Battle of the Planets/Witchblade is a one-shot crossover between the Battle of the Planets and Witchblade comics series. The issue is called "Savior".
Synopsis[]
The Witchblade finds a new host, in the form of G-Force's Princess.
Characters[]
Antagonists[]
Other Characters[]
Locations[]
- Earth
- Europe
Plot Summary[]
In east central European country of Belarus, the sun is setting and an old lady calls her grandson back home in fear of wolves that roam restless this season. She gives the boy food and promises to tell him a story if he eats all of it. The old lady then lets him pick, which one does he want to hear, "Decoys of Doom", "Curse of the Cuttlefish", "Race Against Disaster" or "The Fierce Flowers". The boy instead wants to hear his favorite one, the one about the Princess. Hearing this, the old lady gets frustrated as she already told him this story hundred of times, but decides to comply.
Years before, their land was invaded by hostile aliens who wanted to strip the land of a rich biological resource known as peat. Although it was a simple fertilizer to humans, to the invaders it was the priceless source material for their powerful terraforming engines. Meanwhile, the denizens were enslaved by the invaders in order to rebuild the worlds crushed by their vicious empire. One day, a mysterious stranger was captured by the invaders who managed to take out seven of their best men before the aliens could get off a single shot. The old lady, then being just a little girl, notices the stranger being brought to confinement.
The invaders also manage to unearth an ancient citadel that, at its dark heart, housed an unholy artifact. An artifact believed to be born of pure evil that fed on the living. Meanwhile as the stranger is thrown into her cell, the girl manages to sneak into it and bring food and medication to the prisoners. She does this, because her own mother died because of malnutrition and lack of even the most basic medical care. Although she was to young to help her mother at that time, she swore, that when she was of age, the girl never would never stand by and watch the needless death of human life.
After taking some food, the two other prisoners decide to investigate the stranger. As they approach her, the stranger does a back flip and cuts free her binds into the rock behind her. This display of extreme physical prowess comes at the cost of her own strength and she asks the girl to give her water. The girl points out that, other prisoners are afraid of the stranger except for her. Stranger tells, that they shouldn't be afraid as she's here to help them. The girl says that she knew this the moments she saw her and asks the stranger how did she break free of her restraints. Stranger explains, that the acoustics in the cell revealed the dimensions of her confinement and the smell clued her that they where underground, hence shark rock walls.
The stranger the proceeds to take out a pill out of a secret compartment in her boot heel, which will counteract the tranquilizer darts the invaders shot her with. She then reassures the girl, that as soon as she contacts her friends they will be shutting this place down and get everyone to safety. The stranger then realizes that her bracelet is gone and begins frantically search for it, only for the girl to reveal her, that the invaders took it. They then hear, that the invaders are coming back and the girl tells the stranger to pretend that she is still in her restraints. The girl then proceeds to hide in a vent.
Having failed to find the little girl, the invaders discuss if they should inform their leader, Zoltar about the stranger they managed to capture. In the end they decide that they should tell no one how they allowed a tourist to wander onto base camp without anyone noticing her. They reveal, that the prisoners will be soon offered to the artifact for the sacrifice. Meanwhile, the stranger is contacted by the Witchblade who tells her that it is the means of her revenge, much to the women's confusion.
Elsewhere, scientist are examining the Witchblade, who started to emit large amounts of energy. This confuses the scientists as the artifact didn't gave any usable date even after eviscerating dozens of test subjects. The readings also remind them of brainwaves, which even more puzzles them and they decide to send the report to their resident specialist, Reinhart. Meanwhile, Reinhart in his work tent talks with Zoltar through a computer. Reinhart reassures Zoltar that progress is being made, but invaders leader doesn't trust him as the resident specialist is known to be a thief of ancient relics and traitor of his own race. Having said that, Zoltar asks Reinhart about the progress he made. Reinhart tells Zoltar, that there's little to no information left about the Witchblade, but he confirms that the ancient weapon predates the beginning of modern civilization and throughout history the weapon was passed from bearer to bearer. Also the citadel was built in order to protect it.
Zoltar doesn't care about the artifacts history as he is here to enslave this world. He also points out, that Reinhart's test subjects are cutting into his workforce. Reinhart tries to reason with him, saying that he was hired to figure out what his boys dug up and that's exactly what he's doing. He also warns him, that certain rules need to be adhered to when dealing with this artifact. All Zoltar wants to know is when he can use the weapon against his kind and warns that if Reinhart can't give this answer quickly, he will be dealt with. One of the invaders then shoot Reinhart with a tranquilizer dart. Meanwhile back in her cell, the stranger tells Witchblade to get out of her head, thinking that she's losing her mind. The Witchblade reassures her, that she's no losing her mind and was chosen by the artifact to be its bearer.
When the stranger came to Earth to review this target so that her team could strike it with the utmost efficiency, the Witchblade blew up her motorcycle tire. Witnessing how she dealt with the invaders surrounding her, the Witchblade knew at that moment, that she was worthy to become its bearer. Since the Witchblade entered her mind, it also lets the stranger to witness the artifacts birth and to look upon those who have come before her. The stranger isn't impressed with images sees see, passing it for a trick. Stranger then rallies up the prisoners and comes up with a plan to escape their confinement. Two other prisoners aren't convinced by her plan, thinking that the stranger is crazy.
