Chapter Summaries

He-El moved into the Super Technology Building and ordered its annex cleared for renovation while Arno’s squads secured the tower. The First Squad found Tony Stark on the ninety-fourth floor, leaving He-El to face the man he had already clashed with in the desert.

• Arno deployed his squads to search the building, secure the rooftop, and take over surveillance.
• He-El ordered Natasha to clear the annex within a day so Stark Industries could renovate it according to his blueprints.
• He-El confirmed he planned to live in the Super Technology Building rather than return to his fabricated home in Queens.
• Arno stopped the elevator doors and reported that the First Squad had found Iron Man, Thor Stark, at the bar on the ninety-fourth floor.

He-El met a drunken Tony Stark on the ninety-fourth floor and, annoyed by his behavior, shot at him. The chapter ended with the gunshot, leaving Tony’s fate unknown.

• Natasha wondered whether Noah Adolf would listen to He-El after learning how He-El had won the loyalty of his mercenaries.
• He-El ordered the first squad to leave as they prepared to confront Iron Man, and Arno gave him a pistol, a kukri, and a grenade.
• He-El entered the bar and found Tony Stark drunk, sprawled across the counter, and urinating inside his armor.
• He-El recalled that Tony’s palladium poisoning was likely severe but decided he had no reason to help him.
• He-El drew the TP9 Tactical Pistol and fired at Tony Stark.

Tony Stark broke into He-El’s home, but He-El stripped him of his Mark 3 armor and frightened him with gunfire. Tony revealed that he had come to apologize for blaming He-El in the desert, then refused to apologize and confronted him.

• Tony Stark fired at He-El, but the bullet bounced off his armor, and he danced while mocking He-El.
• He-El ordered JARVIS to disarm Tony Stark, and JARVIS removed the Mark 3 armor before shutting down.
• He-El pointed his pistol at Tony Stark and fired around his bare feet, burning his soles as he jumped away.
• He-El asked Tony Stark why he had broken into his home, and Tony said he had come to apologize for blaming He-El after being rescued in the desert.
• Tony Stark angrily refused to apologize, and He-El pressed the pistol’s muzzle against his forehead.

He-El confronted Tony Stark with an empty-chamber click, forcing Tony to face how much he wanted to live. Tony admitted his despair over palladium poisoning and his attachment to being Iron Man, while He-El urged him to go home and predicted Nick Fury would soon help him.

• He-El pulled the trigger on the TP9 Tactical Pistol, and Tony Stark flinched before realizing it had clicked on an empty chamber.
• Tony Stark gulped vodka, choked, and said he understood how wonderful it was to be alive.
• Tony Stark apologized to He-El for blaming him after being rescued and showed him the palladium poisoning spreading across his chest.
• He-El suggested Tony Stark power the Iron Man Armor externally to slow the poisoning, but Tony shook his head.
• He-El told Tony Stark that Nick Fury would find him soon and warned him not to break the windows again.

He-El struggled to create a powerful energy source for his future armor, while Vivian diagnosed repeated failures in his particle experiments. After abandoning his ambitious Speed Force and light-speed crystal projects, he began simulating a more modest atomic reactor and asked about Vibranium test results.

• Vivian reported that He-El’s 127th attempt to create stable photoelectric void-proton elements had failed.
• He-El considered the limits of his current technology and his lack of microscopic vision as he pursued a Speed Force Crystal or Light Speed Element reactor.
• He-El archived the Speed Force Crystal Project, put the Light Speed Crystal Project on hold, and downgraded his plans to simpler energy-core designs.
• Vivian began simulating an atomic kinetic-energy magnetically confined electron aggregate ion energy reactor.
• He-El asked Vivian whether she had received the Vibranium material test results.

He-El reviewed Wakanda’s Vibranium research and approved a powerful Atomic Armor designed to defend him against threats such as the Hulk. He ordered a simpler prototype built first while the complete armor remained under development.

• Vivian displayed Wakanda’s classified Vibranium research, and He-El decided to schedule further study of the metal.
• Vivian completed the Atomic Armor design, detailing its reactors, weapons, protective field, and adaptive functions.
• He-El ordered a prototype to be manufactured quickly while the more powerful complete version was being built.
• Vivian began manufacturing Atomic Armor Prototype No. 1, a simpler model with conventional weapons and limited agility.

Kingpin discovered that seven cases of Vibranium worth over seven billion dollars had been intercepted by one of his men, and saw the stolen shipment as a chance to approach He-El. After failing to secure a meeting, he was left holding the valuable cases and weighing how to use them.

• Kingpin's subordinate reported that He-El's secretary team had refused their request for an appointment.
• Kingpin recalled that an underboss had intercepted seven cases of Vibranium that He-El had ordered purchased from Africa.
• Kingpin recognized that the Vibranium had become a dangerous liability and that He-El's status put him far beyond ordinary underworld figures.
• Kingpin saw the stolen Vibranium as a rare opportunity to get in with He-El.

