Chapter Summaries

Wanda attended a formal dinner with Michael and struggled to make conversation, then relaxed as she mingled with the guests. When a young man flirted with her, Michael intervened and introduced Wanda as his girlfriend, leaving her pleased by his apparent jealousy.

• Wanda tried to ease the awkward silence in the car by commenting on the stars, and Michael calmly agreed.
• At the dinner, Wanda greeted the guests and joined conversations while Michael spoke with an old general.
• A handsome young man approached Wanda at the buffet and reached toward her hair.
• Michael seized the young man's wrist and identified Wanda as his girlfriend.
• The young man hurried away after sensing Michael's killing intent, and Wanda wondered if Michael had been jealous.

Wanda attended a banquet with Michael and tried to act like a sophisticated wine drinker, while their teammates secretly watched them for signs of romance. After Daisy reported that Michael had called Wanda his girlfriend, the group realized Michael had vanished and appeared behind them.

• Wanda pretended to enjoy wine, but Michael offered her coffee pudding, which she happily ate instead.
• Daisy, Gwen, Eddie Brock, and Jessica Jones watched Michael and Wanda from across the banquet hall.
• Daisy reported that Michael had called Wanda his girlfriend to turn away a man who had hit on her.
• Gwen suggested Michael might have said it only to help Wanda, and Daisy teased her about caring so much.
• Jessica noticed Michael was gone, and Michael suddenly appeared behind the four watchers and asked what they were doing.

Secretary of State Ross presented the Avengers with the Superhuman Registration Act, demanding that their actions be supervised by a United Nations committee and that all superpowered individuals register. After Ross left, Captain Rogers asked Tony what he thought of the Act.

• Ross addressed the Avengers and described them as a dangerous force operating without government control.
• Ross presented the Superhuman Registration Act, backed by 117 countries, which required U.N. approval for Avengers missions and registration of superpowered individuals.
• Ross advised the Avengers to make a rational choice and left the conference room.
• The Avengers sat in silence over the Act, and Captain Rogers asked Tony whether he had anything to say.

The Avengers debated the Superhuman Registration Act, with Tony Stark and several teammates supporting it while Steve Rogers and others opposed it. Their argument ended when Jarvis reported an emergency at New York Harbor that might require the Avengers to deploy.

• Rogers asked Tony whether he had known about the Act before accepting the S.H.I.E.L.D. directorship, and Tony admitted that he had.
• Tony, Rhodes, Vision, and Spider-Man supported registration, while Sam, Clint, and Rogers opposed it.
• Natasha questioned whether the Avengers would be ordered to arrest the Black Knight if he refused to register, and Tony deferred the issue.
• The Avengers split into opposing camps and argued until Jarvis reported an emergency at New York Harbor.

A gigantic, armored deep-sea creature rampaged through New York, shrugging off the Avengers’ weapons and forcing their Quinjet to crash-land. As Vision fought to protect the team, Tony learned that S.H.I.E.L.D. had once recorded a possible similar creature in the Atlantic, but the monster’s origin and reason for appearing in the city remained unknown.

• The creature entered New York, causing widespread destruction, while Iron Man and Spider-Man rescued civilians from falling debris.
• The Avengers Quinjet, War Machine, and Falcon attacked the creature, but their weapons failed to penetrate its scales.
• The creature’s roar knocked Falcon and War Machine off balance, and its water jet damaged the Quinjet’s engine, forcing an emergency landing.
• Vision blocked the creature’s claw from striking the Quinjet and counterattacked by slamming into its throat.
• Tony contacted Maria Hill, who reported a possible earlier sighting of a similar creature in the Atlantic, and he told S.H.I.E.L.D. to stand by while the Avengers handled the fight.

Tony Stark and the Avengers defeated a giant deep-sea creature, but Vision discovered that it had fled its habitat out of fear of something stronger. An organized army from the deep sea then surged ashore, and Iron Man flew out to meet its leader.

• Iron Man attacked the giant sea creature with missiles and repulsor blasts, knocking it unconscious while leaving it alive.
• Tony contacted Hill and asked S.H.I.E.L.D. to transport the creature in a large cage.
• Vision sensed the creature’s thoughts and concluded that fear had driven it from the deep sea.
• Hill warned Tony that something was approaching from the Atlantic, and a wave carried blue-skinned soldiers and a shark-shaped warship ashore.
• The Avengers gathered as Captain America identified the newcomers as a disciplined army, and Iron Man flew to speak with their leader.

Tony Stark and the Avengers fought the Atlantean invasion along the waterfront after Tony’s attempt to negotiate failed. The battle escalated when Sea Serpent appeared and challenged the Avengers.

