Chapter Summaries

Gwen Stacy struggled with the way people judged Spider-Woman’s mask, even after S.H.I.E.L.D. withdrew the warrant. After stopping Tombstone, she explained to Captain Stacy that she wore the mask to accept responsibility for Peter Parker’s death and to define for herself what it represented.

• Gwen saw that people still treated Spider-Woman as a criminal, and two boys sprayed her with paint when they recognized her mask.
• Gwen recalled Peter Parker asking why she wore a mask and considered why she had kept the same suit despite its reputation.
• J. Jonah Jameson reported that Cindy Moon had caused Peter Parker’s transformation, while noting that Spider-Woman had accidentally killed him.
• Gwen saw Captain Stacy pursuing Tombstone and webbed the superpowered criminal, but Captain Stacy aimed his gun at her.
• Gwen removed her mask and told Captain Stacy that wearing it meant taking responsibility for Peter Parker and not letting others decide what it represented.

Peter and the others visited Earth-65’s Parker family, where Uncle Ben and Aunt May struggled to accept that he was their Peter from another universe. As Peter spoke with them about Spider-Woman, Gwen confessed that she was the masked hero.

• Connors reverted to human form after Peter and Lizardman Connors developed a reversal serum, and he offered to advise Peter in college.
• Earth-65 Gwen asked Peter to accompany her to the Parker family home, and Harry and 616 Gwen joined them.
• Peter explained parallel universes to Uncle Ben and Aunt May, who recognized him as their nephew from another world.
• Harry and Gwen saw the reports about Spider-Woman that the Parkers had collected, and Gwen admitted she feared they would never forgive her if she revealed her identity.
• Peter told the Parkers that he had gained spider powers and tried to help others, prompting Uncle Ben to question whether Spider-Woman could be trusted.
• Earth-65 Gwen told Aunt May and Uncle Ben that she was Spider-Woman.

Peter and Miguel chose a nuclear-radiation zone in the Wasteland World as the site for Spider City, a safe haven from the Inheritors, and planned to recruit more Spider-Men. Peter, Gwen, and Connors returned through a portal but arrived at the Sanctum Sanctorum instead of the Baxter Building.

• Old Hawkeye showed Peter, Miguel, and Spider-Gwen around New Vegas and described the New Avengers' war against Red Skull.
• Old Hawkeye revealed that the proposed Spider City site was in an irradiated part of the old Hulk territory, and Peter explained that the radiation would keep the Inheritors away.
• Miguel planned to build the base and recruit Spider-Men, while he told Spider-Gwen she needed special training.
• Peter warned Gwen not to bring spider isotope serum back, and she assured him she had not brought any.
• Spider-Gwen asked whether Aunt May and Uncle Ben would forgive her, and Peter told her they would accept her.
• Peter led Gwen and Connors through the multiverse portal, and they unexpectedly arrived at the Sanctum Sanctorum.

After returning from Earth-65, Peter learned that his multiverse crossings had damaged reality and Strange told him he needed to learn magic to repair it. Strange gave Peter a spellbook, explained that magic could develop his Spider-Sense, and strengthened his connection to Ness, the goddess behind the Web of Destiny.

• Strange told Peter that he and Gwen had spent two weeks away and that Peter's multiverse crossings had punched holes in the reality barrier.
• Peter sent Gwen and Dr. Connors to find the Avengers, then agreed to learn magic so he could repair the damage himself.
• Strange gave Peter a spellbook and recommended Astral Projection so he could study while his body rested.
• Strange explained that magic could help Peter master Spider-Sense and potentially expand its range and precognitive abilities.
• Strange strengthened Peter's connection to Ness, and Peter saw a vision of the Web of Destiny being woven by a young girl.

Strange brought Peter to Kamar-Taj and taught him the three established paths of Marvel magic, along with their strengths and costs. He gave Peter a Sling Ring and a spellbook, then warned him to report any mage using Chthon’s forbidden Necrotic Path.

• Strange tested Peter’s magical potential and took him through a portal to Kamar-Taj.
• Strange explained the Inner Path, which drew on a mage’s mental strength, and the World Path, which borrowed natural forces.
• Strange described the Outer Path, which borrowed power from dimensional gods at a price, and warned about dangerous beings such as Dormammu and Mephisto.
• Strange gave Peter a Sling Ring and a basic spellbook, saying he could learn reality-repairing magic once he could open a path to Kamar-Taj.
• Strange warned Peter that Chthon had discovered the Necrotic Path and told him to report any mage who used it.

