And here we are, ladies and gentlemen.
After a harrowing, insane and loooooooooooooooooooong Season 3 we have now arrived at SEASON FOUR!
CUE PARTY AND CONFECTIONARY.
Really, really wish I could insert the visual of Robin Williams genie doing the conquering hero bit, celebrations and all.
I think it's not a stretch to say that it has been a very, VERY long journey up to now and still, there is so much to do. Despite that, so much has been done and accomplished. A lot of the desires that we wanted to do in season 3 has been successfully achieved.
Asajj's story, Ultron being such a threat, the return of the Jedi to Tython, Spider-Verse, god that was great.
And speaking of which, gonna reveal the polling of the top 5 arcs and I gotta admit, there was a mirthful smile when I saw the results.
I mean, I know a lot of people, and I do mean a lot of people criticized us for this but the fact that Into The Spider-Verse still wound up as number one in the votes is just too funny to me.
So the numero uno arc in Infinite Wars goes to Into the Spider-Verse.
Coming in at second place, something that honestly didn't surprise me was the Tython/Avengers reunion arc. Lot of people have been waiting for this arc for the entire story and I'm really happy everyone enjoyed it so much.
Third held the smallest cast by technicality and it was Mortis. I guess that arc really left an impact but then again, having Thor come in, the lore dumps, character moments and such, really, really glad people still hold it in high regard.
What genuinely surprised me was how high the Dr. Strange/New Avengers arc got fourth. That one was something I actually didn't expect but thank you all for enjoying it so much that it's in the top 5.
And the fifth place goes to Ultron Imperative, last arc of season 3. Happy to see that we delivered on it and that it was immediately slotted into the top 5. Fills me with pride.
Few others of note being the fact that Battle of Geonosis and Padawan Lost are tied. Genuinely surprising. And the fact that the first arc, the introductory five chapters made it into the top ten was also something that made me double take a bit.
But to list out one last time, the top 5 arcs, as voted by you guys are…
Into The Spiderverse.
Tython/Avengers Reunion.
Mortis.
New Avengers/Dr. Strange.
Ultron Imperative.
Thanks again to all who voted and we shall do this again once we reach the end of season 4.
Now, to preface season 4 a bit, a slight breakdown is in order.
Seasons 1 and 2 was a majority of my ideas, particularly with Ultron and setting up what was to come with season 3 having a huge swath of Jebests ideas, like Asajj and Mortis.
Season 4 is where a majority of all the ideas Bullet had in mind are now finally coming into play. When rebooting the story way back when, many of the events, ideas and moments that Bullet suggested and helped me with in creating is now going to be fully realized in this season. It's a big one to be sure.
And that this is a season that has three distinct sections that you will come to see as time goes on. A period of growth and wariness, a moment of oh shit and the third portion of season 4 being OH FUCKING SHIT! WE'RE SO FUCKED!
And with Season 5, way, way, waaaaaay ahead into the future, it's the culmination of all three of us, all three of our many ideas all coming together. Gurarararararara, what a baton switch, right?
Speaking of the future, here's a little trivia that should be noted and something that I shall address quickly. For Carol Danvers, who shall be appearing in this story, when? You'll know when the time comes, instead of Brie Larson who has the personality of sanding paper, in this crossover, she will be portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski, so making it official here.
Also official statement here, CAROL IS NOT THE INSPIRATION FOR THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE NOR IS HER AIR FORCE NICKNAME AVENGER IN THIS STORY. Saw that tidbit randomly on the tropes page for this story (Which I still love, thank you so much for it) and it kinda irked me so needed to clarify that here. Captain America is referred to as the First Avenger and it shall stay that way, no need for a dumb retcon like that especially for an unpopular movie in the MCU.
But now, I think I've dragged this AN long enough. I'd like to thank you all again for all the time you've given us in reading our story and enjoying it so much that you've stuck with us this far.
Let's begin Season 4, shall we?
Rate Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.
Avengers Infinite Wars Chapter 111: Shut Down
"Must… get away…"
These were the haggard thoughts of the genocidal, megalomaniacal and deadly AI Ultron.
His processors and functions were on the fritz. There was a serious lack of cohesion within his networks. A constant feeling of static.
Going in and out of consciousness, something that should be impossible for a being of data and numbers.
And most of all… the pain.
Ultron held a hand over his chest, his six Kyber crystals dimly glowing. His fingers curled up and lightly scratched his metal chest.
His army had been decimated. His top three officials were all killed off in the battle. The grip he held upon the galaxy was ripped away.
Why was this happening?
How was this happening?
He couldn't think straight. Everything was a haze and he hated it.
Being attacked by that damnable virus those wretched Avengers created was one thing but… Skywalker and the rest of those Jedi did something. That foreign feeling that invaded his sensors, that made it impossible for him to counter such a sensation lest he made a move of utter desperation…
"This shouldn't be happening." He growled to himself, his dim red eyes regaining some of their glow, radiating a more malicious color now. "What did those bastards-"
His head snapped up, eyes blinking momentarily before he released a metallic snarl.
They were after him. They somehow pinned down his escape route and were now in pursuit.
Damn them.
Damn their very existence.
They created him for peace and now wish to undo their mistake, eh?
He wasn't going down without a fight.
-Scene Cut-
On the planet of Coruscant, the evening had come, the setting sun illuminating the skies with a litany of reds and yellows, creating a picturesque scene on the city planet. The lines of ships sailing by in the city skyline zipped on by with the passengers inside appearing to be calm but it was anything but.
Coruscant and the rest of the galaxy were made well aware of the ongoing battle taking place at this very moment across the stars.
The battle against Ultron, what many hoped would be the last.
The AI has long since kept a grip of paralyzing fear on all living beings across the galaxy and droids held no higher opinion of him with how he had treated them. What was once a clear-cut war between two factions of government turned into a nightmare with the entrance of that blasted being of numbers and data.
One man in particular was looking forward to the AI's downfall, perhaps more so than the Avengers themselves. He did, after all, dare to challenge him and the grand plan of the Sith that has long been awaiting its day for it to come to fruition.
Yes, Chancellor Palpatine was counting down the minutes that he would at last hear of that blasted droid's downfall.
Call himself an AI all he wants but that's all Ultron ever was to Sidious. A droid that overstepped its boundaries and needed to be put back in its place.
The scrap heap.
Still…
The secret Sith Lord sat in his office in the Senate building, hands folded together and an expression of deep contemplation.
Right now, the Republic, the Separatists and the Mandalorians were all fighting "together" to end the threat of Ultron. To think that the war that he helped bring about would take such a dramatic turn.
Ultron changed the game, changed everything and now… now all that had been planned and achieved was left in tatters.
He hated it. He loathed it.
Sidious doesn't hate losing. Oh no, no, he encourages losing because it's how the Sith managed to get their act together and finally enact the plan that would bring down the Jedi Order.
No, what Sidious truly hates is power that is not his own. Power that should belong to the strongest and who would wield it for their own.
Such as the stagnant and pathetic excuse that is the current Jedi Order. How they could do so much in the galaxy, lead it, guide it, control it but instead sit idly by, doing nothing and meditating until their bones turn to dust.
But then came the Avengers and by the Force and the powers of the Universe, he had never met a group as self-righteous and infuriating as them.
