Chapter Summaries

Chaos forces poured through a Khorne-shaped portal around the Fallen Hive City as the Homeland Defense Force and the Weepers fought to contain them. Primarch Rorschach and the arriving Astartes led an assault toward the city, knowing the portal had to be destroyed to protect Homeworld Terra.

• The Fallen Hive City's Void Shield repelled the Homeland Defense Force's bombardment as supernatural creatures emerged and clashed with Abominant squads.
• A Khorne-shaped portal opened, releasing 8,888 Flesh Hounds, and Colonel Zemo ordered more than a thousand Leman Russ Tanks into battle.
• Land Raiders, Mortal Warriors, and Auto-Servitor Robots filled the gaps between the Mobile Hive Cities and began building defensive fortifications.
• The portal released 88,888 Khorne Bloodletters while eight huge, indistinct figures began forming inside its crimson pillar.
• Thunderhawk Gunships and eight companies of Stormtroopers attacked the Chaos forces from the air and ground.
• Primarch Rorschach, Tyberus, Lucas, and the Weepers arrived; Tyberus led an assault into the battlefield while Rorschach and Lucas charged toward the Fallen Hive City.

Primarch Rorschach and Tyberus led assaults toward the Fallen Hive City as Khorne’s daemons gathered to emerge from a blood-red portal. Thor arrived and struck the portal with Mjolnir, but a Bloodthirster blocked the blow and descended onto the battlefield.

• Primarch Rorschach and the Weepers Company cut through Khorne’s forces, while a suicide attack killed several Astartes.
• Primarch Rorschach used his Metal Ten Rings to kill supernatural creatures and slaughtered the Chaos-corrupted Weepers.
• Primarch Rorschach ordered Tyberus to lead a tank charge toward the Fallen Hive City as they tried to stop the Bloodthirsters from descending.
• Tyberus charged across the battlefield under the cover of Leman Russ Tanks while Primarch Rorschach raced toward the city.
• Thor arrived and struck the Khorne-marked portal with Mjolnir, but a Bloodthirster blocked the blow and announced its arrival.

A Khorne Greater Daemon named Kharn entered the Homeworld and devastated the defenders as superheroes and Astartes rushed to confront it. While Primarch Rorschach and Tyberus prepared to destroy the portal’s altar, another Greater Daemon arrived, with six more reaching through the portal.

• Thor was punched from the sky by a crimson hand and crashed into a Mobile Hive City.
• Kharn emerged from the portal, destroyed attacking Thunderhawk Gunships, and fought off superheroes, Astartes, and tanks.
• Tony led the Vengeance Inquisition against Kharn, but its attacks barely harmed him and he slaughtered nearby warriors.
• The Great White Fleet, Raven Guard Fleet, and Wolf Rorschach arrived with reinforcements and charged Kharn.
• Primarch Rorschach and the wounded Tyberus prepared to destroy the altar with Melta Bombs and Hellfire Missiles, but another Khorne Greater Daemon crashed down nearby as six more reached through the portal.

Primarch Rorschach and his allies destroyed the Chaos Portal and killed one Khorne Greater Daemon before rushing to help fight Kharn. With Thor and Wolf Rorschach leading a desperate assault, the battered Kharn was struck by a Blood Scythe and the Dawnbreaker Warhammer, but the battle remained unresolved.

• Primarch Rorschach destroyed the Mobile Hive City and hive altar, collapsing the Chaos Portal and weakening the Chaos forces.
• Primarch Rorschach and Tyberus wounded a Khorne Greater Daemon, and Peter Parker stabbed it in the neck before they severed its head and body.
• Primarch Rorschach and Tyberus charged toward Kharn as Thor and Wolf Rorschach fought him amid heavy losses.
• Wolf Rorschach let Kharn's axe cleave into him so he could restrain Kharn and strike him with the Forgebreaker Warhammer while Astartes joined the assault.
• Thor smashed Mjolnir into Kharn's skull, but Kharn hurled away the Astartes restraining him.
• A Blood Scythe struck Kharn in the back, and the Dawnbreaker Warhammer slammed into him as its wielder shouted for him to return to the Warp.

