially designed dampening gauntlets that can prevent him from mortally wounding individuals when striking them with superhuman force while traveling at superhuman speeds. When the LED bands lining the gauntlets are green, the dampeners are on. When the LED bands lining the gauntlets are red, the dampeners are off.
     

  • A specially designed shoulder holster rig that holds his FN Five-Seven MK2 sidearm (modified to use lethal and non-lethal rounds) securely in place while traveling at high speeds.
     

  • A utility belt containing non-lethal rounds for firearms, and various pouches and equipment.
     

  • A wireless communicator

• Songbird - Is given:
   

  • A custom designed, lightweight tactical suit constructed from nomex and kevlar fibers that is resistant to fire, various chemicals, certain bullets, substantial levels of impact force, and edged weapons. It also has an advanced graphical interface that appears on the surface of the suit’s left forearm - providing up to the minute diagnostic information and data from The Tower's command center. (i.e. a MCU version of her comic book outfit)
     

  • A series of energy conduits that fit onto the suit and work to focus and refine Melissa‘s unstable solid-sound constructs into more cohesive forms (i.e. conduits on the back create wings for gliding and flight, conduits in the neck collar create solid sound energy blasts from Melissa’s screams, wrist conduits create laser like force blasts from Melissa’s hands, etc).
     

  • A specially designed, energy cell that fits onto the chest area of Melissa’s uniform to store solid-sound energy and fuels the suit’s conduits in order to prevent newly created solid-sound constructs from quickly disintegrating moments after Melissa stops screaming.
     

  • 1 Sig Sauer P225-A1 handgun (modified to use lethal and non-lethal rounds)
     

  • 1 specially modified Blackhawk SERPA Level 2 Tactical Holster - Thigh Rig
     

  • A utility belt containing non-lethal rounds for firearms, and various pouches and equipment.
     

  • A wireless communicator

• Taskmaster - Is given:
   

  • A custom designed, lightweight tactical suit constructed from nomex and kevlar fibers that is resistant to fire, various chemicals, certain bullets, substantial levels of impact force, and edged weapons. It also has an advanced graphical interface that appears on the surface of the suit’s left forearm - providing up to the minute diagnostic information and data from The Tower's command center. (i.e. a MCU version of his comic book outfit)
     

  • A custom Dual Pistol Shoulder Holster rig with lateral magazine pouches (made prior to his incarceration and of his own design).
     

  • A custom nomex wire mesh full face mask with skull design and an inlaid spec op's vision system (made prior to his incarceration and of his own design).
     

  • A fire resistant kevlar hood
     

  • 1 Colt M4 Carbine 5.56MM rifle (modified to use lethal and non-lethal rounds)
     

  • 2 Glock 19 handguns (modified to use lethal and non-lethal rounds)
     

  • 1 Beretta 92FS handgun (modified to use lethal and non-lethal rounds)
     

  • 1 Blackhawk SERPA Level 2 Tactical Holster - Thigh Rig
     

  • A pair of Ebersol modified Electric Arc Brass Knuckles
     

  • A custom made Spartan shield that contains recovered metal from the hull of the Svartalfheim Flagship that was damaged during The Battle of Greenwich (made prior to his incarceration and of his own design)
     

  • A utility belt containing non-lethal rounds for firearms, and various pouches and equipment.
     

  • A wireless communicator

• Moonstone - Is given:
   

  • A custom designed, lightweight body suit constructed from nomex and kevlar fibers that is resistant to fire, various chemicals, and some edged weapons. (i.e. a MCU version of his comic book outfit)
     

    • Unhappy with her initial uniform and its military-leaning design, Moonstone removed or destroyed most of the tactical elements until only her nomex fiber under armour and a few other elements remained (i.e. a skimpy version of her classic white & gold “catsuit” uniform). After agreeing to “...wear something a little less ‘distracting….but only a little.”, Fixer designs a suit that integrates tactical elements onto a full-body version of her under armor suit, allowing for  increased flexibility and a redistribution of the ambient energy from the moonstone in her chest via a gold tinted, metallic weave, energy conduit inlay spanning the midline of her torso (proximal to the moonstone and her spine),

• A pair of gauntlets made of the same gold tinted, metallic material that conducts ambient energy from her moonstone. They allow for more controlled force blasts from Moonstone’s hands and gives her a more focus use of the gravity manipulating elements of her enhancements. The left gauntlet also has the advanced graphical interface integrated into its design, which gives Sofen up to the minute diagnostic information and data from The Tower’s command center

• A utility belt containing various pouches and equipment.

