One of the most intriguing aspects of the original Valiant universe was how everything is interconnected. Characters interacted, crossed over, and occupied the same universe.

More so, the villains crossed over, and often, a single villain would threaten the entire Valiant universe. That is still the case.

Yes, X-O Manowar has The Vine. Pete has Harada, and Bloodshot has Project Rising Spirit as their primary antagonists. But hidden in the books is a deeper threat, a unifying threat.

I wasn’t sure at first, but having read the books more closely, the hints are there. It’s hidden in plain site.

If you haven’t read this month’s Valiant books, there will be some spoilers ahead.

It first was hinted at in the final page of Harbinger #1.

Heavily armed soldiers move in on Pete.

It may not be obvious at first, but it is there, and the connection is just waiting to be made.

Last week, something happened in Bloodshot that made me see a connection. Right there on the page, when Bloodshot is killed for a third time.

Soldiers firing at Bloodshot

Do you see the connection?

At first I didn’t see anything, but then I started to see it. Maybe it was just coincidence though. Maybe it was happenstance, and I was reading too much into the comics.

Finally, when I read the third issue of X-O Manowar, just released this week, my suspicions were confirmed. Right there, in plain site.

The S.W.A.T. Team confronts X-O Manowar

Yes, the true villain of the Valiant Universe is Dudes With Machine Guns. They are everywhere, and it appears to be a global conspiracy against our favorite heroes. Each of them has faced this terrible, terrible menace of Dudes With Machine Guns.

Is the Valiant Universe safe against this fearsome foe?

Only time, and more awesome Valiant Comics, will let us know.