Chapter Summaries

Ben and the others fought Hydra and Vision at Doctor Pym’s gathering, while Pym tried to reunite his former allies. After Ben defeated the attackers and freed Pym from Ultron, Pym handed them the Cosmic Cube Fragment.

• Vision struggled against Azmuth and Ultron in the digital world as Doctor Pym urged the gathered heroes to reconcile.
• Baron Zemo demanded the Cosmic Cube Fragment, and Wasp, Scott, and Ben fought the Hydra forces.
• Ben transformed into Four Arms and crushed Taskmaster, then defeated Black Ant and stabbed Baron Zemo with Diamondhead’s blade.
• Doctor Pym merged with Ultron robots and pinned Vision while Ben used Upgrade to envelop and disable them.
• Ben separated Pym from Ultron’s mechanical body and said Ultron had been dealt with.
• Doctor Pym, grateful to be human again, gave the Cosmic Cube Fragment to the group.

Ben obtained an Ultron Cube Fragment and learned that Scott was leaking intelligence to Hydra because Hydra held his daughter. He decided to let Hydra gather the remaining fragments while arranging to deceive Steve Rogers, who believed Hydra was close to winning.

• Ben returned to the Las Vegas base with the fragment and used its energy frequency to analyze how to locate other fragments.
• Ben had Azmuth intercept Scott's call and learned that Hydra controlled Scott's daughter and had received leaked intelligence about the heroes' movements.
• Ben learned that Steve's teams had encountered resistance in Atlantis and Mutant Nation, while T'Challa refused to surrender Wakanda's fragment.
• Ben instructed Azmuth to imitate Scott's voice and report to Steve that the fragment had been obtained and the other fragments located, while adding Zemo's supposed death to the report.
• Steve believed the false report, mourned Zemo, and planned to use the Cosmic Cube to rewrite events and expand Hydra's power beyond Earth.

Looma and Felicia battered Chthon while he possessed Wanda, but the mutants arrived and Madam Hydra prepared to join the fight. The chapter ended as the White Queen gave Madam Hydra a fragment and ordered her to eliminate Looma and Felicia.

• Looma attacked Chthon with the Divine Hammer, breaking through his barrier and striking him in the face.
• Chthon retreated from Looma and charged at Felicia, whom he mistook for an easier target.
• Felicia activated her armor and Alpha Rune, then beat Chthon with a barrage of punches.
• Quicksilver watched and photographed the fight while Chthon struggled to use Wanda's Chaos Magic in close combat.
• The mutants arrived with Madam Hydra, and the White Queen gave her a fragment and ordered her to get rid of Looma and Felicia.

After Atlantis failed to seize a Cube Fragment, Tony’s group regrouped and prepared to race Hydra to the remaining fragments. Ben Parker confronted the drunken Thor, revealed his divine power and a happier version of Thor’s family, and left Thor sobbing over his failures and Steve’s claim to Mjolnir.

• Tony cursed Namor and Atlantis, while T’Challa confirmed that Wakanda had secured a Cube Fragment; the group had two fragments in total.
• Scott told Tony that Parker had invented a machine to locate Cube Fragments, and Tony identified the Savage Land as the next target among five remaining locations.
• Tony reassigned the teams and learned that Natasha’s group could not be reached, while the other teams were ready to move.
• Ben found a drunken Thor in Washington D.C. and stopped his lightning-powered attack with one hand.
• Ben identified himself as the Lord of the Nine Realms and told Thor that Odin, Frigga, and Loki were alive in his world, then rebuked Thor for giving up on himself.
• Thor fell to his knees in tears and called himself a failure because he believed Steve Rogers was Mjolnir’s chosen king.

Ben lifted Mjolnir and freed Thor from the spell, helping him understand the responsibilities of gods and kings. Thor agreed to stay with the Serpent Society for now, while Ben planned to target Doctor Strange and the Dark Dimension next.

• Ben casually lifted Mjolnir and commanded Thor to see the suffering of living beings and seek answers within himself.
• Thor asked why gods existed and recalled Gorr’s suffering and his campaign against the gods.
• Ben asked why mortals existed and told Thor that no life’s value depended on another’s belief or judgment.
• Thor understood his role as a god, and Mjolnir acknowledged him again.
• Thor said he would find Steve, but Ben stopped him and asked him to remain undercover among the Serpent Society to experience betrayal.
• Ben revealed that Vision was on their side and considered pursuing Doctor Strange and Dormammu next.

