2006’s Civil War (by Mark Millar, Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines, Morry Hollowell, and Chris Eliopoulos) was an explosive blast in the Marvel Universe. It set factions of heroes against each other in a conflict that defined the universe for years afterward. But for all the chaos that sprang from that event, one tie-in to Secret Wars revealed how much worse it could have gone for the heroes.
The events of Secret Wars created a patchwork planet made from the remnants of the multiverse, including some worlds that deviated from specific storylines. One of the darkest of these was 2015’s Civil War (by Charles Soule, Leinil Francis Yu, Gerry Alanguilan, Sunny Gho, and VC’s Joe Sabino), which revealed just how massive the conflict at the heart of Civil War could have truly become.
How Secret Wars Made Civil War Even Darker
One of the Domains within Battleworld was dubbed the Warzone — and stemmed directly from the events of Civil War. In this world, the superhero civil war largely played out as it did on Earth-616. In most timelines, Cloak using his powers to bring the Pro and Anti-Registration Sides back to New York set the stage for the conflict’s final battle. But in this version of events, the Skrulls were able to successfully infiltrate the two factions more successfully. Although the heroes from both sides were able to escape thanks to Cloak, he wasn’t able to seal his powers before an explosion rippled through him. There were casualties on both sides, and the loss of fifteen million civilians left the domain in a state of constant strife.
The Skrulls and Norman Osborn both attempted to take control of the chaos, but both were dealt with. The former responded by going into hiding, further propagating the war by increasingly playing on tensions between both sides. In the end, the domain found itself split into two nations divided by a massive canyon — the Blue and the Iron. The former was founded by Captain America, with a loose set of laws outside a firm foundation of “do no harm to others.” Carrying out this one code of conduct is Frank Castle and his Punishers, serving as the Blue’s police force.
Meanwhile, Iron Man commands the Iron as a far more hands-on leader, with high tech and the remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D. turning the Iron into something of a police state. Captain Marvel, Emma Frost, Winter Soldier, and She-Hulk were among Iron Man’s most loyal allies, while Spider-Man, Wolverine Stature, and Storm thrived alongside Captain America.
How This Marvel Civil War Came To A Close
This superhero conflict came to define the entire world, and leave the heroes supporting flawed status quos. Captain America was increasingly beaten down by the pressures of ongoing conflicts, becoming more willing to excuse harsh precautions. Iron Man’s community became so reliant on him that teenagers often found themselves terrified by commandos, demanding they begin training in their newfound powers. Numerous familiar faces and innocent people were killed, and the domain was still incapable of fully healing even when Captain America and Iron Man sacrificed themselves to expose the Skrull conspiracy led by Queen Veranke. This in turn activated a bomb that stripped everyone of their abilities, resulting in a ceasefire.
The Secret Wars version of Civil War highlights just how bad a superhero conflict can become, with both sides of nominal heroes resorting to lethal tactics when pushed hard enough. Even someone as usually incorruptible as Spider-Man was left a far more cynical figure. Serving as Captain America’s embittered right hand, left him unable to be with Mary-Jane and their daughter. A true superhero Civil War can destroy an entire universe of superheroes, serving as a reminder of why internal conflicts between the heroes can be far more dangerous than a straightforward battle against the forces of evil.
