Chapter Summaries

Tony recruited Banner to help test the Mind Scepter while the Avengers regrouped after the battle. Leo emerged from the workshop and insisted that he would handle Wanda and Pilot himself, leaving the twins’ fate unresolved.

• Tony told Banner the battle was over and asked him to help test the Mind Scepter.
• Banner went to Tony’s workshop while Barton headed to his room and Thor also retired to rest.
• Natasha reassured Rogers that Tony and Leo had not fallen out, then went to check on Leo.
• Hill said the Avengers would try to capture Wanda and Pilot, but Leo told her and Rogers not to monitor the twins’ relatives.
• Leo said he would deal with Wanda and Pilot himself, then disappeared.

Quill witnessed Stakar condemn Yondu for betraying the Ravagers’ principles by selling children and exile him from their ranks. As Yondu’s crew turned on Quill too, Quill decided to uncover the secrets behind the dispute, but the Ravagers surrounded him and his companions.

• Stakar confronted Yondu, accusing him of knowingly profiting from the sale of children and declaring that he would never be accepted among the Ravagers.
• Yondu insisted he had not known what was happening and said he had wanted a place among Stakar’s people, but Stakar rejected him and walked away.
• A burly Ravager mocked Yondu for going soft and criticized him for letting Quill go, while Quill explained to Chen Haoran who the man was.
• Lorelei asked Quill what he intended to do, and he said he wanted to learn what had been kept from him.
• A member of Yondu’s Marauders recognized Quill as a traitor, and the surrounding Ravagers closed in on Quill, Chen Haoran, and Lorelei.

Quill and Lorelei left Chen Haoran with the Ravagers while they followed Yondu to hear what happened after Quill was taken from Earth. Yondu began explaining the job that led him to find Quill, but stopped before revealing what he later discovered was wrong.

• The Ravagers kept Chen Haoran as a hostage while Quill and Lorelei went with Yondu.
• Quill demanded that Yondu tell him everything from the time he was on Earth, and Yondu denied trafficking children.
• Yondu said that twenty-seven years earlier he had accepted a lucrative, long-term job to find and escort the mysterious employer’s descendants.
• Yondu described delivering three children to the specified planet for thirty thousand, then said he later realized something was wrong.

Yondu told Quill that his biological father, Ego, had been searching for his children and using them as experimental subjects. Quill realized his mother had told the truth about his father and considered confronting Ego, but Lorelei urged him to consult the boss first.

• Yondu explained that every child he brought to Ego disappeared, and that the children were confirmed to be Ego’s descendants.
• Quill remembered his mother telling him that his father came from another planet and recalled her final days on Earth.
• Quill asked why Ego had left his mother to suffer and die, and Yondu revealed that Ego was a planet-like being who treated his children as test subjects.
• Yondu warned Quill not to seek out Ego yet, while Quill said he might find Ego to ask why his mother had thought of him before she died.
• Lorelei advised Quill to ask the boss for guidance because Ego was dangerous and Quill was one of his targets.

Quill learned why Yondu had taken him from Earth and how Yondu had ultimately chosen to protect him from Ego. He asked Yondu for Ego’s coordinates, leaving Yondu worried about the danger Quill planned to face.

• Lorelei’s voice affected Yondu, and Quill gave him headphones before asking about Ego and Stakar.
• Yondu told Quill that Stakar had rescued him from Kree slavery and that he had been exiled from the Ravagers after breaking their rules.
• Yondu explained that he had stopped handing children over to Ego after learning what happened to them, and Quill learned that Yondu’s threat to eat him had been a joke.
• Quill and Lorelei left to check on Chen Haoran, while Yondu promised his crew would not cause trouble.
• Quill demanded Ego’s coordinates, but Yondu warned him that Ego was powerful and tried to discourage him.

Chen Haoran destroyed the ugly man and his identifying weapons, leaving almost no trace behind. As the group headed for the landing platform, Quill said Void Land had been unsealed and that he wanted to find Ego.

• Chen Haoran used his fiery power to kill the unconscious ugly man and burn his body to ash.
• Howard the Duck’s light poke crumbled the remains, and Chen Haoran burned away the last human-shaped traces.
• Quill removed the Energy Bullets from the two pistols and handed the marked guns to Chen Haoran, who melted them down.
• The group left for the landing platform, where Quill said Rocket had news that Void Land was unsealed.
• Quill studied the coordinates Yondu had sent and told the others he wanted to find Ego.

Liu Chong accepted an order to build an eight-year-old boy a 1.3-meter full-metal Gundam model for $50,000. In his workshop, he prepared tools, strengthened his skin by absorbing Titanium Gold Alloy, and began preparing to work on the model.