• Though she has been trained to use a variety of firearms, Moonstone refuses to carry one into the field - insisting on relying solely on her enhancements and her teammates.
   

• A wireless communicator

• Ox - Is given:
   

  • Nomex and kevlar fiber constructed “street clothes” that are resistant to fire, various chemicals, and some edged weapons
     

    • The pieces are meant to provide some level of protection for Ox during the times that his “blood lust” enhancements are not in use.
       

    • When Moonstone jealously asks why Ox is allowed to wear little more than a t-shirt and jeans into combat situations, we see a flashback montage of Ox repeatedly (and unexplainably) stripping off a variety of different uniforms soon after “amping up” and just prior to entering training scenarios. In the final instance, we see him standing completely naked in front of the remains of an armored vehicle that he destroyed single handedly. After Garrett congratulates him for breaking Songbird’s record, Ox playfully punches Garrett’s shoulder (which sends him flying a good distance), raises his arms in victory, yells “that calls for some goddamn beer!”, and walks past a noticeably “impressed” Ode Akua.

• A UTG 547 Law Enforcement Tactical Vest (a customized piece made prior to his incarceration)
   

• 1 BCM CQB11 KMR-A Carbine Rifle-11 (modified to use lethal and non-lethal rounds)
   

• 2 Beretta 92FS handguns (modified for lethal and non-lethal rounds)
   

• A wireless communicator

• Fixer - Is given:
   

  • A custom designed, lightweight tactical suit constructed from nomex and kevlar fibers that is resistant to fire, various chemicals, certain bullets, substantial levels of impact force, and edged weapons.
     

  • The cyber-organic “Tech-Pack” harness and dual gauntlet system that features a wide variety of offensive and defensive capabilities, including (but not limited to):
     

    • A mini Stark Sonic Cannon
       

    • A Beretta 92FS semi-automatic turret (modified for non-lethal ICER rounds)
       

    • Electric Arc Blast Knuckles
       

    • A custom designed thermal plasma weapon
       

    • A custom designed ion array energy shield
       

    • A custom designed EMP blast weapon
       

    • A remote controllable drone
       

    • Non toxic, fire suppressing chemical explosives
       

• The defensive gauntlet also has the advanced graphical interface that performs diagnostics and connects to The Tower's command center.
   

• A custom eyepiece that integrates elements of the Stark-Fujikawa HUD system and the unique spec op’s vision system used by Taskmaster.
   

• A utility belt containing non-lethal rounds for firearms, and various pouches and equipment.
   

• A wireless communicator

5. Some of the main antagonists of the series are introduced, as the focus switches to Zodiac cartel members Jocelyn Link (Gemini), Harlan Vargas (Sagitarrius) and Whitney Wainwright (Capricorn) who are going over the details of an upcoming operation while attending a celebrity fundraising gala.

• Link confirms with the other members that the cartel is positioned to make a sizeable profit when gasoline shortages create price hikes at gas pumps and increase the value of their investments in oil futures.

• Vargas confirms with the group that a recently installed, fault-laden update to the software used to coordinate emergency services in the area surrounding the operation will greatly delay attempts to contain the ensuing destruction once the operation is underway, allowing for a maximum amount of damage to not only the main site of the attack, but also the surrounding city and environment.

• Wainwright lets the group know that their operatives successfully entered the US a few days ago. She adds that the group’s leader understands that if she wants to continue receiving financing and support, then she has to deliver Roxxon researcher Ava Lingenfelter to the agreed upon location, safe and sound, when the operation is completed.

