#microns

To briefly recap the previous issue, an archeologist finds an ancient table with a prophecy about the Microverse they can't decipher. An inhabitant of the Microverse sees the same table in his subconscious and transcribes it. They know what it means. They must find three "keys" to be able to connect with something called the Enigma Force and save the Microverse. An microverse-quake happens. The Microns set out on a mission to retrieve the keys. They wind up in an area called Oceania ruled by someone named Aquon, who was introduced earlier in a flashback. Aquon wears one of the keys. He is going to use it to make all his people water-breathers and not turn it over to the Microns.

Back on Earth, the archeologist despairs ever learning the meaning of the tablet when Doc shows up and says he may be able to help.

Now that you're caught up you know everything I do up to this point. Now comes the time to read and judge...

Doc is in his Sanctum Sanctorum checking out the ancient tablet. Apparently, he managed to convince a bunch of important people that he should borrow the oldest man made object on the planet. Using the all-purpose amulet, he goes ghost and goes back in time. This seems to be easier than way back in Strange Tales #124 where the Ancient One needed to keep a smelly candle lit. I guess being sorcerer supreme has its advantages.

Doc winds up in ancient Bahawalpur, India. He finds the ancient version of the city under siege by demonic forces and defended by a quartet of weirdos.

Inside the palace, Doc finds Price Wayfinder talking to a sword. Yup, even weirder.

The sword complains about having to save the Prince's people in manner that's a bit too modern. This was many thousands of years ago. But hey, they're also speaking English millennia before that was even a language.

Doc realizes that the sword sent the city's people to the Microverse. Now what? That question will have to wait. We've just returned to Oceania. Our microns are now riding fishies trying to rescue their fellows and (according to the caption) take revenge on the inhabitants of the city beneath the sea. Does Lady Coral know her brother is a bother in all this? I think, not yet.

She and her Micronaut allies will need to deal with a bunch of big sea creatures first. we get another lovely full page panel for this.

This leads to Lady Coral's discovery...

Lady Coral and Aquon bicker back and forth about who's a traitor and who's a savoir. The key gets a mention and we turn elsewhere to check in on Arcturus and Marionette. They're alive inside some bubble fish. Their air is running our, but a guard assures them they won't need it much longer. Are they going to die? Nah, they'll just become mer-men/maids. Before the change can really get started, a seaquake shakes things up. The Prince and Marionette swim to the surface. Not sure how far down they are, but hopefully it's not far enough to give them the bends.

On the water's surface, the Micronauts continue to battle the sea monsters and Aquon's soldiers. Coral continues to bicker with her brother. Bug gets captured and is rescued by Pharoid. Most of them meet on the water's surface while Aquon goes on about the key and how it will rescue everyone. While they go back and forth, Lady Coral's city gets hit by another quake and falls apart. Her dad dies and Aquon takes this as his cue. He uses the key to turn everyone scaly.

Lady Coral is having a rough time accepting this and the Micronauts have to explain that had he not done this, everyone in Seazone would have died. At least they get to live this way. And breathe water. Yay! Aquon realizes that the being who transformed him was a Time Traveler and connected to Arcturus. Arcturus realizes this means that Aquon cannot be evil. Aquon, having accomplished his mission, turns the key over to the Micronauts. Lady Coral stayed human and now, full of self loathing because she interfered with her people's salvation runs away, maybe to return if she figures things out.

Finally, Acroyear, who ran away at the beginning of last issue, has returned to his dead planet and branded himself a traitor for making his people run away. Now he's going to chase a comet and I guess we'll find out more about it in the upcoming issues.

Yeah, I am not enjoying this. We're at the intersection of some serious world building, a change of story arcs and a large cast of characters. Bill Mantlo is cramming an awful lot into all this. It's not a title to casually slip characters from other title in. Doc was barely in this installment. I'm hoping he gets more involved in the next few issues. I just don't care enough about the characters to really get invested. I may visit the original Micronauts run from the start and maybe things will make more sense.