Chapter Summaries

Selene, Frank, and their forces defeated Sharus and completed the operation at the Impossible City, while the chapter followed S.H.I.E.L.D.’s dangerous mission in Chicago. Tony Stark captured Blade with his upgraded Mark 43 Beast Hunter Armor, then learned Captain America’s team was still fighting nearby vampires.

• Sharus died, the Impossible City fell, and Selene persuaded sect leaders to swear allegiance as Frank’s forces completed their sweep with no casualties among the special tactical squadron.
• The operation’s tally recorded 699 enemies eliminated, nearly 100 vampire servants captured, and nearly 400 human blood slaves rescued.
• Captain America’s team landed near the Black Smoke Pillar in Chicago, where Tony scanned Blade and confronted him after the dark-energy storm stopped.
• Blade claimed vampires planned to reclaim the world and invited Tony to join them, but Tony rejected him and opened fire.
• Tony’s upgraded Mark 43 damaged Blade’s wings, severed both his arms with a high-frequency weapon, and trapped him with a superalloy snare.
• Tony knocked Blade unconscious, captured him, and reported success to Captain America, who replied that the team was still fighting nearby vampires.

Captain America’s team escaped the vampire swarm with Hulk and Black Widow, but Homelander confronted them and revealed that a mysterious drone had recorded their mission. Tony Stark discovered that JARVIS could see the drone but could not detect its signal, leaving its technology unexplained.

• Hulk refused to leave the fight, so Black Widow went to bring him back while Captain America led the others toward Tony Stark’s position.
• Black Widow returned riding on Hulk, and the team used rockets, UV arrows, and flares to reach the arriving Quinjet.
• Homelander appeared as the team prepared to leave and accused S.H.I.E.L.D. of abandoning civilians to capture Blade.
• Tony Stark mocked Homelander over the Vought Group’s falling stock price, and Nick Fury ordered the team to ignore him and leave with Blade.
• Homelander revealed that a black quadcopter had recorded them, and JARVIS reported that it detected no signal from the drone.

Homelander livestreamed the Avengers’ capture mission and used their apparent disregard for civilians to promote himself as humanity’s true savior. Three Night Demons ambushed the team and overwhelmed them, leaving Homelander as their next target.

• Homelander introduced the Warp Group’s advanced drone on livestream and denounced the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. as uncaring while proclaiming himself humanity’s savior.
• Dazzle, Bloodstorm, and Brutality emerged from a black smoke pillar and attacked the capture team, with Dazzle’s power leaving most of them dizzy.
• Hawkeye’s explosive arrows failed to hurt Bloodstorm, while Brutality’s wires disabled Tony Stark’s armor and drained its power.
• Bloodstorm knocked out Black Widow and Sharon Carter, Brutality wounded Hawkeye, and Captain America continued fighting until Bloodstorm kicked him into a shop.
• Homelander mocked Captain America for asking him to help, and Bloodstorm declared that he would turn Homelander into a statue.

Homelander defeated the three Night Demons and slaughtered vampires in Chicago, savoring the power and public acclaim. After Ashley Barrett told him that Starlight and Queen Maeve were in danger in Binghamton, he flew to rescue them, leaving the battered Avengers behind.

• Homelander killed Bloodstorm with a psionic laser beam, then blasted Dazzle and crushed Brutality while mocking Iron Man and the Avengers.
• Homelander swept his laser eyes across the vampires in Chicago, killing many as Captain America and the others watched in shock.
• Ashley Barrett told Homelander that Starlight and Queen Maeve were trapped by Smoke Eater in Binghamton, and Homelander agreed to go despite resenting them.
• Homelander flew toward Binghamton, while Tony Stark blamed the failed electromagnetic pulse and Captain America asked Nick Fury for another Quinjet.
• Captain America reported that Barton needed medical attention and that their crashed Quinjet was out of commission.

