Chapter Summaries

Leo warned Tony that the Mind Stone could turn Ultron into a threat to humanity, but Tony still wanted to examine the scepter. Tony took it to his laboratory while the others feared he and Leo had fallen out.

• Tony asked Leo what the Mind Stone could do, and Leo explained that it controlled minds and embodied a fundamental force of the universe.
• Leo warned Tony that relying on the Mind Stone to create Ultron could lead to humanity’s near extinction.
• Tony asked to inspect the scepter, and Leo lent it to him for half an hour.
• Leo told Tony that Wanda and Pilot’s powers had been awakened by the Mind Stone and that he intended to speak with them.
• The others saw Tony take the scepter to his laboratory and worried that he had fallen out with Leo, while Agent Hill contacted Nick Fury.

Rogers and Hill speculated that Leo’s concern for Wanda and Pilot might stem from romantic interest, prompting them to consider informing Fury. On Kontraxia Star, Quill pursued someone while Rocket stayed on guard aboard the Variant 134, waiting for the group to return.

• Rogers, Hill, and Natasha discussed Leo’s ability and wondered why he cared about Wanda and Pilot despite having no known prior connection to them.
• Natasha suggested Wanda was her type, leading Hill and Rogers to suspect Leo might have romantic feelings for her and to raise the twins’ importance.
• Hill and Rogers agreed they should tell Fury because Leo’s possible intentions could change the world.
• Quill hurried after a figure on Kontraxia Star, accompanied by Lorelei and Chen Haoran, while Rocket remained ready to rescue them from the Variant 134.
• Jason offered to take over watching the cockpit, but Rocket refused to rest until Quill and the others returned.
• Jason considered Groot’s growing size and the War Treants’ legendary strength, wondering whether Groot could ever regain his people’s ancestral power.

Quill learned that a resentful Ravager planned to kill him and Yondu, but Yondu would not take warnings seriously. Quill hired Howard the Duck to bring the traitor back, then said they would eliminate the threat.

• Chen Haoran warned Quill that the ugly Ravager had been urging the crew to kill Quill and Yondu.
• Lorelei warned that Yondu could be ambushed and lose control of the Yaka Arrow, while Quill worried about his safety.
• Quill and Lorelei stopped Chen Haoran from attacking the man openly and asked him to call Howard the Duck back.
• Quill offered Howard the Duck two hundred thousand to bring back the red-skinned, ridged Ravager, and Howard agreed.
• After Howard left to capture him, Quill said they would make the threat disappear.

Quill confronted Yondu and demanded to know who had bought him and why, after overhearing a conversation that suggested Yondu had hidden the truth. Yondu stopped his men from attacking and asked Quill to go somewhere else to talk, leaving their confrontation unresolved.

• Yondu's Marauders gathered around Quill, and a burly man tried to grab him before Quill kicked him and Lorelei punched him away.
• Yondu stopped his men from drawing their guns and challenged Quill about why he had returned.
• Quill rejected Yondu's demand for repayment and asked who had bought him and why.
• Yondu became conflicted as he realized Quill had overheard the conversation and discovered the lie he had kept hidden.
• The burly man got up and drew his gun, but Yondu ordered him and the surrounding Ravagers to stand down before asking Quill to talk elsewhere.

Quill and his allies prepared to leave while worrying about Leo's confrontation with Thanos, and Howard the Duck returned with a captive after fighting through Yondu's men. The group set out with Quill intending to kill the captive, and Chen Haoran offered to handle it.

• Rocket told Quill that the Void Land remained sealed and that Thanos had likely arrived, while Gamora and Nebula worried about Leo.
• Howard the Duck and Lorelei returned with an unconscious man after fighting through a crowd of Yondu's people.
• Howard explained that his short-range teleportation required concentration and a buildup of power.
• Quill carried the captive and ordered the group to leave, saying he wanted the man killed away from the current location.
• Chen Haoran said he would handle the captive.

Howard the Duck arrived on Kontraxia Star and fought his way through Yondu’s Ravagers to abduct the man who had stirred up a rebellion. Yondu recognized Howard’s likely connection to Quill and felt reassured by Quill’s powerful companions, though he worried Quill would seek out Planet Ego.

• Howard the Duck appeared among the Ravagers and searched the crowd for the ugly man Quill had described.
• Gus and the other Ravagers confronted Howard, but Howard charged into their ranks and used his agility and Duck Kung Fu to knock many of them down.
• Yondu prepared to use his Yaka Arrow as Howard fought his way toward the ugly man.
• Howard scooped up the ugly man and teleported away before the Ravagers could stop him.
• Yondu deduced that Howard had come because of Quill and felt relieved that Quill had powerful companions, but worried Quill would pursue the coordinates to Planet Ego.

Ego wondered whether he could still find an heir capable of controlling his power, while Mantis stood silently behind him. He recalled how his search had become a decades-long cycle of collecting and testing children, with only three chances remaining.