• Link closes by saying cartel leader Christopher van Lunt (Taurus) and Jack LaPoint (Scorpio) are prepared to push for new industry regulations, a complete overhaul of the emergency services system at the state level, and rebuilding projects after the operation is completed - which will also benefit the cartel financially.

• Vargas changes the subject by complimenting how well the ladies look in their formal wear, with Wainwright commenting that she hopes a certain football player that she’s been eyeing most of the evening thinks so as well.

6. We see what the operation is and who will be carrying it out.

• In a small town in Oklahoma, a group of Norse Paganists settle down on the outskirts of a large oil refinery while their leader - a woman named Katrina van Horn - begins to withdraw an ancient looking battle axe and parchment from a container.

• Using the archaic items, van Horn begins a ritual that ends with her opening a portal to another realm with the axe.

• A fissure like portal opens to the realm of Vanaheim and a horde of monstrous creatures phase into existence in front of the portal, standing menacingly before van Horn and her group.

• One of the creatures tries to advance on van Horn, but stops in its tracks when she threatens it with the battle axe - which has begun to emit a bright blue glow.

• Van Horn eventually imposes a small level of control over the creatures, who respond to the Icelandic word for “down” - but only after she tries the command in Norwegian, Swedish, and German.

• After running through a few more commands (“rise”, “move back”, “move forward”, “roar”)  van Horn is convinced that she has a real, though tenuous, control over the creatures. After a moment, she points to the nearby Roxxon refinery and says “destroy”.

7. After successfully summoning a pack of trolls and ogres from the distant world of Vanaheim and using the creatures to attack a Roxxon Energy owned oil refinery in Oklahoma, members of the Norse Paganists hate group attempt to move on to the next step of their plan.

• The attack on the facility leads to several deaths, serious injuries, massive destruction, and rapidly growing fires in and around a nearby oil field.

• Due to manipulations by the Zodiac Cartel, emergency services were critically delayed in their response to the attack.

• While most of the other member of the Norse Paganists group watch the ensuing chaos, Van Horn becomes fixated with the fractured portal that summoned the Trolls. She attempts to reach into the portal, but is shocked by the energy of it’s edges. The sudden jolt snaps her back into reality and she joins her comrades. This is all observed from the perspective of an unknown player watching from a hidden area close by.

8. Delroy Garrett (Triathlon) gathers the Thunderbolts in the command area of The Tower to let them know that they have their first mission. He explains that there has been an attack at a Roxxon facility, and that first responders are unable to handle the situation on their own. Attempts to rescue injured and pinned down workers and civilians have been halted until the National Guard and the police have a better understanding of what it is that they are dealing with. The only thing that they do know is that the attackers are very fast, very strong, and very big. He then lays out some of the details of the group’s mission.

• The group will land at a makeshift command center that local law enforcement has set up less than a mile/kilometer south of the Roxxon facility

• Fixer will deploy a recon drone to do an aerial pass of the facility and feed info about the attackers, areas of cover and concealment, the integrity of the facility, the size of the fire, pockets of survivors, etc. back to the team, and to The Tower’s command center.

• Once the position of the attackers has been identified, the rest of the group will advance towards their position and subdue them as quickly as possible.

• Once the attackers have been taken down, the team will form a perimeter and special agents at the makeshift command center will join National Guardsmen to help secure the scene. Once the National Guard take charge of securing the scene, medical and fire services will be deployed to the facility and the team will fall back into a support and security role.

• When the floor is open for questions, Ray (Ox) asks if they can expect any trouble from Roxxon’s personal security arm, Roxxon-Blackridge. Garrett lets him and the team know that, due to the amount of news and media coverage already beginning to surround the scene, Roxxon has decided to hold off on using  Blackridge forces...for the moment.

• Taskmaster asks if it's wise to send them into this situation with non-lethal rounds. With that, Glenn Talbot chimes in via their comm units, offering that while he is impressed with the team’s progress so far, he is only authorizing a non-lethal response until they have more intel on the attackers. However, he is monitoring the situation and will authorize the use of live rounds as necessary.

9. After getting geared up, the team head to the compound’s transport area where they are introduced to Abe Jenkins, the man that pilot’s the group’s primary long distance transport vehicle : a customized Quinjet called The Zeus.

