The New Avengers didn’t just appear out of nowhere—they rose from the ashes of devastation. Crafted by the minds of Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch, their story began in Avengers (Vol. 1) #500–503, better known as Avengers Disassembled. What followed was a complete reshaping of Marvel’s superhero landscape. Let’s dive deep into this explosive transition from the fall of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to the rise of a new era: The New Avengers.
Avengers Disassembled: When Everything Fell Apart
The chaos starts in Avengers #500, and it literally begins with a bang.
Jack of Hearts, long believed dead, suddenly appears outside Avengers Mansion. Scott Lang, aka Ant-Man, is stunned to see him. “Jack, what happened? How are you here? I thought you died saving my daughter,” Scott asks. But Jack, looking zombified, simply says, “I’m sorry”—and then explodes, destroying part of the mansion and killing Scott.
Moments later, things spiral further out of control.
Vision crashes a Quinjet into the remains of Avengers Mansion. As Captain America, Hawkeye, and Falcon investigate, Vision emerges with an eerie declaration: he’s no longer in control of his body. Then, without warning, his mouth opens and unleashes Ultron drones onto the heroes.
The battle intensifies, and in a moment of emotional collapse, She-Hulk snaps. She tears Vision in half, kills him, and punches Captain America, later smashing him under a truck. Her berserker rage symbolizes just how badly the Avengers are unraveling.
A Kree Attack and Hawkeye’s Heroic Sacrifice
As if things weren’t apocalyptic enough, issue #502 introduces a sudden Kree warship attack. The Avengers attempt to fight back but struggle. Hawkeye, ever the fearless warrior, straps explosives to himself and flies straight into the ship, sacrificing his life to destroy it.
Doctor Strange Reveals the True Enemy
By Avengers #503, Doctor Strange arrives with a chilling revelation: these catastrophic events aren’t random—they’re the work of Scarlet Witch.
Scarlet Witch’s suppressed memories of her lost children have caused a mental breakdown. Her uncontrollable reality-warping powers are behind the explosions, the deaths, She-Hulk’s rampage, and more. With the team broken and its members dead or devastated, the original Avengers officially disband.
The Aftermath: A World Without Avengers
Six months later, New Avengers #1 opens with a recap of those harrowing events. Scarlet Witch’s breakdown left heroes dead, wounded, and emotionally shattered. Lacking resources and support, the remaining Avengers disbanded quietly.
But trouble doesn’t wait for heroes to regroup.
The Raft Breakout: A New Threat Emerges
When Electro disables the power grid at the Raft (a high-security prison for supervillains), over 40 inmates escape. Spider-Man, Iron Man, Luke Cage, and Captain America respond. Among the chaos, Carnage escapes—until Sentry appears.
Sentry, who had voluntarily imprisoned himself for believing he killed his wife, confronts Carnage, flies him into space, and rips him in half.
Despite the efforts of these heroes, many villains escape. In the aftermath, Tony Stark and Steve Rogers sit aboard a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier reflecting on what just happened.
Captain America’s Vision: A New Team Must Rise
Tony throws a bagel at Steve, and despite the light banter, the conversation turns serious. Forty-two supervillains are now on the loose. Steve points out something deeper—how this chaotic team-up reminded him of the original Avengers’ formation. An unexpected group came together to tackle a threat none of them could handle alone.
And once again, fate had assembled a new team.
Recruiting the New Avengers
Despite Tony’s hesitation—concerned about funding and logistics—Steve insists: “No more politics. No more salaries. Just us helping people.”
With that, Steve begins personally assembling the team.
Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
Steve visits Peter and offers him a place. Peter is reluctant, saying he doesn’t fit in with teams. But Steve persuades him with sincerity and respect. Peter finally agrees—then jokingly admits he thought there’d be money involved. Steve tells him the truth: there isn’t.
Luke Cage
Next, Steve visits Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. Luke is moved by the idea that his daughter could one day say her dad was an Avenger. He signs on, not for glory, but for legacy.
Daredevil (Matt Murdock)
Steve also reaches out to Daredevil, who declines due to his overwhelming commitments. Still, Steve asks him to at least think about it.
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
Finally, Steve recruits Jessica Drew, aka Spider-Woman. And just like that, the foundation of the New Avengers is laid.
A New Era Begins
This new team—comprised of heroes from wildly different backgrounds—forms not through government orders or structured protocols, but from shared instincts, mutual respect, and a calling to rise against growing threats.
In essence, they are what the Avengers were always meant to be: a team formed in crisis, guided by unity, and forged by fate.
Also Read: Origin of Lois Lane As Superwoman
Leave a Comment