Chapter Summaries

Homelander confronted Black Noir and learned that he was his stronger clone, created as a contingency weapon. Black Noir revealed that he had repeatedly impersonated Homelander to commit killings and other crimes, leaving Homelander to believe he was responsible.

• Homelander arrived disguised as Black Noir, attacked him with lasers, and exposed the truth that Black Noir was another version of himself.
• Homelander, Queen Maeve, and Starlight left Vought Corporation to confront Black Noir, while paparazzi watched the chaos.
• Black Noir revealed that he had impersonated Homelander since his coming-of-age celebration and had framed him for killing forty-two people.
• Black Noir removed his mask and damaged armor, revealing a face and outfit identical to Homelander's.
• Black Noir confessed that he had faked Homelander's supposed second personality, crimes, rape, and paternity, and mocked him for believing the lies.

Homelander learned that Black Noir had impersonated him and shaped him into a killer, but accepted what he had become and threatened Noir’s son. Black Noir overwhelmed Homelander and killed Homelander before Pikachu confronted him; Heisenberg then arrived and ordered Pikachu to use Quick Attack, making Black Noir vanish.

• Homelander realized Black Noir had committed the acts he blamed on a supposed second personality, but said he would kill Noir’s son and fought him.
• Black Noir proved far faster and stronger than Homelander, beating him severely while Queen Maeve and the others watched.
• Homelander tried to rescue Homelander, but Black Noir killed him with a single blow; Queen Maeve called for her boss to save them.
• Pikachu appeared instead of Heisenberg and charged Black Noir, who mocked the Pokémon and threw Homelander toward Queen Maeve.
• Heisenberg appeared behind Pikachu and commanded it to use Quick Attack, after which Black Noir vanished.

Pikachu killed Black Noir with a Quick Attack, and Heisenberg ordered Vought to present a fabricated version of the events as the truth. The Deep woke from surgery badly injured and was assigned an absurd Antarctic environmental mission to keep him quiet.

• Pikachu sent Black Noir flying beyond the Solar System with a Quick Attack, leaving Homelander, Queen Maeve, and Starlight stunned.
• Heisenberg brought Maeve and Starlight into Vought and instructed the public relations staff to blame Black Noir for the deaths while claiming he had escaped.
• The Deep woke in a recovery pod and discovered that Black Noir had severed his hands and feet and mutilated his lower abdomen.
• A nurse delivered Maeve's instructions, and The Deep agreed to keep quiet in exchange for being told what to say.
• The nurse claimed The Deep had devoted himself to environmental causes and ordered him onto a ship bound for Antarctica.

The Deep left Vought for an Antarctic lighthouse after Queen Maeve arranged his exile, and he tried to rescue a lobster from a supermarket but watched it get killed. He reached the abandoned research station, settled in, and decided to make rescuing marine life his new purpose.

• The Deep accepted Compound V and an address from the little nurse, then left Vought after staff members mistook him for a hero who had tried to stop Black Noir.
• Queen Maeve told the little nurse that The Deep would eventually go to the lighthouse arranged by Mr. Heisenberg.
• The Deep bought supplies and tried to take a talking lobster from a supermarket, but the clerk killed it while preparing it for sale.
• The Deep carried the lobster’s corpse to the shore, stole a surfboard, and swam to the Antarctic research station assigned to him.
• The Deep settled into the frozen station, vowed to rescue more marine life, then cooked and ate Lord Lobster.

Heisenberg reviewed The Seven’s progress and ordered Homelander to continue covert operations against rival companies and the US military while delaying recruitment until Starlight could set an example. The chapter ended with Susan Rayner warning Butcher that Vought’s new aims made investigating it too dangerous.

• Queen Maeve reported that she had cleared out most of Vought’s shareholder interests, while Homelander described his public appearances and asked permission to challenge rival superhuman teams.
• Starlight admitted she had been unsettled but said she enjoyed helping people, and Heisenberg told her to keep saving lives and remain herself.
• Homelander reported using Black Noir’s identity to attack Canadian border forces and said he planned to continue targeting politicians; Heisenberg praised him and warned him to protect his disguise.
• Heisenberg told Queen Maeve to delay recruiting new members until Starlight’s example could help change public perceptions of superhumans.
• Heisenberg ordered Homelander to use Black Noir’s identity against rival companies and sweep military bases near the Canadian border before Vought intervened with the US Government.
• After seeing news of Black Noir’s attack, Butcher called Susan Rayner, who told him Vought had changed its priorities and warned him to lie low.

