Cover Date: March 1980
On-Sale Date: December 25, 1979
This issue was released on Christmas Day and Marvel's gift to it's Defenders fans was another installment (not the last) of the increasingly tedious Tunnelworld saga. Our secondary arc with Mandrill, Fem Force and Mutant Force ended last issue, but that doesn't mean we won't be seeing the other half of the Defenders. Kyle did commit a serious breach last issue so the US Government has to catch up with him sooner or later. What we still WON'T be seeing is the Unnameable, the misspelled, behind-the-scenes puppet-master of the proceedings. Not to worry, our buzzard-headed buddy, the impossible to type Ytitnedion, fills in for him for now.
As the Mandrill arc is done, we got lots more Tunnelworld ahead of us. Doc, Namor and the Hulk are near Ogeon, Ytitnedion's citadel. They observe lots of troops leaving and lots of supplies going and. And Doc amuses everyone by using the word "surcease" in front of the Hulk. It's almost as funny as Ogeon looking like a misspelling of Oregon. I must have spelling on the brain right now! (Wait untii Crystal shows up and they change the n to a de for that title's wizard, Ogeode!) While Doc and Namor discuss tactics, Hulk amuses himself with a confusing bug.
Our heroes wait for a lull in the traffic and for a lone wagon which all happens within a panel. They distract the wagon's drivers by taking out a portion of a bridge. The Hulk then causes the two occupants to panic and Doc captures them. After some bartering, Doc and crew hide in the wagon and slip into Ogeon.
Back on Earth, Yellowjacket and the Wasp drop the Defenders off at Nighthawk's penthouse while going on to deliver the civilians to their apartment in Hell's Kitchen and then return the Quinjet to the Avengers. Yellowjacket demurs on the prospect of joining the Defenders. Nighthawk changes into his Kyle civvies while Valkyrie and Hellcat discuss Val fitting better into society. It's a wonderful little moment of their developing friendship.
Kyle answers a knock at the door and, of course, it's a group of federal agents come to arrest him. Kyle goes quietly, for now.
In Tunnelworld, Doc and crew have parted ways with their hired drivers and have some choice words about Ogeon. The city stinks, but the leaders live in their own "ivory" tower.
The Defenders see a familiar character being dragged through the streets in a cage. A footnote reminds us this story has been going on for almost a year!
Xhooxh was one of the last powerful forces for good. His capture is a dark omen. But, Doc thinks it might be good to have him and one his powerful artifacts all in the same local. While whispering back and forth a patrol has spotted Aeroika and he's gotta bluff them into not blasting them into powder on the spot. While Aeroika attempts to talk his way out of the mess, Namor gets impatient and hot-headed (surprise) and attacks. Doc takes it as a sign to stop holding back.
Ytitnedion has been watching the melee from his tower and has some words with Xhooxh. Apparently, this was bird-brain's plan all along.
Bird-brain has secretly implanted the Unnameable's name in the Hulk's head and is now leading the battle toward Aeroika's people. They see their fellow winghead with a weapon and seem to be inspired.
While chaos abounds, Ytitnedion unleashes a tank like object with the incredibly imaginative name of The Crusher. The locals seem to know it and don't like it.
The Crusher manages to take out the Hulk. This is just the latest thing to enrage Namor, who systematically dismantles The Crusher with extreme violence. Unfortunately, the rain of metal debris means that Doc and Aeroika must abandon the Hulk on the battlefield. Ytitnedion has managed to capture him.
As Doc and Namor realize there's nothing they can do for the Hulk at the moment, the wingheads decide that the time has come...
Doc is unsure what to do at the moment. Ytitnedion believes all is going to plan and gives Xhooxh an ominous warning.
This is all very meh. The Tunnelworld saga has set up a few threads for the future but we've still got two more issues of this to go. Maybe it's just me but I find it all very unexciting. I really don't care about any of these Tunnelworld characters.
There's little growth for the members of our cast. On Earth, at least, we see Val's and Patsy's friendship grow a bit. It will become a big jewel in the Defenders crown. Heck, Kyle's IRS, DOJ, FBI troubles sound like they'll be more interesting than Tunnelworld. Perhaps things will pick up a bit next issue.