Elsewhere, the little girl infiltrated Reinhart's tent in order to find out more about the artifact. In the present, the old lady adds, that Reinhart knew exactly what Witchblade wanted and played the invaders for the arrogant fools they were. He knew the Witchblade required a host with a keen sense of purpose and focus. Meanwhile, the stranger kills one of the invaders and plant explosives in the compound. Back in the tent, Reinahart finds the little girl. He reveals that he has heard stories about the little freedom fighter that would dare challenge the great might of Spectra. Reinhart also adds, that if not for her young age, the Witchblade would have chosen her to become its bearer. The girl then tells Reinhart that a powerful stranger has arrived who's going to free them. Reinhart says, that he's fully aware of her as the Witchblade became quite antsy the moment she arrived on Earth. Their conversation is then interrupted by a series of explosions going off outside.
Meanwhile, the stranger frees the prisoners as the invaders run after them. The stranger then hands the prisoners laser drills. As the invaders confront the stranger, she tells them to look up. When they comply, they see prisoners, armed with laser drills, standing on top of a rock. They then proceed to open fire and kill them. The rag-tag group of freedom fighters then mount an assault on the invaders. Suddenly, Reinhart contacts with the stranger through screens in the compound, revealing to have captured the little girl. He then forces the stranger and the prisoners to give up and meet him in the citadel.
In the citadel, Reinhart reveals that although he doesn't who she is or where she came from, the Witchblade has taken a liking to her and she won't be denied. Throughout history multiple women wore the Witchblade, women just like her. Reinhart also says, that the Witchblade is his life's obsession and he sold his soul to the devil, so to speak, in order to witness it. He then forces the stranger to put on the artifact. As she approaches it, the Witchblade takes possession of the stranger and notices an artifact of great power inside of her. Bonded with the Witchblade, the stranger is forced to attack anyone in sight. During the confusion created by the massacre, the little girl escapes from Reinhart's grasps.
As the Witchblade begins to tamper with the strangers talisman, she calls out Mark. Meanwhile, Zoltar orders his soldiers to deliver core samples and then destroy the artifact. He also orders to bring Reinhart to him so he could express his disappointment of his performance. The now fully possessed stranger, attacks the invaders and stops them from leaving the planet. The Witchblade then asks the stranger how it feels to have the means of destroying her most hated enemy right in the palm of her hand. The stranger answers that the feeling is liberating. Invaders then send all the forces, including giant machines to stop the stranger. As the miners get stuck between in the crossfire, other members of the G-Force arrive to scene. Their leader, Mark points out that if not for the intense dispersal of energy showing up on the Phoenix's scanners they would never have pinpointed this area.
Meanwhile a robot is about to crush a woman with her child, when its suddenly shot and destroyed. Mark tells Tiny that he didn't order to fire as they too close to civilians. Tiny explains that it wasn't him. As Mark questions as to who shot the machine, he's sees the stranger, revealed to be Princess, a member of G-Force, completely fused and taken over by Witchblade. She then attacks her fellow teammates as Mark order Jason to take out a mech approaching them. Jason quickly flies up to the mech and proceeds to destroy it with one shot of his gun.
Mark is then caught by the possessed Princess. He tries to break her out of the possession, which causes Princess to let out her suppressed emotions. Princess tells him, that she lost having identity the minute she was forced into joining G-Force, suppress the grief of losing her mother, abandoning her childhood and made into an assassin. Also forced to hide her feelings for someone she loves more than herself. Princess adds that if not for Spectra they all would have a real life. Mark then points out that if not for Spectra they would've never met and the five of them would've never been raised together.
This words force Princess to lose her drive and focus, weakening the Witchblade's grip on her. It then forces her to attack her friends. The little girl then brings Princess lost bracelets and Mark quickly puts them on her. The bracelets push out the Witchblade from Princess, freeing her from its control. Princess then thanks the little girl for helping her. The girl tells that she wants to be a hero just like Princess when she grows up, but Princess answers that she already is one. Princess and Mark then watch as relief workers come to help the wounded denizens. They also notice that both Reinhart and the Witchblade disappeared. The two then rekindle their friendship.
Meanwhile, the little girl finds the Witchblade, now in the form of a bracelet and puts it on. Back in the present as the old lady puts her grandson to sleep, the Witchblade complaints of its portrayal as a villain in her stories. The Witchblade adds that its because it, that the little girl became a hero among her people, eventually becoming an ace pilot. The old lady answers that she's not listening to it. The Witchblade then asks if they could at least kill the wolves. The old lady agrees, but decides to only frighten them as they have been thrashing her garden. But first she makes few more entries in her memoirs called "Savior: A Hero's Tale".
Trivia[]
- The "Send in everyone! Everyone? Everyone!" line is a reference to the same line spoken by Norman Stansfield in movie "Léon: The Professional".