The Ultimates #2 was an impactful follow-up to the debut issue. A big reason for the impact was the story involving The Ultimates launching an assault on the North American Union’s White House. With this public showing against the government Ultimates further pushed themselves to fight against the system created by The Maker’s Council. In the process, through the eyes of Captain America, we learned important details about the history of the United States and events that led it to be split into being three different regions in the Ultimate Universe. With so many details going on let’s take a look at what we learned and what they could lead to in the Ultimate Universe.
ULTIMATE UNIVERSE HISTORY REVEALED IN THE ULTIMATES #2
Two weeks before the team launched an assault on the White House on the 4th of July, Steve Rogers spent nine days watching through 75 years of videos containing the history of the Ultimate Universe. Most of the videos we saw Steve watch were focused on what was formerly known as the United States and the eventual split of North and Central America’s land into three regions by The Maker’s Council. In the middle of those details, we also got more universe-defining moments thanks to The Maker’s actions.
Kicking things off was information that The Maker arrived on Earth-6160 sometime after World War II ended and before the Moon landing. At least the first act The Maker is shown to take was him being known as the first person to walk on the Moon and having a relationship with President John F. Kennedy before his assassination. So, at the very least the United States, Canada, and Mexico were their separate countries until the late 1960s when they became the North American Union, split into regions.
From there we do see key events that shape the world including:
- The Maker took the Fantastic Four’s place in fighting Galactus, the results of that battle unknown.
- A Mutants Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s.
- Howard Stark and Obadiah Stane as Iron Man and War Machine, respectively, fighting Omega Red during the Fall of the Berlin Wall.
- Roxxon Industries claimed the Savage Lands, wiping out the dinosaurs that lived there.
- Ultimate Punisher leading a terrorist group
- Obadiah Stane killing an invading group of Skrulls and Kree
While our look into these events shown is incredibly brief the images we see help paint the picture of how The Maker shaped Earth-6160 into the new Ultimate Universe. The Maker made full use of his knowledge of the previous Ultimate Universe and time on Earth-616 to have full control before his disappearance. Taking out cosmic threats like Galactus, Kree, and Skrull does put into question where this version of Earth stands with the rest of the galaxy. So far, The Maker’s Council’s power seems to be focused on Earth. But if threats like Galactus, Kree, and Skrull have already been dealt with there is likely even more about The Maker’s Council plans than maintain the world order.
WHAT HAPPENED TO MUTANTS IN THE ULTIMATE UNIVERSE?
One of the big questions in the new Ultimate Universe is the state of mutants. We’ve seen in Ultimate X-Men that mutants aren’t widely known. That is seen with how Hisako Ichiki, aka Armor, classmates reacted when they saw her using her mutant powers in Ultimate X-Men #4. Meanwhile, over in Ultimate Black Panther, Storm does not say her weather powers are because she is a mutant but rather she is connected to the world when asked about them by T’Challa.
This puts into question why aren’t mutants more widely known. After all, in The Ultimates #2 we see that mutants were publicly involved in the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. Additionally, Howard Stark and Obadiah Stane fought Omega Red during the 1980s. Then there are Magik, Colossus, and Sunfire who all presently sit on The Maker’s Council. Given how those who have seen Armor and Maystorm use their powers in Ultimate X-Men even with these events and the current status quo mutants aren’t widely known.
Since The Maker’s list of key targets to shape Earth-6160 into his Ultimate Universe did not include Charles Xavier, Magneto, or other prominent mutants there is this big mystery about them. The answer to the state of mutants in the Ultimate Universe is hinted at in Ultimate Invasion #2. When Magik, Colossus, and Omega Red made their entrance at The Maker’s summit in Latveria the media mentioned the Rasputin family are famous for their research in biology and pursuit of evolution. Given what we learn in The Ultimates #2 and what Ultimate Invasion established, it is possible The Maker assigned the Rasputin family to experiment and research mutants.
STAGE SET FOR ULTIMATE CIVIL WAR
Combining the Ultimate Universe history lesson that Captain America went through along with the team’s assault on the White House, The Ultimates #2 was an impactful comic book. We already knew going in that there was a countdown going on for The Maker’s return. The Ultimates #2 even ended not with a “To Be Continued” but with a “Sixteen Months Remaining” final stinger. With the events of the Ultimates’ assault on the White House happening on the 4th of July set The Maker’s return set to happen during October 2026.
The Return of the Maker is certainly established as a big blockbuster event to be told in the Ultimate Universe. But before we get to that, the events of The Ultimates #2 set the stage for what will likely be one of Marvel’s big blockbuster events in 2025. And that is the Ultimate Civil War taking place with The Ultimates taking on The Maker’s Council to free the North American Union from their control. With Spider-Man and Black Panther also dealing with agents from The Maker’s Council they and their allies will likely have to take sides if Ultimate Civil War happens.
The Ultimate Civil War taking place would further play into the way The Maker’s Council operates. The Hulk mentioned in Ulimate Invasion #3 that the Council purposely picks one of the members to have them and their nations be seen as the enemy the rest of the world rallies around. That is the foundation for explaining how real-world events ended up being manipulated by The Maker’s Council. Having an Ultimate Civil War happen in the North American Union could play into their plans.
What happens next will continue to build momentum for the Ultimate Universe across all their titles.
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