Belasco, trapped as the demon lord of Hell's Border, met Immortal, who wanted him to invade Earth-616 and offered to open a passage. Belasco chose to enter Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters when Illyana Rasputin was twelve, before her mutant ability awakened.

• Belasco watched Magiks across the multiverse and lamented that he could not return to Earth-616.
• Belasco met Immortal, a visitor from Earth-616, and learned that he wanted the Avengers stopped from changing the predetermined future.
• Belasco explained that he could not pierce Earth-616's reality barrier, but Immortal offered to open a gap large enough for one person.
• Immortal told Belasco that Illyana Rasputin would be twelve and her mutant ability would still be dormant at the intended time.
• Belasco ordered Immortal to open a door at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and prepared to invade Earth-616.

The Avengers prepared for their first Christmas gathering, with Thor explaining Asgard’s seasonal threat and the team discussing their holiday plans. Before the party, J.A.R.V.I.S. reported Stilt-Man committing crimes in New York, and the Avengers mobilized to arrest him.

• Thor explained that Frost Giants attacked Asgard during the final week of its winter month, when Odin was weakest, and recalled frightening Jane during his first visit to Midgard.
• Tony organized an early Christmas dinner, and T'Challa and Ororo arrived at Avengers Tower to join the gathering.
• The Avengers introduced themselves to T'Challa, and Hulk placed the Christmas star atop the tree at Peter’s request.
• The team discussed who they would invite to dinner, and Ororo and Peter mentioned plans to visit Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
• J.A.R.V.I.S. reported that Stilt-Man Wilbur Day was committing crimes in New York, and Captain led the Avengers into action.

Peter, Ororo, and King T'Challa visited Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, where the Hellions Squad blocked their entrance. Ororo easily defeated the students and introduced herself as their future teacher.

• The Avengers worked together to arrest Stilt-Man, then Peter traveled to Xavier's school with Ororo and T'Challa.
• Peter told T'Challa about Genosha and explained that the school had fewer students because many mutants had moved there.
• Julian Keller and the Hellions Squad stopped the visitors, claiming the mutant school did not welcome the Avengers.
• Ororo ignored the students' challenge and sent Rockslide, Sandstorm, the mercury-shifting girl, and Julian sprawling with her powers.
• Ororo told the defeated Hellions that she was Ororo Munroe and their future teacher.

Peter and his allies discovered that alternate-universe X-Men had attacked Xavier’s school and that Belasco had taken the local X-Men to Hell’s Border while pursuing Illyana Rasputin. Peter chose to let Belasco take him there so he could rescue the team.

• Storm explained that the Hellions distrusted the Avengers, and Kitty suggested their rivalry with the New Mutants was part of the reason.
• Peter and his companions reached the teaching building and dodged an attack by X-Men who proved to be invaders from different universes.
• Storm subdued the invading X-Men while T’Challa reviewed school surveillance and found that the local X-Men had disappeared after responding to Illyana’s red energy.
• Peter realized Belasco had likely taken the X-Men to Hell’s Border and asked T’Challa to contact Doctor Strange.
• Peter grabbed demon Nightcrawler and vanished with him to Hell’s Border, intending to bring the X-Men back.

Belasco took half of young Illyana Rasputin’s soul and sent her fleeing through Hell’s Border, while Immortal realized Belasco was trying to use Spider-Man to escape the cycle of Magik’s destined rise. As demons hunted Illyana, an older version of herself appeared to help her survive.

• Belasco offered Illyana a chance to save her family, and she fled rather than surrender to him.
• Belasco tore a phantom of Illyana’s soul from her and made it into a bloodstone.
• Immortal confronted Belasco for bending their plan and learned he intended to bring Earth-616’s Spider-Man to Hell’s Border.
• Belasco insisted that time and his control of Hell’s Border would let him defeat Illyana again, while Immortal considered helping the Avengers.
• A demon attacked Illyana as she ran, but an aged Illyana Rasputin killed it with a flying longsword and urged her to keep moving.

Peter fought demonic Nightcrawlers in Hell's Border, where Venom and his magical abilities grew stronger, then learned that Immortal Kang was manipulating events to force history onto his chosen course. As Peter followed a divination toward Illyana, Belasco's attempts to attack his soul revealed a vast web and a golden spider within it.