• Liu Chong asked Kai's wealthy client Harry what kind of Gundam model he wanted, and Harry requested a 1.3-meter full-metal model.
• Liu Chong quoted Harry $50,000, and Harry agreed to pay; Kai said the buyer was the son of the Osborn Group chairman.
• Liu Chong entered his garage workshop and reshaped metal into throwing knives, wire, rods, and other equipment.
• Liu Chong absorbed a piece of Titanium Gold Alloy, raising his Bronze Skin enhancement from 4% to 8%.
• Liu Chong received Harry's $25,000 deposit and prepared to begin the Gundam model.

Pepper uncovered evidence that Obadiah had arranged Tony's kidnapping and tried to copy the files before he caught her. Obadiah realized the files had been copied and decided Pepper could not be allowed to live.

• Pepper brought Tony the chip and told him he meant everything to her before leaving for Stark Industries the next morning.
• Leo brought Tony a meal, accepted an Arc Reactor while returning one as a spare, and warned that someone Tony trusted would soon threaten him.
• Tony gave Leo two tons of Titanium Gold Alloy, and Leo returned to his room to continue cultivating.
• Pepper used Tony's chip to uncover Obadiah's Jericho Missile and Iron Armor designs, along with a video revealing Obadiah had arranged Tony's kidnapping.
• Pepper copied the hidden files and concealed the chip when Obadiah entered the office, then hurried out with the newspaper.
• Obadiah saw that the copying had finished and decided Pepper had to die to keep the information from leaking.

Hulk destroyed the approaching tank and helped clear the battlefield while Leo's healing energy saved Barton from his wound. As the team entered the buildings to find the Energy Core, Leo set off to confront the superhuman twins who were the targets of his mission.

• Hulk charged into the tank threatening Natasha, crushed it, and used its torn-off turret as a weapon.
• Natasha called for help as Barton's wound bled through its bandages, but he recovered enough to fight after Leo's healing energy took effect.
• Rogers reported encountering a fast young superhuman, and Tony used J.A.R.V.I.S. to locate the Energy Core and break through the energy shield.
• Rogers ordered Natasha to watch Hulk and Barton to await S.H.I.E.L.D. reinforcements while he and Tony headed into the buildings.
• Leo reassured Natasha that he had survived the bombardment, healed Barton's arm and bone, and vanished to pursue the superhuman twins.

Leo discovered that Groot’s damaged Energy Core was leaking life force, and Beck Stones could only replenish it temporarily. He gave Groot a supply to sustain him for half a year, but the search for a cure remained urgent.

• Groot absorbed Beck Stones, and Leo saw a gap in Groot’s Energy Core that caused his life force to drain away.
• Rocket learned that the Beck Stones made Groot feel better and believed they could help him survive the next stage.
• Leo gave Groot seventeen or eighteen Beck Stones and told him to absorb two each day.
• Leo told Rocket that Beck Stones could slow Groot’s decline but could not heal him, and that their supply would last only half a year.

Rocket revealed that Leo had funded a large purchase of life-restoring supplies for Groot, giving the crew hope while they prepared to approach Planet Ego. As Milan II left the final Warp Point, an egg-shaped spacecraft launched from Planet Ego toward them.

• Rocket explained that Beck Stone could preserve Groot's vitality but could not heal him, and the crew searched for other remedies.
• Jason and the others found that several sought-after life-restoring items had already sold, so Jason prepared to order Breath Wood and Life Essence.
• Rocket revealed that Leo had given him a card with fifty million on it, allowing him to buy the Tree of Life, ST-7 Energy Fluid, Galaxy Pure Water, and Flower of Revival.
• The crew took comfort in Leo's support and prepared spacesuits, weapons, and equipment for their arrival at Planet Ego.
• Milan II exited the final Warp Point, and an egg-shaped white spacecraft left Planet Ego and headed toward the same Warp Point.

Leo rested aboard the Milan II while the Guardians learned that Groot was in danger and found coordinates possibly connected to the War Treants. The crew debated whether to seek help for Groot or follow their original plan to visit Ego, leaving their next destination unresolved.

• Leo rested and recovered his Mental Power while wondering about Ego, the Celestials, Beck Stone, and Uru.
• Rocket returned to the cockpit, and Quill and Gamora asked whether something had happened to Groot.
• Rocket told the crew about Groot's condition, and Nebula found coordinates that might be connected to the War Treants.
• Quill prepared to change course toward the coordinates, but Rocket stopped him and reminded him that the boss had told them to visit Ego first.
• Jason asked whether Rocket had consulted the boss, and Gamora suggested restoring Groot with items rich in life force.

Milan II encountered a strange, custom-built spaceship whose white-haired passenger stood outside in space and followed them. The crew suspected he was Ego, and Leo arrived as the ship pursued them.

• Quill slowed Milan II after a small spaceship charged toward them, then prepared to evade or attack if it did not stop.
• Rocket and Quill could not identify the approaching ship, which appeared weaponless and could not establish a communications channel.
• An elderly man stepped out onto the ship's hull without protective gear and waved at Milan II's crew.
• Gamora suspected the man was Ego, and Quill kept flying as the egg-shaped spaceship followed them.
• Leo entered the cockpit after Lorelei voiced her unease about the pursuing ship.