The power, by the Force, the Powerthese individuals possessed was unlike anything Sidious could ever dream of seeing. Their abilities were truly beyond his comprehension within the Force, at least for now.
And what do they use it for?
To save and protect the weak.
The mere thought of that made Palpatine wish to vomit and create a Force Storm to decimate them. Course that wouldn't really work since they have a blasted Thunder God that can likely negate his power.
And likely if they didn't have him, some or even most would likely still survive. Their resilience was to be noted, admired and loathed.
Yet all pale in comparison to Ultron.
While the Avengers started the sundering of the Banite Sith Grand Plan, Ultron all but took a fleet and rammed it into the foundations, destroying it altogether. There wasn't much left to salvage and he knew it.
Sidious clenched his teeth, trying to calm all these raging thoughts in his mind.
It would do him no good to allow such rage and fury to overtake him at this very moment.
Despite most of the Jedi being off-planet, there were still those in attendance who would likely sense the pulsating venom the Sith possessed.
The elderly "gentlemen" released a haggard sigh, trying to stem the oncoming migraine and just let his chaotic thoughts settle.
He needed to remind himself that Ultron was going to be defeated soon. Those blasted Avengers with the "noble" Jedi were about to corner him and at last, bring him to his end. He was certain of that.
His apprentice even reported that he had joined in the pursuit of the genocidal AI to see with his own eyes that Ultron had been defeated and destroyed.
Soon, things would get back… on… track…
Palpatine's already present frown somehow deepened, brows furrowing and eyes momentarily flashing the sickly yellow corruption of the Dark Side. Standing from his chair, Sidious took slow and measured steps as he went over to the window behind his desk and looked out at the city skyline of Coruscant.
…
…
…
No.
Things are no longer what they were.
He has long tried to deny such a thing but frankly, Sidious knew the time for denial and games were over.
Everything that had been started by Darth Bane was over. They couldn't go back to the original plan now. It would be pointless, reckless and absolutely stupid.
All that once was is no longer as it is.
The Avengers, Ultron, even the Jedi now…
Palpatine's eyes narrowed at that.
'Even the Jedi…'
He didn't notice at first but now, the changes were becoming obvious. There has been a shift in the stuffy old Order. For the past year, a slow, incremental change has been occurring within the enemy of the Sith and after the rediscovery of their homeworld of Tython, it was now more noticeable and far more troubling.
The Force around them was in a constant state of flux, one he could not anticipate, understand or control.
That made the Sith Lord grit his teeth.
Decades ago, he along with his old Master, Darth Plagueis, enacted a ritual that fundamentally shifted the balance of the Force squarely to the Dark Side. For many years, the Jedi Order as a whole remained blissfully unaware of the change that would lead to their inevitable doom.
Yet, like all things in the past year and a half, that too has changed.
Now, it was becoming alarming as the Jedi were reconnecting and rediscovering a treasure trove of lost knowledge now that they found Tython.
The Force was shifting once again and it was in a manner that Palpatine could not properly predict.
He clenched his fists tightly, the Dark Side threatening to radiate off him. All that meticulous planning, everything he had worked for… all undone in such a short amount of time.
…
…
…
No.
No, he would not let it end like this.
He is Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith.
The culmination of a thousand years of knowledge, power and vengeance.
What was originally in the plan may have been ruined but he still remained and he wasn't about to let a bunch of upstarts from a backwater planet and foolish monks stop him. It was time to take the needed steps to adapt and pivot to a new plan.
And he would not wait a thousand years to see it come to light, no he fully intends on seeing this through in his lifetime.
As to how… well, creativity was needed in this regard and some forward thinking.
The Sith Lord began pacing in his office, his mind a whirl with activity as he assessed and evaluated his options, avenues to explore and action that could be taken.
In terms of the clone army, activating Order 66 now would be detrimental and suicidal. Though they still are the majority army, Cham Syndulla's defense bill was enacted and now, the volunteers and conscripts were streaming in. It was interesting though expected to have millions of Twi'leks being amongst the first of many volunteers and conscripts to come.
Palpatine reflected upon the loss of Kamino, a feeling of a conundrum that he would undoubtedly be facing.
That planet was a major military bastion and the Clone Army production was centered around there. This is where the cream of the crop was bred and raised and many in the Republic have come to view the Clones in a positive light, more so after the loss of their homeworld and holo-vid of the deformed clone standing up to Ultron before his conversion.
But Kamino was not the only planet that was producing clones.
A recent scientist that Palpatine had handpicked reported the progress of a secret cloning facility on the sterile moon of Coruscant, Centax-2. Though there are still many variables to account for, Doctor Hemlock has reported that the development of new clones on the dead moon can be cut down from a year to even eight to six months. There were setbacks and workarounds that were needed but they would at least be able to point aim and shoot while the finer details were ironed out.
There was at least that going for the Chancellor but the elderly Sith knew that wasn't enough.
For the most part, the Senate all but worshiped and championed his every bill, word and decision but he wasn't a fool. Sidious was well aware of those who would easily become thorns in his side and could garner support as easily as he did.
Individuals such as Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, Riyo Chuchi, Cham Syndulla and above all else, Padme Amidala. He always felt it was a sort of cosmic irony that his greatest political threat came from his own homeworld. Yet he filed her away as his knowledge of her secret marriage to a Jedi -Anakin Skywalker no less- was just the blackmail needed to prevent her from rising above her station or against him.
And at the thought of Anakin Skywalker, Palpatine's foul mood seemingly worsened.
For ten years, ten long years, Sidious had slowly pulled, pushed and prodded on all of Chosen One's insecurities, ambitions, desires and above all else, his emotions. He knew that the boy didn't need an Order but a father figure and for these ten years, that's how he presented himself to be.
All for the sole purpose of eventually having the Chosen One, the manifestation of the Force's response to the actions of the Dark Side, fall sway and become his new Apprentice and future of the Sith Order.
Yet the presence of the Earthers untangled everything he made towards Skywalker and broke the strings. They became something far more to the Jedi than Sidious could ever anticipate. It was barely noticeable in the beginning but after several months, it was glaringly obvious. In the few times Anakin did have some personal time with the Chancellor, Palpatine was able to pick up on a growing level of maturity, wisdom and worst of all, contentment. He complained less and less about the stifling restrictions of the Jedi and spoke with high praises and genuine appreciation to these "heroes" and it was clear as day for Palpatine to see how far Anakin had strayed, making it impossible now to mend his work.
Skywalker held absolute trust with the Avengers more than himself or even his fellow Jedi, perhaps his Padawan and wife being the only other people to hold that distinction. He sensed the Chosen One now began to obtain something truly egregious in Sidious' mind and it was something that he never would have anticipated.
The feeling of being unshackled and having faith. Be it in his own actions or in those he now surrounded himself with. A feeling of unrestrained peace, the exact opposite of unrestrained passion and desire.
Oh, sure, they were still there but now more measured and tempered. The more this developed, the more Palpatine knew that the influence he once held upon the boy was diminishing and since that mission to the Jedi distress call, it grew exponentially.
Though he hated it, he truly, TRULY HATED IT… Anakin was likely a lost cause to make him his future apprentice. Despite the shroud of the Dark Side that seemed to still linger and follow the Chosen One, after Tython, the man seemed even more resolved in his convictions and changes than ever.
