Chapter Summaries

Russell agreed that Thor and Loki would study magic at Kamar-Taj, where The Ancient One would assess their progress. Meanwhile, Matt investigated The Hand in Sakura Island and uncovered its centuries-old history and its connection to the assassin group The Serpent's Root.

• Odin proposed sending Thor and Loki to Kamar-Taj, and Russell, Loki, and Thor agreed.
• Odin arranged for The Ancient One to evaluate Thor and Loki's studies, stirring Loki's hopes of proving himself to his father.
• Russell considered recruiting Thor as an outside supporter of the Supreme Mage Corps, then decided against making him a permanent member.
• Odin and The Ancient One departed while Frigga stayed to advise Thor and Loki about Kamar-Taj.
• Matt traveled to Sakura Island and discovered that The Hand had operated for nearly five hundred years through its public organization and its illicit branch, The Serpent's Root.
• Matt investigated several of The Serpent's Root's bases and planned to continue his search that night.

Russell asked Heimdall to locate Thanos, hoping to study the Mind Stone while guarding against future threats, and returned to Earth with The Ancient One, Thor, and Loki. There, he learned that Eileen had been searching for him after Matt disappeared, and she was directed toward Tony Stark as a possible way to reach Russell.

• Russell asked Heimdall to find Thanos, and The Ancient One warned him that the Mind Stone could intensify Wanda's emotional instability.
• Russell explained that he wanted to study the Mind Stone and considered Thanos a threat, so Heimdall ordered guards to search for the Black Order's master after sending the group to Earth.
• Heimdall transported Russell, The Ancient One, Thor, and Loki to Tønsberg, and Russell opened a Portal to Kamar-Taj.
• Eileen told Coulson that Matt had been unreachable for three days and that she had searched for Russell, including at his bookstore.
• Coulson said S.H.I.E.L.D. could not contact Russell directly but suggested Tony Stark might be able to reach him, and Eileen recognized Tony from a Christmas Eve party.

Russell learned that Matt had disappeared while investigating The Hand and The Serpent's Root on Sakura Island, then went there himself to find him. Earlier, Loki impressed the Ancient One by opening a Portal to Asgard, and Tony brought Eileen to Kamar-Taj to seek Russell's help.

• The Ancient One explained Kamar-Taj's magic and gave Thor and Loki Vedic Language books and Sling Rings.
• Thor failed to open a Portal to Asgard, but Loki used a hidden passage to bypass its barrier and reach it.
• Tony refused to give S.H.I.E.L.D. Russell's contact information until Coulson clarified that Eileen needed help.
• Eileen told Russell that Matt had gone missing after investigating The Hand and The Serpent's Root on Sakura Island.
• Russell reassured Eileen and appeared high above Sakura Island.

Russell discovered that Beast had killed Matt Murdock and taken his upper body and soul beyond the universe, then began hunting The Hand across Sakura Island. As S.H.I.E.L.D. tracked his escalating attacks, Nick Fury ordered agents in New York to round up every member of The Hand.

• At Kamar-Taj, the Ancient One gave Coulson the WiFi password so he could contact S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Russell used the Time Stone to learn that Beast had killed Matt while he investigated a base of The Hand, and that Matt could not be revived.
• Russell destroyed the base, spared the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents there, and began searching Sakura Island for a way to contact Beast.
• Coulson reported Russell's actions to Nick Fury, who told him to express S.H.I.E.L.D.'s goodwill when Russell returned.
• After repeated energy fluctuations revealed that Russell was attacking The Hand across Sakura Island, Nick Fury ordered New York agents to round up every member of The Hand.

Nick Fury sent S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to target The Hand in New York and asked Coulson to keep Russell focused on Sakura Island. After Russell captured The Hand’s five leaders and discovered their Beast-worshipping ritual, he followed its signal into the Endless Dimensions and found Primitive Demon Beast.

• Nick Fury ordered agents, Hawkeye, Natasha, and Blade to take down The Hand’s forces and capture its three New York leaders, then told Coulson to ask Russell to leave New York to S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Coulson explained The Hand and its five long-lived leaders to Tony, who watched footage of Russell’s destruction on Sakura Island and volunteered to help.
• Murakami, Alexandra, Madame Gao, Bakuto, and the other leader discussed abandoning The Hand’s assets as their forces came under attack.
• S.H.I.E.L.D. traced the leaders’ video call and informed Russell, who captured all five and searched Murakami’s memories for The Hand’s Beast ritual.
• Russell used the ritual’s runes to follow a spiritual signal through the Endless Dimensions and found Primitive Demon Beast.