Queen Maeve recruited The Revengers for a staged superhero crisis designed to gather America’s superhuman teams and conceal a hedonistic gathering. Soldier Boy and his teammates eagerly accepted, and Maeve ended the call satisfied that the operation would help clean up the remaining mess.

• Butcher broke his phone after Susan Rayner challenged his plans, then went to bed exhausted and grieving his wife.
• Queen Maeve decided against relying on Homelander or Heisenberg to eliminate rival teams and planned to prove her own usefulness by recruiting The Revengers.
• Soldier Boy gathered Iron Knight, Eagle Shooter, Crimson Countess, Blue Giant, and Stormfront, and they enthusiastically accepted Queen Maeve’s invitation.
• Queen Maeve told Soldier Boy that she would fabricate an extraterrestrial threat to unite superhero teams in a major joint operation.
• Maeve and Soldier Boy agreed that the supposed crisis would mask a drug-fueled party, and Maeve ended the call with Heisenberg beside her.

Queen Maeve arranged a joint operation with The Revengers as part of Heisenberg’s plan to eliminate them, while Professor John S. Godekin proposed creating the X-Men from children raised to become future heroes. A day later, Vought staged an alien-invasion emergency to draw superheroes to its headquarters, and Butcher rushed to join the operation and expose the deception.

• Queen Maeve told Heisenberg that she had arranged a drug-party trip with The Revengers, which would let them fabricate an alien invasion to conceal the team’s deaths.
• Queen Maeve relayed Professor John S. Godekin’s proposal to form the X-Men, a team of superhuman children trained as a reserve for The Seven.
• Vought’s broadcast announced that a fleet of aliens was approaching Earth, and Homelander and Soldier Boy called superheroes to join their joint operation.
• People in the coffee shop panicked and looted supplies as William Butcher dismissed the invasion as a Vought fabrication and hurried out to investigate.
• Homelander and Soldier Boy returned to Vought’s rooftop after filming the announcement and prepared to bring their teams to the island gathering.

Heisenberg and Queen Maeve awaited the superheroes gathering on Gloria Island, while Homelander brought Soldier Boy ashore and told him to wait for everyone before the party began. William Butcher infiltrated Vought’s service crew to investigate the gathering, but learned that an unknown figure called The Great Mister controlled the company and was the event’s guest of honor.

• Heisenberg waited with Queen Maeve on Gloria Island as Homelander and Soldier Boy arrived, and Queen Maeve anticipated the incoming teams.
• Homelander slapped Soldier Boy for trying to start the party early, then waited while Soldier Boy swam and entertained himself.
• William Butcher killed a service worker, disguised himself as crew, and boarded a flight to Gloria Island with Romanée-Conti.
• Butcher watched The Revengers and American Rescue Association heroes enter Vought and concluded that the supposed cosmic invasion was a pretext for their gathering.
• On a reception boat, Butcher learned from another crew member that The Great Mister had taken over Vought, though Butcher had never heard of him.
• After reaching the island, Butcher was ordered to take the Romanée-Conti to the cliff where Queen Maeve and The Great Mister were waiting.

Heisenberg met Butcher, revealed that he knew about his anti-superhuman identity, and answered Butcher’s questions about who he was. Heisenberg claimed to be a real god and demonstrated his power by making Homelander kill Soldier Boy, leaving Butcher to confront the truth behind his claim.

• Butcher brought Romanée-Conti to Heisenberg, and Queen Maeve escorted him to meet the Sun God.
• Heisenberg recognized Butcher and invited him to sit, while Butcher revealed that he was William Butcher, a member of an anti-superhuman organization.
• Butcher questioned Heisenberg about Vought’s changes, the deaths among The Seven, and Black Noir, but Heisenberg asked him to take the questions one at a time.
• Heisenberg said he was a god, and Butcher mocked him as another superhuman lunatic who believed himself divine.
• Heisenberg declared that he disliked Soldier Boy, and Homelander immediately flew to the sea and tore off Soldier Boy’s head.

Homelander killed Soldier Boy after hearing Heisenberg say he disliked him, then Heisenberg offered Butcher control over which superheroes Homelander would kill. Butcher accepted Heisenberg as his god and named a series of targets, ending by ordering Homelander himself killed.

• Homelander killed Soldier Boy in front of the gathered superheroes and threatened the others with the headless corpse.
• Heisenberg told Butcher he could choose superheroes to die if he acknowledged Heisenberg as his god.
• Butcher accepted Heisenberg’s offer and chose Crimson Countess as his first target, and Homelander killed her.
• Butcher named Stormfront, Blue Giant, Fast Runner, and Eagle Shooter, and Homelander killed each of them.
• Butcher named Homelander as his next target, making Queen Maeve freeze beside Heisenberg.