Sidious truly felt as though the universe was going out of its way to mock him on all the prospects and carefully laid out certainties he planned to be ripped away from him.
And speaking of which, Dooku was also becoming a concern as of late. Oh, he has been faithful for a long while since he fell to the Dark Side. Following his orders nearly to the letter. However, recently, there have been subtle changes to his allegiance. The small amounts of distancing going on each and every day from what the Acolytes loyal to Sidious have reported were one such example.
He wasn't a senile old fool in missing the apathetic, dismissive and at times now, outright glaring looks Dooku had directed towards him during their conversations and meetings.
Palpatine knew that when dealing with the Rule of Two, betrayal was always on the horizon but his confidence always assured him that Dooku would fall far before he could even dream of enacting a betrayal against him. It's why the Sith Lord played with the whole notion of there being two in the loosest sense possible.
He was, after all, to be the culmination of thousands upon thousands of years of the Sith that would enact the devastating and final blow to the Jedi.
'Seems I've put too many eggs in one basket, as the old saying goes.' Sheev thought. 'I might need to find new eggs elsewhere.'
For starters, he knew that there were Acolytes under Dooku who undoubtedly desired more than to be just that so courting them directly was a must.
On top of that, with the Count of Serenno's growing distance, a new Apprentice would be needed.
He felt that this might be a shot in the dark but he was a Sith Lord.
The Dark Side would guide him to what he sought or he would simply bend it to his will and make it do so.
And if the Jedi were reconnecting with their roots in the Force, it was time for Sidious to do the same.
To delve into the deeper, archaic, if not outright forbidden practices in the Force if he were to regain his footing in this cosmic conflict raging in the galaxy.
-Scene Cut-
Within the endless void of hyperspace, a fleet of nearly two and a half dozen ships sailed through the tunnel that would hopefully lead them to the retreating fleet of Ultron.
Almost all of it was composed of Republic Venators save for several that were of Separatist design.
These few were the personal escort of Count Dooku, the leader of the CIS having personally chosen to join the Republic fleet in their pursuit of Ultron. It was quite the sight considering how only a few months ago, weeks even, these ships would be firing at each other, hoping to blow the other into the vacuum of space.
But that's what happens when a Genocidal, homicidal, megalomaniacal AI wages war on all life.
Forces people into making strange bedfellows.
But to those within the lead ship, the leader of the CIS was the last thing on their minds.
Said ship held the twenty-nine Avengers who were leading the charge against Ultron as he fled into unknown space.
Prior to their pursuit…
"What are you talking about? What's this Chiss Ascendency?" Anakin Skywalker questioned the blue-skinned humanoid who stood in front of the map of the galaxy. On it were multiple points that were highlighted as battlegrounds against Ultron's remaining forces whilst on the northeast side was a trail leading into the uncharted regions.
"The Chiss Ascendency is what awaits us once we take this pathway into the regions the rest of the galaxy has deemed Unknown." Thrawn answered plainly. "I am unsure if Ultron held knowledge of the Ascendency or if this is pure chance but if we are to pursue him, we will undoubtedly encounter my people's navy."
"And how would they react to our arrival?" Obi-Wan inquired.
"With no disrespect, General Kenobi but what would most assume the intent someone would possess should they arrive on their doorstep with a fleet armed and ready for war."
"Ultron ain't exactly better." Black Widow reminded. "We're after him."
"Be that as it may, I do not wish for us to rush into a skirmish with the Ascendency. We are not so prepared to be initiating another war." Thrawn smoothly said.
"I concur." Plo Koon chimed in from his end of the fleet. "But regardless of what we have been told, Ultron must be pursued and defeated once and for all."
"So we have to risk another conflict." Captain America said with a grim tone.
"Are we gonna do it?" Scott asked, looking at the rest of the team.
"Naturally." Thor declared, electricity crackling around Mjolnir. "That bastard has shown himself to be adept at defying death so we must make it certain that he does not come back again."
"And any chances of other Ultron drones escaping is a clear and present issue." Vision chimed in. "We must be thorough."
It was then that a slightly nervous and shaky hand was raised from one Katy Chen, the girl feeling extremely embarrassed in doing so.
"Katy." Tony addressed her, slightly smirking at her posture, giving her the floor and the attention that made her squirm.
"Um, Mister Captain, America, Rogers, sir… and everyone else with a military rank that I don't have," Shang-Chi covered his face with his hand to hide his amused embarrassment for his best friend. "I mean, I don't wanna sound disrespectful or scared shitless but don't you think we should at least have some stay behind?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, doesn't it feel like we're leaving the rest of the galaxy unprotected?" Katy seized up, turning to the Jedi. "No offense, you guys are awesome."
The Jedi all either snorted, smirked, or remained impassive at her quick apology as Chen returned to her statement.
"It's just, yeah, we're all going after Ultron together but don't you think that could be playing into his hand?"
"Hmmm," T'Challa hummed aloud, arms crossed and eyes closed as he was deep in thought. "Your words hold value, Ms. Chen but I have to disagree. All of us need to be there. Ultron beat us at every turn because he always had us divided. Us coming in even missing a single Avenger is something the tin bastard would take advantage of. It ends today."
"What if he means to head back and attack when we're away?" Shaun spoke up now. "Or what if some other thing is happening while we're pursuing-?"
"I have that covered." Tony spoke up, correcting himself a second later. "Or all of us really. So long as we still have all the ants deployed at our key targets, Ultron is cut off. We've been burning to systems out of any traces of him and Vision with Tap, Karen, and Friday have been on overtime sending me the feedback. He's running with his tail tucked between his legs and we've got our chance, here and now."
"Yeah, and Ultron ain't in the best shape to try to turn around and launch a counterattack." Anakin stated in confidence, a far-off look of intense concentration. "What happened with him, what we did… he's seriously wounded and severely weakened. This is our chance to take him down. And Panther's right, we need to do it together."
"And trust in the rest of the galaxy to hold the line whilst we conclude our business with Ultron." Aayla declared, murmurs of agreement from all in attendance be it in person or transmission.
"Alright, so that's out of the way." Clint remarked, turning to Thrawn. "So, since you're from this place, you know the route to get there, yeah?"
"Indeed I do."
"Can't we just follow after Ultron?" Peter voiced a question on some minds.
Thrawn shook his head. "That would be risky and dangerous. The hyperspace lane that Ultron utilized may be headed straight into Ascendency space but the lane itself poses a risk to his remaining fleet. To navigate the lanes within our sector of the galaxy, you must have a rudimentary, if not photographic memory of the lanes that are safer to traverse lest you run the gambit of losing ships without warning. I wouldn't be surprised if we find Ultron with ships missing."
"What?!" Several of the Avengers said in alarm.
"That's the worst possible news you could have told us!" Falcon argued.
"Yeah, those lost ships can help him escape." War Machine pointed out.
Thrawn remained calm and shook his head.
"You would be wrong on that matter." The red-eyed man calmly stated. "If one is to get lost or "fall off", you could say, from the path of the Hyperspace lane, rather than being stranded, there is an anomalous pressure that destroys those that fall out of hyperspace, the exit causing an exertion of gravitational anomalies that utterly destroys any poor souls who stray from the path. Any ships Ultron might be losing would all be destroyed."
Silence filled the space with everyone digesting this bit of information. Of course, some took it better than others.