• Peter and Venom defeated a swarm of demonic Nightcrawlers, and Peter noticed that Hell's Border amplified Venom and made magic easier to cast.
• Immortal Kang told Peter that he had frozen the X-Men in time and insisted that Peter find Illyana Rasputin to restore fate.
• Peter webbed and struck Immortal Kang, but Kang survived and explained that he wanted history to follow the course he recognized.
• Peter used divination to find his way toward Illyana and borrowed Ness's power to shield his soul from Belasco.
• Belasco's first soul attack failed against the Living Abyss power connected to Knull, so he performed a new ritual to destroy Peter's soul.
• Belasco saw a massive web inside Peter's soul and a huge golden spider reaching for him, and recognized it as Ness.

Peter searched Hell's Border for Illyana and encountered a small resistance group of demonized X-Men, including the Illyana from his universe. After explaining that he expected reinforcements from the Sorcerer Supreme, he faced the group's question of how to free the imprisoned superheroes under Belasco's watch.

• Peter evaded Hell's Border's demons while tracking Illyana and noticed someone was using magic to kill them.
• Demonized Ororo attacked Peter, and demonized Shadowcat and Wolverine joined the fight before Peter subdued all three.
• Peter confirmed that the elderly Illyana he encountered was not from Earth-616, then met the fifteen-year-old Illyana from his universe.
• Illyana and the other resistance fighters doubted Peter's claim that he had come to rescue them because more than three years had passed for them.
• Peter said the Earth-616 X-Men were imprisoned rather than corrupted and that the Sorcerer Supreme might rescue them, prompting Wolverine to ask how they could free the heroes under Belasco's surveillance.

Peter reassured Illyana that he was telling the truth about his arrival and promised he had a plan to defeat Belasco and save the survivors. Illyana remained uncertain and wondered whether awakening her powers could change their situation.

• Peter learned that resistance fighters from several universes were trapped in Hell's Border and that some had been corrupted or turned into demons.
• Illyana accused Peter of giving the survivors a reason to die by making them hope they could fight Belasco.
• Peter removed his mask and told Illyana he was Peter Parker, a high school student around her age.
• Illyana laughed at the contrast between Peter's age and his achievements, then asked how he had learned to fight.
• Peter said his Spider-Sense was unusually quiet and promised he had a plan to save everyone.
• Illyana wondered whether awakening her mutant powers would improve their chances, while Peter considered his own ideas for confronting Belasco.

Strange protected the Ghostbusters from Hell's Border's influence as Peter led them to confront Belasco. Belasco prepared to stage a convincing defeat so Spider-Man would open a gateway to Earth-616, where Belasco planned to summon Chthon.

• Strange cast a weakened protective spell on the Ghostbusters and said Peter's soul was already protected by the Web of Destiny.
• Weary Strange rallied the survivors, then asked Peter whether he had a plan; Peter said he was sure.
• Belasco rehearsed a staged defeat while holding the Bloodstone Amulet, which he intended to use to summon Chthon on Earth-616.
• Immortal warned Belasco that Spider-Man's group was approaching and cautioned him not to underestimate them, but Belasco dismissed the warning.
• Belasco sensed the group arrive, announced the start of his tragedy, and prepared to begin the confrontation.

Belasco welcomed the older Magik and younger Illyana to Hell's Border, then sent demonized X-Men to attack their group. The Magiks' ambush failed, and Belasco's taunts drove Illyana to transform into a demon by drawing on Hell's Border's power.

• Belasco showed the Magiks rows of their own corpses and skeletons, then unleashed demonized X-Men on the group.
• Doctor Strange, Blade, Shadowcat, Storm, and Venom fought back, killing or scattering the demon X-Men and Wolverines.
• The older Magik, younger Illyana, and demon Wolverine teleported behind Belasco and attacked him.
• Belasco shattered Wolverine's protective runes, erased his healing factor, and seized both Magiks before they could strike.
• Belasco watched as younger Illyana mutated into a demon after drawing too deeply on Hell's Border's power.

Illyana transformed and attacked Belasco, but he remained unharmed while Peter freed the X-Men and led the survivors through a spatial rift. Belasco followed them, only to discover they had not reached Earth-616 and that Peter had gathered powerful reinforcements, including Steve Strange.

