Overwatch: Marvel #8 - "Bright Star"
Episode 14: A Shining Beginning
As Tony Stark departed, he muttered something cryptic to Robert, mentioning he owed him "two minutes." Robert didn't have time to ask further, so he let it slide. Emerging from the hallway, Robert immediately shifted out of his transformation, only to spot a figure rushing toward the hall. It was Thomas!
With a fiery spirit and bright energy, Thomas declared, "I am justice incarnate and the judge of sin. Eternal light shines upon me. I will cleanse the darkness and bring light back to the world. I am... Soldier 76!"
The room fell silent as everyone stared, surprised by his fervor. Tony gave Thomas a nod, his expression almost sympathetic.
"Hey! Where's the enemy?" Thomas spun around, only to notice the scattered corpses. He gave an awkward smile and said, "Mr. Stark, you really are the best!"
Cromwell and the others exchanged glances, uncertain. Could this man truly be the wise, composed Mr. Robert? To them, Thomas looked a bit foolish.
"Where's Mr. Robert?" Thomas asked, starting to look a bit panicked.
"I'm right here, Soldier 76. Thank you for saving everyone!" Robert entered through the front door, maintaining a cool demeanor as he nodded at Thomas. "This is the second time you've saved me; I'm truly grateful!"
Those around gasped in admiration. Even Cromwell, Hill, and the others were perplexed. Soldier 76 was supposed to be Robert. But here they were, witnessing both of them in the same place. Was there more than one Soldier 76? Or was it simply a code name?
Robert felt a little guilty. His transformation altered every detail, from appearance to tone of voice. Thomas had only matched his height, so he didn't fully resemble Soldier 76. The real Soldier 76 had silvery-white hair, while Thomas had dark skin and a scar-free face. But now, standing before him, was the actual Soldier 76, with the right tone and appearance.
This must've been Tony's idea, Robert thought. I'll have to thank him later for the assist. I should learn this transformation technique—it's so impressive! Imagine loading Soldier 76's voice into a voice changer and putting it in a gas mask, with some intense whitening powder to match the appearance.
Just then, reporters burst into the hall, cameras flashing in an endless stream of clicks. Their attention turned immediately to Soldier 76, and neither Robert nor Tony had to worry about being bombarded.
It was Robert's first experience being ignored by the press, leaving him feeling a bit left out. Tony, on the other hand, seemed surprised. Was he no longer the center of attention? Impossible! He was Tony Stark, after all.
Tony tried to catch the reporters' eyes, even taking off his uniform to reveal his famously handsome face. Yet, the reporters remained fixated on Soldier 76, drawn to the novelty.
"Are you Soldier 76? Wow, you're amazing!"
"Soldier 76, where are you from? What's your next move?"
"Soldier 76, can you comment on the recent attack?"
Surrounded by reporters and admirers, Thomas felt elated, as if he were on cloud nine. He reveled in the attention, smiling at the reporters and especially the young women. "One at a time, please! I'll answer each question," he said warmly, wishing he could keep the conversation going indefinitely.
Unable to stomach Thomas's boasting any longer, Robert and Tony silently walked away, leaning on each other as they exited, feeling both amused and forgotten.
They ended up at a small burger joint, eating burgers and sipping soda in silence. With the place entirely empty, Tony had rented it out to ensure they wouldn't be disturbed.
"Tony, I'm curious how you managed to pull off the Soldier 76 illusion with Thomas," Robert said.
The two had started off as colleagues, but after today's events, Robert realized Tony was someone worth having as a friend. Tony had dropped everything to rescue him, proving his loyalty.
"Honestly, it wasn't too hard," Tony replied, brushing off the compliment. "But let's save that story for later. First, let's talk business. Thomas mentioned he drafted the first version of the new scenario."
Robert's expression shifted, looking slightly exasperated. "Please tell me you didn't actually believe him?"
Tony raised an eyebrow, his tone sharpening slightly. "Are you saying Thomas lied?"
Robert sighed. "Well... the situation was urgent. To save me, Thomas needed a reason you'd rush over here. I'm sorry for deceiving you."
Tony laughed, shrugging it off. "No worries. Anyway, I was planning to send you a suit case as compensation."
Robert chuckled and pulled out his phone. "Then let me return the favor with a passionate video I've been holding onto."
"Video? Passionate?" Tony gave Robert a cautious glance, his brow furrowing in suspicion. "Look, I'm really not into that kind of thing."
Robert nearly burst out laughing. "It's not what you think, trust me!"
"Then what kind of 'passionate' video are we talking about?" Tony thought for a moment, his eyes lighting up. "Wait—could it be... 'Winston'?"
"You're getting warm!" Robert replied, grinning.
Tony took a big bite of his burger, deep in thought. Burger in hand, he suddenly stopped and pointed his finger at the table. "'Winston' trailer, right?"
Robert nodded, impressed with Tony's deduction skills. Despite his brilliance, he still couldn't understand why Tony had believed Thomas's words.
The two watched the trailer, captivated by the excitement and energy. Though it was just a two-and-a-half-minute preview, it was enough to make them both eager for action and wishing "Winston" would be released soon.
"This film's going to be a hit," Tony remarked, clearly impressed.
"You're only seeing the surface," Robert replied. "Trailers like this are crafted to grab the audience's attention. But the full movie will reveal so much more."
The allure of the Overwatch films came from their ability to entertain and provoke thought. Each storyline had its pulse-pounding moments and profound messages. The upcoming release of "Winston" was set to send waves across the internet, building anticipation and excitement worldwide.
"I'm certain that when the trailer drops tomorrow, everyone will be hyped!" Robert declared