• Iron Man confronted the advancing Deep Sea Army and tried to demand an apology, but the Atlantean soldiers attacked him with laser fire.
• Tony shielded himself with Repulsor energy, then fought back as the Avengers arrived and joined the battle in the streets.
• Tony told Maria Hill to relay the battle footage to the President and ordered her to remain on standby.
• The Avengers pushed the Atlanteans toward the docks, where War Machine and Vision destroyed a shark-shaped warship as more vessels emerged offshore.
• A powerful Atlantean ambushed Captain America, but his Vibranium shield protected him from the blow.
• The Atlantean introduced himself as Sea Serpent and challenged the Avengers.

The Avengers faced Sea Serpent, an Atlantean commander whose strength and speed overwhelmed War Machine before Iron Man challenged him directly. Iron Man outmaneuvered Sea Serpent and blasted him into the ruins, though the battle remained unresolved.

• Sea Serpent appeared on the battlefield, and the deep-sea warriors yielded space for their commander.
• Sea Serpent leaped through War Machine's gunfire, seized Rhode, and smashed him into the ground.
• Hawkeye froze Sea Serpent briefly with an arrow, giving Rhode time to escape before Sea Serpent shattered the ice and struck the ground again.
• Tony left the injured Captain with the others and met Sea Serpent in a series of powerful exchanges.
• Tony dodged Sea Serpent's blind strike by flying above him, then fired a Repulsor Cannon that sent Sea Serpent crashing into the ruins.

Sea Serpent used the Lost Trident to unleash the ocean against the Avengers, overpowering their attacks as Iron Man struggled to hold him off. The chapter ended with Hulk arriving to join the fight.

• Iron Man blasted Sea Serpent into the ruins, but Sea Serpent emerged and revealed the Lost Trident.
• Sea Serpent used the trident to flood several city blocks, forcing the Avengers to escape to higher ground.
• Sea Serpent's attacks cracked Iron Man's Repulsor Shield and scattered the Avengers, while he bound Vision out of his phased state and struck him away.
• Iron Man fought Sea Serpent at close range, but the trident neutralized his repulsor energy and their clash damaged both fighters.
• Hulk arrived and confronted Sea Serpent, declaring, "Hulk... smash!"

Hulk joined the Avengers in battle against Sea Serpent while Iron Man and Vision seized the Trident. Iron Man snapped the supposed divine artifact, Hulk knocked Sea Serpent into the sea, and the Atlantis forces fled.

• Tony said Hulk had agreed to sign the Act and that his previous warrants had been voided.
• Hulk fought Sea Serpent head-on, while Vision and Iron Man struggled to take the Trident from him.
• Iron Man took the Trident and snapped it over his knee, shocking the Deep-sea soldiers.
• Hulk punched Sea Serpent out into the depths of the sea.
• The Atlantis forces fled, and Tony questioned whether the broken Trident had been a counterfeit.

After the Avengers defeated the Atlantean attack, Michael watched from S.W.O.R.D. and left the Avengers to deal with their conflict over the Superhuman Registration Act. Gwen arrived at S.W.O.R.D. for a surprise birthday celebration, still confused and irritated by her feelings about Wanda and Mr. Passo.

• The Atlantean army retreated, Hulk rejoined the Avengers, and Tony returned to the Helicarrier to prepare a report.
• Michael and Sherry discussed the Avengers' victory and the coming conflict over the Superhuman Registration Act.
• Sherry reminded Michael that he had promised Miss Maximoff something, and Michael admitted little about his thoughts.
• Gwen stopped two robbers in Hell's Kitchen with unusually brutal force, then hurried to S.W.O.R.D. while brooding over Wanda and Mr. Passo dating.
• Gwen entered a dark hall at S.W.O.R.D., where the lights came on and everyone wished her a happy birthday.

Gwen was surprised by a birthday party at the base and received gifts from her friends and instructor. Wanda then revealed that Michael had an even bigger surprise for her.

• Gwen arrived at the decorated room and realized everyone had prepared a birthday celebration for her.
• Daisy presented the cake she had made with Wanda, and Gwen made a wish before blowing out the candles.
• Wanda gave Gwen a Hello Kitty plushie, Daisy gave her a card, and Pietro gave her a limited-edition game disc.
• The Winter Soldier gave Gwen his favorite military knife, which she carefully put away.
• Wanda brought Michael over and told Gwen he had an even bigger surprise for her.

At Gwen’s birthday, Michael gave her a video documenting her growth, and she realized how consistently he had cared for her. Meanwhile, Cynthia Schmidt and Brock Rumlow arrived at a hidden Antarctic fortress and prepared to attack its Nazi-era guardians.

• Michael showed Gwen a video tracing her life and development since he found her six years earlier.
• Gwen hugged Michael and told him the video was the best gift she could have received.
• Cynthia Schmidt and Brock Rumlow crossed a snowy graveyard to reach a fortress hidden in Antarctica.
• Crossbones explained that Red Skull had left the fortress and its inhabitants to guard the Thule Society’s final refuge.
• Crossbones assembled a rocket launcher and announced that he and Cynthia would kill every guardian inside.