Homelander killed Blade and left Nick Fury furious as the vampire crisis continued to threaten Chicago. At the altar, Carl killed Lilith despite her oath to Ancient One, then revealed he knew she had secretly drawn power from Dormammu and offered to help remove that threat.

• Nick Fury urged the team to send Tony Stark and Blade away, but Tony refused to abandon the injured agents.
• Homelander returned, killed Blade, and mocked Captain America before flying away; Fury learned of Blade's death and erupted in anger.
• The dark barrier over Chicago weakened as the demonic formations collapsed, though survivors still faced nightfall and danger.
• Lilith swore she would never return to Earth, but Carl bound and killed her as she approached the dimensional passage.
• Ancient One confronted Carl for breaking the rules, and Carl exposed her secret use of Dormammu's power while offering to help eliminate the danger.

Carl proposed joining forces with the Ancient One to kill Dormammu, easing her suspicions and securing her support while he recovered his power. Later, at Impossible City, he put Selene in charge of the vampires and rewarded the people who helped seize the city.

• Carl explained that the Ancient One had secretly borrowed power from Dormammu to extend her life and was burdened by the secret.
• Carl proposed that he and the Ancient One kill Dormammu, and she agreed to consider it once he had recovered his power and Authority.
• Carl revealed that Earth’s protections gave him a safe base from which to develop and scheme against other dimensions.
• Carl ordered Selene to become vampire queen, with Dracula helping her subdue the vampire factions or eliminate those who resisted.
• Carl promised Selene support from Zemo and turned to reward Frank, Pietro, and Rebecca Chambers for their roles in capturing Impossible City.

After reviewing the spoils from the operation, Carl spent ten million prestige points to raise the Warp Dimension to a mature Level 5 and discovered he could wield its powers directly. He failed to merge Selene’s pocket dimension into the Warp, considered seeking the Space Stone, and ended the night with Selene in his bath.

• Carl counted the operation’s gains, including demon and vampire souls, Lilith’s high-ranking demon soul, Varnae’s soul, the pocket dimension containing Impossible City, and a surge of prestige points.
• Carl spent ten million prestige points to raise his dimension strength to Level 5, which removed the Warp Dimension’s energy absorption limit.
• Carl tested the psionic flame and found he could use the Warp’s different powers without The Five, though his human body still limited his strength.
• Carl tried again to merge Selene’s pocket dimension into the Warp, then suspected outside help might work and considered acquiring the Space Stone before seeking Odin’s help.
• Carl instructed Khorne to question Varnae and Tzeentch to strip Lilith’s soul of its consciousness, then invited Selene into the bathroom, where they became intimate.

Morgan le Fay learned that Wanda was the Scarlet Witch and planned to use her to awaken Chthon, while the surviving vampires were defeated and Selene offered General Ross a chance to recover his standing. Selene warned Ross that the vampire cults would launch another wave of attacks across America that night.

• Clea told Morgan le Fay that a Ghost Rider had taken the Darkhold Fragment and that Wanda used Chaos Magic, leading Morgan to identify Wanda as the Scarlet Witch foretold to awaken Chthon.
• Morgan le Fay ordered Clea to keep tracking the fragment and assigned Agatha to deal with the Scarlet Witch, then told Chthon she had found Wanda.
• With daylight restored, soldiers and rescue workers cleared the seven cities of vampires and searched for survivors as General Ross regretted his failed operation and feared losing his position.
• General Ross welcomed Selene after learning she represented Carl, and she offered him a mutually beneficial arrangement on Carl's behalf.
• Selene warned Ross that the remaining vampire cults would attack other American cities that night, potentially plunging the country into panic.

Selene secured General Ross’s agreement to a Non-Aggression Pact and the Coven’s claim to Vampire Cult territory in exchange for locations that let the military strike the cults. Homelander celebrated Vought’s recovery and fired Queen Maeve and Starlight, but Maeve’s confrontation ended with her asking how he had defeated the Vampires.

