Chapter Summaries

Alvin reflected on prejudice against Hell’s Kitchen residents and decided to protect Julie by finding those who had targeted her, while considering how to give other students a fairer chance. At Stark’s chaotic New Energy launch, Tony challenged Ivan to a fight as JJ took bets and began to worry that too many people were backing Stark.

• Alvin considered how discrimination burdened Hell’s Kitchen students and resolved to find the people who had targeted Julie so she could prove herself without further harassment.
• Pepper watched Tony Stark turn the serious technology expo into a wild party and tried unsuccessfully to reach him.
• Tony descended in his Iron Man Armor, welcomed the crowd to Stark Industries’ New Energy launch, and challenged Ivan to fight him.
• JJ took bets on Tony versus Ivan while Shang-Chi bet on Tony and warned JJ that he might lose money.
• JJ saw that Peter, Harry, Wesley, Jessica, and Shang-Chi had all bet on Tony and worried about the growing number of bets.

Ivan turned Stark's planned fight into a spectacle with his advertising-covered Mech Armor, and their battle unexpectedly became a Kung Fu performance. Peter learned that Shang-Chi had sold fighting moves to both men, while Shang-Chi remained confident that Stark would win.

• Ivan arrived in his Mech Armor covered in advertisements, posed for the cameras, and ignored Stark until he was ready to fight.
• Castle joked about buying tanks and hiring assassins, while Beckett scolded him for applauding the gangsters.
• Stark gave JARVIS control of his Iron Man Armor, and JARVIS activated a Kung Fu system that led both armors through a choreographed martial arts fight.
• Peter asked Shang-Chi whether it had been disloyal to sell Kung Fu moves to both Stark and Ivan, and Shang-Chi explained that he needed money for a better pickup truck.
• Stark roared at Ivan for not appearing as expected and threatened to tear apart his Mech Armor and bankrupt him.

Stark and Ivan turned their mech fight into a lucrative spectacle, while Stark promoted his new energy and named Alvin the world’s best mech pilot. JARVIS then took control of War God No. 2 and forced a terrified Alvin into a dramatic dive toward the stage.

• Stark tackled Ivan’s mech, but Ivan fought back fiercely after Hell’s Kitchen crime bosses paid him to prolong the show and advertise their businesses.
• Ivan turned his mech away from the camera and flipped off Stark before demanding payment for the 96 seconds he had held out.
• Stark addressed the crowd about Stark Industries’ new energy, then led them in chanting Alvin’s nicknames and invited him to the stage.
• JARVIS took control of War God No. 2 and lifted Alvin from the lounge balcony as Alvin protested.
• JARVIS dove toward the ground with Alvin inside the mech, and Alvin opened Thorn Spirit in desperation.

Alvin made a dramatic entrance in War God No. 2 at Stark’s event, then took the stage to introduce himself and speak about Hell’s Kitchen. He left the crowd cheering as he joked with a frightened young fan and the scar-faced thug known as Baby Face.

• Alvin descended onto the stage in War God No. 2, fighting his fear of heights while Stark checked that he was all right.
• Alvin threatened to beat Stark for the entrance and for two other mistakes, while Stark blamed Shang-Chi for exposing his plan to cheat.
• Hell’s Kitchen residents and fans cheered Alvin as he waved to them, and Baby Face explained to a confused young fan why they called him Principal.
• Alvin congratulated Stark, then addressed the crowd, introducing himself as Alvin Ye, a Hell’s Kitchen native, restaurant owner, and community school principal.
• Alvin joked that Baby Face’s frightening appearance made him a good representation of Hell’s Kitchen and compared his looks to Quasimodo.
• Baby Face proudly considered changing his nickname to Scar, while the young fan nervously told him that Baby Face was memorable.

Alvin addressed reporters about the people of Hell’s Kitchen, arguing that they needed tolerance rather than pity or prejudice. He urged the crowd to focus help on children born there, whose lives were shaped by the neighborhood’s stigma from birth.

• Alvin told reporters that Hell’s Kitchen residents who sought honest work deserved a chance, while warning that kindness should have limits.
• A tearful reporter asked how people could help, then challenged Alvin to change how everyone viewed Hell’s Kitchen.
• Alvin hugged the reporter and explained that residents needed their hard work to pay off, not sympathy or unearned rewards.
• Alvin condemned labeling people by their neighborhood and said prejudice hurt Hell’s Kitchen residents most.
• Alvin said children born in Hell’s Kitchen were the group that truly needed help because they faced the world’s unfairness from birth.