Heisenberg let Butcher kill Homelander and then restored the beach and reunited Butcher with Rebecca, who had been missing for eight years. Butcher discovered that Rebecca had raised Homelander’s son, and the chapter ended with Rebecca shielding the boy from Butcher’s drawn gun.

• Heisenberg took control of Homelander and forced him to strangle himself after Butcher wished for his death.
• Heisenberg rebuked Butcher for condemning innocent superhumans and erased the bodies and blood from the beach.
• Heisenberg brought Rebecca and her son to the beach, then transported Butcher to meet them.
• Butcher approached Rebecca, learned she had a son, and accused her of raising Homelander’s child while he searched for her.
• Butcher aimed his pistol at the boy, and Rebecca stepped in front of her son and pressed herself against the gun.

Butcher attacked Rebecca and tried to kill her son, but the child unleashed powerful heat vision that spared everyone and destroyed Butcher’s gun. Heisenberg arranged for Maeve to guide the boy, then revived Homelander and ordered him to kill Butcher.

• Butcher struck Rebecca with his pistol and aimed at her son, intending to kill Homelander’s child.
• The child’s eyes glowed red, and his power carved a vast molten ravine across the beach while leaving him and Butcher alive.
• Heisenberg praised the child for controlling his power and sent Rebecca, the child, and Maeve home, assigning Maeve to tutor him.
• Heisenberg reconstructed Homelander, who thanked him and turned his attention toward Butcher.
• Heisenberg gave Homelander permission to kill Butcher.

Homelander revealed to Butcher that Black Noir, his clone, had raped Rebecca and committed the crimes Homelander had blamed on himself. As Heisenberg trapped everyone on the island and prepared to kill them, Homelander and Butcher shared drinks and talked about their common enemy, leaving their fate in Heisenberg’s hands.

• Homelander asked Heisenberg’s permission to tell Butcher the truth, and Heisenberg confirmed that everyone on the island would die.
• Homelander told Butcher that Black Noir had raped Rebecca, was his clone, and had committed the killings that Homelander thought he had carried out.
• Homelander explained that Heisenberg’s pet had killed Black Noir and that Heisenberg had ordered him to attack the U.S. base and the White House.
• Heisenberg sealed the island with an invisible barrier, and Homelander asked him to heal Butcher so they could share a drink.
• Homelander and Butcher discussed the island’s purpose and the campaign against corrupt Supes and the U.S. Government, then toasted and asked for more liquor.

Months after Heisenberg left Earth to eliminate the alien threat, Starlight had helped build a peaceful new world and waited for him to return. Heisenberg finally appeared at the Justice Tower, where Starlight welcomed him with a kiss and invited him to see her glowing eyes.

• Starlight visited the completed Justice Tower and remembered how she had led superhumans to defeat Black Noir while Heisenberg fought aliens in space.
• She recalled Heisenberg promising to return when the tower was finished, then leaving Earth to end the alien threat.
• Kara, Bruce, and Barry arrived at the tower, and they discussed their homes, missions, and plans.
• Heisenberg appeared in a burst of magical flames, and Starlight rushed into his arms.
• Starlight told Heisenberg she had upheld his trust and helped establish a united government and Superhuman Association on Earth.
• After Bruce and the others departed, Starlight kissed Heisenberg and shyly asked him to see her eyes glow when she became excited.

Heisenberg returned to Washington and helped establish the Justice League’s new role, while the first anti-superhuman group dissolved and Hughie settled into an ordinary life. Back in the Greek divine world, Bruce reunited with the others as preparations for a counterattack against the Norse world neared completion, ending with Thor turning on Loki during a brawl.

• Heisenberg reunited with Starlight, then worked with her and Queen Maeve to arrange the world’s future before spending the night with Starlight.
• Hughie returned to his ordinary work, and Butcher’s old allies disbanded their nascent anti-superhuman organization because their former enemies were gone and the new heroes gave them no reason to resist.
• Butcher and Homelander brought Judy and Nick to the interdimensional animal settlement, where Scar-faced Grey Wolf and the others welcomed the newcomers.
• Bruce returned to the Greek divine world, where the crowd celebrated Barry Allen; Clark told Bruce that the Divine Kingdom would attack the Norse world soon.
• Bruce refused Clark’s offer of honor points and declared that human wisdom was enough, then Clark and Son Goku began sparring.
• Loki tried to arrange for Thor and himself to join the fight on opposite sides, but Thor said he would help Clark stop Loki and swung Stormbreaker at him.

