Chapter Summaries

Mera captured Namor aboard the Great Era cruise ship, while Susan protected her from Black Manta’s attack. A scarlet energy tide then shook the ship and affected superhumans on several levels, leaving Harley Quinn and King Shark Nanawe to investigate its source.

• Mera used her water control to subdue Namor and declare him under arrest for violating the Undersea Empire treaty.
• Black Manta fired a scarlet laser at Mera, but Susan blocked it with an invisible energy barrier, and Mera struck Black Manta as he fled.
• Mera checked on Susan and revealed that she came from an undersea empire before a scarlet tide from the sixth level shook the ship.
• Lorna stopped attacking Iron Man and Batman after the energy fluctuations restored clarity to her mind, while Superwoman and Spider-Woman sensed the disturbance below them.
• Harley Quinn and King Shark Nanawe searched the sixth level for Superman and encountered the scarlet energy tide.

A mysterious woman in black stopped Wanda’s Scarlet Energy Tide and began killing the sleeping Xi Nian, claiming he belonged to death. Diana intervened and attacked her, while the woman’s touch began turning Diana’s hand gray.

• Cheetah Barbara and the White Queen watched the Scarlet Energy Tide fill the bar and could not approach Wanda and Xi Nian.
• A mysterious woman in black appeared inside the bar, dimmed Wanda’s scarlet pendant, and stopped the energy tide.
• Cheetah challenged the woman, but her face overwhelmed Cheetah and the White Queen with the sense of death, forcing them to retreat.
• The woman in black touched Xi Nian’s face and neck, turning his skin gray as she declared they would be together forever.
• Diana arrived with a magician, seized the woman’s wrist, and slashed at her with the Sword of Hephaestus as her own hand began turning gray.

Deadpool and Deathstroke paused their duel as battles across the Great Era tore through the ship, while Iron Man and Batman tried to contain the Hulk and Red Hulk. Superman arrived and began trying to carry the cruise ship, but Captain America and Batman discovered that a growing mass of kryptonite in the lower hold threatened to sink it.

• Deadpool and Deathstroke sat down after fighting, while the Great Era shook from battles on other decks.
• Iron Man and Batman heard the Hulk and Red Hulk fighting below, and the two giants smashed through several decks until they reached the first floor.
• Captain America tried to stop the giants, but the Winter Soldier escaped; Iron Man lured the Hulk out to sea while Batman drew Red Hulk after him.
• Superman punched both giants into the sea, then flew beneath the Great Era to try to carry it back toward port.
• Captain America and Batman found a rapidly expanding mass of kryptonite in the lower hold and realized the ship was going to sink.

Wonder Woman and the other female superhumans confronted a powerful black-clad woman who had appeared beside the sleeping Xi Nian. The woman reached for him despite their resistance, and more allies arrived as the standoff continued.

• Lex Luthor spoke with a cold voice in a concealed cabin, insisting that his plan had not yet failed despite the voice's threat to claim his brain if it did.
• The black-clad woman stopped Wonder Woman's Sword of Hephaestus strike, but Wonder Woman sent her through the ceiling with a rainbow beam from her second sword.
• Zatanna examined the sleeping Xi Nian and said Raven had trapped him too deeply in a dreamscape for her to be sure she could wake him.
• The black-clad woman reappeared beside Xi Nian and resisted Zatanna's reversed command to retreat, while Wonder Woman's bracelets struggled to contain the deathly aura invading her arm.
• Mera and Susan attacked the black-clad woman, then Superwoman Kara and Spider-Woman Gwen arrived to shield Xi Nian as Enchantress recognized him through June Moone.
• Cheetah, White Queen, Lorna, and a twin-tailed girl joined the growing crowd of female superhumans in the bar, while the black-clad woman remained focused on Xi Nian.

Superman discovered a Kryptonite mountain hidden beneath the Great Era and held it up with the sinking cruise ship despite the Kryptonite weakening him. As White Vision moved to kill him, Iron Man intervened, leaving the fight poised to continue.

• Superman found the Kryptonite mountain bursting through the Great Era’s hull and lifted the sinking ship as passengers evacuated.
• Batman and Captain America helped direct passengers out of the flooded lower decks, while Batman realized Superman was raising the ship.
• Cyborg defeated Black Vision in a draw and told Batman that the robots had been created to kill Superman, revealing that a second Vision existed.
• White Vision attacked Superman with a Kryptonite spear while Superman struggled to hold up the ship.
• Iron Man caught the spear, confronted White Vision about the attack on Avengers headquarters, and ordered Jarvis to open fire.

