Warning! Spoilers for Heroes Reborn #6
The Avengers have always been considered Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but the Squadron Supreme of America’s Power Princess is giving them a run for their money. While she may not be the most altruistic member of the Squadron, the latest issue of Heroes Reborn certainly proves that Zarda is the deadliest.
Heroes Reborn is an ongoing Marvel Comics event that takes place in a world in which the Avengers were never assembled. In their place, the Squadron Supreme of America – essentially Marvel’s version of the Justice League overseen by President Phil Coulson – serve as this timeline’s greatest heroes. Unfortunately, their definition of heroism is far less forgiving than that of Captain America and his allies. But judging by Power Princess’s personal history, it may be more effective.
Heroes Reborn #6 by Jason Aaron, Erica D’urso, and Ed McGuinness highlight just how ruthlessly effective Zarda, the Squadron's version of Wonder Woman, really is. As Zarda faces the All-Gog – a hyper-powered entity that has already feasted on Odin, Loki, and the rest of the Asgardians – Power Princess makes short work of the beast by using her Uru gauntlet to rip out its entrails. Returning to her base in the Statue of Liberty, she adds the All-Gog to her collection of defeated enemies, all turned to stone as a part of a morbid statue garden. Among those statues are some truly heavy hitters. Threats like Knull, Hela, and Ulik the Troll are all entombed alongside the All-Gog, as are traditional Avengers like Janet Van Dyne and Tigra. Even the Prince of Power, Hercules, could not escape Power Princess alongside his fellow Avengers.
But her stone victims aren’t the only threats she’s conquered, as her greatest victories are depicted as flashbacks throughout the issue. It was Zarda of Utopia Isle who defeated the Dark Phoenix. She staved off the Hulk’s attack during this timeline’s version of World War Hulk. She took on the Celestials and conquered Gorr the God Butcher, mastering his Necrosword and reshaping it into the Necrolasso. It’s also mentioned that she killed the New Mutant, Magik, using a sword forged from the flesh of her own brother, Colossus.
In this timeline, Zarda is even credited with killing Hitler after fighting alongside Namor the Sub-Mariner in World War II. Though she’s had her fair share of impressive victories against some of Marvel’s greatest threats, her actions against Professor X and Magneto, in addition to the heroes she’s turned to statues, show a distinct ruthlessness that the Avengers just don’t share. Because of that, it’s hard to imagine the Avengers accomplishing these feats that she’s managed singlehandedly.
Unlike the heroes formerly known as Earth’s Mightiest, it seems that Zarda is more than willing to cross any line it takes to get what she wants. While that may make for a more effective hero, both Power Princess and her allies in the Squadron Supreme are starting to blur the line between hero and villain. Anyone who can take on Fin Fang Foom or punch the beard off the God of Thunder ranks among Earth’s Mightiest. While Power Princess’s tactics may not be the most heroic, even the Avengers can't argue with her results.