Trapped in the Dark Dimension, the refugees received supplies from Kingpin before Doctor Strange tried a spell to free them. The spell appeared to fail, but it caused a mysterious upside-down ghost to emerge from Cloak.

• Dagger collapsed after exhausting her light, and Midnight Nurse treated her as Daredevil tried to comfort the refugees.
• Kingpin arrived with food and admitted he wanted New Yorkers to remember him as their savior.
• Doctor Strange returned with a spell he hoped could free them, but said he needed energy from Dagger and Cloak to cast it.
• Dagger and Cloak aided Strange, but the spell’s light faded and Dagger fell unconscious again.
• Cloak’s body twisted and tore open, releasing an upside-down ghost that horrified the onlookers.

Ben entered the Dark Dimension through Doctor Strange’s spell and agreed to help Strange escape by confronting Dormammu. After revealing his immense power as an Anodite, Ben had Strange take him to Dormammu, where he announced his return.

• Ben emerged from Cloak as Ghostfreak and told Doctor Strange he had come to help them leave the Dark Dimension, though he planned to kill Dormammu.
• Ben transformed into an Anodite, restoring Dagger and Cloak with his Energy of the Universe and convincing Strange to take him to Dormammu.
• Ben lent Strange Energy of the Universe and ordered him to lead the way to Dormammu.
• In the Dark Dimension, Strange brought Ben before Dormammu, and Ben greeted him by declaring he was back for seconds.

Ben and Doctor Strange fought Dormammu in the Dark Dimension, where Ben weakened him and Strange stalled for time. Ben drained Dormammu completely and claimed that he had consumed even Dormammu’s name, preventing his return.

• Ben bound Dormammu with the Energy of the Universe and tried to seal his access to the Dark Dimension.
• Dormammu broke free and threatened to devour Ben’s dimension, while Doctor Strange complained that Ben had brought him into danger.
• Ben transformed into Ghostfreak and absorbed energy from the Dark Dimension as Doctor Strange used his replenished magic to stall Dormammu.
• Ben used Ghostfreak’s psychic power to strike Dormammu with his own curse, leaving him helpless.
• Ben drained Dormammu’s energy until he vanished, then told Doctor Strange that Dormammu would not revive because Ben had consumed everything he had, including his name.

Ben returned from Hell Frontier with Doctor Strange after defeating Dormammu, then organized heroes and villains to prepare for the fight against Hydra. In the Zombie Universe, Tony Stark and Doctor Animo completed a zombie cure, but an early bomb launch left only thirty minutes to act.

• Ben and Doctor Strange returned to Manhattan, where Strange announced their victory over Dormammu and Luke Cage mocked him for being carried.
• Ben kept the Dark Dimension spell in place, assigned Doctor Strange to wake Wanda, sent Cloak to rescue Cassie, and organized heroes and Kingpin’s forces against Hydra.
• Azmuth reported that Hydra had gained the upper hand in the fragment hunt, and Ben predicted that Steve Rogers would attack the Las Vegas base for T’Challa’s fragment.
• Tony Stark and Doctor Animo completed a serum that had restored two zombie test subjects, but Peter revealed that Shuri and Doctor Otto had moved the bomb launch forward to thirty minutes away.
• Tony worried that they could not find Ben Tennyson and evacuate civilians in time, while Animo urged them to try using the serum rather than give up.

Tony, Peter, and Quicksilver attacked Zombie Ben Tennyson to inject him with serum that would prevent him from dying as a monster. Peter successfully injected the serum despite Ben hardening his body, but Ben's fate remained uncertain.

• Tony gave Peter and Quicksilver serum and planned for Peter to cut off Ben's watch-wearing arm while Quicksilver injected him.
• Tian Xiaowen and Wanda teleported the group near Ben, where Harry shared his concerns about Ben's Spider-Sense.
• Peter transformed into XLR8 and severed Ben's left arm, while Quicksilver threw a vial of serum at him.
• Ben's hardened body repelled Quicksilver's serum, but Peter used a Vibranium-nanomolecule-wrapped needle to pierce him and inject the dose.

Zombie Ben revealed that he had anticipated the attempt to cure him and surrounded the heroes with an army of zombies. Ben arrived with Alien X power, then transported the battle with Infinite Atomix to the center of the universe and prepared to fight without fusing.

