Chapter Summaries

Tony and the Avengers fought mirror-image versions of themselves in a battle that left Avengers Headquarters in ruins. The chapter ended with both Tonys preparing matching heavy-cannon blasts while the other Avengers struggled against their doubles.

• Tony battled an Iron Man whose armor, technology, and fighting style matched his own, and used Pulse Oscillation to knock him from the air.
• War Machine fought his mirror image, while Rhodes admitted he believed Tony's alien theory.
• The two Visions copied each other's attacks and phasing as they fought.
• Two Hulks collided with enough force to tear down walls and flip the roof, prompting Rhodes to call for someone to stop them.
• Tony and his counterpart transformed their gauntlets into identical heavy cannons and fired Repulsor Beams that collided.

Sharon Carter broke Steve Rogers out of S.H.I.E.L.D. custody and escaped with him aboard a cloaked Quinjet. Aboard the Sky Sword Mothership, Michael learned of Rogers’s departure and said it was time for their side to act against the Skrulls.

• Sharon Carter incapacitated the guards outside Steve Rogers’s cell and freed him using their identification card.
• Sharon led Rogers through an unguarded route to a waiting Quinjet, which blasted through the hangar doors and escaped under cloaking.
• Wanda Maximoff watched footage of Skrull Avengers fighting Iron Man and admitted she could not distinguish them from the originals.
• Sherry reported that Sharon Carter had taken Rogers from the Tri-Wing Building.
• Michael concluded that the Skrulls had made their move and said it was their turn to act.

Tony Stark and the surviving Avengers faced the possibility that Skrull spies had infiltrated their ranks, forcing Tony to suspend Avengers operations. As Tony flew away, Maria Hill reported that the Tri-Wing Building had been attacked and Steve Rogers had vanished from his cell.

• Hulk defeated the last Skrull disguised as an Avenger, and Tony arranged for the Skrull bodies to be examined.
• Tony warned Rhode and Vision that they could not know whether the remaining Avengers were originals, so he suspended team operations.
• Rhode urged Tony to keep fighting for Earth, but Tony said the Avengers had already lost and flew away.
• Maria Hill told Tony that an apparent electromagnetic pulse had disabled the Tri-Wing Building and that Steve Rogers had disappeared from his cell.
• Tony changed course toward the Tri-Wing Building and told Richards that his visit would be delayed.

Tony Stark struggled with his failure to stop the Skrulls and questioned whether he could remain S.H.I.E.L.D. director. After learning that a S.W.O.R.D. mothership was hiding above Earth, he decided to approach it for help.

• Tony recorded his thoughts about the Skrull invasion and his doubts about serving as S.H.I.E.L.D. director.
• Maria Hill reported that the Tri-Wing Building’s systems had failed and that Steve Rogers had disappeared, likely with Sharon Carter.
• Tony dismissed the possibility that Captain America’s allies had caused the sophisticated systems breach and worried it might be connected to the Skrulls.
• Hill showed Tony radar images of a hidden aircraft carrier believed to be S.W.O.R.D.’s mothership.
• Tony refused Hill’s offers of backup, saying he would go to the ship alone to seek help.

Sharon Carter revealed herself as the Skrull Queen and ordered Steve Rogers to weaken humanity's resistance during the invasion. Tony Stark found the Black Knight aboard the seemingly empty S.W.O.R.D. headquarters, where the Black Knight attacked him without warning.

• Sharon Carter led Steve Rogers through a Skrull warship and revealed the gathered Super Skrulls before taking the throne as their queen.
• Sharon explained that humans would follow Captain America and ordered Rogers to persuade them to accept the Skrull invasion.
• Tony Stark flew to what he believed was S.W.O.R.D. headquarters and entered after the ship opened its hangar for him.
• Tony found no life signs aboard the ship and grew suspicious as he searched for the Black Knight.
• Tony confronted the Black Knight in a spacious hall, but the Black Knight fired a pulse beam that knocked Iron Man onto his back.

Michael fought Iron Man aboard Kang the Conqueror’s abandoned warship and exposed flaws in the weapons and armor that Tony could not explain. The chapter ended with Michael revealing that the man inside the armor was a Skrull spy who believed himself to be Tony Stark.

• Michael used Kang the Conqueror’s abandoned warship as a concealed place to confront Iron Man.
• Iron Man attacked Michael with missiles, nanodrills, electromagnetic oscillations, and a supposed Collapsar Cannon, but Michael countered each attack.
• Michael pointed out that Iron Man’s weapons and equipment were imperfect versions of technology he had given Tony Stark.
• Iron Man kept attacking as his thoughts became stuck and he sensed a secret buried in his subconscious.
• Michael knocked Iron Man down and revealed that he was a Skrull infiltrator whose memories had hidden his identity from himself.

Michael revealed that the apparent Tony Stark was a Skrull spy whose memories had been altered, leaving him relieved to learn he was not responsible for Iron Man’s burdens. The Skrull chose to help Earth, and Michael asked Wanda to probe his mind.