• After watching the group board the ship in their unique uniforms, Jenkins quietly comments “....how come I don’t get a cool suit ?”

10. We see a member of the Norse Paganists watching the ongoing damage being caused by the trolls and ogres through binoculars while a clearly frustrated Katrina van Horn repeats an incantation from the scroll over and over again.

• The incantation is supposed to place the creatures in a sort of sentry/stand guard mode, but doesn’t appear to be having the desired effect.

• She sits the weapon down and listens as her team argues about moving on to the next step in their plans - continuing to the facility to kidnap Roxxon researcher and former HYDRA scientist Ava Lingenfelter - whose lab is located under the facility and only accessible from a non descript entry point near the facility.

• After a heated back and forth with one member in particular, van Horn orders the group to head towards the site and continue with their plans to kidnap Lingenfelter. She also orders the group to handle any resistance with lethal force. When she goes to pick up the battleaxe, she notices that it has the same blue glow around it that was present when the trolls and ogres first came through the portal, but now it appears fainter.

11. The Thunderbolts land at the the makeshift command center (normal flights from DC to OK take 2.5 hours, I figure a Quinjet should be faster..if only slightly) and see firsthand how the trolls have injured, maimed, and killed many people in a relatively small amount of time. One man, who is seriously injured, has to be restrained and eventually sedated as he pleads to be taken away from the area before “those things head this way!”.

• Songbird draws close to a clearly shaken Moonstone and whispers, “No going back now blondie. Let’s move.”

• A holographic display from Fixer’s gauntlet shows a live feed from a recon drone he deploys. Possible areas to take cover are noted and we get a glimpse of a fairly large number of human sized trolls (approximately 5 to 6 feet in height/1.5 to 2 meters in height) attacking the main facility. We also see some larger creatures (8 to 10 feet in height/2.5 to 3.0 meters in height) destroying oil rigs and larger items. After a moment, one of the larger creatures lets out a howl that can be heard at the team’s position.

• Before anyone can ask what the creatures are, Fixer’s unique software uses backdoor access to a restricted program called CodexVör (which he discovered right before his arrest) to quickly identifies the creatures from a series of screen captures. The CodexVör program, which is still being worked on by a team working out of The New Avengers Facility, is a database and communication system that allows the user limited access to The Library of Vör located on Asgard.

• The “smaller”, human-like beasts are ID'd as Magzi Trolls while the larger creatures are ID’d as Nornheim Ogres. Both groups of creatures are native to the distant planet/realm of Vanaheim. The strengths and weaknesses of both creatures are listed by the program.

• Triathlon instructs the The Tower’s command center to “get on the horn” with someone at this Library of Vör to find out if killing or injuring one of these creatures might create a bigger interstellar conflict. He then reminds his team to use non lethal  rounds and just enough of their enhancements to protect themselves & survivors, and stop the creatures.

• After getting into formation, the Thunderbolts begin to make their way to the facility.

• During the advance, Triathlon stops the team to receive an incoming alert from The Tower.

• Due to a number of issues - not the least of which is the fact that they are not authorised to use the CodexVor program - they are unable to get in contact with any current representative of Asgard, but experts on the subject are being contacted.

• The drone has picked up a small group of armed individuals that is also advancing towards the facility from the north-east.

• Triathlon tells Songbird and Taskmaster to investigate and intercept the group of individuals while the rest of the team heads to the facility. He adds that they should stay alert as the group is moving in a military formation just like they are.

12. We see Jocelyn Link standing in her home office.

• She removes the jewelry she wore to the fundraiser and begins nursing a drink while watching news coverage of the attack on the oil processing plant. She is also watching several monitors with financial readouts and projections.

• After a few moments her cell phone buzzes and a text message with a “gemini” symbol appears on the screen. She quickly turns off the news reports, closes the financial programs, and logs into a secure video conference where a few other members of The Zodiac Cartel are waiting.

13. While most of the members of the Norse Paganist are advancing on the facility van Horn begins to slowly stray from the group.

