Chapter Summaries

Salomon showed Natasha Romanoff his hidden underground city and military forces, then explained why he was training a Sisterhood army to fight threats beyond ordinary human understanding. He asked Natasha to join as an instructor, leaving her decision unresolved.

• Nick Fury had secretly investigated magic through S.H.I.E.L.D., but its psychics failed to uncover Salomon's secrets, and some died or went mad trying.
• Natasha examined Salomon's heavily armed Helicarrier and learned that he had secretly built a formidable force for fighting supernatural and alien enemies.
• Salomon led Natasha toward the Sisterhood's training center and explained that he had rescued women from exploitation and given them the choice to join his army.
• Salomon told Natasha that he saw their sacrifices as necessary to protect humanity and asked her to become an instructor for the Sisterhood.

Salomon explained how he was organizing the Sisterhood and other departments while Natasha Romanoff agreed to train the girls and cooperate on restoring bodily organs. He defended his plans for the Brotherhood of the Shield and described the paths available to recruits who failed the Sisterhood's final assessment.

• Salomon stationed the Hydra special operations squads at an abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D. base and equipped them with vehicles and supplies under Stephanie's command.
• Natasha Romanoff agreed to visit and train the girls, while Salomon arranged accelerated research into restoring her bodily organs.
• Salomon told Natasha that the Brotherhood of the Shield was better suited to protect the world than Nick Fury's S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Salomon explained that girls who failed the Sisterhood's final assessment could choose administrative or Dark Magic Creature hunting work based on their skills.
• Salomon said he had not found a stable source of male recruits and was waiting for people foretold to join him in the future.

Wanda and Pietro reunited with Salomon over breakfast, and he explained why he had been absent and left them books to study. Before leaving, Salomon asked Wanda to use a Ouija Board to contact him, hoping her abilities would help him investigate the unusual nature of his soul.

• Wanda prepared for the Maximoff siblings’ Hydra medical examinations by influencing the scientists and reviewing procedures through the guard.
• Salomon arrived through a portal with a hearty breakfast, and Wanda and Pietro ate with him while catching up.
• Salomon told the siblings he had been busy helping eliminate Nazi Hydra forces and secure Hydra assets, and he gave them a pile of books to study.
• Salomon asked Wanda to try contacting him through the Ouija Board so he could investigate the unique quality the Holy Marks had given his soul.

Salomon prepared Wanda Maximoff to test whether she could draw power from patrons other than Chthon, then met with Agent Victoria Hand to recruit her into a new organization built to defend humanity against threats across the galaxy. Victoria learned that Salomon had anticipated S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse and revived her, but the chapter left her asking what dangers he had seen.

• Salomon explained that Wanda might avoid becoming Chthon's vessel if she could borrow power from other Outer Dimensions, and Wanda agreed to test the possibility that night.
• Salomon warned that the Darkhold and related scrolls could let Chthon seize Wanda, and said the artifacts could not be divined.
• Salomon visited the recovering Agent Victoria Hand in the City of Immortals and admitted he had known Hydra had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. and who led it.
• Salomon said he had revived Victoria and recruited her because her ruthless judgment made her an ideal agent for the organization he was building.
• Victoria asked what threat had driven Salomon to take three Helicarriers, and he listed alien and supernatural dangers that had invaded Earth before.

Salomon appointed Victoria Hand to lead a new intelligence and military organization, assigning her team to identify Dark Magic Creatures hidden among S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files. Victoria signed an agreement granting her extensive command authority, while Stephanie worked to establish the organization’s cover and funding in the United States.

• Victoria Hand reviewed S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files of unusual individuals, and Salomon dismissed most as public security concerns rather than threats to the world.
• Salomon told Victoria to cross-reference S.H.I.E.L.D.'s records with Kamar-Taj's information on Dark Magic Creatures and warned her not to rush into confronting Black Warlocks.
• Salomon explained that Victoria would command a Conservative Hydra special operations unit whose loyalty was uncertain, while Stephanie would train unsuccessful recruits for support roles.
• Salomon assigned Victoria command over the team and its enhanced members, then gave the department an emblem based on a homophonic pun that Victoria declined to praise.
• Victoria signed the command agreement, granting her aircraft carriers, Quinjets, and authority over most of the organization's mortal military forces.
• Salomon said Stephanie was registering shell companies and building government connections to disguise the organization and secure funding by capturing fugitive Hydras.