• Zombie Ben's severed hand reattached itself, and he revealed that the zombie virus in him had been consumed by the Slaughter Virus, making Tony Stark and Animo's serum ineffective against him.
• Zombie Ben summoned thousands of zombies and explained that he had lured the heroes to Earth to keep the virus from spreading into the multiverse.
• Ben arrived with the power of Alien X, which Zombie Ben said could not be infected, and transformed into X Heatblast.
• Ben and Zombie Ben transformed into Alien X and Infinite Atomix and clashed, so Ben used magic to send people on Earth to Sakaar.
• Ben transported Infinite Atomix to the center of the universe and challenged Zombie Ben's claim that he could not win without fusing Alien X with another hero.

Ben used Alien X’s power to remove the Slaughter Virus from Zombie Ben Tennyson, then brought him to Sakaar and triggered a universe-wide rain of life. The rain cured the zombies on Earth, leaving Tony Stark and the others safe for the moment.

• Eunice, Peter, Quicksilver, Tony, and Doctor Animo fought off the zombies while protecting Wanda and Tian Xiaowen, and Zombie Hulk attacked Tony.
• Tony discovered that the serum had vanished from his armor and realized Ben had taken it.
• Ben used Alien X to free Zombie Ben Tennyson from the watch’s control, remove the Slaughter Virus, and erase the virus completely.
• Ben traveled to Sakaar, where the Grandmaster yielded the planet in exchange for another planet and its wormholes.
• Ben’s arrival awakened Sakaar Lightning, and a rain of life spread across the universe, curing Hulk and the other zombies on Earth.

Ben cured the zombie infection on Sakaar and left Ben Tennyson, Tian Xiaowen, and Doctor Animo to rebuild the ruined world. Meanwhile, Steve Rogers ordered Hydra to attack the heroes’ base in Las Vegas and led the Hydra Avengers into action.

• Ben restored Ben Tennyson to life, removed the Slaughter Virus, and reunited him with Tian Xiaowen.
• Doctor Animo chose to stay on Sakaar to search for prehistoric creatures, and Ben Tennyson and Tian Xiaowen stayed to help the world recover.
• Ben teleported away with Peter and the others after they discussed Earth’s destruction.
• Zola and Faust challenged Steve Rogers over his hesitation to seize the remaining Cube Fragment, while Madam Hydra and Kraken defended him.
• Steve revealed that he knew the heroes’ base was hidden in Las Vegas and ordered Hydra to bomb the city.
• Steve announced that he would lead the Hydra Mobile Unit himself and called the Hydra Avengers to assemble.

The heroes' distrust and despair deepened after Scott admitted he had acted as Hydra's informant to protect Cassie. Steve Rogers then broadcast Rick Jones's captivity and demanded that he pledge allegiance to Hydra, leaving the heroes watching as Rick faced execution.

• Tony Stark accused the group of harboring a Hydra informant, and his suspicions sparked a heated argument with Quicksilver, Viv, T'Challa, and the others.
• Scott confessed that he was Hydra's informant because Hydra had taken Cassie, and Tony attacked him for destroying their chance to win.
• Looma suggested that the heroes could take Hydra's fragments by force.
• Steve Rogers used the base's computers to broadcast Rick Jones tied to a pillar and offered to release him if he said, "Hail Hydra."
• Steve ordered Rick to pledge allegiance as gun barrels aimed at him, but Rick answered, "Avengers Assemble!"

Steve Rogers launched an attack on the heroes’ mountain base and threatened to destroy Las Vegas unless they surrendered the final Cube Fragment. Thor betrayed Hydra and joined the heroes, but the battle turned desperate as Steve’s forces overwhelmed them and Bruce Banner was thrown from a Helicarrier.

• Steve ordered Hydra to carpet-bomb Las Vegas and attacked the heroes’ mountain base, demanding the final Cube Fragment.
• Thor struck at Steve and declared that he was done following Hydra, then apologized to the heroes for his past actions.
• Tony arranged for T’Challa and Scott to escape with the Cube Fragment while the heroes fought Hydra’s forces.
• Looma destroyed Hydra Mobile Units as the battle spread, while the heroes struggled against Hydra’s overwhelming numbers.
• Steve had Bruce Banner brought onto a Helicarrier and thrown from its deck after Banner refused to submit to Hydra.