• Tony Stark realized he was a Skrull impersonator and felt relieved that Iron Man’s responsibilities were not his.
• Michael explained that the Skrulls had hidden the spy’s original memories and that a trigger could restore them.
• Michael told the Skrull that a mind-reading expert could recover the hidden memories if he cooperated.
• The Skrull chose to help Earth, and Michael handed the task to Wanda.

Michael returned to his laboratory as the Skrulls hijacked worldwide broadcasts with Captain America, but Rogers defied them and urged humanity to resist. The Skrull Queen’s forces subdued him aboard their mothership, where Michael appeared and threatened her.

• Michael returned to his laboratory, where Sherry reported that the Skrulls had hijacked every device capable of receiving video or audio transmissions.
• Captain America told the world that the Skrulls were infiltrators and called on the Avengers and humanity to fight them.
• The Skrull Queen ordered the broadcast cut off and sent her Super Skrull warriors to capture Rogers alive.
• Rogers fought back with his energy shield until the Skrulls overwhelmed him and demanded to know what had happened to Ka-Ansak.
• Michael appeared behind the Skrull Queen, aimed his Pulse Cannon at her, and said she was next.

Michael and the Sky Sword Agents launched a surprise attack on the Skrull mothership, overwhelming its defenses and taking down the Skrull Queen. As the battle spread across the ship, Michael’s allies joined the fight, and Bucky helped Steve Rogers back to his feet.

• Days earlier, Michael stopped a Skrull impersonating Captain America from shooting Steve Rogers and recruited Rogers to help fight the infiltrators.
• Michael confronted the Skrull Queen as Sky Sword Agents reported attacks across the mothership’s sectors.
• Michael shot the queen with a low-powered Pulse Cannon blast, knocking her unconscious so she could be captured alive.
• Daisy entered the room and attacked the Super Skrulls with shockwaves while Jessica, Venom, and Gwen fought their opponents.
• Bucky helped Steve Rogers after Daredevil and Luke Cage knocked him to one knee, and Rogers said he could fight all day.

Gwen recruited Peter for a mission to rescue humans held aboard the Skrull mothership, and Peter accepted before learning the details. After S.W.O.R.D. attacked the ship, he infiltrated it alone and began taking down isolated Skrulls as he searched for the hostages.

• Peter found Gwen in his room, and she asked him to join a mission to save the world.
• Peter agreed to help Gwen, changed into his Spider-Man suit, and left home with her.
• Peter learned that shapeshifters had infiltrated Earth and that the current Tony Stark was a Skrull spy.
• Michael assigned Peter to sneak aboard the Skrull mothership and rescue the replaced Earthlings, while S.W.O.R.D. attacked the ship.
• Peter crawled through the mothership, defeated isolated Skrulls, and grew more confident as he continued toward the hostages.

Peter infiltrated the Skrull mothership and began freeing the hostages, where he found the real Clint Barton and Tony Stark. After Clint joined him, Peter rescued Stark, who embraced him and praised him.

• Peter slipped into the prison area, subdued its two Skrull guards, and searched for the cells’ master control.
• Peter found Clint Barton and freed him after struggling to operate the alien control panel.
• Clint grabbed Peter and accused him of being an alien, then accepted that Peter was real and learned Black Knight’s forces were fighting the Skrulls.
• Clint led Peter to Tony Stark’s cell, and Peter freed Stark.
• Tony hugged Peter and told him he had done well.

Peter and Clint freed Tony from his cell aboard the Skrull mothership, and Tony restored his armor and joined the fight. Michael and Amora battled the Skrull forces in the command room until Iron Man arrived with newly freed fighters.

• Peter told Tony and Clint that S.W.O.R.D. was launching an assault and nearing the mothership.
• Clint asked Tony to help find the others and free the hostages, and Tony restored his Iron Man armor after the suppression field failed.
• Michael fought the counterfeit heroes in the command room, redirecting attacks and disabling the Skrull disguised as Thing.
• Amora joined Michael, countered the Skrull disguised as Mandarin, and helped drive back the attackers.
• Tony led a group of freed superpowered fighters into the command room and attacked the Skrull forces.

Iron Man and the reinforcements helped the Avengers defeat the Skrulls, while S.W.O.R.D. captured the Skrull mothership and subdued its queen. Michael confronted the captive queen, who ended their exchange by suggesting she might not be the real Skrull Queen.

• Iron Man joined the battle, and Spider-Man stopped Skrull Bullseye from shooting Gwen from behind.
• Iron Man, Captain America, and the Winter Soldier fought together and drove back the Skrull forces.
• S.W.O.R.D. captured the mothership in thirty minutes, securing its systems and capturing or disabling the Super Skrulls.
• Michael ordered the ship sealed and prepared the point-jump system to bring forces aboard the Sky Sword Mothership.
• Michael questioned the bound Skrull Queen, who claimed he could not know whether she was truly the great Skrull Queen.

S.W.O.R.D. took control of the Skrull mothership and rescued the hostages after the captured Skrull revealed she was only the Queen’s double and repeated a prophecy about Earth. As the heroes parted, Tony and Rogers acknowledged the end of their friendship, while Rogers declined Bucky’s invitation and left to seek peace.

