Warning: Spoilers for Avengers Inc. #4!A classic Avengers villain is back in the Marvel Universe, reappearing under a new identity that no-one saw coming. A new character emerged at the start of Avengers Inc. named Victor Shade. Not even Victor Shade himself knew who he was. Things seemed further complicated knowing the name Victor Shade was once used as an alternate alias for Vision – but now the shocking truth has been revealed.
Avengers Inc. #4 – by Al Ewing, Leonard Kirk, Alex Sinclair, and VC’s Cory Petit – finally revealed Shade’s identity, throwing a curveball at the readers that few were expecting. Victor Shade isn’t any version of Vision, but instead, Ultron in disguise. The villain has not been seen since “Rage of Ultron”, an event that destroyed both Ultron and Dr. Henry Pym, once the dust settled.
This series revealed the former Ant-Man was mysteriously still alive. As it turns out, Pym die not return among the living alone, as Victor Shade momentarily reveals himself as Ultron. Unfortunately, looks like Henry Pym is already dead again as a result.
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Ultron is Back, And No One is Safe – Especially Not The Avengers
When supervillains mysteriously start turning up dead shot to death, Janet Van Dyne, the Avenger known as Wasp, becomes the detective on the case. Janet noticed in Avengers, Inc. #1 that these holes were too small to be bullets, but never got a chance to examine the evidence further due to a supervillain attack. It was during this attack that Victor Shade unveiled himself, possessing the body of the murdered Whirlwind. Shade lacked a memory of his own life, but somehow has the powers and appearance of Vision, despite the real Vision being elsewhere, as seen in Avengers, Inc. #1
Now, in Avengers, Inc. #4, after the latest villain murder demands the attention of Moon Knight, Janet concludes that this small bullet hole was the size of an ant. She immediately thinks of her late ex-husband, and upon finding an address, finds him there. Pym explains he’s alive via means of time travel, having been saved and split from Ultron by another version of himself. He has orchestrated this entire supervillain murder plot because he fears Ultron returned to the present with him. His fears are made reality when Victor Shade pierces his hand through Pym’s chest, revealing himself to be Ultron.
Ultron’s Return Is Avengers, Inc’s Lasting Impact
Vic Shade’s true identity explains the apparent Vision connection, since Ultron was the one who created the Vision. It also explains why Shade had no memory of who he was or how he came to possess David “Whirlwind” Cannon’s body. The moment he saw Henry Pym again in Avengers, Inc. #4 is the moment that all of his memories come rushing back to him, as does his bloodlust for revenge. Now, he stands in front of former Avengers Moon Knight and the Wasp heading into the fifth and final issue of Avengers, Inc., but if that’s not enough firepower to stop him, the Marvel Universe is in danger of one of its biggest threats returning.
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