Odin’s gathered forces grew frustrated after Heisenberg postponed the invasion for a third time, while Tyr urged Odin to keep Asgard ready for battle. Heisenberg then set out to enter Asgard with Loki and Kratos, leaving his other allies to maintain Olympus and its people.

• Thor angrily abandoned the assembly, Baldr laughed at Odin’s empty-handed gesture, and the gathered gods and warriors dispersed after Odin dismissed them.
• Tyr investigated Olympus and reported that Heisenberg had postponed the invasion until one month later to wait for his subordinates and improve conditions for Olympus’s civilians.
• Odin and Tyr agreed to keep the Nine Realms prepared, and Odin announced that warriors should assemble again in one month while calling on other peoples to join them.
• Odin heard the Nine Realms mock his leadership and praise Heisenberg, then withdrew his ravens and stopped monitoring them.
• Heisenberg told his followers that repeated delays would strengthen Olympus’s morale and exhaust Asgard’s, then ordered Loki and Kratos to accompany him into Asgard.

Heisenberg, Loki, and Kratos entered primordial Norse Asgard, where they debated how to confront Odin and then visited a village preparing for war. They were welcomed as legendary hunters and entered Great Bear Village, where they learned its soldiers had recently returned from Asgard.

• Heisenberg brought Loki and Kratos to primordial Norse Asgard, and Loki urged Kratos to learn to fly.
• Heisenberg changed their clothes and said they would stay in the Norse world for a month to see how Odin responded.
• Loki argued for making allies to reduce losses in a future war, while Kratos insisted victory should be honorable; Heisenberg ended the dispute and said their strength would determine how they fought.
• The group arrived at a village, where Loki claimed they were hunters pursuing a legendary white elk, and the guards welcomed them as mythic hunters.
• Captain Leonrod invited Heisenberg, Loki, and Kratos into Great Bear Village and explained that its soldiers had gathered after Odin's call to war and recently returned from Asgard.

Heisenberg investigated the Norse world’s decay and summoned Baldr to Midgard, while his sleep spread across the realm and knocked nearly everyone unconscious. The chapter ended with Kratos suddenly losing control of his body as a giant bear collapsed on him.

• Heisenberg sensed that the Norse world was weakening and sent Baldr a message ordering him to meet at Midgard’s highest mountain.
• Baldr mistook Heisenberg for his mother, grew furious when Heisenberg claimed to be his father, and traveled through the Bifrost to Midgard.
• Heimdall lost sight of Baldr after he entered Midgard and rushed to Odin to report that something had concealed the realm.
• Heisenberg fell asleep, causing the hunters and tavern owner around Loki to become drowsy, while Loki realized Heisenberg’s power was affecting all of Midgard.
• Kratos found a giant bear in the forest but suddenly lost control of his body as the bear collapsed onto him.

Heisenberg met Baldr on Midgard and took control of the sun, leaving Baldr dependent on the power Heisenberg granted him. He brought Baldr to meet Kratos and another friend, while Kratos returned to the village carrying a giant black bear.

• Heisenberg woke to find Midgard silent because the world had slept while he concealed it from Odin and Heimdall.
• Heisenberg left Loki at the tavern and traveled to Midgard's highest mountain to meet Baldr.
• Baldr recognized Heisenberg, feared him, and learned that Heisenberg intended to take control of the sun.
• Heisenberg took the sun's divine authority from Baldr, then restored his strength through power he bestowed.
• Heisenberg brought Baldr to meet his friends, as Kratos returned to the village carrying a gigantic black bear.

Heisenberg and his companions returned to the village, where Baldr explained that the World Tree was dying because Nidhogg was gnawing at it. Baldr suggested testing their strength against other legendary beasts before confronting Nidhogg, and Kratos abruptly threatened Baldr after hearing the list of creatures.

• Kratos argued with Baldr over the legendary creatures hunted to extinction, but Heisenberg stopped them from fighting.
• Heisenberg led Baldr and Kratos back to the tavern, where Baldr and Kratos bonded over names for children while Loki complained about being treated like their son.
• Heisenberg asked Baldr about Ragnarok and the decay he sensed in the world, and Baldr explained that Nidhogg was gnawing at the World Tree and would eventually destroy the world.
• Baldr suggested defeating Jörmungandr, Fenrir, Kraken, Hati, Sköll, and Garm to gauge their strength against Nidhogg.
• Kratos shouted that Baldr was dead after hearing the names of the beasts.