Chapter Summaries

After Ultron reconstructed the battle that destroyed a community, Thor and Loki grew worried when they could not contact Asgard or open a portal there. Tony reasoned that Asgard was in trouble but not yet facing catastrophe, while Loki threatened Ultron over the nickname “Bambi.”

• Ultron estimated 278 dead and 34 injured, then showed the Avengers a reconstruction of S.W.O.R.D.'s battle and missile strike that destroyed the community.
• Gwen and Eileen blamed S.W.O.R.D. for attacking without evacuating civilians, while Thor asked whether there was news of Sif and her companions.
• Ultron said Sif's group had gone into hiding, and Loki teased Thor by calling him “Point Break.”
• Thor received no answer when he called Heimdall, and Loki's Sling Ring failed to open a portal to Asgard.
• Tony examined Sif and her companions' expressions and concluded Asgard was in trouble but not at the point of despair; Ultron called Loki “Bambi,” prompting Loki to threaten to disconnect its network cable.

Tony Stark arranged to publicize the Avengers’ contact information so Thor and Loki’s friends could find them, while Russell quietly encouraged Steve Rogers to seek companionship in the New Era. Outside Asgard, Malekith challenged Queen Sindr and then used Loki’s parentage and Odin’s plans to provoke Laufey, leaving the Frost Giant King grimly considering the threat to his rule.

• Tony Stark had Ultron arrange for the media to publish the Avengers’ contact information, and Russell told Steve Rogers that an energetic companion could help him feel young again.
• Queen Sindr insulted the Angel Queen, prompting Malekith to confront her over her ingratitude and her belief in Fire Giant strength.
• Queen Sindr attacked Malekith with fire, but he dodged her follow-up and stabbed her shoulder before retreating.
• Laufey intervened as Queen Sindr prepared to fight again, then stood with her against Malekith and declared that a king must not be humiliated.
• Malekith asked Laufey whether he would accept Loki, Odin’s adopted son and Laufey’s biological child, becoming the next Frost Giant King.
• Laufey’s expression darkened as Malekith warned that Odin might force the succession, making Loki’s rule a personal affront to Laufey.

Malekith persuaded Laufey and the Angel Queen to keep the Four Realms Alliance together and agreed on a plan to draw Odin into battle while secretly searching for the Aether. At Avengers Tower, Sif and the Warriors Three arrived and told Thor and Loki that Asgard was under siege, the Bifrost had been destroyed, and Heimdall had died.

• Malekith persuaded Laufey to keep the Frost Giants in the alliance and proposed staging attacks through Vanaheim, Alfheim, and Nidavellir to provoke Odin.
• Laufey and the Angel Queen agreed to Malekith’s plan, while Malekith intended to search the realms for the Aether and attack Midgard as well.
• Laufey supported the attack on Midgard because he wanted revenge on the mage who had humiliated him, and Malekith outlined how the allied forces would lift Asgard’s blockade to lure Odin out.
• Tony Stark’s public release of the Avengers Initiative’s contact information attracted inquiries from hidden Super-powered Individuals, whom Ultron secretly began monitoring.
• Sif and the Warriors Three arrived at Avengers Tower, where reporters, hidden Super-powered Individuals, and S.W.O.R.D. agents watched them enter.
• Sif told Thor and Loki that Asgard had been attacked and besieged, the Bifrost had been destroyed, and Heimdall had been killed.

As the Four Realms Alliance threatened Asgard, Loki planned to seek allies and a new weapon for Thor while Russell urged the Avengers to help. A rebel fleet then appeared in Earth's orbit, forcing the Asgardians and Avengers to prepare for battle together.

• Sif reunited with Thor and Loki, reported Heimdall's death, and explained that Asgard faced the Dark Elves, War Angels, Frost Giants, and Fire Giants.
• Loki assessed Asgard's disadvantages and sent Sif and the Warriors Three to Vanaheim, himself to Alfheim, and Thor to find Dwarf King Eitri in Svartalfheim.
• Russell persuaded the Avengers to help defend Asgard and told Thor that Mjolnir could recover with love and time.
• S.W.O.R.D. detected a fleet resembling the ships that had pursued Sif and the others, and Nick Fury ordered Earth's defenses prepared.
• Steve Rogers called for the Avengers and Asgardians to fight together, while Tony Stark prepared to test Ultron's Earth-orbit combat project.

The Avengers assembled to repel the invading alien fleet, while Kurse led the Dark Elves toward Earth’s strongest nation. The fleet attacked Washington D.C., destroying a white building with its flagship’s main cannon as the bombardment began.

