| Shortly after arriving in Hollywood, Dr. Doom proceeds to the Gladiator arena and discovers his robot spy, Hugo Longride, has been destroyed. Nearby, in the coliseumâ??s underground dungeon, Alexander Flynn, addressing his captives Beast and Dazzler, reveals his alleged heritage to Dr. Doom, and announces his true motive for forming the Gladiators: to find the best possible warriors to overthrow the Kingdom of Latveria. Rocker realizes his boss has gone insane and plots to stop him. Later, he returns to the dungeon and releases Beast and Dazzler, who immediately head to the arena in search of Flynn. They find him, but he is accompanied by the entire Gladiator army. Beast and Dazzler fight despite these overwhelming odds. The timely arrival of Link and Poltergeist, as well as a shift in Rocker's allegiances, shifts the tide of battle in Beast and Dazzler's favor. Flynn panics. He takes Poltergeist hostage and uses the boy as a bartering chip for his own life. In addition to being an unsuccessful maneuver, this cowardly act costs him the loyalty of his followers. Link telekinetically frees Poltergiest, and Dazzler beats Flynn into submission. Dr. Doom, finally making his presence known, approaches Flynn, admonishes his foolishness, and orders him to give up his claim to the Latverian throne. Instead of killing Flynn, however, Doom turns him over to the Gladiators. They decide to form their own non-lethal theater with Flynn acting as their servant. After the battle, Link and Poltergeist embark on an adventure of their own, while Beast and Dazzler return to Heartbreak Hotel. They decide to break off their budding relationship. The world may be a harsh place for mutants, but they both need to learn to how to face it alone. |
