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Warning! Spoilers for Marvel’s The Ultimates ahead!
Marvel’s Ultimate Universe just confirmed a shocking truth, one that will change the trajectory of the younger version of Iron Man’s heroic journey, as the flagship series of the Ultimate comics line enters a new phase of its ongoing story arc. The Ultimates just confirmed that it can no longer remain fixated on the past, but must craft its own future, a bold claim for the book to make.
As first revealed by AIPT, the preview for Ultimates #13 is a “reset” of sorts, following several major revelations in the previous issue. As the team attempts to move forward, its leader, a young Tony Stark variant who goes by Iron Lad in this timeline, resolutely narrates: “We can no longer be slaves to a stolen past. What was lost was lost forever.”
Stark says instead that the Ultimates must “look to the future for inspiration,” but the future is a daunting prospect for the Ultimate Universe, especially considering it’s been confirmed there is a traitor in the team’s ranks.
In Marvel’s Ultimate Universe Centerpiece, “The Ultimates,” Tony Stark Is Embracing An Uncertain Future
Ultimates #13, Written By Deniz Camp; Art By Juan Frigeri; Color By Federico Blee; Lettering By Travis Lanham
Ultimates #13 officially commences the second year of the book’s run, yet for the eponymous team, they have already declared themselves to be on the “3.0” version of their mission to save the Ultimate Universe. The conceit of Marvel’s Ultimate Universe is that a villain known as the Maker interfered with the natural progression of the timeline, sabotaging the development of this world’s superheroes. So far, the Ultimates have comitted themselves not only to bringing down the Maker’s global world order of supervillains, but also undoing his meddling in the timeline.
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If Tony Stark’s narration in the preview for Ultimates #13 is to be believed, he is ready to give up on this latter part of the mission, instead accepting that there is no “fixing” their Universe, only improving it. This is especially noteworthy because many Marvel fans will read this as a turning point for the Ultimate Universe as a whole, the motivating premise of which has been to offer contemporary remixes and reinterpretations of classic Marvel characters and lore. Ultimates #13 at least teases the idea that it will grow away from this premise.
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The Ultimates’ Next Chapter Officially Begins
The Ultimates #12 contained two major plot revelations, one which served as a climax for the first year of the series, and another which should be expected to have significant ramifications for the future of the series. The issue confirmed that the team had previously all been killed in their confrontation with a villainous version of Hulk, depicted in Ultimates #6, and were saved by the team’s heroic Doctor Doom using time travel. Though the team accepted Doom’s actions and moved on, the impact of this revelation is already showing in Tony Stark’s new approach to heroism from Ultimates #13.
As Iron Lad turns his attention to the future, he’s faced with more danger than ever.
The other revelation concerns Tony’s teammate Wasp, who approaches him for a conversation in the Ultimates #13 preview. The final scene of Ultimates #12 showed that Wasp is working as an informant for the team’s enemies, in an attempt to spare her and her husband’s lives. To what extent she will be willing to betray the team, or if, as some fans have proposed, she is actually working as a double agent for the team, remains to be determined, but it is clear that as Iron Lad turns his attention to the future, he’s faced with more danger than ever.
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The Future Holds A Lot In Store For Iron Lad
Beyond the looming threat of Wasp’s betrayal, there is an ominous tinge to Tony Stark’s newfound commitment to the future of the Ultimate Universe. That is because Tony has been heavily implied to be this timeline’s version Kang of the Conqueror; some Ultimates readers have clocked line as more than just a mission statement for the series, but in fact, another hint that Iron Lad’s character trajectory will lead him to the far-flung future, and the most desperate measures imaginable. Only time will tell what becomes of this version of Iron Man and Marvel lore as a whole.
Source: AIPT
The Ultimates #13 will be available June 18, 2025 from Marvel Comics.
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