As the humanitarian among the Avengers, Hank Pym would periodically visit the Raft to provide psychological counseling for the inmates. Today was no exception; he was currently conducting a session with a supervillain known as the Red Ghost.
The Red Ghost was a man plagued by delusions. After witnessing the success of the Fantastic Four, he inexplicably claimed that Reed Richards had plagiarized his research and that he was the one destined to become Mister Fantastic. Consequently, he designed a very crude, "Ork-style" spacecraft and took three monkeys into space.
As it turned out, he and his monkeys actually gained superpowers due to cosmic rays. He then launched a campaign of "revenge" against the Fantastic Four; naturally, they failed and were sent here by the team.
"Well, Mr. Red Ghost, I've noticed that your scientific and cultural knowledge has shown a significant... decline."
Pym looked at the tests Ultron had administered to the Red Ghost and asked curiously, "Can you tell us why?"
"No reason, Pym! Hahaha!"
Pym sighed helplessly and left the Red Ghost's cell. He had noticed that lately, many of the prisoners had become restless. Drawing upon Ultron's data, he quickly found the root of it all: the Wizard, Bentley Wittman.
"Mr. Wittman, we need to talk."
Wittman was using a piece of chalk to calculate something on the wall. Hearing Pym's voice, he asked without a hint of surprise, "Has something happened, Dr. Pym?"
"I'm curious as to why you've been communicating constantly with the other inmates and spreading erroneous ideas among them." Pym frowned at the man before him. "Don't you realize the ultimate goal of this prison is to enable your return to society?"
"Return to society?"
Wittman flashed a mocking smile. "That is your first mistake. Among these people, how many are truly capable of returning to a normal life? Hmm? Dr. Pym, you have erroneously overestimated human nature."
"It makes me doubt if you are as brilliant as the rumors say, especially since I arrived at this prison."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You trap the world's most dangerous prisoners together and believe a vessel sailing freely on the Atlantic is the ideal cage—perhaps it is, in a sense. We have no path to the heavens and no door to the earth. But any design can collapse; there will come a day when it can no longer withstand the limit."
"Are you planning a prison break? That's impossible. You can't do it."
"We don't need to do it, Dr. Pym. We only need to wait." Wittman turned around to look at Pym. It was at this moment that Pym finally saw what Wittman had written.
[Today is the day.]
In a single instant, the entire Raft was plunged into darkness.
The one responsible for this was Max Dillon, also known as Electro.
A supervillain whom everyone believed had died due to energy dissipation and collapse, he was, in fact, not dead. He had been revived through a device by Dr. Otto Octavius—Doctor Octopus—and had been recuperating ever since.
Otto hadn't saved Electro out of the goodness of his heart. On one hand, Electro had been taken down by Spider-Man before he could reach his ultimate potential; conversely, Spider-Man's victory didn't necessarily prove Electro was weak. Therefore, considering his raw power, Otto chose Electro to join his Sinister Six.
On the other hand, a successful jailbreak from the Raft required Electro's involvement. Only his virtually limitless capacity for electrical absorption and control could ensure the plan proceeded smoothly and unchecked.
Electro was grateful to Dr. Otto Octavius for granting him the ability to absorb electricity without restriction. Combined with his deep-seated hatred for Spider-Man, he agreed to the request, raiding the Raft at the appointed time and siphoning off all the prison's power.
In an instant, the energy cages Tony Stark took such pride in were deactivated due to the power loss, and the emergency braking metal doors failed to drop without electricity. Furthermore, nearly all the Ultron sentries lost power and stood motionless.
Only Ant-Man reacted immediately. The moment the darkness fell, he used Pym Particles to shrink rapidly and lunged at Otto Octavius, intending to knock him unconscious first.
However, the current surging throughout the entire cell block blasted Pym to the ground and illuminated the room.
"Dr. Pym, I hope you understand that you are not facing just a few inmates or superpowered thugs."
"You are facing almost all of them."
Pym glanced at Otto and immediately slipped away. Otto looked toward Electro indifferently. "Where is my gear?"
"Right here, Doctor." Electro brought over Otto's equipment and fitted it onto him. Otto felt a rare sense of familiarity as the familiar metal arms, accompanied by the mindless symbiote he had created, helped him regain mastery over his gradually collapsing body. As the mechanical claws reconnected to his spinal nerves, Doctor Octopus finally officially announced his return.
"Steer the Raft to the nearest land, Electro. We need to release everyone. Only then will the Avengers be too distracted to focus on us."
As Otto spoke, he took several other items Electro had brought. "And remember to keep the lights on. I need to find a few other friends."
With the power system failing, all the prisoners were released in a state of confusion. As Otto walked toward his target cells, he demonstrated to the inmates that they had gained temporary freedom. He first arrived at the Scorpion's room and fitted the man-made spinal column he had prepared onto the man's back.
The Scorpion let out a cry of agony, then scrambled to his feet.
"Dr. Octavius, long time no see."
"Long time no see, Gargan. To be honest, if you hadn't undergone the transformation into the Scorpion—the spider's natural predator—capable of physiologically suppressing his special senses, I wouldn't have bothered to let you out."
"Ah, Spider-Man. I've missed him so much." The Scorpion bared his teeth in a savage grin. "He let that damn witch mess with my head and then ruined me!"
Doctor Octopus smiled. "Spider-Man is an enemy to us all. That is why I have gathered everyone together. We need to work as one to defeat him."
As the Scorpion reattached his tail, he asked curiously, "We? Who else is there?"
"You will find out soon enough. Welcome to the Sinister Six."