Kingpin struggled to contact He-El while the pressure on his criminal operations intensified and he feared being blamed for the stolen Vibranium. He abandoned his plan to use He-El’s influence and decided to return the seven cases, learning that He-El would soon be traveling between the Super Technology Industrial District and the Super Technology Building.

• Kingpin realized that he could not meet He-El without a legitimate reason and feared that revealing the Vibranium would expose him to retaliation.
• Kingpin observed that police, tax authorities, and inspectors were squeezing his businesses and could not tell whether He-El or his admirers were behind it.
• Kingpin decided to return the seven black cases and restore things to normal rather than pursue a partnership with He-El.
• A black-clad figure reported He-El’s schedule, and Kingpin ordered the cases brought along so he could return the Vibranium.

He-El reviewed the completed Atomic Armor Prototype No. 1 and handled Super Technology Group business while traveling to the Super Technology Building. His guards spotted Kingpin and Bullseye waiting at an annex entrance, and He-El invited them inside.

• He-El inspected Atomic Armor Prototype No. 1 and ordered stress tests and an assessment of satellite-delivered weapons.
• He-El reviewed business matters and discussed the Medical Rebirth Project with Helen Cho.
• Andy warned He-El that Kingpin and a dangerous mercenary were waiting near the annex entrance.
• Natasha identified the mercenary as Bullseye, whose real name was Lester, and described his past as a military serviceman, NSA agent, and assassin.
• He-El told his guards to let Kingpin and Bullseye in.

Kingpin met He-El to apologize and return the stolen Vibranium, then offered to help him with anything he needed. He-El led Kingpin and Bullseye to a training ground and challenged Kingpin to defeat him.

• Kingpin and Bullseye entered the Super Technology Building’s parking lot and waited as He-El arrived with Andy and a group of Warriors.
• Kingpin apologized to He-El and returned the Vibranium, and He-El waved away the guards before greeting him with a handshake.
• He-El’s courtesy raised Kingpin’s favorability by 50, and Kingpin offered his help to make amends.
• He-El took Kingpin and Bullseye to the fourth floor, where they entered a training ground and He-El challenged Kingpin to defeat him.

He-El challenged Kingpin and Bullseye to test their strength against him, intending to break their pride and secure their loyalty. Bullseye accepted Kingpin’s offer to spar, but He-El caught his razor-fast playing card, leaving both men startled.

• He-El reasoned that he needed to defeat Kingpin and Bullseye at their strongest to prevent them from resenting or betraying him later.
• He-El warmed up and told Kingpin and Bullseye to use all their strength, even allowing them to attack together or use guns.
• Kingpin regained his confidence and told Bullseye to spar with He-El, while Bullseye objected that he was an assassin, not a playmate.
• He-El offered to pay more, prompting Bullseye to accept Kingpin’s assignment and step toward him.
• Bullseye hurled an Ace of Spades at He-El’s shoulder, but He-El casually caught it between two fingers.

He-El effortlessly caught Bullseye’s weapons and demonstrated precision and control far beyond either Bullseye or Kingpin. Realizing they faced a formidable opponent, Kingpin offered to fight alongside Bullseye, who eventually agreed to join forces.

• Bullseye threw a playing card and then a needle at He-El, and He-El caught both between his fingers.
• He-El flicked the card and needle past Kingpin and Bullseye, cutting their ears before the card sliced through the needle and lodged in the wall.
• Kingpin apologized for underestimating He-El, removed his jacket, and offered to join Bullseye in a proper match.
• Bullseye refused to team up at first, but seeing He-El’s precise throw left him shocked.
• Bullseye asked Kingpin to work together to besiege He-El.

He-El fought Kingpin and Bullseye at the same time without moving from his spot, defeating their attacks with his hands and displaying extraordinary martial arts. The fight left Kingpin beaten back and Bullseye stunned by He-El’s apparent use of Tai Chi.

• Kingpin opened with a punch while Bullseye attacked He-El’s blind spot, but He-El blocked Kingpin and tapped Bullseye’s palm.
• Kingpin unleashed a barrage of powerful punches as Bullseye attacked with close-combat techniques, but He-El countered both with one hand each.
• He-El struck Kingpin’s fist with his own, forcing Kingpin to stagger backward and lose their contest of strength.
• Bullseye hurled cards, needles, and other weapons at He-El, then fired his pistol, but He-El deflected the projectiles and dodged the bullets.
• He-El shook the weapons into the walls and floor, leaving Bullseye staring in shock and identifying the technique as Tai Chi.

Loki sent the Destroyer to Earth to kill He-El, but it headed toward New York after killing Thor and fighting off S.H.I.E.L.D.'s forces. Thor returned to life with Mjolnir and flew after the Destroyer, leaving the battle unresolved.