Russell entered Beast's Hell Dimension to recover Matt's soul, then battled Beast and learned how to control the dimension by studying its rune. Beast destroyed its own body to trigger the rune, while Russell began absorbing Beast's remaining power.

• Russell opened a Portal into Beast's Dimension, found Matt's soul among the drifting souls, and recovered it with Attribute Point energy.
• Beast attacked Russell with Crimson Energy and spikes, but Russell effortlessly resisted and mocked Beast's weakened status.
• Russell tore through Beast's body while absorbing its energy, overwhelming Beast's attempts to regenerate and force him out.
• Beast formed a rune that could detonate the Hell Dimension and threatened to destroy them both, but Russell recognized it as the dimension's control center.
• Beast activated the rune and blew apart its own body, while Russell activated his Ability Absorption talent to refine Beast.

Russell pursued and killed Beast’s surviving avatar, then froze a tsunami he had caused before it could strike the coast near Sakura Island. The onlookers credited the rescue to Watatsumi, while Russell resented the mistaken attribution and wondered whether the Sea God was among the gods he intended to confront.

• Russell calmed the dimension’s unstable core, detonated it safely, and chased Beast’s avatar through the Hyperswirl into Universe 404.
• Russell caught Beast near Sakura Island and beat him until his avatar vanished, leaving him with only Matt’s soul to return to Eileen.
• Russell realized the waves from his fight were rushing toward a crowded coastline and threatening to cause mass casualties.
• Russell froze the tsunami and the surrounding sea, saving the people along the shore.
• The crowds hailed Watatsumi as their savior, while Russell objected to the credit and warned that he still had a score to settle with the gods.
• The Avengers watched the rescue on satellite footage, and Nick Fury admired Russell as the strongest Avenger.

Russell returned to Kamar-Taj with Matt’s restored soul, then went with Coulson to meet S.H.I.E.L.D. aboard its Helicarrier. He told Nick Fury that the Sakura Island incident was not over and agreed to explain what Beast was.

• Coulson told Eileen that Russell had appeared, and Russell arrived and used his power to let her perceive Matt’s soul.
• Russell learned that about sixty-six hours had passed, then opened a Portal and traveled with Coulson to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Helicarrier.
• Russell’s absorbed Crimson Energy briefly affected his mind when he saw Natasha, but he regained control and exchanged a teasing wink with her.
• Nick Fury offered to hand over The Hand’s captured leaders and help suppress the Sakura Island incident, but Russell declined the cover-up.
• Russell told Fury that Kamar-Taj’s old rules no longer applied to him, and Fury asked him to explain Beast.

Russell explained that the Sakura Island Pantheon was likely behind the dimensional threat and planned to confront them after recovering. He agreed to let the Avengers join him in forty-eight hours, while S.H.I.E.L.D. prepared to evacuate Sakura Island’s civilians.

• Russell explained that Beast was a Primitive Demon and said Earth’s sanctums prevented dimensional beings from entering unless summoned.
• Russell identified the Sakura Island Pantheon as the likely force behind the incident and described its three chief gods.
• Russell said he would confront the pantheon himself and invited Tony to join, prompting Nick Fury to ask for the Avengers’ help to be included.
• Russell agreed that the Avengers could accompany him and set the confrontation for forty-eight hours later, giving S.H.I.E.L.D. time to evacuate civilians.
• Russell warned that the battle could shatter an island, and Nick Fury resolved to prepare so S.H.I.E.L.D. would not bear the blame.

Russell returned to Earth-65 and joined Gwen as she investigated a group of Spider-Men searching for them. Spider-UK warned that the Inheritors were hunting Spider-Men across the Multiverse, and Russell proposed ambushing them on Earth-65.

• Russell gave Tony a BB Pager and returned through a Portal to Earth-65, where Tony explained that Russell could travel between universes.
• Russell reunited with Gwen at her home and agreed to investigate reports of several Spider-Men in New York.
• Russell and Gwen found Spider-UK, Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and Spider-Ham, who asked them to join the Spider-Society against the Inheritors.
• Spider-UK explained that the Inheritors hunted Spider-Men across the Multiverse and that a Spider-Society branch had been attacked, exposing information about Earth-65.
• Russell proposed ambushing the Inheritors on Earth-65, but Spider-UK warned him about powerful enemies such as Solus and Morlun.