Primarch Rorschach, Thor, and Wolf Rorschach killed Kharn and helped rout the remaining Chaos forces, ending the Second Chaos Descent in victory. The battle’s enormous human and military losses left Tony grieving the fallen superheroes and vowing to arm humanity.

• Primarch Rorschach and Thor struck Kharn with their warhammers while Wolf Rorschach broke free, and the three killed the Bloodthirster.
• Primarch Rorschach gave panaceas to Thor and Wolf Rorschach, then the three charged back into battle against the remaining Chaos Demons.
• The Astartes, mortal forces, heavy vehicles, and Sky Carriers destroyed the encircled Chaos forces as dawn arrived and the battle ended.
• The survivors counted catastrophic losses among civilians, mortal warriors, Stormtroopers, vehicles, pilots, and Astartes, including most of Wolf Rorschach’s werewolves and Space Wolves.
• Tony mourned the more than forty fallen superheroes, promised to notify and compensate their families, and vowed to use his technology to arm all humanity.

A mysterious blond man watched the end of the Second Homeworld Chaos War, while Magneto met with Jean Grey about Scott’s death and the power Charles had contained within her. The chapter ended with Magneto revealing that the power was called the Phoenix Force.

• A blond man observed the war from above the atmosphere and sped away after it ended, with his identity and intentions unknown.
• Magneto told Jean Grey that Scott had died destroying the demons’ altars and portals, helping secure victory, and asked if she had any requests for his state funeral.
• Jean said she had no special requests and that Scott had died protecting mutants and humanity with honor.
• Jean told Magneto that the restrained power within her remained dormant, but she could draw on some of it and should be sent against enemies ordinary forces could not defeat.
• After Jean left, Magneto told Mystique that he had summoned Jean to check whether Charles’s mental barrier still held, then revealed that Charles had named the dangerous power the Phoenix Force.

After a battlefield interrogation, Grand Inquisitor Frank freed Peter Parker and officially promoted him to a qualified Inquisitor. Peter was ordered to lead a Raven Guard squad in pursuit of the Chaos-worshipping Ancient Witch.

• Peter Parker protested that the interrogators had detained him despite his passing corruption tests and urged them to rescue Blade and pursue the Ancient Witch.
• Hawkeye questioned how Peter and his companions had resisted Chaos corruption and explained the danger posed by Peter’s actions against the Chaos Daemon.
• Peter rose in frustration, and the interrogators aimed their weapons at him.
• Inquisitor Frank burst into the room, declared his authority as Grand Inquisitor, and tore apart Peter’s restraints.
• Frank formally promoted Peter to a qualified Inquisitor and ordered him to lead a Raven Guard squad after the Ancient Witch; Peter accepted.

Primarch Rorschach and Iron Man David planned Terra’s unification and the proposed Five Theaters system, while debating how to prevent the regions from becoming independent states. Rorschach rejected Cypher Rorschach’s population-replacement proposal and left future governance problems for the Ultramarines or Guilliman to handle.

• Primarch Rorschach reviewed Terra’s battle losses and considered whether powerful beings on Homeworld Terra had helped protect its defenders from Chaos corruption.
• Iron Man David and Primarch Rorschach discussed accelerating Terra’s unification and outlined the Five Theaters’ proposed military, industrial, agricultural, and scientific roles.
• Iron Man David warned that the Five Theaters could become states within states unless Terra’s population was tightly managed, while Wolf Rorschach proposed interstellar expansion to ease internal pressures.
• Cypher Rorschach proposed replacing Terra’s population if its people rebelled against Imperial rule, and Wolf Rorschach mocked him with the prospect of facing The Emperor’s anger.
• Primarch Rorschach cut off the discussion and decided to leave Terra’s future administration to the Ultramarines or Guilliman, possibly involving Fulgrim’s clone.