• Tony Stark and Russell discussed the alien threat, and the Avengers called in Natasha, Pietro, Hill, Wanda, and G'iah while Ultron commanded the Iron Legion.
• Gwen warned Eileen not to involve her less powerful friends and urged her to dodge danger during the battle.
• Kurse led the Dark Elf fleet to Midgard and chose the capital of its strongest country as his first target.
• S.W.O.R.D. learned the fleet was heading for Washington D.C. and ordered the president and senators into underground shelters.
• Kurse’s flagship fired its main cannon at a white building in Washington D.C., reducing it to ashes, then opened fire with its other guns.

After the military launched nuclear missiles at the alien fleet over Washington D.C., Tony Stark ordered the heroes to rescue survivors before the blasts. Gwen and Thor stayed behind as the first missiles reached the Dark Elf Fleet, leaving the outcome of the attack unresolved.

• Tony Stark received Nick Fury's warning that the military had fired missiles, including nuclear warheads, at the alien fleet over Washington D.C.
• Ultron estimated that about 150,000 people had died immediately and many more survivors remained trapped beneath rubble.
• Tony Stark sent the heroes to rescue civilians, while Russell watched from a hill and chose not to intervene yet.
• Maria Hill warned the combatants to retreat, but Gwen and Thor continued rescuing people, and Tony Stark forced Eileen through a Portal to safety.
• The Dark Elf Fleet intercepted the first six missiles, which exploded, as Gwen's Spider-Sense alerted her to danger.

Russell slowed time across Washington, D.C., and teleported people away from the missile blast, while the Dark Elf fleet continued destroying incoming missiles. Nick Fury and Tony Stark agreed to cooperate, and Tony used teleportation to destroy several enemy warships from within before the fleet began moving to evade further attacks.

• Russell slowed the missile explosions and teleported more than half the stranded crowd away, while Thor and Gwen left the remaining rescue effort to him.
• The surviving crowd resented the heroes for not saving them as the shockwave and thermal radiation struck Washington, D.C.
• Nick Fury and General Ross agreed to ask Tony Stark to teleport missiles into the Dark Elf warships, and Tony accepted after arguing with Ross.
• Tony’s teleportation attacks caused missiles to explode inside and destroy several Dark Elf warships despite their active Energy Shields.
• The Dark Elf Commander ordered the fleet to move, preventing further missiles from being teleported precisely inside the ships.

The Four Realms Alliance began attacking United States infrastructure while its commander sought the powerful mage who had intervened earlier. Tony Stark organized a counterattack with Thor assigned to bring down the flagship, as Russell watched the battle from the hill and destroyed an approaching fighter.

• The Cursed Warrior Kurse ordered the Alliance to target infrastructure and find the mage and rescuers, believing the mage had exhausted his power.
• Ross ordered the Air Force into battle, but Nick Fury warned that most aircraft were outmatched; Ross had Fury removed from the command room.
• Nick Fury revealed two carriers and a new-generation fighter unit to Tony Stark, who agreed to help defend the country's infrastructure.
• Tony assigned Ultron, the Iron Legion, and the fighter squadrons to attack the dispersed warships, while Thor volunteered to bring down the flagship.
• Russell discussed the consequences of saving some people but not others with The Watcher, then blasted a Dark Elf fighter from the sky.

Thor destroyed the Dark Elf Flagship with a lightning strike, but Cursed Warrior Kurse emerged from the wreckage and fought Thor and the others. The battle continued as Thor and Hulk repeatedly charged Kurse, ignoring Gwen’s attempts to coordinate them.

• Russell spoke with The Watcher, who pointed out that Thor was about to attack the Dark Elf Flagship.
• Thor struck the flagship with lightning and crashed into it, destroying it before escaping through a Portal.
• Gwen caught flying debris and warned the others that someone was still inside the wreckage.
• Cursed Warrior Kurse emerged unharmed and sent Thor crashing through trees with a powerful punch.
• Gwen restrained Kurse with Spider Silk, and Hulk struck him hard enough to send him flying.
• Kurse matched Hulk’s strength, and Thor and Hulk continued charging at him as Gwen lamented their lack of coordination.

Hulk, Gwen, Wanda, Pietro, and Loki fought Cursed Warrior Kuzel, whose resistance to blunt attacks made him difficult to defeat. Loki exploited Kuzel’s weakness to sharp weapons and killed him, while Russell and the Watcher discussed Thor’s readiness for the coming battle against the Four Realms Alliance Army.

• Thor crashed into Loki, and Loki shoved him away after they both slammed through trees.
• Gwen and Wanda supported Hulk against Kuzel, while Pietro stabbed Kuzel in the kidneys thirteen times and helped Hulk knock him down.
• Kuzel escaped Hulk’s attack, countered with a series of blows, and knocked Hulk unconscious.
• Loki stabbed Kuzel with an explosive weapon and detonated it, destroying Kuzel and causing a spatial void to swallow him.
• Russell analyzed how Loki identified Kuzel’s weakness, then told the Watcher he was concerned about Thor’s reduced fighting strength before the coming battle.