• The captured Skrull told Tony Stark she was the Queen’s expendable double and claimed Earth was destined to become the Skrull Empire’s core.
• Michael dismissed the Skrull’s prophecy, and S.W.O.R.D. agents captured or killed the remaining Skrulls, took control of the mothership, and evacuated the hostages.
• Tony did not challenge S.W.O.R.D.’s control of the ship or punish the superpowered individuals who had violated the Superhuman Registration Act.
• Rogers asked Tony whether he had opposed him during the Civil War, and Tony admitted that he had before they parted on strained terms.
• Bucky invited Rogers to join his organization, but Rogers declined and boarded the transport to find a quiet place to rest.

After the Skrull invasion was repelled, Michael decided to strike at the Skrull Empire because the shapeshifters still hidden on Earth remained a threat. He planned to go alone, despite Wanda and Doctor Doom offering to join him.

• Wanda told Michael that the Skrull impersonating Stark had shared details about the invasion but knew no way to identify Skrulls across the planet.
• Doctor Doom said that no available technology could purge the hidden Skrulls from Earth.
• Michael argued that Earth had to take the initiative before the Skrulls launched another, stronger invasion.
• Wanda and Doctor Doom objected to Michael's plan to confront the alien empire, and Doom offered to accompany him.
• Michael said he would go alone and assured Wanda that he would return safely.

Tony Stark admitted to the President that he could not protect the world from the Skrulls and considered stepping down as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. After discussing his failure with Nick Fury, Tony heard Fury recommend Michael Passo as his successor.

• Tony told the President that S.W.O.R.D. had stopped the Skrull invasion, but no one had found a way to identify Skrulls hiding among humans.
• Maria Hill reported that few Skrulls had been caught and that Reed Richards had not yet found a solution.
• Tony met Nick Fury, admitted he felt unfit to lead S.H.I.E.L.D., and said he wanted to step down.
• Fury declined to return as Director and recommended Michael Passo as Tony's successor.

Michael prepared to travel to the Skrull Empire's center and reassured Wanda that he would return, promising to take a week off with her afterward. Elizabeth summoned him to S.W.O.R.D., where he discovered that Nick Fury, retired for several years, had come to see the commander.

• Michael asked Sherry to plot an interstellar route to the Skrull Empire's main base while Wanda objected to his plan to attack it.
• Michael kissed Wanda, insisted that he was the only one who could handle the mission, and promised to take a week-long vacation with her after returning.
• Sherry told Michael that Elizabeth needed him at the company because a visitor specifically wanted to see S.W.O.R.D.'s commander.
• Michael opened a portal to his office and found Nick Fury waiting there.

Nick Fury visited Michael Passo and revealed that he suspected Michael was the Black Knight and the commander of S.W.O.R.D. Fury urged Michael to become the next Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., but Michael rejected the role, leaving Fury to challenge his view of himself as a hero.

• Fury told Michael he suspected he was the Black Knight and asked for a private, honest conversation.
• Michael confirmed that he was the Black Knight and commanded S.W.O.R.D., while Fury clarified that he was a former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Fury asked Michael to take over as Director, arguing that Stark was unsuited to the job after the Skrulls infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers.
• Michael refused, saying S.W.O.R.D. worked best in the shadows and that the Black Knight was seen as a terrorist rather than a symbol of hope.
• Fury told Michael that heroes were defined by enduring hardship and inspiring others, and said Michael had already become a superhero.

Michael left Earth for the Skrull homeworld after adding Fury’s offer to become Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. to the matters he might consider. The Skrull Queen learned that the Black Knight had defeated their forces on Earth, then saw him attacking the fleet above her homeworld.

• Michael decided not to accept Fury’s request outright and left Earth for the distant edge of the galaxy.
• A Skrull reported to the Queen that the Black Knight had thwarted the invasion of Earth, destroyed their fleet, and captured their mothership.
• The Skrull described the Black Knight’s advanced technology, magic, and formidable combat abilities, leaving the Queen to question how he compared with Kurtis.
• An attack struck the Skrull fleet, and the Queen learned that a single intruder was approaching the mothership.
• The Skrull Queen watched the image of the Black Knight fighting through the fleet and recognized him as the attacker.

Michael attacked the Skrull homeworld alone, destroyed its defending fleet, and captured Empress Veranke inside the mothership. He told her he wanted to talk and left the outcome dependent on her cooperation.

• Michael infiltrated the Skrull homeworld and secretly studied its defenses while listening to the Skrull Queen and her subordinates discuss the Black Knight.
• Michael revealed himself by attacking the Skrull fleet, drawing the homeworld's full defensive forces into battle.
• Michael destroyed the ships and aircraft guarding the mothership, then breached its force field and crashed into the vessel.
• Michael defeated the Skrull warriors in the throne room, disarmed Queen Veranke, and seized her.
• Michael identified Veranke and told her he had come to talk, while she questioned whether he could escape the Skrull homeworld alive.