Bayonetta prepared for Athena’s gathering and teased Salomon about his foster mother, while Athena hosted the Witches and her artist friends. When Salomon received a call and left to handle something, Athena noticed Bayonetta’s interest and anticipated trouble.

• Bayonetta tried on twenty outfits before choosing a white Ancient Greek-style gown, then asked Salomon to judge her appearance.
• Bayonetta pressed Salomon about whether she was prettier than his foster mother and pulled him beneath her, while the Cheshire Cat and an owl competed for food.
• Athena hosted the Witches, Vanessa, and other guests for a women’s wine gathering, while Lorna worked on an exam paper.
• Salomon returned from a phone call, greeted Athena, Bayonetta, and Jeanne, then said he needed to handle something.
• Athena noticed Bayonetta’s magical eyes and smiled, aware that a young blonde woman was waiting downstairs for Salomon.

Salomon helped Stephanie secure legal status for the special operations team and exoneration for its Hydra recruits, then faced Agent Victoria Hand’s objections to the Sisterhood joining the team’s first mission. He explained that escaped prisoner Marcus Daniel’s connection to the Inner Shadow Plane made him too dangerous to handle as an ordinary fugitive.

• Salomon and Bayonetta passionately kissed at Athena’s gathering while Jeanne and the other guests watched.
• Stephanie asked Salomon to help influence a secret bill, though he saw that she mainly wanted to show him off to legislators.
• The bill was revised, giving the special operations team official status and allowing it to hunt Hydra while exonerating Hydra agents who joined it.
• Agent Victoria Hand protested that Salomon had sent the Sisterhood to respond to the breach at Cold Storage prison instead of letting her team act alone.
• Salomon explained that Marcus Daniel could absorb light because his mind was connected to the Inner Shadow Plane, and warned that another such connection could have made him impossible to contain.

Agent Victoria Hand received orders from Salomon to capture a rare Shadow Creature alive and keep Agent Coulson safe, while Salomon prepared to use Hydra personnel in the City of Immortals. Stephanie planned to move against Whitehall, but Gideon Malick warned her of the risks and advised her to target Baron Wolfgang von Strucker to strengthen her position.

• Salomon told Agent Victoria Hand that Hydra workers could be reformed, showed her the Shadow Creatures file, and ordered her to bring one specimen back alive.
• Salomon told Agent Victoria Hand to help Agent Coulson if needed and keep him alive because humanity's future depended on him.
• Stephanie sought Gideon Malick's advice about attacking Whitehall, and Gideon warned that Whitehall knew the Malik family's secrets and was dangerous to confront.
• Gideon explained to Stephanie that Hydra's influence extended throughout the United States and that the political turmoil offered her a chance to become indispensable to the Administrative System.
• Gideon chose Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, an ally of Whitehall, as Stephanie's first target.

Salomon joined Princess Shuri’s Wakandan expedition to find Antarctic Anti-Vibranium and the remains of a Celestial, but the hostile weather and interference with magic made the search dangerous. After reaching the shelter, he warmed up while Shuri traced the likely meteorite impact site near the Pole, where she believed both targets might be found.

• Salomon struggled through a blizzard near the Antarctic Pole after falling into a crevasse damaged his heating device and left him unable to use his Sling Ring.
• Salomon recalled that Wakanda was searching for Anti-Vibranium and Celestial remains, whose energy signals and effects on the region complicated the expedition.
• Salomon reached the Wakandan shelter, warmed himself with tea, and complained to Princess Shuri that she had come along rather than staying in Wakanda to research tanks.
• Shuri studied scanned geological formations and redirected the expedition toward the Pole after satellite data revealed anomalous weather near South Heritage Ridge.
• Salomon opened a portal for dry pajamas and a reclining chair, then rested while waiting for Shuri to report any discoveries.

Salomon woke to news of a problem at the mission site and discovered Shuri had mistakenly authorized unstable plasma weapons with the destructive power of a suitcase nuke. He rushed through a portal to stop Agent Hand and Agent Coulson from being caught in the blast.

• Wakanda used Shuri's modular design database to ease its shortage of researchers and workers, while King T'Chaka expanded production lines ahead of opening the country to the world.
• Salomon slept at the temporary base while Shuri continued searching for the meteorite and Agent Victoria Hand competed with Coulson's team for Marcus Daniel.
• Agent Hand called Salomon about a problem at the mission site, and Shuri asked him who she was.
• Shuri realized she had signed off on supplies for Agent Hand's special operations team, including unstable experimental plasma weapons.
• Shuri told Salomon the weapons had the power of a suitcase nuke and a direct kill radius of about four hundred meters.
• Salomon put on his Sling Ring and opened a portal to reach Agent Hand and Agent Coulson.