• Selene gave General Ross the Vampire Cult stronghold locations after he agreed to the Coven’s two conditions, which the White House and Department of Defense quickly approved.
• General Ross signed the new Non-Aggression Pact and thanked Carl for his help before leaving.
• Selene’s guard remarked on her newly queenly bearing, and Selene privately recalled her passionate night with Carl and her hazy memories of it.
• Homelander celebrated Vought’s rising stock and growing popularity, accepted six cities’ ambassador invitations, and grew angry when Ashley explained Binghamton planned to seek compensation over Starlight’s actions.
• Homelander removed Queen Maeve and Starlight from The Seven; Maeve confronted him, and he threatened her girlfriend before Maeve asked how he had defeated the Vampires.

Homelander learned that he could grow stronger by founding a cult and offered Queen Maeve power in exchange for her submission. Meanwhile, Hughie struggled to keep the comatose Starlight alive until Nick Fury arrived with a possible way to help The Boys challenge Homelander.

• Queen Maeve asked Homelander to help her gain his power, and a mysterious voice urged him to establish a cult whose followers would strengthen him.
• Homelander agreed to tell Queen Maeve how to gain power in exchange for sexual submission.
• Starlight's mother revealed she would not pay for Starlight's care, handed Hughie decision-making authority, and returned to gambling with her boyfriend.
• Hughie told The Boys about Starlight's condition and his inability to afford her medical care, then vowed to kill Homelander.
• Nick Fury entered the hospital room, offered to help cover Starlight's bills, and gave The Boys a folder containing information that might help them defeat Homelander.

Nick Fury gave The Boys a lead on the weapon that supposedly killed Soldier Boy and pushed them to hunt Homelander, while Billy Butcher and Hughie Campbell reluctantly accepted temporary Compound V. Later, Carl learned that the Darkhold had been used in an attempt to awaken Chthon, and Tzeentch hinted at another discovery.

• Nick Fury told Billy Butcher that BCL Red had killed Soldier Boy and pointed him toward Crimson Countess and Gunpowder as possible sources of information.
• Nick Fury offered The Boys temporary Compound V, gave them one month to kill Homelander, and threatened Starlight's life if they failed.
• Billy Butcher decided to use the serum himself, and Hughie Campbell asked for one so he could protect Starlight.
• Nick Fury told Maria Hill he had withheld Soldier Boy's location to keep The Boys unconnected to S.H.I.E.L.D., then ordered her to obtain the planet's coordinates from Eddie Brock.
• Carl announced the Four Peddlers' monthly results, with Slaanesh taking the top-seller title, and heard Varnae's account of the Dark Followers' plan to use the Darkhold to awaken Chthon.
• Carl considered whether Chthon was already sleeping on Earth when Tzeentch revealed that he had discovered something else while stripping away a demon's consciousness.

After learning that the Dark Followers Cult was still seeking the Darkhold, Carl held off merging with his fragment and prepared for the approaching Convergence. As Jane Foster reached the Reality Stone and the Dark Elves prepared to invade Asgard, Carl readied the Thunder Warriors and planned to use the conflict to expand the Warp Group’s reach; Odin sensed an unknown power inside Jane that the Aether could not remove.

• Tzeentch revealed that the Dark Followers Cult had helped Lilith pursue Varnae and Dracula’s Darkhold Fragment, so Carl postponed merging with his own fragment and ordered The Four Peddlers to investigate the cult.
• Zemo told Carl that Dr. Erik Selvig had been arrested at Stonehenge and Jane Foster had gone to the anomaly site; Carl identified the approaching Nine Realms Convergence and ordered the Thunder Warriors to prepare for the Dark Elves.
• Carl told Zemo not to capture Jane, explaining that he wanted the Reality Stone, Dark Elf technology and interstellar coordinates, and hoped the invasion would weaken Asgard ahead of his plans for Odin’s vault.
• Carl ordered Frank to ready the Thunder Warriors and allowed selected recruits to observe the coming battle, while explaining how the Warp Group planned to build its legion from the Child Soldier Program.
• Thor brought Jane to Asgard for an examination, and Odin identified the Aether and the Dark Elves’ history but also sensed an unfamiliar power in Jane that the Aether could not suppress.