• Ego asked Mantis whether he could find an heir, but she remained silent, fearing his anger.
• Ego said that three chances remained and reflected on his loneliness as the only Celestial he could find.
• Ego recalled beginning his God-Making Plan thirty thousand years earlier to find a descendant who could inherit his powers.
• Ego traveled among civilized planets, reproduced with partners, and left markers before moving on to other worlds.
• Ego delegated the children’s care to adventurers, Ravagers, and wanderers, then exiled and buried those who failed his tests.

The Guardians of the Galaxy learned about Ego’s power and worried about Quill’s plan to meet him, while Rocket and Jason searched for news of Leo and the Void Land. Quill contacted Difan, whose disheveled figure appeared on the ship’s main screen.

• Lorelei warned the team that Ego was an ancient Celestial whose power might rival or exceed Odin’s.
• Rocket found no meaningful news about Leo but saw footage showing that Thanos’s army had reached the Void Land.
• Nebula offered to search for useful information, while Quill decided to contact Difan directly.
• Jason sent Little Jie to continue his demanding combat training.
• Quill’s call connected, and Difan appeared on the ship’s main screen looking disheveled.

Leo joined Quill and the others to confront Ego, whose plan to spread across and destroy civilized worlds made him a threat to Earth. He freed Nebula and offered her a chance to join the group, while agreeing that she might get the chance to kill Thanos herself.

• Quill said Yondu had confirmed that Ego was his father, though the news still pained him because it reminded him of his mother.
• Leo explained that Ego intended to awaken his seeds across civilized planets and consume their power, making Ego a threat to Earth and a target on Leo’s death list.
• Leo freed Nebula’s wrist restraints and offered her a chance to join the team if the others accepted her.
• Nebula pledged loyalty to Leo if he let her kill Thanos, and Leo promised to protect her while leaving that possibility open.
• The others realized that Leo treated Thanos and the feared Black Order as enemies he could defeat.

Leo reflected on how Warp Points connected Semi-Dimensional Spaces to the universe and began to suspect that more powerful Outer Planes lay beyond them. After the Milan II completed 250 jumps, Leo found Little Jie sleeping safely under Groot’s care.

• Quill and Rocket combined star maps from the Nova Corps and Difan, identifying about 217 additional Warp Points and saving the crew eleven hours.
• As the Milan II crossed Warp Points, Leo connected them to the Inner Planes described by Master Ancient One and wondered what spaces existed beyond them.
• Leo concluded that the more remote realms might be Outer Planes inhabited by powerful beings such as Dormammu, Ikonn, and the Crimson Cosmos.
• The Milan II completed 250 space jumps, and the Space Stabilizer left the crew with only mild discomfort.
• Leo went to check on Little Jie and found him asleep while Groot used his healing light to protect him from spatial pressure.
• Groot smiled at Leo, who admitted he could not understand Groot’s words.

Leo and the others traveled aboard the Milan II toward Planet Ego, preparing for a journey of hundreds of Space Jumps. As they passed through Semi-Dimensional Spaces, Jason and Gamora explained how the spaces worked and how major organizations explored and mapped them.

• Quill told the passengers the trip to Planet Ego would take about ten hours, including rest periods after every 250 Space Jumps.
• Jason reflected on how much better his life had become, while Rocket announced the first phase of 252 Space Jumps.
• Rocket sent the Milan II through a series of Warp Points, and Leo watched the Semi-Dimensional Spaces they crossed.
• Jason explained that Semi-Dimensional Spaces lay within the Main Universe and often connected Warp Points.
• Gamora explained that star maps recorded investigated, safe routes, while major organizations explored dangerous and valuable spaces to improve their maps.

Leo and Rocket tried to replenish Groot’s life force after his recent evolution left him dangerously fatigued. Groot began absorbing life energy from Beck Stones, giving them a possible way to improve his condition.

• Groot thanked Leo for helping the team survive, and Rocket translated for him.
• Leo told Groot to rest and stop using his healing ability, so Groot rooted himself in soil and fell asleep.
• Rocket worried that Groot’s condition would keep worsening, and Leo suggested that Beck Stone might restore his life force.
• Leo placed a Beck Stone by Groot’s feet, and Rocket noticed that its green energy had begun to fade.
• Rocket buried the Beck Stone against Groot’s roots, and Leo gave Groot several more to absorb.

Leo learned that Rocket and the others used throat-installed Universal Translators to understand Groot, whose new healing ability differed from typical War Treants. Rocket then asked Leo to help Groot continue strengthening, saying the irreversible process would only be complete after a third strengthening.

• Groot used his healing ability to help Little Jie recover from training, and Rocket explained that Groot’s healing powers had appeared through evolution.
• Rocket told Leo that most War Treants developed combat-focused abilities, while Groot’s healing ability was unusual.
• Rocket explained that Quill, Gamora, and the others used Universal Translators, while Rocket understood Groot by listening to him.
• After Groot left, Rocket hugged Leo’s leg and begged him to help Groot continue strengthening through the crucial, irreversible process.

Quill and his companions arrived on Ego’s planet, where Ego warmly welcomed them while secretly assessing whether Quill could inherit his power. The group traveled toward Ego’s palace, leaving Leo’s mysterious presence undetected by their host.