Leo recognized Ego’s ship and ordered the Milan to race toward Planet Ego while asking Rocket about the weapons aboard. Ego realized Quill was heading to him and welcomed the chance to test whether his son could serve his plan.

• Rocket pointed out Ego’s egg-shaped spaceship, and Leo recognized the figure aboard as the man who had targeted them before.
• Leo asked Quill how he felt, then ordered the Milan to fly at full speed toward Planet Ego.
• Rocket explained that the ship carried two powerful Neutron Bombs, and Jason said they would not cause long-term radioactive contamination.
• Ego returned to his cabin and celebrated that Quill was coming to him without being sought out.
• Mantis recalled how Ego had raised her as a tool and how fear of his violence kept her silent.
• Ego sensed Quill aboard the Milan and decided that Quill might be the hope he had been waiting for.

Ego brought Quill and the others to his planet and revealed that he belonged to the Celestial Race, then offered to explain Quill’s origins. As Ego led them onward, Leo spotted an enormous Light Brain beneath the ground.

• Ego revealed that the planet belonged to him and that he was a Celestial.
• Chen Haoran and the others explored the strange, dreamlike grounds and entered Ego’s golden castle.
• Ego told the group that he was a god and invited Quill to learn about his origins.
• Leo looked beneath the ground and discovered a Light Brain over ten kilometers in diameter.

Ego showed Quill and the others how he had formed a planet around his enormous brain and created a humanoid body to explore the universe. He recounted meeting Quill’s mother, Meredith, while Leo noticed that Ego was changing the images in real time.

• Ego showed an image of himself alone in space and said he had spent millions of years learning to control molecules.
• Ego explained that he built layers around his brain until they formed the planet beneath their feet.
• Ego told Quill he had created a humanoid body and left his planet to search for other life.
• Ego recalled meeting a red-skinned girl and said he was no longer alone in the universe.
• Quill asked when Ego had met his mother, and Ego showed an image of himself with Meredith.
• Leo noticed Ego’s Light Brain shifting and altering the images as he spoke.

Quill and Leo's group arrived at Planet Ego so Quill could confront his biological father and Leo could deal with the threat Ego posed to Earth. They landed near Ego and another waiting figure, ready to meet them.

• Leo confirmed to Quill that Ego was his biological father, and Quill recalled Yondu's warnings that Ego had experimented on his children.
• Leo said Quill needed to speak with Ego and resolve his feelings, while Rocket and Gamora reassured Quill that they could leave if he wanted.
• Quill chose to continue to Planet Ego and seek answers, with Leo and the others at his side.
• As Milan II approached Planet Ego, Gamora spotted the egg-shaped spacecraft following them and guiding them toward the surface.
• Leo ordered Rocket to remain aboard Milan to watch Little Jie and Groot and provide backup while the others descended in Milan's backup craft.
• The group landed on Planet Ego, where two figures were waiting about a hundred meters away.

Ego used a fabricated memory of Quill’s mother to draw Quill in, then took him aside to speak privately. In the garden, Leo and the others questioned Mantis about the empty planet and her abilities, and Jason offered to test them.

• Ego showed Quill a glowing scene of his mother and claimed he had been searching for him, persuading Quill to follow him outside despite Leo sensing the deception.
• Mantis led Leo, Gamora, and the others to a garden while Quill went with Ego.
• Leo, Lorelei, Nebula, and Howard the Duck voiced suspicion about Ego and the powerful mental influence they sensed.
• Mantis revealed that she and Ego were the only inhabitants of the planet and explained that she could sense and alter emotions to help Ego sleep.
• Jason approached Mantis and offered to let her try her empathic ability on him.

Leo watched Ego’s power surge into Quill and concluded that Quill had become a god. Howard then reported that Ego had killed his other children and that Quill might soon be in danger.

• The planet trembled as Leo watched the distant garden, while Chen Haoran joked with Lorelei and she punched him.
• Chen Haoran flew into the sky to investigate the strange movement, and Howard went to question Mantis.
• Leo saw a vast energy stream rush from underground into Ego and Quill, then disappear into Quill’s body.
• Leo told Gamora that Quill had become a god and wondered why Chen Haoran had flown so high.
• Howard reported that Ego had killed all his other children and warned that Quill might soon lose his life during Ego’s test.

Ego reflected on his loneliness and his determination to fulfill his ultimate goal, while hoping Quill would join him willingly rather than become a mere battery. Leo examined Quill’s newly awakened divine power and pointed out that Quill could use it to fly.

• Ego left Quill and Leo, hiding his plan to reveal Celestial secrets and separate Quill from his companions until they could speak alone.
• Quill excitedly formed a weak energy sphere and showed it to Leo, who took it and examined its molecular-control properties.
• Leo explained that Ego could control matter across the planet and create living beings, then told Quill to ask his companions what was wrong.
• Leo urged Quill to believe he could fly, and Quill began chasing after him using his newly awakened power.