The Ultimates: The Passion
Issue: #18
Writer: Mark Millart
Pencils: Bryan Hitch
Inker: Paul Neary
Colors: Laura Martin

Hoping the end the confrontation quickly, Captain America uses a flame-thrower on Thor, burning away most of his hair, but leaving him otherwise undamaged. The goal of the combined Ultimates/Union team is to get Thor’s belt away from him; the belt is source of Thor’s powers and provides protection from most threats.

The Ultimates take Thor on mostly one at a time: first Quicksilver, again thwarted by a lightning strike; then Wasp, who tries to deliver an internal electrical shock like the one that took out the Hulk in Manhattan; then Iron Man, who uses a set of neuron scramblers. Thor begs Stark to believe him, but Stark refuses, and Thor apologizes as he delivers a blow with Mjolnir.

Next Natasha tackles Thor from behind; when he fights back, she suddenly tells him she’s pregnant and that he’s hurt the baby. Thor pulls back, and she hits him an energy blast. Several of the Union soldiers finally pin him down and Stark reaches for the belt, but Thor throws them all aside and calls down lightning. He whips up a huge storm, preparing a last strike.

The storm topples a tree into a convoy of regular soldiers who are there to assist; Captain America rescues them. A massive bolt of lightning destroys the plane that served as the mission headquarters. In the downpour of rain, Gunnar Golman notes that Thor has ionized the atmosphere and is now unstoppable.

On the ground, Scarlet Witch pleads with her brother to get up and take on Thor one last time. With an impressive leap, Quicksilver snatches the belt and is caught by Captain Britain before he can hit the ground. The theft of the belt appears to do the trick. Thor suddenly plummets to Earth, apparently helpless, where he’s taken prisoner by the Ultimates.

Now confined to Bruce Banner’s old cell in the Triskelion, Thor receives a visit from his brother. Gunnar (who Thor refers to as "Loki") comments about the accommodations, and then about the “game” he and Thor play. He reveals the fact that the Ultimates have a traitor in their ranks who leaked the Hulk files and will continue to take the members out one by one. Thor’s call to the guard reveals that no one else sees anyone in the cell with him; as a final jab, Loki, now in the form of a snake, suggests that all of this is taking place in Thor’s mind.

At the issue’s end, Hawkeye and Captain America discuss the Norway mission and how small a part they both played. When they are joined by Stark, Fury reveals that there’s a problem. Something has come up in the Middle East, and the Ultimates are being sent in to deal with it....

Submitted By: Seldes Katne