Salomon confronted Shuri over the deaths caused by her Plasma Pistol and suspected that T'Chaka had deliberately engineered the incident to test him. Meanwhile, Agent Hand intercepted Coulson's team, revealed that she had returned from the dead and that Grant Ward was Hydra, and Jemma Simmons agreed to share information with her.

• Salomon returned to Shuri without the Plasma Weapon and explained that he had stopped the explosion and subdued the villain by dropping a road roller on him.
• Shuri challenged Salomon about how he had disabled the Plasma Pistol, and he revealed that the blast had killed several people before he contained it.
• Salomon reprimanded Shuri for mishandling classified documents and ordered her to prepare for the pilots' return and the next day's work.
• Salomon concluded that T'Chaka had arranged the incident to test the City of Immortals' strength and knew whom Wakanda had contacted.
• Agent Hand stopped Coulson's team's vehicle, and Jemma Simmons recognized her as Hydra and tried to protect Audrey Nathan.
• Agent Hand told Simmons that Grant Ward was Hydra, John Gettler was alive, and she herself had been brought back to life; Simmons then activated her communicator to tell Hand something important.

Agent Coulson handed Audrey Nathan’s case to Agent Hand after learning that Salomon had recruited her to fight Hydra and protect humanity. He left for the base with Fitz and Simmons, while Hand prepared to confront Marcus Daniel with specialized weapons.

• Audrey Nathan described how Marcus Daniel had stalked her and how Agent Coulson had helped her.
• Agent Hand told Coulson that Salomon had recruited her and warned him that Grant Ward was Hydra.
• Coulson agreed to hand Daniel’s case and files to Hand, but Fitz refused to stay behind and returned to the base with Coulson and Simmons.
• Hand praised Fitz as an excellent S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and Coulson asked her not to tell Audrey about him.
• Hand identified her special weapon as an experimental plasma pistol designed to work against Shadow Creatures.

Salomon confronted Bastet over King T'Chaka's actions and insisted that T'Chaka had to die. Bastet did not oppose him, and Salomon left after warning that he would revoke her blessing on Wakanda.

• Salomon concluded that T'Chaka planned to open Wakanda cautiously and had exceeded the limits of his alliance by coveting something Salomon had withheld.
• Salomon followed a little black cat through the Black Panther Temple and confronted Bastet through it.
• Salomon threatened to kill T'Chaka himself and support another candidate if Bastet would not allow T'Chaka to die.
• Salomon accused Bastet of stealing the souls of Wakandan kings and demanded that she choose between war and submission.
• Bastet remained silent, and Salomon warned her that revoking her blessing was only the first step before leaving through a portal.

Salomon agreed to Bastet withdrawing her blessing from T'Chaka and accepted a kitten as a vessel for her will. He then arrived at the theater, where Marcus Daniel had become a rampaging shadow creature, and used powerful magic to attack it while the Sisterhood and STRIKE Team evacuated the survivors.

• Salomon accepted Bastet's decision to withdraw T'Chaka's blessing and took the kitten she gave him as a sign of their cooperation.
• Salomon struggled with the foolish kitten, which vomited milk on him before he left to rescue someone.
• Salomon found Marcus Daniel transformed into a powerful shadow monster attacking Audrey Nathan and the responders in the theater.
• Agent Hand explained that Daniel had absorbed an electrical pulse, and Salomon ordered the STRIKE Team to retreat while the Sisterhood kept firing.
• Salomon cast Vishanti's Fury and heightened Light Bolt against the monster as the Artificial Humans protected Audrey and continued their attack.

Tita oversaw the delivery of a living creature sealed inside a rune-covered iron coffin and prepared to move it into Dr. Maya Hansen’s laboratory under the new ABN Protocol. Salomon also planned new anti-magical weapons for the Sisterhood and reassured Tita about his security as he headed elsewhere.

• Tatyana and the other trainees watched Sisterhood women transport a sealed coffin, then greeted Catherine and asked what was for dinner.
• Tita ordered the coffin sent to Dr. Maya Hansen’s biological laboratory and began arranging its transfer into a special Incubation Tank in cell A-05-F2.
• Salomon ordered specialized weapons to counter magical creatures after the mission stalled against the Shadow Creatures, while Princess Shuri promised to fix the failed Plasma Weapon.
• Salomon quietly reassigned several Wakandan scientists without telling Princess Shuri the truth.
• Tita worried about Salomon’s safety as he prepared to leave, and he told her to monitor Hydra through Agent Natasha Romanoff and handle the matter during a visit to Stark Industries.