Thor reunited with Jane Foster in Asgard and learned that the Aether inside her could not be removed. Meanwhile, Algrim broke out of the palace dungeon, the Dark Elves launched a surprise attack, and Malekith reached Jane as Asgard's defenses collapsed.

• Odin reflected on Thor's immaturity and his own need to pass the throne to him before his power and the seal holding Hela weakened.
• Jane Foster told Thor about Earth's recent disasters, and Thor explained the Convergence before promising to find a way to save her from the Aether.
• Algrim transformed into a Cursed Warrior, broke out of his cell, killed guards, and freed other prisoners while ignoring Loki.
• The Dark Elves' cloaked mothership and Blade Warships attacked Asgard, and Heimdall raised the palace barrier before Algrim destroyed its energy core.
• Malekith entered the palace with his warriors, who overwhelmed the guards with Black Hole Grenades, while Malekith advanced toward Jane Foster.

Jane Foster used Tzeentch’s Time Stasis to save Frigga, but Malekith extracted the Aether and escaped with Algrim. With Asgard’s defenses disabled, Odin ordered Thor to stay and protect the realm, until Jane offered information about the Dark Elves’ plans.

• Frigga fought Malekith and was nearly killed by Algrim, but Jane Foster’s Tzeentch Rune froze time long enough for her to save Frigga.
• Tzeentch warned Frigga that Jane owed him a favor, then controlled Jane as she approached Malekith.
• Malekith extracted the Aether from Jane, blocked Thor’s lightning, and escaped with Algrim aboard a cloaked Blade Warship.
• Odin ordered Heimdall to shut down the Bifrost and reprimanded Thor for bringing Jane to Asgard.
• Thor proposed traveling to Svartalfheim to find a way to take the Aether, but Odin ordered him to remain in Asgard.
• Jane asked whether Odin would let Thor act if she knew where the Dark Elves were going and what they intended to do.

Jane Foster and Odin realized Malekith planned to use the [Aether] during the [Convergence] to threaten all the [Nine Realms], and Odin sent Thor to stop him. At [Greenwich], Malekith began his attack as the realms converged, Thor was overwhelmed by Algrim, and the Dark Elves destroyed the defending [Royal Air Force] fighters.

• Jane Foster warned Odin that Malekith intended to unleash the [Aether] on Earth, and she and Odin concluded he would use the [Convergence] to amplify its power.
• Odin authorized Thor to leave [Asgard] and confront Malekith, while Jane Foster and Dr. Erik Selvig went to [Greenwich] to locate the convergence point.
• A [Daily Bugle] reporter livestreamed warnings of an imminent Dark Elf invasion as strange openings to the other realms spread across the sky.
• Malekith ordered his soldiers to attack civilians, and Thor confronted him before Algrim knocked Thor down and began beating him.
• Malekith advanced toward the converging openings while Blade Warships destroyed the [Royal Air Force] fighters, leaving the [United Kingdom]'s leaders fearing a repeat of [New York].

Carl devoured the [Reality Stone] during Malekith’s attack on [London], ending the [Aether Storm] and gaining access to its power. Frank then led the [Thunder Warriors] against the Dark Elves while Nick Fury watched from the [Helicarrier], furious at Carl’s intervention.

• The balding prime minister learned that [S.H.I.E.L.D.] had blamed a propulsion fault for its absence and vowed to cut off its funding.
• Nick Fury refused to send the [Sky Mothership] to help [London], while Maria Hill questioned his decision to leave the city and Thor unsupported.
• As the [Convergence] aligned, Malekith unleashed the [Aether] in a crimson storm, and Jane Foster and Dr. Erik Selvig despaired over their inability to stop him.
• Carl placed [Warp Temporary Anchors] in the eight realms, entered the storm with Wanda, and devoured the [Reality Stone], draining the [Aether] from Malekith.
• Frank arrived through the portal with forty [Thunder Warriors], then ordered them to kill the Dark Elf invaders as they launched their attack.
• Nick Fury watched the [Thunder Warriors] overwhelm the Dark Elves and raged over Carl’s powerful soldiers and their weapons.

