Listen to me, Archon... I don't know what power you have, but that man down there under the influence of that crown is my brother. He's a good man... and I won't have you killing him. Not if there's another way. 
Appearing in "Secret Histories: Part 3 of 4"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Archon (Main story and flashback) (Name first revealed)
- Xandarian Worldmind
Antagonists:
- Shadow Council
- Director Aloysius Thorndrake (First appearance) (Main story and flashback)
- Agent Fury
- Numerous other unnamed agents
- Nova (Richard Rider) (Possessed by the Darkest Child)
- Darkest Child (Name first revealed) (Possesses Nova)
Other Characters:
- President Jefferson Davis (Topical Reference)
- Aloysius Thorndrake's father (Referenced)
- John Steele (Mentioned)
- Nova Corps (Mentioned)
- Odin (Invoked)
- Roxxon (Mentioned)
- Shadow Council's 9th Legion (Mentioned)
- The Abyss (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Arishem the Judge (Only in flashback)
- Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd) (Only in flashback)
- Unnamed Watcher (First and only known appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Three other Archons (Only in flashback)
Races and Species:
- Humans (Main story and flashback)
- Archons (Main story and flashback) (Origin revealed)
- Mutants
- Dark Children (Name first revealed)
- Asgardians
- LMDs
- Celestials (Only in flashback)
- Zenn-Lavians (Only in flashback)
- Watchers (Only in flashback)
Locations:
- Earth-616 (Main story and flashback)
- Vanishing Point (Name first revealed)
Items:
- Ant-Man's Helmet and Space Suit
- Thorned Crown (Name first revealed)
- Dragonfang
- Moon Knight's Space Suit
- War Machine Armor Model 5
- Crown of Tentacles
- Crown of Wolves (Mentioned)
Vehicles:
- Taa II (Only in flashback)
- Silver Surfer's Surfboard (Only in flashback)
Synopsis for "Secret Histories: Part 3 of 4"
In Texas, August of 1865, Major Alysius Thorndrake was chasing a crook who mysteriously disappeared. He has his deputy show him where their quarry disappeared to.
In the present, Ant-Man is tumbling through the unknown portal he went through on Mars.
Elsewhere, Steve Rogers and Beast are being attacked by the mysterious Archon, who thinks they stole the Thorned Crown. Rogers manages to reason with Archon that they don't have it, which Archon believes. Then suddenly, the Worldmind, speaking through Nova's discarded helmet, states that she knows about the crown the construct Archon seeks. Rogers then receives a mayday from Valkyrie, who is in the midst of engaging Nova, controlled by the Thorned Crown. When she attempts to strike him, he grabs her sword and knocks her back. Returning to his men, he notices that they are suffering from the lack of oxygen on Mars, due to Valkyrie breaking their O2 feeds. Therefore, Nova is somehow able to restore oxygen to Mars.
Realizing that the others are in trouble, Rogers contacts War Machine to rendezvous with them. However, the latter reports that Ant-Man has gone missing.
At the same time, Ant-Man has turned up at the Shadow Council citadel in Texas, having emerged from a device called the Vanishing Point. At small size, he is able to avoid detection when others come to investigate. Elsewhere in the citadel, Nick Fury is meeting with a very-much alive Thorndrake, who is musing over the Crown of Tentacles. When he is alerted to the events on Mars, he orders Fury to sent in "the 9th Legion".
Back on Mars, while en route to Valkyrie's position, Archon explains to Rogers and Beast that Nova is going to break down the barriers that keep an ancient being called the Abyss from imprisonment. The Abyss is the very reason for his existence, why the Watchers created him and his brothers in the time predating the Celestials. Archon attempts to engage Nova, despite Rogers' pleas not to kill him. However, with the Crown controlling the Nova Force empowered Nova, he easily defeats Archon and damage him extensively.
Solicit Synopsis
• What hides in the depths of the red planet? How does it link to the Shadow Empire lurking behind the scenes in America for nearly 150 years?
• And will our heroes be able to save one of their own? The Secret Avengers duo Ed Brubaker and Mike Deodato bring the action.
