Note: Full spoilers for the episode follow.
After sitting out several episodes of Earth's Mightiest Heroes following his conversion in "Ultron Unlimited," Vision came back in a big way with "Emperor Stark." The episode kicked off with a great premise, as Vision awoke after a 30-day repair process to discover that Tony Stark had inexplicably chosen to take over the world. If superhero movies have taught us anything, it's that any device promising free, unlimited energy will eventually be harnessed for nefarious purposes.
The episode was certainly a strong showing for Vision, whose inorganic mind suddenly became a major asset in a world where Purple Man ruled all. His interaction with his new teammates was very enjoyable, particularly when Hawkeye scolded Vision for calling the battle "easy." Hawkeye had his own solid moments throughout. It was amusing to see Cap trick him out of being brainwashed by reminding Hawkeye that he doesn't like to do what other people tell him to. Hawkeye's trick shot in space also stood out as a memorable moment. Buit nothing topped the brawl between Thor and Vision. Seeing the latter take on 500 tons of mass and dive-bomb Thor from orbit had to be one of the top moments in the show's two-year history.
What was interesting about Christopher Yost's script for "Emperor Stark" is that it showed a bit less less direct influence from the Avengers comics than usual. Technically this episode could be said to be inspired by the Emperor Doom graphic novel, but the cast of characters, their motivations, and Purple Man's role in the story were heavily modified. Purple Man is known for committing some heinous acts against Marvel's heroes. And while his misdeeds in this episode certainly didn't outclass those in Brian Michael Bendis' Alias comic, he still managed to hit Tony closer to home than any other villain in the series. The fact that it was all merely revenge for being made to look foolish in public was a nice extra touch. Star Trek: The Next Generation's Brent Spiner made a welcome guest appearance as the voice of Purple Man. Spiner seemed poorly suited for the Joker on Young Justice, but here Purple Man had just the right blend of shrillness and subtle malice.
My only complaint with "Emperor Stark" was that it could have been drawn out longer. The ending in particular could have used a bit more attention. Stark noted his own culpability in Purple Man's world domination scheme, but Cap seemed content to brush away his concerns and deliver a typically heart-warming, sappy speech. The extended brawl between the two brought to mind the conflict in Mark Millar's Civil War comic. For a time it seemed as though the series was moving towards a full-on adaptation of that conflict, but with EMH ending in a few months, clearly that won't be the case. Even so, it would have been nice to see the episode end on a slightly more ambiguous note in terms of the Cap/Iron Man dynamic.
That aside, this was easily one of the better installments of Earth's Mightiest Heroes this season. Next week brings the long-awaited return of Hulk and the resolution of the Red Hulk mystery.
Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. He can't wait until he's old enough to feel ways about stuff. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