• Gamora confirmed the planet’s atmosphere was safe, and Leo’s group stepped off their ship to meet Ego and Mantis.
• Ego recognized Quill as his son and promised to answer his questions, surprising Mantis with his unusually friendly manner.
• Ego invited the group to his palace on a flying platform, while everyone looked to Leo and Quill to decide how to respond.
• Quill accepted the invitation and led the group onto the platform, while Ego studied Leo and considered killing the visitors depending on Quill’s potential.
• As the platform carried them across the colorful landscape, Ego welcomed everyone to his planet.

Mantis was moved by Jason’s grief and the warmth she sensed from Leo’s group, while Leo planned to use her hypnosis to restrain Ego. As Mantis considered turning against Ego, Quill met Ego in a garden, and a vast energy rose from beneath the group.

• Mantis felt Jason’s sorrow and began to recognize the pain of losing a child.
• Chen Haoran asked Mantis to use her hypnotic ability on him, and she took his arm.
• Leo viewed Mantis as a key ally who could put Ego to sleep during the coming battle.
• Mantis considered joining Leo’s group but worried Ego could kill them or prevent their escape.
• Quill stood with Ego in a garden and lowered his guard as Ego held his hands.
• Leo sensed an enormous surge of energy rise from beneath his feet.

Quill discovered that he had inherited Ego’s divine power, confirming that Ego’s decades-long plan had succeeded. As Ego celebrated and began guiding Quill, Quill felt excited by the power and the prospect of having a home and father again.

• Leo reassured Howard the Duck that Quill had passed Ego’s examination, and Chen Haoran reported that Quill and Ego were nearby.
• Leo ordered Howard the Duck and Chen Haoran to look after Mantis and wake Jason, then flew to meet Quill and Ego.
• Ego tested Quill and discovered that Quill could inherit his divine power, celebrating the success of his plan.
• Ego guided Quill as he learned to control the power and shape it into a dense ball of light.
• Ego told Quill that he was home, while Quill wondered whether to accept Ego as his father and played catch with him.

Ego tried to draw Quill closer by playing with him and using his new powers to make him forget his friends. Leo arrived and found Quill increasingly influenced by Ego, but began considering how to change the outcome.

• Ego played with Quill and hoped that their time together would make Quill join his plan.
• Ego launched Quill's energy sphere into the sky, where it struck Leo's Golden Light and exploded.
• Leo descended and greeted Quill, who happily showed off his new powers.
• Quill introduced Leo as the boss of his team, and Ego politely welcomed him while trying to win Quill's affection.
• Leo noticed that Ego was affecting Quill's mind and considered how he could improve the outcome.

Quill discovered that Ego had awakened his demigod power, while Mantis warned that Ego planned to use him and would kill anyone who threatened his plan. Leo kept the group ready for battle but gave Quill time to speak with Ego, leaving Gamora to follow him outside.

• Quill discovered that a powerful force connected to the planet had awakened in him and made his body stronger.
• Leo confirmed that Quill carried the power Ego had been seeking, and Mantis explained that Ego intended to use it to devour the universe.
• Mantis warned that Ego had killed his unsuccessful descendants and would eliminate the group once Quill could inherit his power.
• Quill rejected the idea that Ego would harm them and walked outside, struggling to accept Mantis's warning.
• Leo asked Gamora to check on Quill and ordered everyone else to stay ready for battle.

Quill tried to control the energy in his body but could only condense and throw it, while gaining greatly enhanced physical strength and defenses. He flew back to the group too fast to stop, crashed into Chen Haoran, and emerged unharmed as the others saw how much he had changed.

• Quill failed to fly using his energy, but he formed a powerful energy ball that blasted a small crater into the ground.
• Leo judged that Quill had gained much greater physical fitness and defenses, though he still lacked control over his energy.
• Leo returned to the group, where Gamora had awakened Jason and Chen Haoran and Howard the Duck had brought Mantis over to Leo's side.
• Quill flew toward the group at high speed, lost control, and collided with Chen Haoran, dragging them both through the soil.
• Chen Haoran recovered from his injuries, and Quill emerged unhurt and joked that he needed new rocket boots.

The Avengers attacked the Sokovia Hydra Base, fighting through its heavy defenses as they advanced toward Baron Sitwell and the Mind Scepter. Hydra’s forces overwhelmed the wooded approach, and Hulk became the group’s main force as a golden streak rushed forward behind them.

• The Avengers boarded a Quinjet and reached the foot of the mountain, where S.H.I.E.L.D. had cleared the outer defenders and prepared vehicles and equipment.
• Hydra’s helicopters and missiles forced the Quinjet to retreat as the Avengers pushed through the woods toward the base.
• Hydra unleashed bunkers, energy cannons, armored soldiers, tanks, and combat vehicles against the advancing group.
• Thor attacked the airborne forces, Barton and Natasha fired on enemies, and Tony charged into the Hydra ranks.
• Hulk charged into the enemy convoy and destroyed several vehicles while Rogers used his shield and vehicle to attack.
• A golden streak shot forward behind the group as Hydra’s firepower increasingly constrained Natasha and Barton.