After the battle on Earth ended, Russell sent Thor’s allies to help defend Asgard and lent Loki, Gwen, and Wanda three Infinity Stones for their missions. The teams prepared to depart, while Russell kept Eileen behind because she lacked battlefield experience.

• Dr. Banner woke and learned from Steve Rogers that Loki had killed the Cursed Warrior Kuzel, while Russell said Tony and Ultron already had the advantage over the Four Realms’ fighter jets.
• Thor apologized for involving Earth in the war, but Steve Rogers, Natasha, and others insisted on helping; Russell refused to let underage Eileen join them.
• Loki assigned Gwen, Wanda, G'iah, Dr. Banner, and Pietro to Vanaheim, and sent Steve and Natasha with Thor to Nidavellir to meet Dwarf King Eitri.
• Russell gave Loki the Space Stone for escape, lent Gwen the Power Stone to boost her combat abilities, and lent Wanda the Reality Stone, warning her to hide it from the Dark Elves.
• Russell explained the remaining Infinity Stones and enhanced the others with Luminescent White Energy before the teams set off.

Sif, Hogun, and Gwen’s group joined the battle against Malekith’s Dark Elf forces on Vanaheim, where Wanda’s magic wiped out a squad. Malekith reached the battlefield and attacked Gwen, then faced Hulk as the fight began.

• Sif and Hogun entered the battlefield on Vanaheim and joined the fight, while Fandral explained how to distinguish the enemy forces.
• Gwen’s group headed for the Dark Elf fleet, and Malekith learned that scans found no Aether on Vanaheim before ordering his flagship to land.
• Gwen and Hulk charged the Dark Elves as Wanda sent Magic Missiles through a Portal past their Energy Barrier, blasting a squad apart.
• Malekith surprised Gwen with a sword strike, but her Spider-Sense helped her evade and warn the others.
• Hulk charged Malekith with a powerful punch.

Gwen and her allies fought Malekith, whose new power came from an outside source, and Gwen seemingly destroyed him with the Power Stone. The battle ended with a suspicious black substance left behind, which Russell suspected was a symbiote connected to Knull and took for study.

• Russell noticed that Malekith drew on an external energy source while The Watcher declined to explain it.
• Gwen, Wanda, G'iah, Hulk, and Pietro fought Malekith, while Pietro and G'iah left to intercept Dark Elf reinforcements.
• Wanda bound Malekith with Crimson Chains, and Malekith sensed the Aether in her; Gwen then struck him with a Power Stone blast that destroyed his body and the chains.
• Gwen's Spider-Sense warned her that Malekith might still be alive, and she and Wanda spotted a tiny black speck where he had fallen.
• Russell suspected the black substance was a symbiote tied to Knull and retrieved it to study.

Russell discovered that the newborn symbiote from Malekith had a fragile soul and an enormous appetite, so he fed it Attribute Point energy and named it Little Glutton. As it grew and learned, it formed a strong connection with Russell and transformed into Emperor Armor, though its attempts to prove its strength against Russell’s cloud disguise failed.

• Russell explained that Malekith had been the leader of the Dark Elves and that the symbiote in his hand was an offspring that had escaped before its parent died.
• Gwen and Wanda set out to attack the Dark Elf headquarters, capture their commander, and force the Dark Elves to surrender.
• Russell sensed Little Glutton’s hunger and fed it Attribute Point energy, strengthening its body and soul until it grew to the size of a fist and turned white.
• Russell taught Little Glutton with educational videos, and it quickly learned enough to communicate and call him Daddy.
• Little Glutton transformed into Emperor Armor around Russell, then repeatedly punched his cloud disguise to prove its strength while Russell recorded its abilities.

Russell discovered a possible way to accelerate stellar energy production and learned from Symbiote Little Glutton’s inherited memories that Malekith had gained power from Knull, God of the Symbiotes. Russell contacted Knull and found him free but, in Russell’s judgment, lacking the power his fearsome titles suggested.

• Russell reasoned that he could rapidly release a star’s stored energy by accelerating its nuclear fusion and decided to try the method later.
• Russell examined Symbiote Little Glutton’s inherited memories and learned that Venom had introduced Malekith to Knull, God of the Symbiotes.
• Russell learned that Malekith had borrowed Knull’s power in exchange for conquering the universe and plunging it into darkness.
• Russell contacted Knull from a Dimensional Fragment outside Earth-404 and saw that Knull was free, seated on a bone throne with a scarlet longsword.
• Russell felt relieved that Knull could not learn Earth-404’s coordinates, then concluded that Knull lacked the power implied by his titles.