Alvin used a live interview to urge Lois Lane and the press to treat Hell’s Kitchen residents fairly without romanticizing its criminals, and to focus help on children at his Community School. His warning against prejudice ended with a plea not to let the children escape one hell only to enter another.

• Alvin joked with reporters, reassured a young female reporter, and teased Lois Lane about a boyfriend named Clark Kent.
• Donald Depp watched Alvin on television and praised him, while Ika reminded her father that Alvin had helped him become mayor.
• Alvin told Lois that he wanted fairness for everyone and urged reporters to write hope for Hell’s Kitchen without ignoring its dangers.
• Alvin described Old Kent being driven from New Jersey because of prejudice and explained that Hell’s Kitchen also contained people unwilling to change.
• Alvin invited Lois to visit his Community School and urged her to help its children escape the stigma of Hell’s Kitchen.

Alvin publicly defended Julie, a Hell's Kitchen student admitted to Harvard who had been bullied and accused of cheating, and threatened to expose the Fraternity. The crowd rallied behind him, while Julie cried as Frigga comforted her.

• Lois encouraged Alvin, and he joked with Stark before announcing that he was about to do something bad.
• George teased Gwen about Peter and worried that she was growing attached to him.
• Nick Fury told Coulson that S.H.I.E.L.D. planned to use Iridium as bait to expose Cobra and its moles, while arranging for the stolen Iridium to reach Alvin.
• Alvin confronted Lancer in front of the media and described how Julie had escaped an abusive home, earned admission to Harvard, and faced bullying there.
• Alvin threatened to uncover the Fraternity's misconduct and urged people to treat Hell's Kitchen's hardworking students with kindness; the audience voiced its support as Julie cried on the balcony.

After his speech, Alvin reunited with Stark, Pepper, and Fox, then met Nakia, Pepper’s head of security in Africa. Nakia asked for help for suffering Africans, and Alvin offered money and a connection to another wealthy donor before giving her gifted dagger to Fox.

• Alvin worried that he had exposed Julie’s past, but Stark reassured him and urged him to enjoy the opening celebration.
• Alvin comforted Pepper, teased Stark about her, and embraced Fox, who joked about changing clothes with him.
• Fox introduced Nakia to Alvin, and Nakia asked him to support people suffering from war and famine in Africa.
• Alvin declined to take on Nakia’s cause himself but offered a donation and suggested that another wealthy person might help.
• Nakia gave Alvin a dagger from her homeland, and Alvin accepted it and gave it to Fox.
• Nakia and Fox set aside their initial misunderstanding and introduced themselves anew.

Chief George urged Alvin to limit his retaliation against Harvard’s Fraternity, and Alvin agreed not to target the university itself. He planned to send Raymond Reddington to deal with the Fraternity, leaving George worried about Alvin’s dangerous neighborhood.

• Chief George fielded calls from powerful people who wanted Alvin restrained, while Harvard sent representatives to New York to repair the school’s reputation.
• Alvin checked on Julie, who felt supported by him and her former classmates after her discrimination at Harvard.
• Chief George asked Alvin to keep the damage limited, and Alvin said he had never meant to target Harvard.
• Alvin suggested that Harvard partner with his Community School on a Hell’s Kitchen branch, and George agreed to raise the idea with Harvard.
• Alvin told George that Raymond Reddington would handle the Fraternity, and George recognized him as the Red Devil.

Alvin spoke with Frigga about her responsibilities and her imprisoned eldest daughter, then visited Stark's exhibition hall and met Reed Richards and Sue Storm. Frigga asked Alvin to visit her daughter before returning to Asgard, while Alvin ended the chapter teasing Reed by spinning Sue around.