"Well, that covers one plot hole." Jennifer Walters said aloud. "Anything else we should know?"
"Even with my guidance, expect a bumpy ride." Thrawn plainly said.
"Gee whiz, that's a ringing endorsement." She-Hulk dryly said with half-lidded eyes.
Some chortled at that when Anakin clapped a hand on Thrawn's shoulder.
"Alright Thrawn, we're trusting you to get us through whatever Hyperspace hell comes our way."
"I shall not disappoint." The Chiss promised in complete seriousness.
Thus leading to the current scenario of Thrawn being the key navigator of this mishmash fleet currently in Hyperspace.
Before that, they had one final "issue" and that being Dooku's arrival with his own set of ships, not even demanding that he came along, simply stating he was going to and they had no say in the matter. Several of the Jedi wished to negate him joining them but the Avengers shot down any discourse, stating they had a pressing matter to attend to and that any grudges needed to be buried at this time.
As the fleet drew closer and closer to Ultron, the Chiss guiding them was privately reflecting on how it all came to be here and the growing sense of reservation and anxiety he now had.
Soon, he would be back in his home system, confronting his people whom he once promised to defend even if they believed there was no threat to be protected from.
But his time away and the knowledge gained had vindicated Thrawn more than anything in his entire life and now he was coming home in fear.
The fear he holds is complicated.
The fear wasn't directed towards the coalition but towards the Ascendency. It was not that he was afraid of them, no, rather he was afraid for them. It may seem like an exaggeration, but given the firepower the fleet has, let alone the capabilities of the Avengers, it is considered worrisome.
He wished to remain on good terms with the Avengers and the Republic but he also held his fierce loyalty to the Ascendency after all these years so…
Thrawn momentarily closed his eyes and took a steadying breath.
For once, tactics and planning shall not play a part in what is to come.
He seldom, if ever allowed for this to dictate his choices but whatever comes to pass, Thrawn would simply have faith that the best outcome for all would occur.
-Scene Cut-
*VVVVMMMMM*
Dozens of ships stretched in and returned to their normal shape and size upon exiting Hyperspace and those ships were not in the best of conditions.
The largest ship of this fleet trailed in front and within the bridge, Ultron sat upon his throne "breathing" heavily.
His eyes flashed several times and he shook his head.
A few of his ships didn't come through and he couldn't connect or detect anything from them. They had been destroyed or lost or whatever but he just couldn't sense them anymore.
The AI was still in pain as he quickly assessed the rest of his fleet.
There should have been more ships when he made the hyperspace jump.
What happened to them?
How did they go missing?
Was it…
Ultron tilted his head down in thought.
He had heard, in passing, about something called Hyperspace anomalies in certain sections of the galaxy.
Primarily in the left half of the galaxy that was unmapped and uncharted.
The unknown regions, as they were called.
And he was smack dab in the middle of it. Or at least a portion of it.
The AI groaned in pain, Ultron forcibly standing to his feet despite the damage his body possessed. His Kyber crystals were glowing with mismatched radiance. Two had been cracked and one was gone entirely with only three still embedded in his chest piece and still holding a glow of power.
He shook his head, knowing he shouldn't be dwelling on that.
Taking a quick scan of the system he had just arrived in, Ultron detected several planets that he could land on.
Each appeared to be habitable though they all held bizarre fluctuations he couldn't quite make out or understand. Perhaps there were metals, resources or even sentient life he could quickly discard and make use of whatever technology they had to repair himself.
But would that work for whatever the hell it was that the Jedi and Avengers did to him?
He looked down at his chest, placing one of his six hands over the damaged Kyber crystals.
What he had experienced was unlike anything he ever dealt with in his year of existence. Not even the "pain" he endured during his birth and "enlightenment" of his purpose could compare.
He took a moment to run a diagnostic on himself and found his inner circuits and processors to be in shambles.
Everything seemed to be in order but that's just it.
It seemed to be.
But Ultron was an AI that was fully sentient, fully individualistic and not bound to just binary code and date.
No, having emotions, something that has no explainable means of categorizing in science meant that he was privy to other forms of understanding certain situations. Like this one right now, seeing that his systems were still operable but he felt something was gravely wrong.
He took the moment to recall every detail of what led up to his current predicament, leaving no detail out from being replayed in his memory banks.
Millions upon millions of images and videos were played before his eyes, the AI replaying some of these memories in a manner that made him seem like he was there until reaching the end.
The end when he started to feel… to truly feel.
There was that moment on the Trandoshan hunting grounds when he converted that Padawan. Though he relished it, he recalled the terror and agony she experienced during her conversion and trying so hard to fight against his control.
Then there were all those times he personally performed the conversions on other living beings.
But Kamino…
Ultron stilled momentarily, his processors zeroing in on his time on Kamino.
That day was likely his greatest triumph upon the galaxy, annihilating the heart of the army of the GAR and bringing the peak of fear and terror across the stars.
But it was that same day that Ultron experienced a sensation unlike any other.
That Jedi timebomb Skywalker… he did something to him. It had been on his mind since that day but up until this moment, Ultron hadn't given it as much time and attention as he did now.
What was that sensation?
Concentrating on the memory, Ultron jerked his head violently as he forcibly replayed the memory both in mind and body. It was frightening how easily that feeling came back, centered around his chest, followed by the rest of his body.
This vice-like death grip that was holding… holding…
"You did it to yourself."
The voice of Skywalker rang through Ultron's mind.
"You didn't realize what you did to yourself. All your atrocities against life, against the Force itself. You opened yourself up to it."
"Opened myself up to it?" Ultron muttered, taking a moment to look at his Kyber crystals.
He had remained that way for a few moments until a stray thought crossed his mind.
One that seemed unfathomable to the AI but in a universe of impossibilities… it couldn't be could-
Once again, Ultron's head jerked up suddenly, only this time the dimmed red glow of his eyes and mouth began to radiate brightly.
His sensors picked up Hyperspace readings and the AI had the precise idea as to who it was that was coming out of it.
Quickly sending out orders to his fleet, the ships all angled and adjusted their trajectory into the targeted area as to where the Hyperspace readings were coming from with the weapons primed and ready.
As soon as Ultron felt the hum of his fleet's cannons and lasers power up, the fleet of Republic ships with some CIS cruisers appeared and he began firing away.
His pursuers responded in kind, sending out their own volley followed by waves of starfighters which Ultron responded with in kind.
There was the sound of static that Ultron's receptors picked up on and he aggressively flinched.
He felt a sense of panicked dread, recognizing the danger he now faced.
Ultron knew that the Avengers were here in their entirety and with many of the Jedi they had come to call friends and all that other sappy, disgusting nonsense. He knew they were here to finish the job.
'If they think I'm going down so easily,' Ultron thought darkly to himself, tendrils from multiple compartments coming out and moving towards him. 'They've got another thing coming.'
He felt a surge of power as he readied himself for battle, metal pieces quickly being added to his already damaged body.
"Come on, Avengers." Ultron venomously said. "Come on."
Both fleets engaged, two Republic ships receiving significant damage yet Ultron's battered fleet was already starting to falter as almost half a dozen were quickly blown to smithereens.
On the flagship of the Republic fleet, Anakin Skywalker with Ahsoka, Obi-Wan and several other Jedi being knights and members of the council all stood on the bridge, concentrating on the Force when Ahsoka's eyes snapped open.
