Finland Crisis

The Finland Crisis was an international Crisis Event that occurred in 1976 in the world of the City of Heroes MMO that nearly led to World War III.

Historical Account

Confrontation

In 1976, a low-orbiting U.S. Air Force spy plane was forced down over the Soviet Union by members of the Soviet Defenders of the Motherland. In addition to the usual surveillance equipment, the plane's crew included Captain Gerald Mynor, a telepathic code-breaker.

The Air Force pleaded with Statesman for assistance to rescue the plane's crew, especially Captain Mynor, before the Soviets reached them first. Using Freedom Corps technology, Statesman teleported near the crash area and recovered the crew, defeating several Soviet Motherland forces in the process.

Escalation

Enraged at losing such a valuable prize, the Soviet General ordered the launch of a tactical nuclear missile at Statesman. The missile detonated over Finland, killing some three thousand people in the blast radius, including Mynor and the rest of the Spy Plane crew. Statesman was missing and was presumed vaporized along with the others.

The detonation of a nuclear missile by the U.S.S.R. led to an immediate escalation between N.A.T.O. and Soviet Bloc forces. Both sides immediately went to DEFCON 1, activating all medium and short-range nuclear missiles and their respective orbital missile platforms, the very existence of which were in clear violations of a 1968 arms treaty.

Intervention

With a full nuclear exchange all but guaranteed, the superhero community immediately took action. Led by Hero One, the Dawn Patrol, Freedom Phalanx, two dozen other foreign-based hero groups, and even the original members of the Valiant Defenders of the Motherland led a massive effort to disarm all active nuclear missiles both in Europe and in low-orbit.

Confused by the drastic action of the heroes, both US and Soviet leaders ordered an immediate truce. This was followed by the discovery that Statesman was still alive, albeit seriously injured.

It was Hero One that brokered a new peace treaty between the two superpowers.

Consequences of Incident

With the launching of a nuclear missile, the Soviet Union became the second nation in history to use nuclear weapons (the first being the United States in World War II). They also were obligated to finance the aid and relocation of thousands of Finns whose homes were now contaminated with radiation.

Hero One received the Nobel Peace Prize, which he hesitantly accepted and then dedicated to the whole hero community that aided him.

The Finland Incident also severed the presumptive relationship that existed between heroes and the superpower nations. From that point forward, government officials were hesitant to trust heroes for fear that they may act contrary to the government's wishes.

The US Navy launched a special communications and surveillance ship in 1982 christened the USSN Gerald Mynor.

Quote from Hero One

Following the signing of the new peace treaty, Hero One was invited to address the United Nations General Assembly on the subject of superheroes in the Nuclear Age. During his speech, he gave the following warning:

"For thirty years, the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union have referred to themselves as 'global superpowers'. They have carried themselves as being the ultimate forces on the planet, holding the fate of the world in their hands. This recent incident should serve as a clear message to those leaders... that they are mere pretenders to the title of 'superpowers', and that when threatened, the real superpowers on this planet will not hesitate to take action to defend all mankind from extinction."

Related Information

(Paragon Wiki entry on Captain Mynor.)

The Finland Incident was referenced both in Issue #5 and Issue #16 of the "Guardians of the Dawn Spotlight" series.

Radomil Petras, the serial stalker and criminal financier, was reportedly blinded by the incident.