One of the aspects that sets the Illuminati apart from, say, the Avengers or the X-Men, is that each of its members are willing to bend their own sense of morality — or put it aside entirely — in order to protect the Earth. Indeed, the Illuminati’s many appearances over the years have been rife with moral quandaries and questionable decisions.
Examples of these problems can be found as early as “New Avengers: Illuminati” Vol. 1 and 2. For one thing, firing the Hulk into the depths of outer space is enough of a jerk move that even Namor, who is hardly a shining example of heroism himself, calls the others out on it. Equally, Reed Richards’ misguided attempt to gather the Infinity Gems very nearly ends in disaster, as Richards almost succumbs to the allure of their power. That’s to say nothing of the group’s unprovoked, show-of-force attack on a ship full of Skrulls in the aftermath of the Kree-Skrull War.
The Illuminati’s hubris nearly always has terrible consequences, however, and the team has come undone by its own designs on numerous occasions. Firing the Hulk into space does little but enrage him, and, when he finally returns to Earth in “World War Hulk,” he swiftly defeats the Illuminati and forces them to fight each other to the death. Meanwhile, Reed Richards fails to use the Infinity Gems to destroy themselves and is chastised by the Watcher for his reckless pursuit of them, while the attack on the Skrulls inadvertently gives the race of shape-shifters a game-changing edge during the “Secret Invasion” event. With the Illuminati, it really does seem that no bad deed goes unpunished.
One of the aspects that sets the Illuminati apart from, say, the Avengers or the X-Men, is that each of its members are willing to bend their own sense of morality — or put it aside entirely — in order to protect the Earth. Indeed, the Illuminati’s many appearances over the years have been rife with moral quandaries and questionable decisions.
Examples of these problems can be found as early as “New Avengers: Illuminati” Vol. 1 and 2. For one thing, firing the Hulk into the depths of outer space is enough of a jerk move that even Namor, who is hardly a shining example of heroism himself, calls the others out on it. Equally, Reed Richards’ misguided attempt to gather the Infinity Gems very nearly ends in disaster, as Richards almost succumbs to the allure of their power. That’s to say nothing of the group’s unprovoked, show-of-force attack on a ship full of Skrulls in the aftermath of the Kree-Skrull War.
The Illuminati’s hubris nearly always has terrible consequences, however, and the team has come undone by its own designs on numerous occasions. Firing the Hulk into space does little but enrage him, and, when he finally returns to Earth in “World War Hulk,” he swiftly defeats the Illuminati and forces them to fight each other to the death. Meanwhile, Reed Richards fails to use the Infinity Gems to destroy themselves and is chastised by the Watcher for his reckless pursuit of them, while the attack on the Skrulls inadvertently gives the race of shape-shifters a game-changing edge during the “Secret Invasion” event. With the Illuminati, it really does seem that no bad deed goes unpunished.