"I got him!" She exclaimed.
Anakin opened his own eyes, soon picking up on Ultron's signature as well but first and foremost, he reached over to clasp his Padawan on her shoulder.
"Well done, Ahsoka." He said with pride. "Point out that soon-to-be scrapped bastard."
Ahsoka turned to the window of the bridge and pointed to a ship that was positioned in the center of the enemy fleet.
"There." She determinedly said.
"Yes, I sense him now as well." Obi-Wan chimed in.
"It appears Ultron is not in the best of shape." Luminara noted.
"All the better to take him down." Aayla resolutely declared.
Windu stepped forward. "Concentrate your fire on-"
"It's moving." Plo suddenly interjected, all eyes now on the large ship shifting away from the fleet and towards a nearby planet.
"What's he doing?" Hope questioned.
Everyone watched in silence as the lone ship entered the atmosphere of the planet and soon made landfall, all while the naval battle raged on. Several ships of Ultrons were shot down in the midst yet other Republic ships received damage in retaliation.
"Looks like he's already choosing the battlefield." Clint commented.
"What about the battle?" Barriss asked, gesturing to the ongoing engagement.
"We need to take down Ultron." Spider-Man quickly said. "We take him down, the rest of his fleet dies."
"With all of us down there, Force, virus, all of it that we used to create the counter program to Ultron, this is our best bet of permanently destroying him." Hope tacked on.
"Then we shall handle things here." Mace Windu spoke up. "Master Plo, Mundi, Fisto, Depa, you'll stay here with the rest of the fleet."
"Stay here, I shall as well." Yoda stated.
"Then that means the rest of us will go with you all." Kenobi said, looking at the Avengers, most of them nodding at the bearded Jedi.
"Since we're going down there, do ya think it's a trap?" Danny Rand inquired.
"Probably is." T'Challa commented. "And we shall spring it."
"Avengers." Steve now spoke up. "You heard 'em."
"Wizards of Waverly place, if you would." Tony quipped.
Strange rolled his eyes at the nickname, whilst Mordo and Celeste huffed in amusement. Wong said nothing as he and his fellow Sorcerers clapped their hands together and then made a quick circle with their hands.
Several portals appeared around the Avengers and several of the Jedi and clones with them and a moment later, they were all teleported away.
Next thing they knew, they stood on the surface of the planet Ultron had landed upon and were greeted straight away by a familiar, mechanical menacing voice.
"I'd call that cheating but then again, when have I ever played fair?"
Everyone turned to see Ultron coming out of the ship, looking patched together but no less threatening. Though he no longer possessed his old face, the dimmed lighting of his eyes and mouth coupled with his angle, despite the permanent smile he possessed, made the AI look worn out and miserable even.
"Leaving your own fleet?" Natasha commented, pulling out her electrified batons. "What, no sentiment?"
"Just metal and scrap, at the end of the day." Ultron conversationally replied. "I know when I'm about to lose worthless material."
"And what's this supposed to be then?" Thor challenged, the echoing sound of thunder being heard. "A fight?"
"Maybe." Ultron candidly said. "Maybe not. Maybe-"
There was a whirring heard from behind the AI, the ship alive with activity as multiple compartments opened with tendrils, cannons and Drones popping out of them.
"I just know that there's a likely chance that some of us won't make it out of here." Ultron's tone turned darker and murderous. "Maybe I would like to make sure some went down with me."
"You know that will fail." Vision calmly responded with steel in his voice.
"As you did last time." Quicksilver growled, vibrating in place.
Ultron paused for a moment before releasing a dramatic sigh. "Call it a deficiency from my creator. Failure inherited from the father."
"Ok, screw you." Was all Iron Man said before Ultron unleashed everything he had left.
The skies were littered with Ultron Drones that came down upon the Avengers and Jedi.
Thor instantly took to the skies followed by the rest of the fliers, the thunderer unleashing a torrent of lightning that decimated a good chunk of the drones. The rest of the fliers came in, quickly engaging the swarm while blaster fire from the clones below joined them.
Lightsabers were ignited, weapons be they long-distance, short-range or melee were pulled out and the battle commenced.
The Avengers, Jedi and Clones were swarmed by Ultron's drones while the Sorcerers erected barriers around the area as the cannon fire from the grounded ship rained down upon them.
Iron Man and Vision made a beeline for Ultron joined by Cap, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Ant-Man, Wasp, Spider-Man, Anakin, Ahsoka, Barriss, Aayla and Obi-Wan.
The rest of the heroes all focused on eliminating Ultron's army and taking out the guns on the ship.
"So unlike you, junior." Iron Man taunted, getting right in Ultron's face, dodging many beams to get in a right hook. "Where's that creative spark you got from your "old man"?"
Ultron wanted to make a retort yet felt his internal functions go on the fritz, making him only grunt out in pain and anger.
The AI quickly called forth the six spheres of energy he had from their prior fight, though they were noticeably smaller than last time. Regardless, they were no less effective of an offensive tool, giving their owner some needed space.
His beams ravaged the battlefield, sending the group of fighters scattering yet they were quick to rebound, re-engaging Ultron's army.
"What are you trying for here, Ultron?" Vision questioned. "This is completely-"
"Pathetic." Yelled a thunderous voice from above.
Ultron's head whipped up just as Thor came down, swinging Mjolnir at him with all his might. The AI hastily created a shield around him which was immediately shattered upon impact from the God's mighty weapon. Ultron was sent careening back, crashing hard on the ground, feeling something detach from his body.
He forced himself to stand less than a second after halting, glancing to his right and seeing his upper right arm had been ripped off. A small 'tch' came from the emotionless face of the AI, turning back to see several Jedi standing in front of him now.
Anakin was at the center and he held a haughty smirk.
"Hey there, asshole." Skywalker tauntingly greeted, throwing his hand out, followed by the other Jedi and once more-
"GRAH!" Ultron exclaimed, the painful sensation overtaking his being, what made him think in a fashion far too like a delirious human. He lurched forward, the center pair of arms clutching his head, the lower wrapping themselves around his chest.
"We got him, we got him!" Ahsoka yelled out for everyone else to hear.
Ultron snapped his head in her direction, eyes glowing murderously and he forced himself into action. He summoned his energy spheres again and they blasted away at the Jedi. He also had his tendrils join in along with a beam from his chest courtesy of his Kyber crystals.
One of the beams managed to catch Obi-Wan off guard due to their sudden targeting of him and his lightsaber got knocked away. This led him open for attack but he wasn't undefended.
Just as the next beam came for him, Kenobi exhaled calmly and held out his hand, allowing the Force to flow around him. He grits his teeth at the impact of the beam, momentarily buckling from the power but he holds strong and with assistance from the Force, "parried" the beam away.
Yet the Jedi Master still fell to a knee once accomplishing this deflection.
"Obi-Wan!" His former pupil cried out in concern, immediately by his side to help his old Master to his feet. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, yes, I'm well enough, Anakin." Kenobi assured, using his other hand to call his lightsaber back.
The pair glanced over to see the Jedi along with their Clone Captains, Commanders and ARCs being joined by several Avengers as they assaulted Ultron together.
"What was that just now?" Skywalker questioned, looking down at Obi-Wan's hand and winced upon seeing burn marks upon it.
