‘Avengers: No Road Home’: Who is Voyager?

On Wednesday, February 13, the AVENGERS: NO SURRENDER creative team is reuniting for a brand new weekly storyline: AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME! The writing trio of Mark Waid, Al Ewing, and Jim Zub are once again joining forces with artist Paco Medina for the oversized first issue which brings together a ragtag team of Avengers including Hawkeye, Hercules, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Spectrum, Vision, Rocket Raccoon, and Voyager.

Who is Voyager? Surely everyone remembers Valerie Vector, the founding member of the Avengers. After all, she coined the name of the team! Unless that was all a lie. Readers of NO SURRENDER already know what Voyager’s deal is. But for the benefit of anyone coming in late, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about Voyager!

Even before NO SURRENDER began, seeds of Voyager’s past were placed in the Marvel Universe. Her statue was even added to the Avengers’ founders display. By the time that Earth was stolen from its place in the Heavens, the trio of Avengers teams were looking for a hopeful sign. And they got it when Voyager made her dramatic return. As shown in AVENGERS #676, Voyager was present for key moments in the group’s history. At least until her untimely demise in a battle against the Squadron Sinister. Somehow, this removed Valerie Vector from existence, and all memory of her was lost until her miraculous return.

That’s what readers were initially led to believe, but it was far from the truth. In reality, Voyager was never the daughter of quantum entanglement scientist, Arthur Vector. Nor was she a member of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Instead, Voyager’s true name is Va Nee Gast, and her father is the Grandmaster. While the identity of Voyager’s mother is unknown, she inherited her father’s blue skin as well as his ambition.

Prior to the game with the Challenger, Grandmaster gave his daughter teleportation powers and instructions to hide in plain sight as a member of the Avengers. She was essentially the ace up the Grandmaster’s sleeve, in case the game went against him. She also had the ability to place false memories in the minds of the Avengers. It turns out that Earth-17122 is a world where everything about Voyager’s human past was true and she really was a founding Avenger.

But in the Prime Universe, it took some time for Voyager to come around to the idea of actually becoming an Avenger. She initially tried to make herself a player in the game between the Grandmaster and the Challenger. It was only when she witnessed the drive and determination of Earth’s champions that she was inspired to come clean and join them. Unfortunately for her father, Voyager’s revelation came just when the Challenger was about to concede the game.

The Challenger correctly interpreted Voyager’s interference as cheating, and he subsequently annihilated the Grandmaster. In his rage, the Challenger nearly laid waste to the Earth as well and even the Avengers had trouble holding back him at bay. In the team’s darkest moment, Voyager was able to use her memory manipulation ability to inspire the heroes by reminding the assembled heroes what it means for them to be Avengers.

For her heroism, Voyager was offered a chance to officially join the team. However, Voyager turned down the opportunity because she felt that she had another role to play. According to Voyager, the Challenger had once been kind and benevolent before he was driven insane by the Grandmaster. She decided to remain with the imprisoned Challenger in Far Shore, as they monitored the Avengers several galaxies away from Earth. It was Voyager’s hope that the Avengers could inspire the Challenger, just as they had inspired her.

And there she stayed, until an unknown threat called Voyager back into action. What could possibly convince Voyager to abandon her post and summon the Avengers for help? We’ll find out when AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME #1 arrives next month!

AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME #1, written by Mark Waid, Al Ewing, and Jim Zub with art by Paco Medina, goes on sale Wednesday, February 13. You can pre-order your copy today or at your local comic shop!