As crime surged across North America, the Raven Guard recruited Moon Knight after rescuing him from a villain ambush, while the Astartes companies expanded their recruitment efforts in several regions. The chapter left the Black Templars, White Scars, and Blood Ravens pursuing their own ways to gain recruits or strength.

• In Gotham, Moon Knight was poisoned by a villain duo posing as a robber and a woman in distress.
• A Raven Guard Shadow Company Commander killed the villains and invited Moon Knight to join the Astartes Legion, and Moon Knight accepted.
• In Japan, Company Commander Tyberus watched human Berserkers attack him as he prepared to create new Great White Astartes.
• In Europe, Weepers encouraged Homeland Defense Force warriors hoping to become Astartes, while Stormtroopers discussed traveling to Fenris to join the Space Wolves.
• The Black Templars headed to Asian territories to recruit devoted believers, and the White Scars pressed Raditus to build them better Hoverbikes.
• The Blood Ravens' Librarians traveled to Kamar-Taj, where Strange's mage forces might help their company.

Cypher Rorschach recruited Wolf Rorschach to help seize Wakanda and used an underground assault to bypass the city's Energy Shield. As the Intelligent controlled legion captured the city, a figure attacked Wolf Rorschach with vibranium claws.

• Wolf Rorschach arrived in Wakanda intending to fight Cypher Rorschach, who persuaded him to help attack the city in exchange for Vibranium Power Armor.
• Cypher Rorschach explained that he wanted to break Wakanda's resistance and acquire its vibranium, while Wolf Rorschach questioned the city's defenses and their plan.
• Cypher Rorschach's forces tunneled beneath Wakanda's Energy Shield, entering the city and destroying the devices that sustained it.
• The Intelligent controlled legion attacked Wakanda's streets and overcame the defending troops, capturing most districts and forcing many Wakandans to kneel.
• Cypher Rorschach declared that Wakandans who surrendered would be spared, but a tall figure leaped from a building and swung vibranium claws at Wolf Rorschach.

Wolf Rorschach and Cypher Rorschach captured Black Panther T'Challa during the invasion of Wakanda and confronted him over the kingdom’s isolation and control of Vibranium. Queen Mother Ramonda took Shuri hostage to protect Wakanda’s technology, but Cypher challenged her to kill her daughter in exchange for T'Challa’s life.

• Wolf Rorschach evaded Black Panther T'Challa’s ambush, seized him, and pinned him to the ground.
• Wolf Rorschach struck T'Challa with the Forgebreaker Warhammer, injuring him and damaging his Plasteel Armor Casing.
• Cypher Rorschach accused Wakanda of arrogance and of contributing to suffering across Africa, while T'Challa admitted his kingdom had made mistakes and asked to die before his people.
• Wolf Rorschach told T'Challa that Wakandans would be forced to mine Vibranium, and Cypher prepared to kill him with the White Tiger Greatsword.
• Queen Mother Ramonda took Shuri hostage and revealed that Shuri alone retained Wakanda’s Vibranium technology in her memory.
• Cypher Rorschach demanded that Ramonda kill Shuri herself in exchange for sparing T'Challa.

Queen Mother Ramonda sacrificed herself after offering Wakanda’s surrender, but Cypher Rorschach’s cruel response provoked Wolf Rorschach to attack him. Cypher recovered from his apparent corruption, and the brothers decided to make Wakanda’s people prisoners and miners.

• Queen Mother Ramonda admitted she had ordered the attack on the Rorschachs and offered herself in exchange for Wakanda’s royal bloodline.
• Ramonda released Shuri and stabbed herself through the heart, leaving T’Challa and Shuri grieving.
• Cypher Rorschach taunted T’Challa, prompting Wolf Rorschach to beat him with the Forgebreaker Warhammer and demand that he wake up.
• Cypher’s violet eye-glow faded, and he thanked Wolf for intervening before the brothers reconciled.
• Wolf and Cypher decided to turn Wakandans into miners and notify Iron Man David and the Primarch that Wakanda had fallen and Africa was unified.