• Alvin found Nick boasting about the beating he and Richard had given Lancer while Mindy and Ginny reacted nearby.
• Alvin invited Frigga to work part-time at his kindergarten, but she said she would soon return to Asgard and wanted more time with Ginny.
• Frigga told Alvin that Odin had imprisoned her eldest daughter in Norway and asked him to visit her because she feared loneliness was driving her mad.
• Alvin declined to go immediately and suggested they visit Frigga's daughter after he finished helping save Earth.
• Alvin went to Stark's exhibition hall, where Reed Richards and Sue Storm praised his speech and Sue apologized for her earlier behavior.
• Alvin lifted Sue and spun her around to provoke the gloomy man watching them, then joked that he could handle fighting a scientist.

At Stark Industries’ New Energy exhibition, Alvin spoke with Professor Franklin Hall about Harvard, Julie’s future, and Hall’s Graviton research. After Alvin confronted Victor von Doom over his interest in Sue and Hall’s work, Doom apologized and decided to change his approach to winning Sue’s affection.

• Alvin welcomed Professor Hall, promised that Harvard’s lobbyists could negotiate with him, and asked Hall to ensure Julie had a place in his laboratory.
• Hall explained his Graviton research and said he could use financial support from Stark.
• Doom interrupted to criticize Hall’s plans, and Alvin defended Hall’s right to pursue his own research.
• Alvin reminded Doom that Sue had a boyfriend and compared Doom unfavorably to Reed, prompting Doom to reconsider his behavior.
• Doom apologized to Hall, said he would try to become the kind of person Sue liked, and thanked Alvin for his speech.

After Stark's Expo, Alvin readied himself for the attention his speech would bring while encouraging Kenny to pursue a girlfriend and praising Robin and Lisa's coffee business. The morning ended with Wesley taking Tally to the aquarium, while Eddie considered returning to journalism and helping people in Hell's Kitchen.

• Alvin bought the newspapers covering the expo and reassured Kenny that he could find a pretty girlfriend, prompting Robert to offer to buy him a suit.
• Alvin praised the coffee Robin and Lisa made, and Robert said their efforts would help the children build a happy life.
• Alvin teased Robert about Wesley and Tally, and Robert reluctantly let the couple go to the aquarium after Tally invited him along.
• Eddie bought newspapers about Alvin's speech, gave his spare change to a homeless woman, and decided he might return to reporting with a new sense of purpose.

Alvin celebrated his newfound public fame while spending time with the children and Fox at the restaurant. Harvey asked to bring his wife and son to Hell’s Kitchen because his son kept dreaming about Demons, and Alvin welcomed them as the chapter ended.

• Alvin comforted Little Ginny by promising to make Christmas plans and take a trip with her after his work was done.
• Maximus begged for a meat baozi, while Nick and Mindy bickered and Little Ginny cheered up Nick after Mindy hurt him.
• Fox reminded Alvin to pay Nakia for the valuable dagger, and Alvin joked about hiring an agent to handle his growing fame.
• Harvey told Alvin that his son had been dreaming about Demons and asked if his wife and son could move to Hell’s Kitchen.
• Alvin offered to help Harvey find a home and welcomed his family to Hell’s Kitchen.

Harvey warned Alvin that a bald man was tracking Raymond, while Raymond reported that Ethan Hunt’s operation was nearing completion. Alvin then asked Raymond to deal with the Harvard Fraternity and secure the best possible deal for the Community School.

• Harvey told Alvin that a bald man had been following Raymond’s movements and might be connected to Ethan Hunt.
• Alvin called Raymond to the Restaurant while Nick went to retrieve Wilde and Frigga asked Alvin to accompany her to see her daughter before she left.
• Raymond told Alvin that Ethan Hunt had gone to New Jersey and was preparing to finish the operation using the In-Betweener’s identity.
• Alvin asked Raymond to find the person who bullied Julie, teach the Fraternity members a lesson, and negotiate with Harvard for the Community School.
• Raymond agreed to handle the Fraternity and try to make a profit from the situation.

Raymond realized the bald man in a suit might be pursuing Ethan Hunt and worried the man had uncovered their connection. The bald assassin confronted Benji, who revealed the battery was with Alvin, before Ethan and Benji escaped the attack with the assassin still alive.

• Raymond told Alvin that he had seen a bald man in a black suit near a bar for three days and identified him as an ICA operative.
• Raymond called Ethan Hunt but received no answer, and he suspected something had gone wrong.
• The suited bald man interrogated a captive he believed was Ethan Hunt, then discovered the captive was Benji in disguise.
• Benji told the suited bald man that Alvin had the battery and tried to escape as Ethan swung through a window on a safety line.
• The suited bald man shot Ethan before falling through a hole in the floor, and Benji pulled Ethan back inside.