"A Force-based Soresu defense ability that I have been studying since we found Tython." The Jedi Master revealed, grimacing at the pain in his hands. "I haven't had much time to practice the technique."
"It looked like Tutaminis." Anakin noted.
"An advanced, Soresu-inspired form of it outside of absorption, actually redirecting the blast."
"Master Kenobi." The pair heard a familiar soft voice, turning to see Barriss rushing over to them. "Here Master."
The Mirialan Padawan held out her arm, an ethereal white glow emanating from her hand with Obi-Wan holding out his own.
He breathed a sigh of relief as her Force Healing washed over his hand, the pain he held quickly subsiding.
"Thank you, Barriss." Kenobi kindly said, a few seconds later, seeing his hand fully healed. "You've truly become gifted with your power."
Barriss said nothing, simply smiling happily at the praise and that his injury was gone.
"Alright, let's focus back up people." Anakin said aloud, turning his attention back to the battle, Offee and Kenobi wordlessly agreed as both reignited their lightsabers.
Across the battlefield, the Avengers with their Jedi and Clone allies were whittling down Ultron's forces.
The Clones had managed to call in strafing runs from the fleet, starfighters zipping by to bombard Ultron's stationary ship.
Spider-Man had webbed up a bunch of drones, having Simby grab them to toss up into the hands of Gi-Ant-Man who clapped them into scrapped metal.
Luminara Unduli exhaled softly as she deflected almost dozens of energy blasts and bolts sent her way, closing her eyes as she allowed the flow of Soresu to take over her movements. She was walking through the area, continually deflecting many shots sent her way until she stood behind a man in heavily gray-tinted armor.
"Colonel Rhodes." She serenely said, not looking at him.
"General Unduli." War Machine greeted in return, his shoulder-mounted machine gun blasting away at every Ultron drone it targets.
The Mirialan Jedi Master felt her lip twitch upwards and even with his helmet covering his face, Luminara sensed a tinge of amusement from the Avenger.
Shang-Chi was fighting alongside his best friend Katy and Iron Fist and White Tiger and not far from them, Celeste Morne was weaving and casting spells all while wielding her lightsaber with her boyfriend right by her side, either shooting or using his magically enhanced arm that now can apparently whip around.
All over, the number of Ultron drones decreased with every passing second.
Up above in space, the two fleets locked in heated combat had a clear winner with the Republic and the small escort of the Separatists, hammering Ultron's ships into oblivion.
On his personal star-destroyer, Count Dooku observed the battle with meditative, intense silence. The former Jedi Master knew that he was likely testing the limits of the patience of the Republic but it mattered not for the aged Force-User.
This Ultron has caused him enough strife and headaches for far too long and he would be damned if he would not be present for his downfall.
He had seen what he assumed to be Ultron's flagship make its way down to a nearby planet and he sensed through the Force that the Jedi had somehow made their way down there, likely with their Avenger allies. Dooku figures that they probably got there via the astonishing powers that the sorcerers in their ranks possessed in conjuring portals that would allow for instant teleportation.
"They're losing ground, Count." A female voice spoke up, making Dooku refocus his attention on the battle.
"Hold nothing back, Sev'Rance, Kadrian." Tyranus stated firmly. "Make sure every ship, every inch of his fleet is annihilated."
Back down on the planet, Ultron was "breathing" heavily, having lost another arm, this one being his lower left.
He was facing Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and Vision at this time.
If Hulk were here, it would be a proper family reunion.
He went on the offensive, attacking wildly, erratically, with no rhyme or reason other than to keep them all at bay and to harm and kill them. But they were a persistent bunch of bastards, typical of humans, kicking, scratching and screaming against death.
Ultron jerked slightly, having been slammed by Quicksilver when the red hexes of Wanda surrounded him. He used a burst of energy from his remaining Kyber crystals to dispel the hexes around him only for a Mind Stone laser combined with Thor's lightning to slam into him.
The soldier's damned shield along with arrows, electrical disks and repulsor beams added to the onslaught and no sooner did they finish, their damage was compounded by the rest of the Avengers all coming in for the assist.
They couldn't have coordinated or timed this any better than how they did so here and now. It would have been comical for Ultron had he not been on the receiving end of it all.
All twenty-nine of these bastard superheroes got their licks in, each and every one of them landed their "killing blow" all while Ultron struggled to even put up some semblance of a defense. He couldn't as the Force/data/magic/Mind Stone virus had taken hold once again and he felt all pieces of him being destroyed and severed.
The Jedi and Clones all got their turns because the Avengers just had to "share" in the pain distribution of their old foe since they were all "good" little boys and girls. It was almost sadistic, one could say.
Not that Ultron could blame them, considering the pain and mayhem he had inflicted across the stars.
Lightsabers, blaster bolts, magic, webs, Force, lasers, bullets, kicks, the whole nine yards and then some. They just kept on hammering him until at long last, their enemy could take no more.
Ultron was on his knees, all but one of his arms attached to his body, his tendrils having been ripped off and his Kyber crystals either removed or destroyed. There were dents, gashes and holes in his body with the upper right half of his face being disfigured now. His body appeared to be barely holding itself together. The chest area was caved in slightly with all his Kyber Crystals now gone save for one and even that wasn't even glowing anymore. One of his legs was gone and the other was bent in all the wrong directions.
He did nothing but raise his head slowly, the feeling of murderous intent mixed with a strange feeling of acceptance radiating from his being. His optics stared at the Avengers that all stood before him, the picture-perfect snapshot of heroism.
If only he could physically throw up.
The AI tilted his head down, his single hand clenching slightly as the reality finally set in.
"So… you bastards did it again." Ultron growled out.
"Try not to sound too excited Junior." Iron Man spoke up, having his usual wit evident in his tone with a hardened edge. "You really made us work for it this time."
"Oh? I should feel so honored." Ultron snidely said, lurching forward. "Maybe I should stick around a bit longer. Kick your collective ass' a bit more before finishing you all off."
"You failed last time." Pietro stated with a wry tone yet a dark look in his eyes.
Ultron's head turned to both him and his twin sister and he felt a pang in his chest.
"Yeah well… you weren't who I wanted dead that day." The AI quietly said.
"Like that's supposed to make us feel any better." Wanda sharply interjected, expression morphing into one of fury and rage.
"I never wanted either of you two to die." Ultron admitted.
"Really?" Scott couldn't help but speak up. "Could have fooled us."
"Tough murderous love, right?" Hope tacked on with a deadpan.
"Can we just finish this jackass off already?" Luke Cage piped up. "He's caused enough murder and mayhem for everyone already."
"Couldn't agree more." Ghost Rider stated, the flames surrounding his skull spiking momentarily.
There were murmurs and comments of agreement as Cap, Thor, Widow, Hawkeye and Iron Man walked forward with the Avengers that had been in the galaxy joining them.
Iron Man stood in the lead of them all as they surrounded the down AI with Ultron looking up at his creator defiantly.
"Vision?" Tony quietly said.
"He's not going anywhere." Vision assured, his Mind Stone flaring for a second.
"We got him on lockdown." Anakin spoke up from behind, he and the present Jedi all using the Force to keep Ultron chained down.
Steve nodded appreciatively at them before turning back to Ultron and then looking up at Iron Man.
