Line #26 ComicBook/AvengersThunderbolts


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a_tb_1.png]]
2	''Avengers/Thunderbolts'' is a 2004 BatFamilyCrossover between the ComicBook/TheAvengers and the ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}}, written by Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza. The series lasted for 6 issues (May-September, 2004). The Thunderbolts comic book was cancelled at that time, but the success of the crossover allowed a new comic book, ''New Thunderbolts'', which retrieved the original title some time afterwards.
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4	In the story, the Thunderbolts take proactive action against banana republics with [[WeaponOfMassDestruction Weapons Of Mass Destruction]]. The Avengers do not trust them, because they are led by Helmut Zemo, and spy on them in several ways. The Thunderbolts create a huge machine, the "Liberator", which would absorb all the dangerous energies of the world: atomic bombs, gamma boms, superpowers, everything. Captain Amerca doesn't trust them, and thinks it's all an EvilPlan of Zemo to TakeOverTheWorld. The Avengers storm the Thunderbolts base and [[NiceJobBreakingItHero make a mess]], igniting Moonstone's failsafe against Zemo, a code that channeled all the stolen energy to her. She gets nuts and starts an all-out fight with both the Avengers and the other Thunderbolts.
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6	In the end, the machine is destroyed, Moonstone is left in a coma, the Thunderbolts break up... and Zemo escapes with the moon stones that made Moonstone so powerful.
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8	----
9	!!Tropes:
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11	* AscendedExtra: Dallas Riordan gets ionic powers from Atlas and joins the Thunderbolts as Vantage.
12	* BerserkButton: Atlas can't bring himself to attack his teammates... but when Moonstone attacks Vantage (a FlyingBrick against a mere acrobat, which ends just as expected), he tries to crush Moonstone like an ant.
13	* BreakingTheFellowship: The Thunderbolts break up after this fiasco, but Mach IV organized a new team just one month later.
14	* ComicallyMissingThePoint: The Thunderbols, led by Zemo, force a BananaRepublic to give up their secret atomic plans. The PresidentEvil sent his navy, to no avail. As he keeps going on about how he'll never give in, Zemo interrupts by showing him and his cabinet a video of the president having sex with the wife of his minister (standing right next to him). Vantage asks WhatTheHellHero. Well, Zemo ended the conflict swiftly, decisively, and... let's hope... without loss of life. Isn't that what heroes do?
15	* CoversAlwaysLie: The cover shows Zemo wearing his classic pink hood... but, as his face had been restored in previous arcs, he does not wear the hood during most of the story. As StatusQuoIsGod, he would end this series with his face burned and wearing the hood once again.
16	* EvilPlan: As is consistent for Zemo, he tries to "save" the world with the most supervillainous plan possible. He may have changed his motives, but not his methods.
17	* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: Averted. Zemo had a HeelFaceTurn, becomes a full superhero (and not merely posing as a superhero, as in the early Thunderbolts issues), and organizes a plan to save the world from weapons of mass destruction. Everybody is so damn sure that, when the moment was due, Zemo would reveal himself as EvilAllAlong and that his plan to save the world was actually an EvilPlan to TakeOverTheWorld. But no. Zemo was doing good things for real, and never changed his mind.
18	* HeelFaceDoorSlam: The Avengers continue to want absolutely nothing to do with Zemo, even after he saved Captain America's life. As a result, [[ThenLetMeBeEvil he decides to be evil once again]].
19	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: If the Avengers (or, more exactly, Captain America) had stayed at home and trusted in the Thunderbolts, or just made a polite "WhatTheHellHero" instead of going on the attack without waiting for answers, things would have ended SO differently... though in fairness, Zemo has given them ''plenty'' of reasons to not trust him.
20	* PunctuatedForEmphasis: The final scene. "I! AM! ZEMO!"
21	* PutOnABus: Moonstone's insanity puts her down for the count, not reviving until after ''Civil War''.
22	* SwitchingPOV: Each issue is narrated by a different character.
23	* TakingTheBullet: One of the most unexpected examples in the franchise. [[spoiler:Baron Helmut Zemo saves Captain America's life, jumping in the way of one of Moonstone's energy blasts, scarring his face up. Heinrich Zemo must be turning in his grave.]]
24	* TheBusCameBack: The return (and departure again) of [[spoiler:Jolt, who had been absent for years]].
25	* TheMole: [[spoiler:Cobalt Man turns out to be Tony Stark in disguise]].
26	* ThenLetMeBeEvil: In the end, when The Avengers refuse to believe he truly wants to do good. Zemo decides to return to his villainous ways.

Context ComicBook / AvengersThunderbolts