Avengers Gives Its Strongest Member a Radical Transformation

WARNING: Spoilers for Avengers #52 follow. Business is picking up for Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The Marvel Universe is on the verge of collapse as the Multiversal Masters of Evil attack and destroy each world they conqueror. However, help is on the way with the addition of two heavy hitters to the team. An earlier recruit, Starbrand, became an honorary member after her mother, the original wielder of the Starbrand, died giving birth to her in outer space. The Avengers took Baby Brandy back to Earth with them to watch over her, though she was aged up after a recent reality warp. The latest issue of Avengers transforms the Starbrand even more during an encounter with the Multiversal Masters of Evil.

Avengers #52 by Jason Aaron, Juan Frigeri, David Curiel, and VC's Cory Petit opens with Captain America and Captain Marvel taking Starbrand to see her mother's birth house. Their hope is the house will help Brandy reconnect with her mother, especially since Brandy has developed a bit of an attitude. The Starbrand drives Brandy to seek out alien insurgents across Earth, which has led to her sneaking out of Avengers Mountain. Captain America and Captain Marvel hope Brandy can retain some of her humanity before the Starbrand changes her forever. Unfortunately, the tour is cut short when an army of time-traveling Deathloks arrive in search of "the greatest Avenger of this era." Surprisingly, it's not Captain America or Captain Marvel, but the young Starbrand they seek.

Eventually, they're all attacked by the Masters of Evil's Death Hunters — Black Skull and Ghost Goblin. The Deathloks and Caps put up a good fight against the multiversal villains, but once Starbrand senses the alien Klyntar symbiote worn by the Black Skull, she charges into battle. According to Black Skull and Ghost Goblin, Brandy is the last of the Starbrands from across the multiverse. The chaos caused when they try to escape results in Starbrand leveling up from a young girl to an adult woman.

When you recall how the Starbrand is intended to be the last line of defense for the planet Earth, the changes Brandy has undergone make a lot more sense. With the multiverse on the verge of being destroyed and the Marvel 616 Universe next on the Masters of Evil's hit list, the Starbrand entity would do whatever it takes to make sure its champion is up to the task of protecting Earth. Therefore, an adult Starbrand would be in a better position to do this than a child.

What do you make of the changes to Marvel's Starbrand? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!