Alvin sent Raymond to handle the Harvard problem while he pursued the bald man, and Ethan Hunt and Benji continued their mission after their plan was exposed. Wang Yuan later told Alvin that he had used their supposed brotherhood to impress women at a party.

• Alvin called JJ to retrieve surveillance footage from Kevin's place and told Raymond to handle the Harvard problem while he dealt with the bald man.
• Raymond said he wanted the sense of security and a full night's sleep he had lost while working for the FBI, then left to speak with Old Kent.
• Benji urged Ethan Hunt to abandon the mission, but Ethan insisted on finishing it and warned that they might need a new plan.
• Benji admitted he had told the bald man that the battery was with Alvin, and Ethan urged him to hurry and finish the job before they went into hiding.
• Wang Yuan told Alvin he had spent the night drinking with a band and complained that women kept pursuing him.
• Wang Yuan revealed that he had claimed Alvin was his brother to impress the women, and Alvin reacted with exasperation.

Alvin discussed appearing on April’s ABC talk show, the Community School Wolves, and Steve’s coaching with Steve and April. He promised to attend the team’s next game and said he would soon be busy saving the world.

• Alvin scolded Wang Yuan for using his name to pick up women while dressed in Kamar-Taj robes.
• Steve and April invited Alvin to appear on an ABC talk show so he could reinforce the message from his speech.
• Alvin and Steve discussed the Wolves’ winning streak, the players’ prospects, and a proposed $100,000 championship bonus.
• Steve admitted he relied on Alvin’s simple advice to lead the team, and Alvin told him the team was his to manage.
• April pressed Alvin to schedule the show, and Alvin said he was free today and tomorrow before meeting someone and becoming busy with saving the world.

Alvin arranged a live television interview and revealed to April that her boyfriend, Steve, was really Captain America. He then heard Fatty Wang Yuan explain Kamar-Taj’s duty to protect the rules of time, and offered to help when needed.

• April arranged for ABC Television to interview Alvin live that evening, and Alvin teased her for not asking about his appearance fee.
• Alvin told April that Steve was really Steve Rogers, Captain America, and April realized she had misunderstood him and treated him unfairly.
• Fatty Wang Yuan pulled Alvin into the Mirror Dimension and explained that Kamar-Taj protected time’s natural rules and avoided changing the future.
• Alvin admitted he did not fully understand the explanation but said he respected people who kept their power in check and would help when needed.

Alvin shared drinks with Wang Yuan and Steve before the children returned from playing, where Mindy and Nick’s prank led to an apology and a moment of reconciliation. Frigga worried about the royal struggle over the Throne, and Alvin comforted her before inviting the children to join him at the Television Station.

• Alvin came out of the Mirror Dimension, poured drinks for himself and Wang Yuan, and teased Steve for kissing April in the Restaurant.
• Ginny, Nick, and Mindy rushed inside after Nick had smeared Wilde’s dung on Mindy; Mindy slipped, and Nick was beaten when she chased him.
• Wilde comforted Mindy, and Nick revealed his Mechanical Leg after Mindy hurt her foot; Mindy apologized, and Ginny helped her up.
• Alvin told Frigga that he valued all the children for their strengths, and he suggested that keeping a child from the Throne could spare them its burden.
• Frigga thanked Alvin for comforting her, and Alvin invited the children to dress up and accompany him to the Television Station.

At ABC Television, Justin’s manager abandoned him after arguing with him over his ruined reputation and the delayed interview. Alvin prepared for his own interview with April, but their flirting was interrupted when Ginny reported that someone had fainted.

• ABC Television delayed Justin’s interview because a major guest had priority, and Justin’s manager blamed him for losing the opportunity.
• Justin and his manager traded accusations before the manager announced he was leaving Justin.
• April showed Alvin the interview script and warned him that the broadcast could shape media coverage of the Harvard Fraternity incident.
• Alvin dismissed the script and said Harvard had more reason to worry about the interview than he did.
• April left to prepare for the show, and Alvin and Fox flirted in the lounge.
• Ginny rushed in and told Alvin that someone had fainted.