Russell demonstrated his power to the Spider-Men by destroying a planet, then gave them BB Pagers and explained that he would use an captured Inheritor to find their headquarters. After returning to New York, he reassured Gwen, who worried she could not keep up with him.

• Russell brought Spider-UK, Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and Spider-Ham to Tianji Star and destroyed a nearby planet with stellar energy.
• The Spider-Men apologized for underestimating Russell and agreed to his plan to ambush the Inheritors.
• Russell gave the Spider-Men BB Pagers and told them to summon him if they encountered an Inheritor, since he planned to track one to their headquarters.
• Russell asked White-Bearded Ancient One to watch over the Spider-Men, then left with Gwen for New York.
• Gwen told Russell she wanted to help him, and he said that her existence was already his greatest help.

Russell and the Ancient One attacked the Sakura Island Gods after Russell explained their violations of Kamar-Taj’s rules. Russell destroyed the capital shrine and killed Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto, while the battle continued in the Mirror Dimension.

• The Ancient One failed to contact Russell and could not see what he was doing.
• Russell returned to Earth-404 and told Tony that he and the Ancient One would use the Mirror Dimension to protect Sakura Island’s residents during the battle.
• Tony contacted Nick Fury, who assembled the Avengers aboard the Helicarrier near Sakura Island.
• Russell accused the Sakura Island Gods of secretly trading human souls with Primitive Demon Beasts and absorbing human faith.
• The Ancient One spread the Mirror Dimension over Japan’s capital as Russell sent a meteor into the shrine, destroying the city and killing the gods inside.
• Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto charged Russell, who kicked him and burst his upper body into a cloud of blood.

Russell killed Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto and demanded that the remaining Sakura Island Gods surrender for inspection, but Amaterasu Ōmikami and Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto refused. As Russell bombarded their dimensional barriers, the energy and heat set Sakura Island ablaze, and Ancient One moved its people into the Mirror Dimension.

• The Avengers watched Russell kill Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto, while people on Sakura Island blamed False Cult Believers for the destruction around them.
• Amaterasu Ōmikami and Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto closed their dimensional passages and reinforced their defenses after Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto's death.
• Russell offered to negotiate but demanded that the gods surrender, open their mental focuses, and submit to memory inspections; Amaterasu Ōmikami refused.
• Russell opened Portals to the sun and fired increasingly powerful High-Energy Pulse Cannons at the barriers of Takama-ga-hara and the Land of Night.
• The cannon fire heated Sakura Island and sparked a blaze across it, so Ancient One moved everyone into the Mirror Dimension, where they watched the island burn.

Russell shattered Takama-ga-hara and killed Amaterasu Ōmikami, while Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto redirected attacks on the Land of Night into Sakura Island. Sakura Island sank into the Mariana Trench, and Russell stopped the resulting waves from becoming distant tsunamis.

• Russell blasted through Takama-ga-hara's Dimensional Barrier, destroyed its palaces, and closed the Portal as the realm shattered and Amaterasu Ōmikami died.
• Natasha, Dr. Banner, and Tony discussed why the sun had dimmed, while Loki and Thor arrived and Master Ancient One explained that Russell was subjugating the Sakura Pantheon.
• Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto ordered his guards to embed the Land of Night in the earth and redirected part of Russell's attack into Sakura Island.
• Sakura Island moved toward the Mariana Trench amid earthquakes, eruptions, and flooding as Russell watched the island sink.
• Sakura Island fell into the Mariana Trench, and Russell absorbed the waves' Kinetic Energy to prevent them from causing tsunamis elsewhere.

Russell destroyed the Sakura Island Pantheon’s Divine Realms, froze the ocean to create a home for the island’s people, and returned to Kamar-Taj. As he reviewed his abilities, Wanda arrived to speak with him.

• Russell watched the Land of Night shatter and confirmed Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto had died before freezing the sea into a glacier for the people of Sakura Island.
• Nations investigated Russell and the Tesseract, while Earth’s gods feared him and decided to flee their Divine Realms.
• Russell returned to Kamar-Taj, rested, and reviewed his Attribute Panel and the limits of his abilities.
• Wanda found Russell and asked to speak with him.

Russell told Wanda that the Time Stone could not restore her parents, but promised that she could retrieve their souls from Hell if she became powerful enough. He explained how Matt could regain a body and revealed he was seeking cloning technology from the Inheritors, while S.H.I.E.L.D. was ordered to switch from combat operations to rescue work after the battle ended.

