While the Skrulls were lost in what they believed was a miracle...
On the other side of the planet...
Homelander, the one responsible, was immersed in a very different scene.
San Francisco, California.
The Pacific breeze carried the scent of salt and sunshine through the vermilion cables of the Golden Gate Bridge and over the winding curves of Lombard Street.
Beneath an umbrella at an outdoor café, Homelander held an iced Americano and leaned back comfortably in a wicker chair.
He watched the crowds of tourists, the buskers with guitars on their backs, and the children chasing pigeons, then let out a contented sigh.
During Homelander's absence from the public eye, Jessica had kept the Vought Group running smoothly.
And every day, a flood of remembrance, prayers, and adoration poured Popularity Points into the system.
Watching the number climb steadily, Homelander came to appreciate the saying: absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Sometimes, a tragic savior whose fate remained unknown stirred more emotion in people than a superhero who flew around overhead every day.
With no need to worry about the company or cultivate his popularity, Homelander decided to take a long vacation.
He had put on the "Widow's Silk Type II" nanotech disguise mask, newly developed by the Vought Group's technology division.
It was far more advanced than S.H.I.E.L.D.'s old relics. It could perfectly mimic facial bone structure and muscle movement, while also changing the color of his eyes and the pitch of his voice.
Homelander's blond hair, fair skin, and brilliant blue eyes were gone.
He now had a distinctly East Asian face, with black hair and dark eyes. His features were gentle yet well defined, and beneath his approachable expression lay a barely perceptible edge.
It was the face he had worn before crossing into this world: