Volume 4 features some great episodes all eventually culminating a final showdown with the greatest of Avengers villains. The first episode, “Casket of Ancient Winters”, sees the return of the Enchantress, one of Thor’s enemies, while she attempts to steal back an old and powerful relic. The Casket is a magical item which contains the cold of winter itself, only more powerfully magnified. This episode takes place right after the Avengers have defeated Kang and saved the planet so most of them are enjoying some R&R. That doesn’t last long when the Casket is opened and a winter is released upon the planet.
The team wastes no time in seeking out the source of the storm, while some of the other members stay in New York to fight off the hordes of ice monsters that have arisen. The next episode features an assault on New York by H.Y.D.R.A. as they attempt to retrieve the cosmic cube. Once again the Avengers face off against impossible odds only to persevere in the end. The next two episodes feature the birth of another classic Avenger villain, Ultron. For those of you who are unaware, Ultron was a robot created by Hank Pym and due to faulty programming, went haywire attempting to rid the world of all human life. Besides facing off against Ultron, this episode also sees the exit of one of its members, Hank Pym.
Due to his feelings on science and non-violence, Hank decides that the Avengers is not the place for him and he quits. Of course he can’t truly leave as his invention goes psycho and attempts to wipe out the planet. By the end the Avengers do succeed but Hank still feels that the Avengers is not for him and stills plans to leave. Finally the last 3 episodes center on Thor and the overall plotline that has been building since the beginning of the season. In an attempt to return Thor to Asgard, Iron Man has built a machine which will open a bridge between the two realms. At the same moment, the Masters of Evil have uncovered the mythical Norn Stones which also act as keys unlocking the doors between the nine realms.
Their intention is to open the doors and unleash all the hordes of Asgard upon Earth. So the Avengers split off, each headed toward one of the seven stones. Naturally each stone is guarded by one of the Masters and so each Avenger is left to face these threats alone. By the end the stones are destroyed and each Avenger is cast into one of the nine realms. Thor is returned to Asgard only to find his demented brother Loki sitting upon the throne. The next two episodes sees each Avenger overcome gigantic odds so that they can go to Asgard and save Thor. During the final episode the Avengers reunite in Asgard, free Thor and stand against Loki. During the final scene though, the writers drop a hint at what the next season will be about and any comic fan can tell you that it will be epic.
Volume 4 collects some fantastic episodes which chronicle some great stories. Like each of the past 3 volumes, there is a single bonus feature and again, like volume 3, this feature is a commentary on one of the episodes. The episode in particular is “Hail HYDRA” and allows you to watch the episode while text appears on the screen highlighting the history behind this evil organization. These final episodes really show not only a love for the comics, but also the writers hitting their stride as the season draws to a close. No longer bogged down with introductions, they can focus on telling some wonderful stories and really take the time to develop the characters.
Like all things in the comic book realm, you must suspend your disbelief to really enjoy these shows. All episodes are safe for any child to watch and no adult supervision is required. Unless your parent happens to be a die-hard fan, then expect them to be seated right next to you all the way through. So if you’re looking for some classic Avengers tales pick up all 4 volumes of the Avengers TV show and have yourself a good time as the Avengers Assemble!
Purchase Maarvel The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Volume Four From Amazon.com
-- Chris Rebholz
