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Issue Review
Secret Wars II #8

Direct Market Release Date: October 22, 1985

Credits

Title: Betrayal!
Scripter: Jim Shooter
Penciler: Al Milgrom
Inker: Steve Leialoha
Letters: Joe Rosen and Rick Parker
Colorist: Christie Scheele
Editor: Bob Budiansky

Summary

Frustrated and angry at his failure to find meaning in his existence, the Beyonder visit the Denver, Colorado apartment of Owen Reese, the Molecule Man, and his girlfriend Marsha Rosenberg, also known as Volcana. In his anger, the Beyonder unleashes a bolt of energy that destroys everything in it's path, from the Earth's moon to solar systems light years away. While listening to the Beyonder's troubles, Owen Reese reverses the damage with a flick of his wrist.

Reece suggests that the Beyonder start from the beginning, when he was an empty universe, beyond all of existence. The Beyonder teleports them there, and recreates the event that caused him to become aware of this reality, down to the last photon. Owen Reece discovers that the same accident that turned him into the Molecule Man opened up a tiny pinhole that allowed the Beyonder to start observing humanity.

Recalling his experiences on earth, the Beyonder begins to lose control. When the Molecule Man suggests that he use his powers to become a regular mortal to understand humanity, the increasingly paranoid Beyonder believes that the Molecule Man would then use that opportunity to kill him. He threatens to destroy all existence and vanishes, leaving behind a petrified Owen Reece.

The Beyonder returns to San Francisco and tries again to find meaning in life down paths he has already explored. He fills his life with exotic possessions, and exerts his will on others, coercing a waitress named Julia to spend the night with him. He toys with the humans around him, tormenting them with earthquakes and prematurely aging them.

The X-Men, still in San Francisco repairing the damage done with their last encounter with the Beyonder, find him and attack. Phoenix, still in possession of her Beyonder augmented powers, attempts to kill him again. She fails, and the Beyonder asks why they would try to fight him again. Rachel Summers responds by saying that he provoked them by returning to San Francisco. Realizing that he provoked this battle, the Beyonder disappears.

He again visits the Molecule Man in Denver. Fearful of the Beyonder's rage, Owen Reese encapsulates the city in an unbreakable force dome. The Beyonder shatters it with ease and vanishes yet again, leaving a helpless Molecule Man behind.

Reappearing in the southwestern United States, the Beyonder seeks out the incredible Hulk. The last time he encountered, Bruce Banner, he was stuck at the Crossroads, contemplating suicide. Contemplating ending his own existence as well, the Beyonder decides to study Banner and the desire for self destruction, and finds that the personas of the Hulk and Bruce Banner have been separated. The Beyonder finds the Banner-less Hulk to be nothing but rage personified, an "infinity of power with no finite element inside". Disgusted, the Beyonder realizes that it reminds him of himself.

Next, the Beyonder visits the apartment of Peter Parker. While discussing human's fascination with life and death, Parker tells him that him that humans appreciate life because they know that their lives have a finite end. Frustrated by his infinite nature, the Beyonder leaves in anger, where he easily brushes off a surprise attack by the New Mutants.

The Beyonder decides to revisit the Molecule Man, in hopes of once again gaining his help in understanding his confusion. The Molecule Man has been trying in vain to find a way to escape the Beyonder and his wrath, but has recently been convinced by his girlfriend, Marsha Rosenberg, to make a stand and stop running.

When the Beyonder appears in Molecule Man's apartment, and is immediately attacked. He accuses Owen Reece of showing his true colors, and decides once and for all to erase all of existence. He is about to start by killing Reece, when Marsha Rosenberg throws herself at the Beyonder's feet and renounces her love for Owen Reece. This reduces the Molecule Man to a crippled heap on the floor. Enjoying Molecule Man's suffering, the Beyonder decides to make one final trip around the multiverse before eliminating it, and disappears. Rosenberg leaves in tears, and we learn that she was only acting in hopes stopping the Beyonder's attack.