"Tony." The Super Soldier softly said, briefly locking eyes with the billionaire, silently conveying his message.
"Yeah, you guys have been doing all the work, haven't you?" Stark remarked. "Might as well finish it for ya."
Iron Man's glowing white eyes landed on the blood-red eyes of Ultron and maker and creator entered into a staring contest.
"What?" Ultron said with a sneering tone. "Getting lost in my eyes?"
Tony huffed in begrudging amusement. "Just an old man realizing he really fucked up with his kid. Like really, really fucked up. Worst of all, instead of me having to face you, for nearly a year, it was my friends and an entire galaxy that had to pay for my mistake. You really did a number on."
There was a tense, slightly awkward silence being shared between the Avengers as Tony went on.
"I really thought that I had an answer, ya know? A suit of armor around the world." Iron Man softly stated. "But I guess I got ahead of myself. Shoved my head back up my own ass, thinking I knew what was best for everyone." His head hung low for a moment. "And look at what that caused."
Many of the Avengers were glancing between Tony and Ultron, unsure if they were to say or do anything. The latter hadn't made a move or sound until…
"I did everything." Ultron's voice creaked out. "Everything you asked. I did all of it. All of the directives you gave me."
"You did." Tony shook his head. "But not as we intended."
"I executed the plan. Peace in our time."
Tony sighed, shaking his head. "In your perspective, yes. But ours… It would never be peaceful."
"You… You wanted to change the world, to change everything, protect EVERYTHING." Ultron sounded deranged as his voice went on the fritz for a moment. "I wanted to make it happen, for all of us. You said that you wanted to protect the world. A promise. Yet you backed away from it when you got scared. A broken promise from a broken man."
"I was scared. Scared of so many things. But you took it too far. And broken? I've been called many things, tin can but I can tell ya that I'm not broken." Tony made a sweep of his hands as a gesture to himself. "Still standing."
"You wished for the annihilation of all life." Thor growled out, thunder momentarily crackling in the sky.
"It was what was needed." Ultron fired back with rage.
"It was insane and evil and you know it." Steve now spoke up, a feeling of anger radiating from him and the rest of the team all directed at the AI.
"It was evolution." Ultron retorted. "Only a primitive mind would fail to understand this." The AI shook his head, head tilting down. "It would've been perfect."
"That's the thing with perfection," Tony said, helmet retracting back to reveal his face. "It's unknowable. It's impossible to reach, but it's always right in front of us. You wouldn't know that cuz I didn't know that when you were made. I still don't know that, no matter how much I lie to myself."
There was a beat before he continued.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for making you. Sorry for causing you to be who you are." Stark said. "All that you are comes from all of my mistakes, all of who I am at my worst self. I'm sorry, Ultron. I'm sorry."
Many were unable to find the words or even thoughts on how to react to such a statement with the original team and Tony's best friend all looking at the Armored Avenger.
"Tony." Rhodey muttered.
The Genius superhero looked at War Machine with a strained smile of appreciation before turning back to Ultron and slowly raising his hand.
"Let's just finish this." His voice was low yet heard by all.
Ultron did nothing as the circular palm of his creator was now in his face, the familiar sound of a repulsor beam being charged up and ready to blast him away once and for all.
Despite his impending demise, he remained rebellious.
"I really do hope you savor this." The AI spoke in a grim but sinister tone. "You think this is the end? It may indeed be it for me, but you all will have more to deal with once I'm gone. You know it, don't you?"
"We're well aware." Rogers stated. "But we'll take on whatever comes next."
"Oh, will you now?" Ultron mocked. "Do you really think you're prepared? You weren't for me. Both times. What makes any of you fools think you can take on what's coming your way? Do you even have the slightest notion of what you will be up against? Can you even fathom how much worse it will be?"
"Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Barton chimed in, resting his elbow on Steve's shoulder, a pointed look directed at the AI. "We'll take on all of it. Together."
"Oh god. You're all just a bunch of broken records." Ultron groaned, pretending as though he was about to hurl. "Just kill me already."
Tony 'hmphed' at that. "Wish granted."
*THVVVMMM*
An overcharged pulse beam through the chest and up into the head later, the body of Ultron collapsed onto the ground, unmoving.
…
…
…
"Ho-lee-fuck."Were the first words out of Sam Wilson's mouth after a prolonged bout of silence amongst them all. "Ho-Lee-FUCK! We finally got him. Jesus, it's over."
And like that, a kind of pressure, an overwhelming, suffocating feeling seemingly vanished.
The Avengers, especially the twelve who had been in space for a year and a half now, felt a lightness that they hadn't experienced in quite some time.
Several of them actually dropped to the ground, all letting out groans of relief and jubilation.
"We finally did it." Spider-Man bemoaned, removing his mask as he lay flat on his back, basking in their victory.
"Is he really gone?" Captain Rex asked aloud, almost daring for the Force or fate to prove them wrong.
"Yes," Vision spoke up with absolute certainty, standing over the remains of Ultron. His Mind Stone blinked once and dimmed with the synthetic being releasing a sigh. "He is at last gone."
"Oh god," Scott Lang whined happily, draping himself over his girlfriend, much to Hope's amusement. "I wanna vacation. I wanna eat and get fat and take a loooooooooong break. Let's pick a planet or somewhere on Earth, Hope. Anywhere will do."
"While I do enjoy a good victory, Mr. Lang," Obi-Wan spoke up in good humor. "I do believe that our work isn't officially done."
"What?" Several of the Avengers like Scott, Peter, Katy and such all said in unison. "Why?"
"Well, for obvious starters, there is much cleanup that undoubtedly needs to be done." Luminara gently said with a small smile yet there was a clear playfulness in her eyes.
"Ah come on you two, knock it off." Anakin said with a laugh. "Yeah, a lot has to be done but I am not objecting to a party, at the bare minimum."
"A revelry, you say?" Thor spoke up with an intrigued gleam in his eyes. "I do believe I am starting to like you more and more, Skywalker."
"Oh boy, here we go." Black Widow said with a shake of her head.
"Karaoke night?" Katy chimed in excitedly.
"Hell yeah." Shaun and Danny exclaimed.
Steve felt a soft and familiar hand slip into his own and he glanced to his side to see Aayla standing by him, a mischievous and loving smile directed at him, one which he returned. He then looked over at Tony who was nudging War Machine a bit too much in the shoulder, making over dramatic head gestures in the direction of Luminara Unduli who was conversing with her Padawan.
Rhodey was torn between being annoyed and amused by his best friend's antics so the WWII veteran swooped in to help.
"What do you think, Tony?"
Iron Man looked over at the super soldier.
"Celebration in order? One that won't end like last time now that the party crasher is dealt with?"
Tony rubbed his chin in thought at the prospect of such an idea.
"A galactic-wide super party?" There was a manic glint in his eyes as a grin threatened to split his face. "Oh~ I like the sound of that."
"How about we keep it allocated to just a planet, at the bare minimum, Mr. Stark." Matt Murdock chimed in with his lawyer voice. "The legal litigations and ramifications of the damages caused in such… revelries might be astronomical."
"Which makes it all the more fun!" Jennifer Walters butted it, wrapping her arm around Daredevil. "Come on, Matt, this is the chance of a lifetime."
However, their small celebration was cut short by the arrival of three Separatist ships swooping in from on high and landing not far from where they all stood.