• The Destroyer fatally wounded Thor, and Loki ordered it to find and destroy He-El.
• The Destroyer shot down two Quinjets and flew northwest toward New York, prompting Nick Fury to order Hill to delay it and Natasha to warn He-El.
• Nick Fury called Tony Stark and told him to prepare for a major battle in New York.
• Hill's missiles failed to stop the Destroyer as it sped away from New Mexico.
• Mjolnir flew to Thor, who returned in Black Armor and chased after the Destroyer.

Tony Stark replaced his palladium reactor and learned that an unidentified flying object was heading toward New York, pursued by a man carried through the air by a hammer. Thor chased Loki’s Destroyer, but after it attacked the Quinjets, Thor rescued the pilots and raced after it.

• Tony Stark installed his new reactor and asked JARVIS to investigate Nick Fury’s warning about a possible battle in New York.
• JARVIS tracked a fireball that had survived Sidewinder Missiles and identified a hammer-borne figure pursuing it.
• Thor flew beside the Destroyer and shouted at Loki, who angrily ordered it to attack him.
• The Destroyer struck Thor and blasted the Quinjets, sending the aircraft and their pilots falling.
• Thor rescued the Quinjet pilots, then flew after the Destroyer as it sped toward the horizon.

He-El overwhelmed Kingpin and Bullseye in a brief fight, then offered Kingpin a gift for returning the Vibranium. Natasha arrived with a warning that Asgard had sent a weapon to hunt He-El, just as the Destroyer charged through the window.

• Bullseye and Kingpin watched in shock as He-El used a burst of compressed air to deflect Bullseye’s projectiles.
• Kingpin charged He-El, who struck him once and sent him crashing into a wall without seriously injuring him.
• Bullseye stopped his attack and conceded that He-El was far beyond their strength.
• Kingpin thanked He-El for showing mercy and offered his help, while He-El said he would give Kingpin a gift for returning the Vibranium.
• Natasha warned He-El that Asgard had sent a weapon to hunt him as the Destroyer charged through the window.

The Destroyer attacked New York and targeted He-El at the Super Technology Building, prompting the president to mobilize elite forces to protect him. He-El narrowly evaded the Destroyer and called for Atomic Armor No. 1 as the enemy prepared another attack.

• The Destroyer raced toward New York, and the president ordered elite forces to save He-El at all costs.
• He-El sensed the danger and leapt away as the Destroyer crashed into the Super Technology Building, blasting Kingpin, Bullseye, and Natasha aside.
• Loki ordered the Destroyer to kill He-El, who called Vivian and requested Atomic Armor No. 1.
• He-El escaped through the hole in the wall and clung to the building to avoid the Destroyer's charge.
• The Destroyer struck the ground, turned toward He-El, and began gathering energy inside its hollow armor.

He-El tested his unproven Atomic Armor by dodging the Destroyer's energy beams, but Iron Man's intervention nearly got him killed. Tony Stark challenged the Destroyer and was overpowered, ending with the machine smashing him into the ground.

• He-El evaded the Destroyer's energy beams by sprinting and climbing along the wall as its blasts destroyed the lower structure.
• Iron Man struck the Destroyer's head with an energy blast, accidentally sending its beam past He-El and scorching his hair.
• Tony Stark told nearby people to leave, then confronted the Destroyer with a high-energy particle beam.
• The Destroyer's beam overwhelmed Iron Man's weapon and damaged the Mark 3's systems as it pressed its attack.
• Tony Stark called for JARVIS and fired missiles at the Destroyer, but it leaped through the flames, grabbed Iron Man by the feet, and smashed him into the ground.

Loki watched the Destroyer attack He-El and ordered it to kill him after Iron Man intervened. In the Oval Office, officials coordinated a rescue as Iron Man was defeated and War Machine and the New York police were sent to help.

• Loki watched He-El flee the Destroyer and ordered it to kill him after Iron Man knocked aside its energy beam.
• The Secretary of the Treasury and the president insisted that He-El could not be lost because his projects and influence were vital to the United States.
• Officials watched Iron Man nearly get He-El hit before the Destroyer defeated him within seconds.
• The president’s officials said War Machine had been deployed and ordered the New York Police Department to enter the combat zone and rescue He-El.

The Destroyer nearly killed Iron Man and War Machine before He-El intervened, but it turned its attacks on him. As the podium building collapsed around He-El, the Atomic Armor arrived through the dust.

• Rhodey arrived in War Machine and distracted the Destroyer, giving Iron Man time to escape its grip and fire missiles into its face.
• The Destroyer recovered from the missile attack, blasted War Machine out of the sky, and grabbed Iron Man again.
• He-El hurled a steel rebar into an energy node in the Destroyer's chest, allowing Iron Man to flee, but the Destroyer quickly freed itself and attacked He-El.
• He-El dodged the Destroyer's burst-fire energy blasts and called for Vivian as the podium building was destroyed.
• Vivian answered, and the Atomic Armor components flew into the dust surrounding the collapsing building.