Xi Nian broke free from Death’s dream and forced her to leave Earth by threatening to have Raven devour his soul. Death accepted the deal but warned that she and Xi Nian would be together forever in only a few days, leaving the others worried about what would happen next.

• Xi Nian recognized the woman in his dream was not Aunt Diana, shattering the illusion and waking himself.
• Death faced Wonder Woman, Zatanna, Superwoman, Spider-Woman, and the others as they prepared to fight her beside Xi Nian’s sleeping body.
• Xi Nian awoke and demanded that Death leave Earth and never return, threatening to have Raven devour his soul if she refused.
• Death accepted the deal in the name of the Creator God and faded away after warning that she and Xi Nian would soon be together forever.
• Gwen asked Xi Nian what Death meant by saying they had only a few days, but Xi Nian dismissed her concern and reassured everyone.

Xi Nian reunited with Wonder Woman and revealed his Demigod Mode, but the transformation left him visibly weak and close to death. As Gwen and Kara struggled with the truth, the Great Era cruise ship began to crack and rise out of the sea, and Xi Nian urged them to help its passengers.

• Wonder Woman embraced Xi Nian and kissed him, activating Lord of Kin and transforming him into Demigod Mode before his divine power quickly faded.
• The White Queen sensed that Xi Nian's life and spiritual aura were declining, while Cheetah demanded that Wonder Woman save him and Lorna promised he would survive.
• Susan and Mera watched Xi Nian from a distance, and Harley recognized him as the Black Cat she had been searching for and began to cry.
• Gwen broke down over Xi Nian's condition, and Kara vowed to kill the person who had caused it.
• The Great Era cruise ship lurched, rose out of the sea, and began cracking across its hull as Xi Nian told Kara and Gwen to go help the passengers.

Spider-Woman and Superwoman helped save the Great Era cruise ship after Superman faltered under the Kryptonite mountain range, while Lex Luthor’s plan to kill Superman failed. Martian Manhunter arrested Lex Luthor, but an unknown person stole his body after an explosion.

• Spider-Woman used her Nano Armor Spider Suit and webbing to repair the collapsing Great Era cruise ship.
• Superwoman Kara shattered White Vision’s Kryptonite weapons, took over holding the Kryptonite mountain range and ship, and began carrying them toward Metropolis.
• Lex Luthor realized his plan to kill Superman had failed and blamed the other heroes and his recruited helpers for disrupting it.
• Martian Manhunter revealed himself to Lex Luthor and attempted to arrest him on the Justice League’s behalf.
• Lex Luthor swallowed poison and died, but an energy wave destroyed the cabin, and Martian Manhunter discovered that someone had taken Lex Luthor’s body.

The extraordinary incident aboard the Great Era cruise ship ended when Superwoman and Spider-Woman brought the damaged vessel safely to Metropolis Harbor. Xi Nian left the ship with Wonder Woman, Wanda, and Lorna, while the fate of Lex Luthor’s body remained unknown.

• Superwoman lowered the Kryptonite mountain and cruise ship into Metropolis Harbor as Spider-Woman and the others helped stabilize and repair the vessel.
• Batman found Cyborg, and the Martian Manhunter reported that Lex Luthor had died but someone had taken his body.
• Iron Man found Deadpool asleep after Deathstroke escaped, while several other combatants left the ship’s bar.
• Wanda woke in Xi Nian’s arms, and he reassured her before saying they would go home.
• Xi Nian took Wonder Woman, Wanda, and Lorna away in blue mist, leaving Zatanna alone in the bar.

Xi Nian’s condition worsened, and Ancient One confirmed that she could not save him. After Lorna brought Doctor Strange to examine him, Strange estimated that Xi Nian had at most three days to live.

• Xi Nian woke with Little Huang on his chest and found Can Luo watching over him in a jar.
• Ancient One visited and explained that Wanda was emotionally unstable and had stayed at Kamar-Taj; she examined Xi Nian and saw his soul bound to his injured body by black mist.
• Xi Nian asked Ancient One to care for Wanda and made a further request, while explaining that his aunt had gone somewhere and he was waiting for her return.
• Lorna arrived with Doctor Strange tied to a hospital bed and brought him to treat Xi Nian.
• Doctor Strange examined Xi Nian at Washington First Hospital and found his cells dividing uncontrollably, estimating he had at most three days to live.