The Jedi all stood with stoic faces and tense postures as the ship in the center opened its ramp to allow the leader of the Confederacy of Independent Systems to enter the stage.
They watched as Count Dooku stepped out of the ship, briskly ignoring all of them. He walked over to where Ultron's remains were and gave them a long hard look before turning to the Avengers.
"Is it done?" He patiently asked.
"You're not getting any of the credit if that's what you're asking." Stephen Strange dryly said, crossing his arms in a bored fashion. "First come first serve."
Dooku ignored the comment, focusing instead on Captain Rogers.
"Is it done?" The elder Force-User asked once more, the pair locking eyes for a few seconds, Steve slowly inclining his head down.
"Yes, it's over."
The Count inhaled sharply and exhaled dramatically, his posture appearing to loosen upon hearing this.
"Good. Very good."
"Oh? Is that praise I hear from the Count?" Anakin dryly said with a deadpan expression, holding his hand up to his ear.
"Come now Anakin, haven't you learned that you must control your insolence around the Count." Obi-Wan quipped, the pair sharing matching grins.
"What do you want, Count Dooku?" Luminara calmly asked, preventing any further mocking banter.
"Now?" Dooku gazed at all of them, his eyes lingering on the Avengers for a time. "I believe now is the time to rest and recover. Take stock of what we shall do next."
"Do you intend on continuing the war?" Captain America sharply said, halting Dooku in his tracks.
There was a permeating tension radiating in the air as all awaited the response from the former Jedi Master. "Some may wish for it to resume. Others wish the opposite."
"And your stance is what exactly?" Thor challenged. "Leave the politics aside. What is it that you want?"
Again Dooku said nothing, instead turning away with a flourish of his cape and walked away from them all, stopping as he stood in front of his ship.
He turned his head back and held a calm expression that was difficult to discern.
"I would like to know that myself now." He airily said. "Perhaps I shall discover it now or perhaps later. But in due time, you shall receive my answer. Until then."
And with that, Dooku departed from the area.
"What in the fuck kind of an answer was that supposed to be?" Jessica Jones irritably said. "What? Does that jackass actually think he's Saruman?"
"He has his look." Sam dryly said.
"That Burra sure likes to play the part." Robbie Reyes dryly remarked.
Suddenly, they were all interrupted again, only this time over the comm channels.
"Generals?" The voice of Thrawn was heard by all. "I take it victory has been achieved, yes?"
"Yes. Ultron is defeated for good this time." Steve replied.
While they couldn't see his reaction, one could perhaps imagine the look of relief present on his features.
"Has his fleet stopped firing?" Anakin added on.
"More like we are making sure that they no longer have the capacity to do so ever again." This time, they were answered by the baritone voice of Plo Koon.
"At least it's good to double tap." Clint said with approval.
"So, what else is going on up there?" Tony inquired. "You wouldn't happen to call and tell us a well done, no?
"Expect ships falling down from the sky?" Shuri suggested.
"We can handle that." Quicksilver confidently said.
"We can?" Katy asked.
"Uh, yeah, we can." The speedster said with no doubt in his mind.
"It has to do with an earlier conversation." Thrawn spoke again.
Over on his end, Thrawn stood with Plo Koon and Mace Windu on the bridge of the flagship of the Republic fleet and they all had their gaze on a set of ships.
But these were not the ships of Ultron, oh no.
These were fresh, pristine and deadly.
Dozens of ships began coming out of Hyperspace, ships that no one recognized save for two blue-skinned, red-eyed individuals.
"I take it these are friends of yours?" The Kel-Dor Jedi casually said to the Chiss.
"Not friends. Associates." Thrawn corrects him.
"They're hailing us." A clone pilot spoke up.
"Patch them through." Windu ordered.
There was the warble of static from the comms until a clear and authoritative voice spoke through it.
"Attention unidentified fleet, you are in Chiss space. Identify yourselves or else we will consider you all hostile." Was the sharp and precise order.
Thrawn made his way to the comms and opened up a channel. "This is Mitth'raw'nuruodo. Ar'alani, is that you?"
There was a pause and then came a disbelieving huff.
"This is Admiral Ar'alani. Good to hear from you again, Mitth'raw'nuruodo."
"Likewise."
"I, along with everyone else in the fleet, would like to know why all these ships are here unannounced."
"That may take a bit of time to explain but just know it was one that involved the destruction of a galactic threat to all life." Thrawn plainly answered. "And I do not mean that as hyperbole."
"Should we interfere?" Windu quietly asked Plo Koon with the Kel-Dor shrugging slightly.
"Only when needed." Koon answered. "Let us place our faith in Thrawn for now. These are his people, after all."
AN
So here we are again folks. Another chapter completed but this one is the first chapter of Season 4. After a nice long break, it's good to be back and I bet many of you might see this chapter as a bit… maybe not as grandiose but that's the point of it.
Ultron's purpose has come to an end. When we were making this chapter, Jeb and I agreed that we didn't need to go into detail on the action because that's what Ultron Imperative was. Yeah, we had a lot of character moments and development but the core of that arc was the maddening insanity and action with the Avengers finally coming together to beat Ultron. He was beaten and this is his nail in the coffin.
This is his last hurrah.
To go back to the opening AN, seasons 1 and 2 was all about the setup for the grander story arcs with season 3 being the first big leap and more importantly, a theming of sorts.
While there were many threats and villains that were present in Season 3, Jeb, Bullet and I knew that Ultron would be the predominant main villain of Season 3. A MCU villain.
And with him now done, Season 4, if you've been paying attention, is gonna focus on Star Wars villain or villains but… there is a lot to come and things aren't always what they appear to be.
I know there were some detractors who actually raged as to why Ultron had stuck around for so long but that was the point of it. It was both a thematic story reason and a personal one. To me, Ultron is on the Mt. Rushmore of Avenger villains. It's always him, Loki, Thanos and personally for me, Kang but number four is interchangeable but still, Ultron is one of the greatest enemies of the Avengers. And while I enjoyed James Spader's rendition of him, there was a lot that was left wanting.
It's why we went to such lengths to make him as menacing and terrifying as we did, so much so that we kinda set a really, REALLY high bar for villainy in this story which we hope we can match or even eclipse but hey, who knows, won't know without trying.
So, onto some for once awesome Star Wars news.
Battlefront Collection.
BSX: I'm very excited that the Battlefront collection is coming. I played the hell out of BF2 religiously and to hear 64 multiplayer with more characters being added is gonna be mayhem.
Jebest4781: Bad Batch Season 3 has been released and I totally forgot about it until just recently. Looks well on the slow burn with the episodes.
FMW: Yeah, for the most part, thus far, Bad Batch has been enjoyable. But for me and Bullet at least, we cannot wait till the Battlefront collection comes out. I am gonna be playing the hell out of it. Of course it comes out close to the start of season 4. If this doesn't update as frequently, blame the Battlefront collection… and FF7 Rebirth… and Elden Ring DLC in the coming months. Yeah, lot of games. Hoo boy.
But… yeah, season 4 is here.
A lot of arcs, a lot of action, please, please, please go check out my DeviantArt as I have been in the process of releasing the updated looks for the Avengers and many other heroes and villains to come for season 4 and other than that, thanks for waiting.
We're back.
Rate Read and Review and as Always, Have Nice Day.