• Russell claimed the Time Stone let him know Wanda and Pietro's past and future, then let Wanda examine a fake Time Stone.
• Wanda asked if she could use the Time Stone to revive her parents, and Russell said he had retrieved their souls but she would need to become powerful enough to bring them back from Hell.
• Eileen and Matt joined them, and Russell explained that Matt needed a compatible body, obtainable through cloning technology or reality warping.
• Russell said he was seeking mature cloning technology from the Inheritors, a family in the Multiverse, and told Matt he was ninety-eight percent certain he could handle them.
• The Ancient One returned and said Thor and Loki were at S.H.I.E.L.D.; on the Helicarrier, Nick Fury relayed an order to stop combat operations and assist with rescue work instead.

Thor and Loki explained Asgard and the Nine Realms to S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers while salvage crews discovered an intact Dimensional Barrier around Izumo. After repeated explosions failed to break it, Thor received authorization to attack the barrier himself and leaped from the Helicarrier with Mjolnir.

• Coulson asked Thor and Loki about their identities, and they explained that Asgardians inspired Norse mythology and that the Nine Realms included Earth, Asgard, and Jotunheim.
• Salvage crews in the Mariana Trench found an impenetrable barrier, and a staff officer identified it as the boundary of Izumo, the intact Divine Realm of Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto.
• The command center evacuated nearby salvage teams and tested the barrier with increasingly powerful explosives, but even a ten-megaton hydrogen bomb failed to damage it.
• Nick Fury told Tony and the others that the Council had found an intact Divine Realm, and Thor asked to test the barrier himself.
• Nick Fury obtained authorization, and Thor transformed into his Asgardian battle armor, caught Mjolnir, and leaped from the Helicarrier.

Thor broke Izumo’s Dimensional Barrier with three hammer strikes, revealing the Sakura Pantheon’s last Divine Realm, while Thor affirmed that Russell was stronger than he was. The nations’ fleets then prepared to attack Izumo, and their commanders ordered conventional weapons to open fire.

• Thor struck the Izumo Dimensional Barrier three times, shattering it and revealing the Sakura Pantheon’s last Divine Realm.
• On the Helicarrier, Loki compared Thor’s and Russell’s attacks, but Thor stopped Nick Fury from checking the energy records and said Russell was stronger.
• Thor explained that Russell could theoretically shatter Jotunheim and Earth, then reassured the others that Russell had deliberately controlled his attacks.
• The Five Great Powers’ fleets sailed toward Izumo as its guards and attendants prepared to defend the Dimensional Channel.
• After reviewing the ruins of Takama-ga-hara and the Land of Night, the fleet commanders approved conventional weapons and ordered their forces to open fire.

After Izumo’s remaining forces were destroyed by missiles, Russell attended the Avengers’ celebration and discussed magic and Dragon Bone with Coulson. He warned S.H.I.E.L.D. about Dragon Bone’s risks, then asked it to help dismantle the criminal network connected to The Hand, leaving Coulson to report the request to Nick Fury.

• Missiles wiped out Izumo’s guards, God Attendants, and surviving Minor Deities, allowing the nations’ forces to prepare to land.
• Loki explained the sources of magic at Tony’s celebration, while Russell wondered at Loki’s newfound confidence and sociability.
• Coulson asked Russell about Dragon Bone, and Russell explained that its resurrections eroded humanity and warned of possible hidden dangers tied to Shou Lao.
• Russell asked S.H.I.E.L.D. to help eliminate the criminal network linked to The Hand and ensure the deaf and mute people from the drug operation received appropriate support or legal treatment.
• Coulson agreed to report the request to Nick Fury, while Russell reflected that Coulson now regarded him with reverence.

Nick Fury persuaded Doctor Pym to let S.H.I.E.L.D. resurrect Hope with Dragon Bone, while Russell’s protective energy ran out and Mephisto ordered Hope to find Agatha. Russell later asked Tony to help examine cloning technology that could provide Matt with a new body.

• Nick Fury showed Doctor Pym classified evidence about Hope’s death, and Doctor Pym agreed to teach Hope how to make Pym Particles after she was resurrected.
• Hope chose Dragon Bone, and her soul returned to her repaired body as Russell’s protective energy dissipated.
• Mephisto contacted Hope and ordered her, as his Apostle, to find the Witch Agatha.
• Tony teased Russell about his reputation as an Archmage, then heard Russell’s plan to use the Inheritors’ cloning technology to make Matt a new body.
• Russell asked Tony to check the cloning technology for backdoors, and Tony offered to accompany him when he found it.