Cynthia and Crossbones stormed Hitler’s isolated fortress to reach an icebound war hammer. Cynthia claimed the hammer, which awakened in a burst of blue light and tore through the facility as the chapter ended.

• Cynthia and Crossbones blasted their way into the fortress and killed the inexperienced guards as they fought toward its core.
• Cynthia questioned Crossbones about how he knew the fortress’s location, and he said he had dreamed of it and been summoned to guide her.
• Cynthia shot a young defender outside the Thule-marked door while Crossbones cut through the metal entrance.
• Crossbones led Cynthia to an inverted war hammer encased in ice and told her it had chosen her to kill Captain America and rule the world.
• Cynthia gripped the hammer, shattering the ice as blue light tore through the room and sent a pillar into the sky.

Sea Serpent claimed a green-glowing hammer beneath the sea and learned he had to free the being who granted its power. In the Arctic, Cynthia Schmidt became Skadi and set out to awaken her father, Red Skull.

• Sea Serpent arrived at the seabed basin and discovered that no one had been able to move the hammer there.
• Sea Serpent seized the hammer, gained immense power, and learned that he had to free its supreme benefactor before confronting the Avengers again.
• Cynthia Schmidt took the Hammer of Skadi, transformed, and accepted Crossbones's praise as her destiny.
• Skadi declared that she would awaken her father, blasted Crossbones aside, and flew away with her hammer.

Skadi and Sea Serpent fought their way through the dragons guarding a sealed chamber in the Mariana Trench. Inside, they found the old man Skadi recognized as the All-Father, who announced his return and received her devotion.

• Skadi descended into the Mariana Trench, where she fought the dragon guardians with her divine hammer.
• Sea Serpent joined Skadi, and the two emissaries defeated the dragons together.
• Skadi and Sea Serpent touched the symbol on the sealed entrance and were pulled into a vessel beneath the seafloor.
• They found an old man in the empty hall, and he announced that he had returned.
• Skadi knelt before the old man and asked the All-Father for his orders.

Thor discovered that Surtur had returned after the Twilight Sword was stolen and Nidavellir was engulfed in flames. As Odin prepared to face Ragnarok, Michael agreed to help Doctor Strange investigate a dangerous force coming from another of the Nine Realms.

• Thor arrived at Nidavellir and found its homeland consumed by powerful flames that Heimdall could not see through.
• Thor destroyed a flaming creature and met Eitri, who said the Twilight Sword had been stolen and Surtur had returned.
• Odin recognized that the prophecy of Ragnarok was coming true and told Heimdall to summon Thor back to Asgard.
• Doctor Strange told Michael that a dangerous force might be coming from another of the Nine Realms.
• Michael agreed to investigate the source with Doctor Strange and stop it before it reached Earth.

An ancient enemy revealed that Odin had learned of his return and planned to summon the remaining Sky Hammers. After hearing that Surtur had returned and taken the Twilight Sword, Thor tried to go to Midgard, but Odin stopped him and knocked him unconscious.

• The old man told Skadi and Sea Serpent that Odin knew he had escaped, then said they would summon the remaining Sky Hammers.
• Thor reported to Odin that Surtur had returned, attacked Nidavellir, and stolen the Twilight Sword.
• Thor asked to go to Midgard, but Odin ordered him to remain in Asgard and prepare for battle.
• Thor disobeyed and headed for the Bifrost, so Odin seized him and knocked him down.
• Thor attacked Odin with Mjolnir, but Odin subdued him and left him unconscious at the hall entrance.

Six Heavenly Hammers fell to Earth and empowered Red Hulk and Venom, turning two imprisoned or unexpected figures into dangerous new wielders. After Venom took the hammer near a S.W.O.R.D. base, Daisy wondered whether Eddie was still in control.

• A falling Heavenly Hammer smashed into Island Prison, destroying Red Hulk’s cell and freeing him.
• Red Hulk touched the hammer, gained red armor, and shattered the island with a powerful strike.
• Six Heavenly Hammers landed across Earth, and S.W.O.R.D. agents secured one near a branch base.
• Daisy scanned the hammer and learned she could not contact Mr. Passo, while Venom secretly approached it.
• Venom gripped the hammer, gained black armor, and roared as Daisy asked whether Eddie was still inside.

Venom, empowered by the iron-gray hammer, attacked Daisy until Wanda intervened. Meanwhile, Doctor Strange and Michael entered a fiery dimension to investigate the magical energy invading Earth, where Michael recognized Amora the Enchantress.

• Venom attacked Daisy with the hammer, and she used shockwaves to evade and blast him back.
• Daisy tried to reason with Venom and Eddie, but Venom kept advancing until Wanda struck him with a dark red wave.
• Doctor Strange and Michael entered a fiery dimension to trace the source of the magical energy invading Earth.
• Michael and Doctor Strange fought off a swarm of Flame Demons, while Michael's attack exposed an invisible barrier.
• Amora the Enchantress appeared in the flames, and Michael recognized her.