Malekith unleashed the Cursed Warriors against Carl’s Thunder Warriors, while Frank turned the battle by killing Algrim in a single strike. Thor survived but was left humiliated by his defeat and Frank’s overwhelming strength.

• Malekith ordered ten Dark Elf warriors to become Cursed Warriors and attack the Thunder Warriors.
• The Werewolf Thunder Warriors initially lost their strength contest with the Cursed Warriors, then used agility to wound them before Khorne’s blessing drove them into a head-on brawl.
• Carl stopped Frank from reprimanding the Werewolf Thunder Warriors, believing their ferocity would help forge their battle soul.
• Frank killed the Dark Elf soldiers around Malekith, then dodged Thor when Algrim hurled him and faced Algrim himself.
• Frank used his empowered Godflash to cut Algrim apart, astonishing Malekith, Thor, and the child soldiers watching.
• Thor realized he had been too weak to defeat Algrim and felt humiliated in front of Jane Foster.

Carl and the Thunder Warriors defeated Malekith’s forces and seized the Aether, but Odin arrived and demanded both Malekith and the Reality Stone. Carl refused, and Wanda, Frank, and the Thunder Warriors prepared to fight Asgard.

• Nick Fury watched the Thunder Warriors overwhelm the Dark Elves and seethed as Carl’s forces won without losses.
• Malekith ordered the Cursed Warriors to attack Carl, but the Werewolf Thunder Warriors killed them, and Frank knocked Malekith unconscious after he charged at Carl.
• Wanda sent the Dark Elf spaceship, bodies, weapons, and equipment through a portal to Sokovia.
• Odin arrived with Asgardian Warriors and demanded Malekith and the Aether, but Carl refused to surrender either.
• Wanda guarded Carl as Frank and the Thunder Warriors readied themselves to fight Odin and his warriors.

Odin reconsidered taking the Aether after Frigga revealed that Carl was a dimensional demon, then left with Thor and the Asgardians. Nick Fury tried to claim the alien equipment and threaten Carl, but Carl dismissed him and returned to Sokovia, ready to advance the Warp Group’s plans openly.

• Frigga told Odin that Carl was a dimensional demon, and Odin decided to leave the Aether with him rather than risk a conflict with Asgard.
• Nick Fury arrived with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, praised Odin, and demanded that Carl hand over the alien equipment and weapons.
• Thor announced that he and Odin were returning to Asgard, and the Asgardians departed before Nick Fury could secure their support.
• Carl told Fury that the equipment and the Aether belonged to him and challenged him to come to Sokovia to take them back.
• Carl entered Wanda’s portal and planned to move the Warp Group into Phase Two without keeping its power hidden.

After the battle, Carl returned to Sokovia with the Reality Stone, Malekith, and a captured Dark Elf warship, while Tzeentch’s schemes unsettled Odin and Frigga. Carl reviewed the spoils and ordered Tzeentch to contact a Chosen One as he prepared to begin his second-phase plan.

• Nick Fury faked an injury after a Thunder Warrior brushed past him, then had Maria Hill help him leave rather than confront Carl’s forces.
• Carl’s party returned through the portal, the rifts closed, and the Daily Bugle’s coverage brought the Warp Group and Carl to public attention.
• Frigga told Odin that the God of Wisdom had warned her about Carl and Asgard’s destruction; Odin learned that Loki had escaped from the dungeon.
• Carl handed Malekith and the Dark Elf warship to Samuel Stern, then celebrated securing the Reality Stone, Dark Elf technology, and millions of prestige points.
• Carl told Tzeentch to begin making contact with the Chosen One.