After several adventures around the multiverse (detailed in Mew Mutants #37 and Amazing Spider-Man #274), the Beyonder is found by the Avengers. The Avengers attempt to reason with him, but he responds with force.

Quotes

Marsha Rosenberg: Snookums, please be careful! I'm afraid for you!
Owen Reece: Don't worry, Marshamallow! Everything is going to be fine! Remember, I was in therapy for a long time! I know just what to do!
Marsha Rosenberg: But he's so dangerous! I can't stand the thought of anything happening to you, babykins! I love you SO much!
Owen Reece: That's what gives me the courage to see this through, darling! I've got to -- for you, for US.. and so there'll still be a world for us to live in! Maybe you'd better leave me and the Beyonder alone for a while now, okay, sweetums?

The Beyonder: It was a pinhole! Probably caused by some cataclysmic happening in your Multiverse! At first, I didn't know what to make of it! After a while, I looked through it and realized that it led to somewhere else! Later, I learned that "somewhere else" was Earth!
Owen Reece: This is what it looked like when it happened, though, huh? Exactly?
The Beyonder: Down to the last photon!
Owen Reece: Then, maybe if I take a close look, I can figure out what caused it! Oh my GOSH! That's ME! That's me when I had the atomic accident that made me the Molecule Man! I'M the cause! My becoming the Molecule Man caused all this!
The Beyonder: What's THAT supposed to mean? That you're somehow responsible for my being? That you CREATED me?
Owen Reece: N-no! I mean... I don't know!

The Beyonder: I want to study the Banner side of your brain, and -- Wait a minute! It -- it's MISSING! There IS no Banner-persona inside you! Somehow Bruce Banner has been SEPARATED from the Hulk! No wonder you're more vicious now! You are nothing but raging power personified! An INFINITY of power -- with no FINITE ELEMENT inside! It's... UGLY! Worse... it reminds me of someone...

Peter Parker: Beyonder! Uh... Long time no see! C-c'mon in! Sorry, um... I can't let you use my bathroom this time...

Commentary

Similar to the Beyonder's mental state, Secret Wars II begins to break down at this point. While this month's tie in's feature some of the best books of the series, overall the entire month can be summed up as the Beyonder threatens to destroy the universe, something makes him postpone his annihilation, and repeat. Like the boy who cried wolf, by the third time he announces that he is going to wipe existence clean, the threat loses it's impact.

This issue also features two attacks on the Beyonder by the X-Men and New Mutants that consist of nothing more than each group hoping to eliminate an omnipotent being by having everyone jump out at once and pile on top of him.

While some may cringe at the exceedingly sugary dialog between Owen Reece and Marsha Rosenberg, I actually find it's a nice touch of character for the Molecule Man. As annoying as a couple like that may be in real life, it does give the impression that the two really do like each other. As such, it adds impact when we see Reece in a defeated, crumpled heap after Rosenberg leaves him at the end of the issue.

Use of the brainless Hulk as a mirror for the Beyonder and his frustration and rage was an interesting plot device. Both are currently characterized as infinite rage personified, with no ability to connect or relate to humanity. It was a clever way of helping the reader understand the Beyonder's current state of mind.

The reading order for this month's tie ins needs a bit of help. The best experience would be as follows.

1. Secret Wars II #8 pages 1-24 panel 3
• The Beyonder decides to take one last trip around the Multiverse before annhillating it completely.
2. New Mutants #37
• Frustrated and angry, the Beyonder kills the New Mutants.
  
3. Amazing Spider-Man #274
• The Beyonder gives the universe a temporary reprieve after viewing Spider-Man's courage.
4. Secret Wars II #8 page 24 panel 3 - page 25
• Returning to earth, the Beyonder is confronted by the Avengers.
5. Avengers #265
• Beyonder attacks the Avengers and grows in frustration.
6. Fantastic Four #288
• Dr. Doom summons the Beyonder.
7. Uncanny X-Men #203
• Phoenix, still possessing the Beyonder's power, shows the Beyonder the true magnitude of destroying all life and existence, and he leaves confused.

Up next...

Secret Wars II continues in New Mutants #37!