Since the game's launch, Marvel's Avengers has teased A.I.M.'s growing presence and threat, more specifically the growing power of the organization's Scientist Supreme, Monica Rappaccini. The game's initial story introduces her rise to power following the defeat of M.O.D.O.K. and how she grew A.I.M.'s hold around the world in a short amount of time. Both the Taking Aim and Future Imperfect DLC missions continue her story and reveal that there's more to Monica than meets the eye.
In the time travel-centric expansions, players learn that Monica from the future is actually working to prevent an invasion from the alien race known as the Kree, creating a powerful device known as the Cosmic Cube to give Monica god-like powers. However, what Monica doesn't know is that the cube's power will lead to her failure. The "Beating the Odds" villain sector follows the Avengers as they try to retrieve the cube from Monica and stop her before she creates an even greater catastrophe -- but this won't be easy for those who don't know what to expect.
How to Prepare
Before the mission begins, players must know the best ways to prepare. The villain sector is found in the Snowy Tundra map with a suggested power level of 140. While some players may be able to play with characters slightly below this, it's best to use characters that match or exceed the suggested level. Gear should focus on melee or ranged stats, as they will come in handy throughout the mission. Gamma and cryo effects will help immensely by dealing damage over time and slowing down foes, so look for gear and perks that boost these. It may seem tedious at first, but the right stats and perks make a world of difference when playing through the war zone.
The Best Heroes to Use
The first leg of the war zone is a race to find Monica by plowing through what looks like A.I.M.'s entire army. Next, players are led to a sub-facility and must fight their way through where the cube is being held. Once the containment unit is destroyed, the fight with Monica begins. While each hero has a decent chance of success, heroes with ranged skills will be best for getting through this mission quickly and efficiently without risking excessive amounts of damage to your team.
With that in mind, the best characters to use are the Hawkeyes, Thor, Iron Man and Black Widow. Out of these, Thor and Iron Man are the superior options, as they offer evasive maneuvers and radial attacks that hit multiple targets at once. If a player's strongest character isn't ranged, it's best to find online teammates with these abilities to compensate or build a strike team of these heroes to take the aggro off of whoever is playing.
How to Beat the Scientist Supreme
The four phases of Monica's boss battle pack a massive punch that can wipe out a team that isn't aware of how she operates. The arena is the product of Monica's reality-altering powers gained from the cube, and features Monica hovering in the middle with a hole below her along with a shield protecting her. The surrounding area is all square panels with intermittent pillars jutting from the ground. In her first phase, Monica attacks using clones and elemental avatars. The first avatar is electric, followed by gravity, then wind; the final phase feature all of them at once.
When facing the avatars, it's crucial to focus all attacks on them instead of the clones. When defeated, Monica will drop her shield for a massive attack. At this point, each hero should focus all firepower on her before the timer runs out. Otherwise, she will unleash a massive pulse that kills any team member not hiding behind a pillar. However, these pillars will eventually be destroyed, allowing Monica to wipe out the entire team in one hit.
This is why ranged heroes are the best choice for this fight, as Iron Man's rockets or Thor's hammer have the best chance of stopping Monica before she unleashes her big attack. While online may be unpredictable depending on who is on your team and whether or not they know when to focus their attacks on Monica, in single-player, stronger characters will be the safest option.
With all phases completed and her health low, Monica will fall into the hole below her, triggering a cutscene. "Beating the Odds" is the most engaging villain sector Marvel's Avengers has received yet. Instead copying the mechanics seen in previous villain sectors against Taskmaster and Abomination, "Beating the Odds" takes players to multiple areas and presents them against a villain that requires strategy to defeat. All of this is a good sign that future Villain Sectors may be equally as exciting.