The heroes turned the battle against Hydra as Wanda revealed she had returned to herself and joined Thor, while Tony gained the upper hand against Steve. The chapter left Tony taunting Steve as the fight continued.

• Hulk broke free and attacked the heroes, while Barton prepared to face him and Looma struck him with her Divine Hammer.
• Thor killed Gorgon and fought his way through Hydra's robots as he headed toward Steve and Tony.
• Wanda attacked Madam Hydra and Kraken instead of Thor, revealed herself as an Avenger, and joined Thor in battle.
• The heroes rallied after Wanda's betrayal of Hydra, and Hawkeye rejoined the fight.
• Tony blasted Steve with a Repulsor Ray, drove him into the ground, and taunted him about his subordinates turning against him.

Steve and Tony fought as Hydra’s allies turned against it, while [Steve] led Natasha, Miles, Mockingbird, and the Highbreed into a Hydra base. Natasha recovered the Cosmic Cube fragment and prepared to use it to bring back the real Steve Rogers.

• Steve and Tony resumed fighting, while Madam Hydra and Kraken tried to escape and Dr. Zola ordered them to secure the remaining Cube fragments.
• [Steve] fooled Hydra soldiers in Washington D.C. into taking him and his companions to headquarters without contacting Zola.
• Natasha split the group: Miles and Mockingbird went to disable the Planetary Shield, while she and the Highbreed went after the Cube fragments.
• Natasha and the Highbreed found files revealing that Dr. Zola had the fragment and was building armor around it.
• The Highbreed tore open the laboratory doors, and Natasha took the Cube fragment from the Iron Armor and said she would wish for the real Steve Rogers to return.

Natasha used the Cube fragments to make Highbreed disappear, while the real Steve Rogers wandered through a jungle with a sickly boy and a white monster, all three having lost their memories. Meanwhile, the Winter Soldier and Dinosaur Connorson searched the coldest tower for Steve, fearing the worst if he was not inside.

• Natasha created a fake Cube with the fragments’ energy, and Highbreed vanished when he touched a fragment.
• An old man intervened when he thought Highbreed was threatening a sick boy, but Highbreed explained that the boy’s asthma was triggered by the dust on his body.
• Highbreed, the boy, and the old man traveled together, fighting wolves and Red Skull’s forces as they began to feel that their lost memories were close to returning.
• At night, the boy extinguished a campfire that frightened Highbreed, and the three sheltered one another from the cold.
• The Winter Soldier and Dinosaur Connorson found no sign of Steve in three towers, then prepared to search the largest and coldest tower.

The heroes celebrated a hard-won victory after learning that Vision had secretly protected the real Cosmic Cube fragments, while Steve returned to Hydra headquarters believing he still held the last fragment. Steve fused the fake fragment into golden armor and prepared to attack as the final battle began.

• Wanda killed Madam Hydra after she used her last strength to teleport Steve and Vision away.
• T'Challa revealed he still had a real fragment, and Scott explained that Vision had been working with Ben to deceive Hydra with fake fragments.
• Mockingbird announced that the heroes had taken control of Hydra's Helicarrier, while Captain Marvel headed toward the Chitauri Queen as the Planetary Shield opened.
• At Hydra headquarters, Steve learned that the Planetary Shield had opened and blamed Ben for Hydra's losses.
• Vision gave Steve a fake fragment, which Zola helped him fuse into golden armor before Steve set out to make his enemies pay.

Ben and Natasha restored a real fragment of the Cosmic Cube while Hydra’s enemies prepared to evacuate civilians and strike back. Bucky survived and joined the heroes, but Ben took him away as they prepared to confront Steve.

• Steve vowed to reclaim Hydra and build a New World, blaming Ben for Hydra’s collapse.
• Natasha told Ben that the Cosmic Cube swap had gone unnoticed, and Ben fitted a real fragment into the cube.
• Ben said Bucky was alive because the Cosmic Cube wanted him to survive, while Looma defeated Hulk in Las Vegas.
• Namor arrived with Bucky, who explained that Namor had saved him after the rocket blast threw him into the Pacific Ocean.
• Tony and the heroes planned to evacuate civilians and seize spacecraft while Wanda reported that Ben had dealt with Manhattan.
• Ben opened a blue passage, grabbed Bucky by the shoulder strap, and said he was taking him with him.