Salomon took Tita to Stark Industries to negotiate cooperation with Maria Hill, while he discussed the post-S.H.I.E.L.D. situation and his plans to recover dangerous artifacts. He left Hill with Tita to address the Helicarriers and Hydra, insisting that he was danger itself and that he would help retrieve items from Cold Storage.

• Salomon brought Tita to Stark Industries to meet Maria Hill and encountered Bruce Banner, who thanked him for the emotion-suppressing magical item and advised him to pursue advanced research.
• Banner told Salomon that his laboratory at Stark Industries had become his home, while Salomon explained that he preferred to remain an unremarkable college student.
• Maria Hill arrived and confronted Salomon over Victoria Hand, Hydra agents, and the missing Helicarriers; Salomon said Tita would discuss the Helicarriers and proposed cooperation against Hydra.
• Salomon told Hill that Hydra had broken into Cold Storage and that he would help recover the Sling-shot Program’s prohibited items, including the Berserker Staff.

Agent Hill recognized Salomon as a dangerous rival and decided to conceal what she had learned about his army and secret operations. Salomon demanded a meeting with Nick Fury, then traveled to Antarctica, where he prepared to confront a massive storm himself.

• Agent Hill realized Salomon had secretly built an army of Artificial Humans and decided not to reveal her discoveries or provoke him.
• Salomon asked Agent Hill to arrange a meeting with Nick Fury and threatened the shape-shifting aliens Fury sheltered.
• Salomon left through a portal after telling the girls to come home early.
• In Antarctica, Shuri used aerial and satellite data to narrow the search for the meteor despite an approaching hurricane.
• Salomon refused Shuri's suggestion to retreat and said he could shatter the storm without Wakanda's weather weapons.

Salomon used a Kamar-Taj-approved spell to disperse the superstorm covering Antarctica, allowing Shuri and the Wakandan scientists to resume their search for a Vibranium mine. He then insisted that Shuri return with him to the City of Immortals to lead other research projects.

• Salomon showed Shuri his permit to cast a large-scale weather spell and explained how science and magic would guide the storm.
• Salomon chanted to Typhon as Shuri and the Wakandan scientists endured the intensifying blizzard.
• The spell disrupted the abnormal atmospheric circulation, and the Antarctic superstorm dispersed.
• Shuri confirmed that the storm had passed and said she had narrowed down the search area for the Vibranium mine.
• Salomon told Shuri to leave the exploration work to others and return with him to continue research and development.

Salomon learned that Agent Hill had rejected some of his terms and reassured Tita that S.H.I.E.L.D. would not force him into conflict. He planned to target the Skrulls while Nick Fury hid from Hydra and tried to keep control through Hill.

• Tita reported that Agent Hill had accepted the basic terms but refused Salomon's other conditions, and Salomon told her the negotiations were a test of each side's position.
• Salomon comforted Tita, gave her a day off, and promised that the Sisterhood would have a chance to fight the Skrulls.
• Tita urged Salomon to destroy S.H.I.E.L.D., but he told her to wait and said Nick Fury would gather the Skrulls, making them easier to hunt.
• Nick Fury told Agent Hill to submit reports and hold Salomon off, while Hill questioned his plans and doubted he still controlled the situation.
• Nick Fury hid in an abandoned building among addicts because he believed Hydra had infiltrated the US Government and knew he was alive.

ROOT collected a file from Salomon through a chain of intermediaries and learned of another hunter pursuing Samaritan. Dinah watched the plan unfold, while Salomon took a break with Natasha in the City of Immortals.

• Dinah left a file at a café, and the waiter passed it to a garbage collector, who handed it to ROOT near the Three Little Stars flower shop.
• ROOT explained that The Machine had helped conceal the exchange and that Salomon used Samaritan’s funds while keeping The Machine as a safeguard against it.
• ROOT read a note from Ms. Groves, called Shaw, and set out to begin a major operation as Salomon worked to use one hunter against another without alerting Samaritan.
• Dinah watched the exchange from an alley, and Salomon spent his vacation helping Natasha sunbathe while discussing books, food, and their attraction.