After Doctor Strange failed to diagnose Xi Nian, he left the hospital with Lorna and learned that a hidden telepath had manipulated her during the Great Era incident. Xi Nian gave Lorna the Mind Stone Necklace, then visited his abandoned classroom while confronting his fear of dying.

• Lorna stormed into the operating room and demanded that Doctor Strange save Xi Nian, but Xi Nian persuaded her to leave the hospital with him.
• Xi Nian asked Lorna why she had gone to the Great Era, and she explained that a mysterious letter had lured her there with information about Pietro.
• Lorna told Xi Nian that a green, nonhuman figure had ordered her to attack Iron Man and Batman, while a voice in her mind manipulated her into agreeing.
• Xi Nian concluded that a powerful telepath had been behind the Great Era incident and gave Lorna the ownerless Mind Stone Necklace for protection.
• Xi Nian and Lorna visited Washington High School, where Xi Nian looked at his empty classroom and thought that he did not want to die.

Instructor Rott recognized Xi Nian as the Silver-Haired Goddess and broke down before Felicia questioned him about who was dying. After Kara abducted Xi Nian and brought him to a villa, she revealed a bound, blindfolded Gwen and told him they wanted a child.

• Instructor Rott reprimanded Xi Nian for skipping class, then privately mourned discovering that Xi Nian was the Silver-Haired Goddess he had admired.
• Felicia found Instructor Rott crying and asked who was about to die.
• Lorna tried to stop a fast-moving shadow from reaching Xi Nian, but it swept him away into the sky.
• Kara carried Xi Nian to a secluded villa and led him to a darkened room where Gwen was bound and blindfolded.
• Kara embraced Xi Nian from behind and whispered that she and Gwen wanted a child.

After waking with only a day and a half left to live, Xi Nian visited Lorna and set out with Little Huang and Can Luo. On Themyscira, Wonder Woman made her final preparations to leave, with the Amazon queen's support.

• Xi Nian woke in perfect Superman Mode, saw that his illness had worsened, and realized he had only a day and a half left.
• Xi Nian returned home, carried the sleeping Lorna to Wanda's room, and quietly apologized before kissing her; Lorna revealed she had been awake and said living for herself was meaningless.
• Xi Nian dressed in his Superman uniform and agreed to take Little Huang and Can Luo out with him.
• Wonder Woman told the Amazon queen she had made up her mind to leave, and the queen embraced her and promised the Amazons' support.

Xi Nian visited Poison Ivy in Washington and learned that his life was bound to hers, then traveled to Gotham to offer Harley Quinn a chance to remove his cat-paw imprint. Harley chose to keep it and hinted she might grant his wish if he survived, so Xi Nian headed toward New York.

• Xi Nian entered Poison Ivy's flower shop and found her and the plants withering because his death would also kill her.
• Poison Ivy embraced Xi Nian, bit his neck, and refused to forgive him or let their souls separate; afterward, Xi Nian restored the shop's plants and gained Poison Ivy's status.
• Xi Nian went to an underground bar in Gotham with Little Huang and met Harley Quinn and Shark King Nanawe.
• Xi Nian offered to remove the cat-paw imprint on Harley's neck, but Harley demanded to know why he had left it there.
• After Xi Nian explained that he had wanted to make Harley his pet, Harley said she liked the idea and chose to keep the imprint for now.
• Xi Nian left the bar and flew toward New York.

Skye met Xi Nian on the abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D. island, where he told her he would no longer look out for her, and they shared a kiss after she asked whether he had rescued her from the lake. Elsewhere, Wonder Woman discovered the hidden remains of Mount Olympus beneath a powerful magical barrier in the sea.

• Xi Nian met Skye beside the artificial lake, and she questioned him about the supernatural incident aboard the Great Era cruise ship.
• Xi Nian told Skye he would no longer look out for her, prompting her to accuse him of ending their partnership and threaten to expose his identity.
• Skye asked whether Xi Nian had pulled her from the lake, and he nodded before they kissed.
• Wonder Woman struck an invisible barrier above the sea with the Sword of Hephaestus and began piercing through it.
• Wonder Woman glimpsed the immense shattered main peak of Mount Olympus floating beneath the barrier.