• Illyana accepted the black magic within her and transformed into a demon, but her hellfire and sword could not hurt Belasco.
• Peter revealed that Venom had impersonated him to distract the demons while he freed the X-Men, and Cyclops ordered Nightcrawler to gather the survivors.
• Peter opened a spatial rift and brought the X-Men and survivors through it, even dragging Strange and demon Storm away from Belasco with Silk.
• Belasco entered the new location through demon Storm and raised the Bloodstone Amulet, but Peter explained that they were only in a safe place to regroup, not Earth-616.
• Golden portals opened, bringing the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts, Defenders, New Mutants, Hellions, the Wasteland Universe's Avengers, and Steve Strange to join Peter.

Peter brought Belasco to the Wasteland Universe instead of Earth-616, where Strange and a huge gathering of heroes fought to seize the Bloodstone Amulet and stop Belasco from summoning Chthon. Belasco’s demon army held the heroes back as he sought a route to Earth-616, while Thor battered him with three Mjolnirs.

• Peter explained that Belasco had wanted to use him or Illyana to reach Earth-616, but he had diverted to the Wasteland Universe instead.
• Strange sealed Belasco’s route back to Hell’s Border and told the assembled heroes to take the Bloodstone Amulet before Belasco could reach Earth-616 and summon Chthon.
• The Avengers, X-Men, and other heroes charged Belasco, while Hawkeye and Old Hawkeye each shot an arrow into his forehead.
• Belasco summoned a horde of corrupted X-Men and demons to delay the heroes as he searched for a portal to Earth-616.
• Thor struck Belasco with three Mjolnirs, and Peter explained that he had brought two extra hammers from other universes.

The heroes fought Belasco and the demons across the wasteland as Kitty tried to steal the amulet that powered his summoning. Illyana confronted Belasco with the amulet and prepared to use her soul to enchant a sword.

• Hank Pym continued fighting demons while wondering whether he should leave the Avengers, and Logan met Old Man Logan and watched Laura Kinney join the battle.
• Illyana fought demons beside her brother Colossus, while Storm protected the young mutants.
• Kitty tried to take Belasco’s amulet, but a feline Shadowcat variant knocked her aside and stole it, provoking Belasco to unleash hellfire that killed Thor and shattered Mjolnir.
• Belasco reached for the fallen amulet, but Illyana appeared through a portal, hooked it with her tail, and took it.
• Illyana told Belasco she knew a spell and used her soul to enchant a sword, prompting him to call her surprising.

Strange devised a way for Spider-Man to help the heroes damage Belasco, and the heroes struck him down. Strange opened a gateway to Hell’s Border and called for volunteers to finish the fight by severing Belasco’s connection to it.

• Strange watched demonized Illyana fight Belasco and told Kitty Pryde to find Spider-Man.
• Kitty found Peter Parker fighting demons with Silk and a Spider-Woman, and Strange explained his plan to him.
• Peter tore open a spatial rift and emerged behind Belasco while Kitty phased them through Belasco’s attack.
• Peter ripped apart half of Belasco, then Thor and Illyana struck him with Mjolnir and a sword.
• Strange opened a gateway to Hell’s Border and asked the heroes to join him in ending Belasco’s invasion for good.

Strange led the heroes through Hell's Border to confront Belasco, while he and Despondent Strange defended them from the demon god's black magic. Belasco revealed his Soul Sword and began overpowering the attackers, ending with Thor wounded and Belasco declaring his supremacy in his own realm.

• Despondent Strange agreed to Strange's plan to sever Belasco's newly formed body from Hell's Border, though he warned that Belasco was stronger in his domain.
• Strange and Despondent Strange shielded the Avengers and X-Men from Belasco's Bloodstorm as they advanced toward the royal palace.
• Blade identified the palace, and Tony led the group inside, where they found Belasco recovering on his throne.
• Belasco claimed the Web of Destiny could no longer erase him and drew his Soul Sword, which Despondent Strange warned could pierce magic and physical defenses.
• Tony bombarded Belasco, Hulk attacked him, and Belasco resisted both before throwing Hulk aside with a gigantic demonic arm.
• Thor charged Belasco, who blocked his blow and stabbed him with the Soul Sword, then boasted that Hell's Border was his world.