Spider-Man’s sidekick Virtue, Pt. 2

Let’s finish our story!  Last we left off, Ethan Edwards (Virtue) had his identity shown to the world because he didn’t do stuff like wear a mask or not look directly at a camera.  But just as the cluster of problems began, Spider-Man received a phone call.  Turns out the Fantastic Four discovered Edwards’ true origin story.

Well?  Where is it from?  Behold as Superman’s parody has his birthing get a brand new twist.

So far, so good, right?  Planets explode or get eaten by world devourers all the time.  Though I still don’t think the most feared being in the galaxy should wear a tunic.  When your world is doomed and you happen to have a sphere spaceship just big enough for an infant, what would you do?  Absolutely ship that child away.  In your dying breath, you know that you have given your baby a chance at peace and happiness.  Feels good, right?

Except notice a special word?  Yessir, conquer.  Virtue’s people plan to swarm the planet and create monuments of the good ol’ days when their planet wasn’t eaten by evil beings who don’t wear pants. What shapeshifting Marvel alien species would do such a horrible thing?

Surprise!  Ethan Edwards is a Skrull!  Not only that, the brother of the original Super-Skrull.  Why are the Fantastic Four nervous about this revelation?  Well, supervillain Super-Skrull, because of his bioengineering, has the powers of the entire foursome.  Also, he wants to conquer the world for his fellow Skrull people.

Skrulls are a complicated, confusing alien race that the Celestials (space gods) evolved from reptiles millions of years ago.  They had wars, broke into different factions, and eventually united under an emperor and governors spread out over almost a thousand planets.  Secret Invasion, a big Marvel event, revolved around the Skrulls trying to conquer Earth.  But back to Edwards.

The difference as we see, is that Virtue’s upbringing as a God-fearing farm boy gives him none of the sneaky ruling impulses that characterize his people.  Still super crazy though.  Oh, and new costume with a shark fin hat.

The Skrulls wouldn’t implement some sort of mind controlling device inside the space sphere to awaken Virtue to his true mission and purpose, right?

You’ve read enough comics or movies or TV shows to know the best way to break a dude out of mind control, right?  Did you say sentimentality?  I guess that or blows to the head.

Why do crazy people wear aluminum foil hats?  Obviously so they don’t get transmitted a ton of information/mind attacked from whatever conspiracy they’re paranoid of that week.  Edwards forgot to wear his hat.

He flies back to New York City, because this is a Spider-Man title.

What bigger issues you ask?  Well, turns out our friend Edwards has some doubts about his origin. Y’know, something that’s going to trigger a fight between him and the web-slinger.  Also, while I haven’t personally experienced this, it must suck to believe you got your powers from God when you’re actually an evil alien readying your home to serve on a silver platter to your overlords.

In his anger and frustration, he serves up some beatdown to the Baxter Building where the Fantastic Four live.  They’re still in Iowa or something.  Oh, and Spider-Man’s buddies arrive.

When punching doesn’t work, elderly aunts and their rationality superpower will save the day. Edwards’ upbringing instilled in him by his parents isn’t something to count out.  Because he’s not a supervillain and doesn’t have the moral ambiguity to become one.  Sometimes, a little reminder can go a long way.  Like not breaking Captain’s America’s face.

Rarely do fights end on such a sweet note.  Though most fights do end with a flush supply of battered heroes.  With that, Virtue’s story comes to an end.  Oh, you want one final twist?

Exciting, right?  Unfortunately, you don’t see Virtue starring in any comics anymore.  He appears in the New Avengers and Avengers Annual #1 as part of a superhero team who wants to take out the Avengers, but he’s a minor character at best.  Though luckily he still wears the leather in those.  Also, have you thought about Jesus?  He gives Skrulls healing powers.