We looked at the first issue over 5 years ago, but today we're looking at the conclusion. And frankly, MODOK's plan to steal the Hypernova from a group of advanced entities seems to be circling the drain.
Of the crew he hired, Mentallo was disposed of by the Chameleon, actually an "Ultra-Adaptoid" controlled by the current head of AIM (and one-night stand of MODOK's back when he was just some dweeb), Monica Rappaccini. Spot turned out to be working for the current Mandarin (son of the old Mandarin), but wound up sucked into his own spot. Rocket Racer's the one holding the hot potato, and he's taking it to SHIELD.
Rappacini brings down Racer short of the finish line with some hex bolts, but it turns out he's been carrying a hologram all along. Back at the wreckage of Mandarin's spaceship, he's minus a hand, but game to kill three of the crew - Puma, Nightshade, Living Laser - for standing in his way. Once the Ultra-Adaptoid crashes the party, the 4 unite, but seem sorely outclassed until Living Laser realizes it's being controlled remotely from a satellite in orbit. The core of the Mandarin's ship is made of material that can block any radiation.
Rappacini's in the middle of a big speech about how MODOK had no money, but she'll let them live, when she's cut off by Puma pushing that core down the slope onto the robot. Then Armadillo shows up and crushes the inactive android.
One problem solved but, where's the Hypernova? Well, Living Laser had it cloaked all along, because he intends to use it. He can convert all that stored energy into mass, getting a real physical body back. Which he figures will be worth it, even if the others kill him a second later. There's a flash of light, and he's gone.
4 days later, MODOK's getting this report from what's left of the crew - Nightshade, Puma, Armadillo - but it turns out he has the Hypernova. He calculated a 78% chance one of his crew would betray him, so when Puma passed it through one of Spot's err, spots, MODOK swapped it with a fake in the Dark Dimension (looking very Escher-ish here.) Well, AIM's probably going to figure that out, right? Certainly, especially since MODOK contacted them.
A Dreadnaught busts in, Rappacini controlling it remotely, but she offers one billion dollars, and a truce, for the Hypernova. MODOK, seemingly wistful for lost love, says once he'd have given it to her for nothing. Isn't she sorry she broke up with him? Monica reminds him they were never dating, while some unseen goon who is sure to be dead soon snickers in the background, and they make the swap. MODOK pays the 3 survivors their shares, plus the rest of the crews' shares, and they go off happy. MODOK's still got over $960 million, Monica's got the Hypernova, everyone's happy.
Or not. The Hypernova's in a "temporal bottle", which decays once removed from the place it was kept, and MODOK delayed contacting Monica long enough her scientists can't erect a containment field before the bottle dissipates, so. . .
(Even being 'one with all,' Living Laser looks like a Ken doll made of bubblegum. What the hell was MODOK's fake Hypernova, to do that to him?)
And this was apparently MODOK's plan from the beginning. Use the lure of the Hypernova to not only destroy his greatest enemy, but get said enemy to pay him a billion dollars to do it. I think Rappacini survives somehow. Pretty sure I've seen her in comics since this came out, and Marvel can use more evil scientist women, anyway.
{11th longbox, 40th comic. Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11 #5, by Fred van Lente (writer), Francis Portella (penciler), Terry Pallot (inker), Guru eFX (colorist), Nate Piekos (letterer)}
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