By [ad_1]
In The Last Annihilation: Wiccan and Hulkling one-shot, a classic Marvel weapon gets the royal treatment and a powerful upgrade with a romantic twist.
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for The Last Annihilation: Wiccan and Hulkling #1, available now from Marvel Comics.
Throughout the long and storied history of the Marvel Universe there have been countless artifacts and weapons that are as iconic as the heroes who carried them. While the Nega-Bands aren’t as recognizable as Iron Man’s armor or Captain America’s shield, they still hold an important place in the history thanks to their association with the original Captain Marvel.
The last existing remnants of the Nega-Bands still have a critical role today, as evidenced in The Last Annihilation: Wiccan and Hulkling #1 (by Anthony Oliveira, Jan Bazaldua, Rachelle Rosenberg, and VC’s Ariana Maher). This one-shot reveals that these Omega Class weapons have been transformed into something more meaningful than ever before, gaining a substantial power boost in the process.
The Nega-Bands: What Are Marvel’s Omega-Class Weapons?
First introduced to the Marvel Universe in 1969’s Captain Marvel #16 (by Archie Goodwin and Don Heck), the Nega-Bands were created by the Kree Supreme Intelligence and were based on the same concept behind Quasar’s Quantum Bands. These powerful weapons imparted on their wearer the ability to survive in the vacuum of space with no need for food or water, as well as a bevy of other powers, including flight and energy manipulation.
When Rick Jones came upon the Nega-Bands following Mar-Vell’s exile to the Negative Zone, he discovered that clanging the bands together allowed him to trade places with the hero. Years after Mar-Vell’s death, his Nega-Bands were used by the Supreme Intelligence to craft a devastating Nega Bomb that it used to end the lives of billions and effectively end the Kree/Shi’ar War. That such powerful symbols of hope and heroism were put to such horrifying use seemed to be the end of the Nega-Bands’ heroic legacy, but Mar-Vell’s own son recently found a way to redeem the bands in heartwarming fashion.
The Nega-Bands, Two Young Avengers, and Their Romantic Twist
Wiccan and Hulkling have been a couple since their days as Young Avengers, but it was their time in space that cemented their relationship as one that would last a lifetime. After having fought Skrulls, robot bounty hunters, and alien invaders, the two heroes said their vows in a last minute ceremony in Empyre #5 (by Al Ewing, Dan Slott, and Valerio Schiti).
While the wedding itself might not have had much prep work put into it, the rings the heroes exchanged couldn’t have been more thoughtful. Made from the remains of Mar-Vell’s bands that were salvaged from the Supreme Intelligence’s weapon, the rings signified the couple’s union throughout time and space, as well as a renewal of Mar-Vell’s legacy which was now Hulkling’s to carry on. And, to top it all off, they work even better now than they did when Mar-Vell and Rick Jones wore them.
How Wiccan and Emperor Hulkling Make the Nega-Bands More Powerful Than Ever
While fighting against the forces of Dormammu on two different worlds, Hulkling and Wiccan find that they are ill-suited for their respective battles. As Wiccan stares down a living effigy of Dormammu, he is reminded that this is a battle he will never have to fight alone, just as Hulkling does the same.
In unison, Hulkling and Wiccan lift up their fists as their rings find a path to each other, and in an instant the two heroes trade places. Where he had once clutched Wiccan in his grasp, Dormammu was suddenly holding the Emperor instead, and with his powerful Star Sword Hulkling dispatched the construct with a single strike.
It appears that now neither person connected through the Nega-Bands need be displaced to the Negative Zone, and neither of them ever has to worry about being caught alone, making these rings by far the most powerful version of the Nega-Bands to date.
About The Author
[ad_2]