Russell confronted Knull after the God of the Symbiotes ordered him to kneel, then tore through the void and attacked him. Russell unleashed a conceptual strike and began draining the Cosmic Abyss to sever Knull’s ability to revive, but the battle was still underway.

• Knull ordered Russell to kneel and join his army, frightening the newly born Symbiote Little Glutton into collapsing.
• Russell rejected Knull’s demand, entered a Void Rift, and crossed countless universes to attack him.
• Russell shattered Knull’s Necrosword with a punch, while Knull summoned another sword, armored himself in the abyss, and called a Symbiote Dragon.
• Russell declared that Knull would kneel before him and struck him with a punch empowered by Divine Power from the Luminous White Space.
• Knull warned that Russell’s conceptual strike could sever his connection to the Cosmic Abyss and prevent his revival.
• Unable to erase Knull’s connection, Russell activated his innate Energy Absorption and began drawing primeval dark energy from the Cosmic Abyss.

Russell drained Primal Dark Energy from the Cosmic Abyss and battled Knull, God of the Symbiotes, across universes before they reached Knull’s birthplace. Russell then revealed a gigantic mouth and swallowed Knull and the Cosmic Abyss Creatures, tearing a chunk from the Abyss.

• Russell used pearly white spikes to siphon Primal Dark Energy from the Cosmic Abyss, while Knull, God of the Symbiotes, sent a Symbiote Dragon’s breath at him.
• Russell and Knull broke through the Universal Barrier and fought as they fell through multiple universes.
• A red-skinned robot with six gems reconstructed their passage and followed them beyond its universe.
• Russell and Knull entered the Cosmic Abyss, where Knull declared he had chosen it as Russell’s grave.
• Russell taunted Knull, then revealed a gigantic mouth that swallowed Knull and the Abyss Creatures, making the Cosmic Abyss shudder.

Russell devoured the Primal Dark Energy of the Cosmic Abyss while Knull mistakenly believed the mage was nearing corruption and helped gather more energy. As the war between Asgard and the Four Realms moved toward its final battle, Knull realized the Cosmic Abyss had been depleted, and the signs of corruption vanished from Russell.

• Russell absorbed Primal Dark Energy in the Cosmic Abyss as Knull gathered it and waited for Russell to succumb to its effects.
• Knull reinforced the Cosmic Abyss's barriers and ordered his creatures to keep Russell from escaping.
• Gwen and her allies killed Malekith and destroyed the Dark Elf headquarters, while Wanda compelled the Dark Elf Commander to surrender.
• Loki fought his biological father, Laufey, in Alfheim, lost, and escaped with the Space Stone.
• Thor repaired Mjolnir with Eitri's help, defeated the Angel Queen, and forced her to retreat under the War Angels' cover.
• As the Asgardian and Anti-Asgard forces assembled for their final battle, Knull realized Russell had drained the Cosmic Abyss of Primal Dark Energy and was no longer showing signs of corruption.

Russell converted the Cosmic Abyss’s Primal Dark Energy into Attribute Points and raised his Divine Physique to 333333 while Knull and the Symbiote Dragons attacked him. His power spread silver light across universes, and he realized that his life level had surpassed that of an Ancient God, though he still did not know what came next.

• Russell absorbed the last streams of Primal Dark Energy and opened his Attribute Panel, revealing more than three hundred thousand new points for his Divine Physique.
• Russell used Attribute Points to strengthen his body, while the Cosmic Abyss’s rejection of him intensified and Knull attacked with the Symbiote Dragons.
• Knull struck Russell’s neck with his sword, but Russell’s strengthened body stopped the blade and resisted the Void Rift it created.
• Silver radiance spread from Russell through the Cosmic Abyss and across universes, prompting a six-gem robot to change course, a Sorcerer Supreme to call for help, and the demons of the Flame Dimension to abandon their plan to end their blockade.
• Russell stopped raising his Divine Physique at 333333 and learned through his Transcendent Perception that he had surpassed the life level of an Ancient God, though the next step remained unclear.

Russell defeated Knull and shattered the Cosmic Abyss, but discovered that Primal Dark Energy would still slowly revive him. He imprisoned Knull in a sword that blocked his access to outside energy and asked him to explain what a true god was.

• Russell absorbed the energy of Knull and the Abyssal Creatures, erased them, and devoured Knull’s body into the Luminous White Space.
• Russell realized Knull could regenerate as long as Primal Dark Energy persisted, even after the Cosmic Abyss was destroyed.
• Russell shattered the Cosmic Abyss with his Divine Power, scattering its fragments throughout space-time.
• Russell awakened Knull and transformed him into a Sword of Light that absorbed Primal Dark Energy and tormented him while preventing his escape or sleep.
• Russell offered to leave Knull undisturbed if he helped, and asked him what a true god was.