Cypher Rorschach and Shuri explored an underground Wakandan cavern filled with Heart-shaped Herbs and ancient murals. Shuri interpreted the murals as depicting a war involving the Celestials and Earth’s gods, ending with a terrifying Fae Power remaining inside ancient Earth.

• Auto-Servitor Robots dismantled vibranium structures in Wakanda and built housing for the civilians, who were assigned to mine vibranium.
• Cypher Rorschach and Shuri discovered Heart-shaped Herbs in an underground cavern, and Cypher stored one without eating it.
• Shuri explained that the cavern murals depicted ancient gods gathering for war and an enormous-headed figure whose role remained unclear.
• Cypher Rorschach identified the immense mechanical-looking enemy in the murals as the Celestials, and Shuri described their war against Earth’s gods.
• Shuri said the final mural showed the Celestials dead, the enormous-headed figure fleeing wounded, and a Fae Power that devoured all things remaining inside ancient Earth.

Doom explained his Destroyer Sentinels and the progress of his FTL prototype to Primarch Rorschach. Primarch Rorschach invited him to test the engine with the Legion Fleet and witness the Warp, and Doom agreed despite the danger.

• Doom demonstrated his green-cloaked Destroyer Sentinels and explained how their Consciousness Storage Device could create mechanical duplicates to aid research.
• Primarch Rorschach asked Doom about the FTL Engine he and Mister Fantastic Reed were developing.
• Doom described three known forms of cosmic travel and explained that his prototype, built using Project Pegasus and the Space Stone, had not yet been tested.
• Primarch Rorschach invited Doom aboard the Legion Fleet to test the prototype and warned him that Chaos in the Warp could threaten his mind and soul.
• Doom accepted the invitation and said he would back up his knowledge and consciousness in case he died.

Rorschach returned to the Primarch Fleet with Doom and Iron Man David, bringing new equipment and preparing the fleet for another Chaos Blessing. He introduced Doom to the Great Whites and Blood Ravens and warned them not to underestimate him.

• Cypher Rorschach and Wolf Rorschach loaded supplies at Twin Islands Base before departing for the Primarch Fleet, with Cypher Rorschach planning to search for the Lion King and Wolf Rorschach preparing to target Blackheart King Huron's fortress.
• Primarch Rorschach recalled the Astartes companies and retrieved the newly forged Primarch-grade Power Armor Spark of Glory from Fenris as another Chaos Blessing approached.
• Rorschach arrived aboard the Battle Barge Water Monster with Doom and Iron Man David while Kahurangi and Orion opened a Warp Portal under guard.
• Rorschach gave Orion individual Energy Shields for the Blood Ravens and agreed they could be sent to future wars, provided Gabriel did not complain.
• Rorschach introduced Doom to Orion and Kahurangi and warned the assembled Astartes that a Combat Squad would be needed to fully suppress him.

Rorschach learned that the Primarch Fleet’s support missions were being hampered by widespread Imperial crises and dangerous Warp disruptions, while Doom earned the Astartes’ respect. An invasion alert then led Rorschach to confront Trazyn, who claimed he had come to fulfill their agreement.

• Gabriel told Rorschach that Imperial forces were besieged, communications were failing, and the fleet had repeatedly encountered Ork and Tyranid forces.
• Rorschach thanked Gabriel and the Blood Ravens, kept Ultramar as the fleet’s destination, and continued support missions despite the Legion’s losses.
• Doom impressed the Astartes with his battlefield command and growing psychic power, and came to understand the scale of the war in the Imperial Dark Side.
• An invasion alert sent Rorschach and the Terminator Guard to the flagship’s lower decks, where they found Trazyn surrounded by armed Astartes.
• Trazyn said he had come to honor their agreement, and Rorschach ordered the Astartes to lower their weapons while warning Trazyn not to threaten his fleet.