Xi Nian visited Susan at the Fantastic Four Building to say goodbye, revealing his true name and sharing a kiss with her. As he left, his stacked abilities grew increasingly powerful, and he demonstrated speed and control that seemed to defy physical laws.

• Xi Nian arrived at the Fantastic Four Building, where Susan had been debating whether to seek him out before he appeared outside her office window.
• Susan let Xi Nian into her office and offered to have the Fantastic Four examine him, but he refused and said he had come to say goodbye.
• Xi Nian apologized for using a false name and leaving without saying goodbye, then introduced himself as Prince Xi Nian.
• Susan asked Xi Nian to kiss her, and they embraced and kissed before Reed entered the empty office and found only the Little Orange Cat beneath the desk.
• Xi Nian flew away and worried that his stacked abilities were nearing a critical threshold, then crossed thousands of miles in an instant and plunged to the deep-sea floor without disturbing the water.

Mera waited in her chambers for Xi Nian, who visited her in the Atlantis Empire and added her Water Control ability to his collection. As he left the ocean, he realized his stacked abilities had fused beyond the limits of his Steel Body.

• Vico worried that Mera had shut herself away since returning from the surface with Namor and ordered the palace guards to tighten security.
• Xi Nian entered Mera’s chambers, where she welcomed him and invited him onto her bed.
• After half an hour, Xi Nian left Atlantis with Little Huang and Can Luo, carrying a lip print from Mera and a temporary Water Control ability.
• Xi Nian sensed that his accumulated abilities had fused into a power of control and mental strength beyond his Steel Body.

Xi Nian’s seven abilities transformed his mind until he could sense and control events across the entire planet. After using that power to stop Cheetah from targeting Wakanda’s princess, he found a hidden Hydra fortress in Russia and blasted his way into its underground laboratory, where a small figure in Silver Armor was being studied.

• Xi Nian expanded Spider-Sense across Earth, gaining access to people’s surroundings and inner voices and discovering the advanced hidden nation of Wakanda.
• Cheetah Barbara, disguised in Wakanda, planned to kidnap its princess to save Xi Nian, but Xi Nian used passersby to warn her away.
• Xi Nian scanned the world for a familiar person and located a concealed Hydra fortress in Russia.
• Hydra researchers removed the damaged Silver Armor from a small figure and discussed turning him into a weapon.
• Xi Nian blasted through the fortress’s defenses and opened a hole into the tenth underground floor, triggering the alarm.

Xi Nian infiltrated a Hydra fortress, rescued and restored Pietro, and learned Wanda was in Nepal. He took Pietro there and spotted a hidden place inside a spatial rift near Mount Everest.

• Hydra’s alarms sounded after an unknown attacker pierced the fortress, but surveillance could not locate the intruder.
• Xi Nian appeared beside Pietro, stopped him from escaping, and knocked out everyone in the fortress.
• Xi Nian shattered Pietro’s silver helmet, touched his forehead to undo his brainwashing, and told him Wanda had been looking for him.
• Xi Nian took Pietro from the fortress, leaving the unconscious Hydra members behind as the base began its self-destruct countdown.
• Xi Nian and Pietro arrived in Nepal, where Xi Nian saw a secluded place concealed in a spatial rift near Mount Everest.

Xi Nian brought Pietro to Kamar-Taj, where they found Wanda overwhelmed by Scarlet Energy, and he soothed her with warm, multicolored light. After learning that Death’s power had marked him, Xi Nian refused the Ancient One’s advice to escape to another dimension and declared he would choose to keep everything he cared about.

• Xi Nian arrived at Kamar-Taj with Pietro, a cat, and a starfish, and the Ancient One led them to Wanda.
• Pietro rushed toward Wanda but was thrown back by Scarlet Energy surging from her body, while the Ancient One contained the energy.
• Xi Nian approached Wanda unharmed, comforted her in her sleep, and infused her with warm, multicolored light.
• Xi Nian left Pietro to watch over Wanda and told him to protect his sister.
• The Ancient One explained that Death had marked Xi Nian and advised him to leave this dimensional world, but Xi Nian refused to abandon the people and life he had there.
• Xi Nian noticed the Ancient One’s black energy from another dimension and declared that he chose to have it all.