- "What? I got issues. About talking about my feelings. Or just generally having them. But for now, actions speak louder than words, and I say we head to the Valley and get Alex back."
- ―Nico Minoru[src]
The Rescue of Alex Wilder was a successful mission by the Runaways to rescue Alex Wilder from Geoffrey Wilder.
Background[]
- "I need to find my son right now."
"Shit, Geoffrey. Why the hell you think I'm callin'?" - ―Geoffrey Wilder and Darius Davis[src]
During his early days of life on the run away from PRIDE, Alex Wilder actually spent little time with his teammates, the Runaways, and instead worked for Darius Davis, a former friend of his father Geoffrey Wilder, who Davis had grown wary of due to unsettled debts. Alex and Davis became friends, but Davis was still uncomfortable of seeing Alex romantically involved with his sister-in-law Livvie.[4]
Considering that Alex would be better off with his parents, and seeing an opportunity to get what he thought to deserve, Davis thus contacted Geoffrey and declared himself to be willing to trade Alex for the ownership of the PRIDE Construction Site. Once the deal was made, Davis took Alex in his car, concealing the true purpose of their trip, until Geoffrey showed up and took Alex with him, giving Davis the documents transferring the rights of the dig site to him.[5]
Rescue[]
- "Molly, I'm pretty sure I can walk."
"We don't have time. I got this." - ―Alex Wilder and Molly Hernandez[src]
Alex Wilder was forced to get into his father Geoffrey's car. Geoffrey asked Alex to hand him over his WizPhone, stating that people could track them down, and Alex noticed luggage in the backseat, figuring out that his father wanted to leave Los Angeles. In order to alert his teammates of his abduction, Alex secretly used his old phone and called Nico Minoru. Once she answered the call, Alex asked his father of their destination, enabling Minoru to learn that they were headed to Van Nuys Airport.
Minoru immediately alerted the other Runaways. All of them admitted that despite his absence they cared about Alex, who brought his own skills to the table despite having no superpowers, and they subsequently decided to go and rescue him using the Rolls-Royce car previously found and repaired by Chase Stein. They arrived at the airport ahead of the Wilders, and hid in different spots waiting for them to arrive.
Once the Wilders were in the airport and prepared to board their plane, Karolina Dean flew over them and projected her light beams at Geoffrey, distracting him. Stein the revealed himself and knocked Geoffrey back with the Fistigons, while Molly Hernandez got out of the plane she had hidden in and took Alex on her shoulder despite his protest that he could walk himself. They then brought Alex to the car where Minoru and Gert Yorkes waited for them.
Despite some struggle since she could not use the same command twice, Minoru managed to use the Staff of One to activate the car's engine, enabling the Runaways to drive away. Geoffrey attempted to use his own car to follow them, but Minoru once again used the Staff to damage the road and form a small wall in front of his car, forcing him to stop. Seizing the opportunity, the Runaways fled and safely returned to the Hostel.[5]
Aftermath[]
- "So, are you gonna tell me what you've been doing this whole time?"
- ―Nico Minoru to Alex Wilder[src]
Darius Davis was not able to take advantage of the deal he had made with Geoffrey Wilder. Indeed, having been directed to the Gordon Hotel by Geoffrey, Davis was ambushed there by Geoffrey's wife Catherine Wilder, who pursued her own agenda and murdered him to frame Davis for the death of Destiny Gonzalez.
Alex Wilder returned to the Hostel, and was visited in his room by Nico Minoru, who was genuinely interested in what he had done during his time away from the Hostel. Offering to play video games with him, Minoru was pleasantly surprised upon learning that Alex had found a girlfriend. She was also relieved to have Alex back as she could now afford to share the burden of the Runaways' leadership with him.
The rescue of Alex was a decisive moment in the history of the Runaways as it demonstrated that they were able to coordinate their abilities and to work together as a true team, which was what Minoru wanted them to achieve in order to be able to fight against PRIDE.[5]
The other members of PRIDE eventually learned about the Wilders' failed attempt to bring their son back home. This caused a quick argument in their ranks as the Wilders revealed to the rest of PRIDE that Tina Minoru had willingly given the Staff of One to her daughter Nico. Still, the data retrieved from the phone confiscated from Alex by Geoffrey enabled PRIDE to have a more precise idea of the area where the Runaways were hiding, eventually identifying a PRIDE soup kitchen where the teenagers had gone.[6]