The Winged Avenger
| Industry | Comic book publishing |
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The Winged Avenger constitutes the sixth installment of the fifth season of the 1960s British spy-fi television series The Avengers. The episode stars Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg, with guest roles portrayed by Nigel Green, Colin Jeavons, Jack MacGowran, and Neil Hallett. Its initial broadcast occurred on 15 February 1967 in the Southern and Tyne Tees ITV regions, followed by a transmission on ABC Weekend Television on 18 February. The script was penned by Richard Harris, while direction was shared between Gordon Flemyng and Peter Duffell. Notably, the episode includes supplementary cartoon artwork created by Frank Bellamy.
Plot
Simon Roberts, a publishing firm proprietor, is slain in his penthouse office by an assailant dressed in avian attire. His son Peter expresses doubt over the feasibility of the murder given the office's secure location but soon meets the same fate. Agents Steed and Peel launch an inquiry, uncovering a legal conflict between Roberts Publishing and Sir Lexius Cray, an author disputing royalties from his memoirs.
Peel encounters Cray, who is passionate about birds, and gains insight from his valet Tay-Ling regarding the attacker’s identity. When Tay-Ling attempts to leverage this information for blackmail, he is killed. Cray discloses that inventor Professor Poole developed specialized boots that allow swift ascension of walls; Poole sold another pair anonymously to Winged Avenger Enterprises. Steed and Peel suspect industrialist Dumayn might be targeted next; Dumayn is subsequently murdered by the bird-costumed figure.
At Winged Avenger Enterprises—the comic book publisher responsible for the eponymous hero—Steed meets illustrator Arnie Packer, writer Stanton, and actor Julian, who portrays the Winged Avenger character. Peel discovers Poole utilizing the climbing boots and confirms only two pairs exist. She overhears friction between Packer and Stanton; adopting the guise of a novelty gift representative claiming possession of the boots unsettles Stanton.
Julian is killed while dressed in costume by a similar attacker. Steed finds Julian’s body alongside storyboards depicting Professor Poole in jeopardy. Poole contacts Peel to lure her to his residence. Stanton holds Steed at gunpoint but is disarmed; they conclude that Packer is responsible, having storyboarded Peel’s murder scenario. Peel narrowly escapes an assault at Poole’s home but finds Poole deceased. Employing Poole’s boots herself, she confronts Packer, who believes he embodies the Winged Avenger persona. Steed and Stanton arrive as Peel battles Packer on the ceiling; Packer falls to his death during the confrontation.
Cast
- Patrick Macnee as John Steed
- Diana Rigg as Emma Peel
- Nigel Green as Sir Lexius Cray
- Jack MacGowran as Professor Poole
- Neil Hallett as Arnie Packer
- Colin Jeavons as Stanton
- Roy Patrick as Julian
- John Garrie as Tay-Ling
- Donald Pickering as Peter Roberts
- William Fox as Simon Roberts
- A. J. Brown as Dawson
- Hilary Wontner as Dumayn
- John Crocker as Fothers
- Ann Sidney as Gerda
Cultural references
The episode’s concluding fight sequence satirizes the Batman TV series, incorporating comic book panels emblazoned with exclamations such as "Pow!" accompanied by the recognizable Batman theme music, demonstrating a deliberate incorporation of contemporary popular culture to captivate viewers.