Trazyn asked Rorschach for access to the Infinity Stones so he could persuade Orikan and other Necrons to support their alliance. Rorschach refused to let Trazyn travel to the other universe, even after Trazyn offered a Primarch clone and some Astartes in exchange.

• Trazyn set up a temporary office in Rorschach’s palace and explained that he wanted an Infinity Stone for a research report to win Orikan’s support.
• Rorschach handed Trazyn the Mind Stone, then explained which Infinity Stones he possessed and which three remained missing.
• Trazyn proposed that Necrons travel to the other universe to retrieve the remaining Stones, but Rorschach rejected the plan and used his Metal Ten Rings to reclaim the Mind Stone.
• Trazyn offered a Primarch clone and some Astartes in exchange for a chance to travel to the other universe, but Rorschach refused.

Rorschach led the Terminator Guard, Trazyn, and Doom through a Warp Portal on a Prayer Support Mission, where they discovered a primitive inhabitant of a likely Astartes Recruitment World. After Doom recovered clues from the man's memories, Rorschach ordered the group to contact the local Chapter and secure a defensible position; Thunderhawk Gunships soon approached.

• Trazyn sought to join Rorschach's next Prayer Support Mission, offering stolen Gene-seed in exchange, but Rorschach demanded the release of Clone Fulgrim and the negotiations ended without a deal.
• Rorschach, Trazyn, Doom, and the Terminator Guard emerged from a Warp Portal into a hot, forested world.
• The Terminator Guard captured a primitive human, and Rorschach asked Doom to search his mind gently.
• Doom found memories suggesting the planet was an Astartes Recruitment World, so Rorschach ordered the Guard to contact its Chapter and find defensible terrain.
• Doom guided the group to a sheltered location, and Thunderhawk Gunships began approaching.

Rorschach met the Silver Skulls on their rainforest homeworld and introduced them to the Terminator Guard and Trazyn, whose presence nearly sparked a fight. As they traveled by Thunderhawk, Trazyn tried to justify his respect for human life, but Rorschach silenced him by reminding him of the Necrons’ role in the galaxy’s ruin.

• Rorschach emerged from hiding as the Silver Skulls landed, and Librarian Vashiro recognized him as the lost Primarch and paid his respects.
• Rorschach revealed the concealed Terminator Guard, and the Silver Skulls directed their circling Thunderhawks to land in wider clearings.
• Librarian Shivaro spotted Trazyn and the Silver Skulls drew their weapons, but Rorschach and the Terminator Guard prevented an immediate attack.
• Librarian Vashiro explained that the Silver Skulls hated Necrons because Astorcan the Astromancer had devastated them during a mission to save a human world.
• Trazyn recounted how humans on Serenade had mistaken him for a Silver Skulls Librarian and raised a memorial to him.
• Rorschach rebuked Trazyn for defending the Necrons, and Trazyn fell silent during the Thunderhawk flight.

Rorschach arrived at the Silver Skull Chapter’s homeworld, Xavius, and prepared its defenses after Chief Librarian Vashiro foresaw a daemon warband’s attack. The invasion began with a slaughtered Savage Tribe, and the Silver Skulls suspected more than one Chaos warband was involved.

• Rorschach and his forces reached the Silver Skull fortress-monastery on Xavius, where most of the Chapter’s Astartes were away defending Aragorn V.
• Rorschach planned to recruit Silver Skull Astartes, but Chapter Master Argentius and the Chapter’s main fleet had not yet returned.
• Vashiro warned Rorschach that a daemon warband might attack Xavius, and Rorschach ordered the Chapter to strengthen its system defenses and alert the Savage Tribes.
• After Warp activity appeared in the system, a Savage Tribe near the planet’s pole was slaughtered by figures in blood-red Power Armor.
• Doom and the vanguard found that the victims had been decapitated, a custom unfamiliar to the Soul Maw warband, suggesting multiple Chaos warbands had invaded.