• She points the axe toward different parts of the surrounding terrain while watching the glow of the battleaxe brighten and dim. After a while it becomes clear that there is a creature in the area that isn’t with the rest of its pack.

• Meanwhile, Songbird uses her enhancement to “throw her voice” to another area of the oil field, asking the group to identify themselves. They respond with lethal force, unloading almost all of their ammunition into the empty substation that Songbird’s voice appeared to be coming from. This gives Taskmaster a chance to get in close and quickly disarm and subdue a large portion of the group while Songbird takes to the air and provides a blinding flare-like light from up above. She also provides cover fire with her gun and focused sound blasts.

• Van Horn, who has caught up with her group,  is moments away from attacking Taskmaster with her battleaxe when a creature appears from a covered area and begins viciously attacking her.

• Songbird joins Taskmaster on the ground as he quickly hogties the unconscious and injured Norse Paganists as she covers him and calls in a sitrep to the command center. Once they are finished, they give chase to van Horn and the creature.

• Both Songbird and Taskmaster note that the creature attacking van Horn looks different than the other trolls and ogres they viewed earlier via the surveillance drone.

• At one point van Horn appears to decapitate the creature, but she only manages to remove a large mask/helmet that the creature had been wearing - losing her axe in the process.

• The loss of the mask reveals that the attacker is, in fact, a feral looking human girl. The unexpected reveal stuns van Horn (and Songbird) enough to allow the young girl to pick up van Horn’s axe and attempt to resume her attack. Before she can, however, Songbird constructs a barrier between the two and Taskmaster takes her and van Horn out with non lethal rounds.

• Once the pair confirm that both the axe wielding attacker and the troll girl are actually stunned, Songbird calls for backup from the makeshift command center and tells Abe to ready a containment unit.

14. We catch up with the other members of the Thunderbolts, who are successfully taking out many of the troll and ogres at the main oil plant.

• Triathlon uses his speed to quickly sweep the inside of the facility, taking out trolls with a combination of his undampened superhuman strength and non-lethal firearms.

• Fixer, working with Triathlon, escorts and directs survivors and injured people across the battle heavy facility to a safe area to the south, often providing sniper-like support the rest of the team.

• Moonstone decreases the gravity of a number of trolls and ogres, causing them to levitate a great distance off of the ground, where she uses her strength and force blasts to quickly knock them out in the air.

• Ox uses pure brute strength to subdue a number of trolls and ogres, causing a few to retreat in fear.

15. Once the scene is secure and the Thunderbolts form a perimeter - with Songbird and Taskmaster joining the scene - a noticeably impressed Triathlon calls in reinforcements.

16. We see the members of The Zodiac Cartel conducting their video conference call

• Members Elaine McLaughlin (Virgo), Darren Bently (Aquarius), and Jack Klevano (Cancer) quickly let the others know that they began experiencing the crippling and much feared side effects of their Key derived powers around the time that the Norse Paganists began their attack on the oil processing plant - something that usually only occurs with overuse of their powers. The news creates a noticeable amount of tension and worry in most members.

• Zodiac leader Christopher van Lunt successfully calm the group, assuring them that he will look into it and orders all other members to refrain from using their abilities until he has more information. He also orders them to notify him or Dr Marcus Lassiter if anyone else begins suffering from the debilitating side effects of their powers.

• In the meantime, van Lunts asks Dr. Lassiter (Aries) to get his medical team together to tend to the needs of the afflicted members and tells Jack LaPoint (Scorpio) that arrangements are being made for him to have a meeting with the Governor of Oklahoma in the next few days.

• When Jocelyn Link (Gemini) questions whether they should continue their plans in light of this new development, van Lunt lets the entire group know they need to stay focused on the long term goals of the group and that everything needs to keep moving forward as planned. After the meeting, Link goes to her bedroom and nervously checks her temperature, which is normal.

17. The Thunderbolts are seen aboard The Zeus, celebrating the success of their first mission, as Delroy Garrett Jr (Triathlon) looks cautiously at the two captives that he is bringing back to The Tower - Katrina van Horn (Man-Killer) and the unknown troll girl (Troll)

END OF EPISODE