Chapter Summaries

Apocalypse secured the Orb by offering Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, and Groot deals involving race changes, Nebula’s repair, and a handheld game console. With the agreements made, he gathered the group to leave the prison, and Drax joined them despite Star-Lord’s reservations.

• Apocalypse offered Rocket Raccoon help changing races and offered Gamora a deal to repair Nebula, while she and Star-Lord rejected his matchmaking joke.
• Apocalypse gave Groot a handheld game console in exchange for the Orb, and Groot accepted despite Rocket Raccoon’s protests.
• Apocalypse called for Drax, who revealed he had been standing nearby for over an hour and had heard Star-Lord criticize him.
• Apocalypse welcomed Drax to the group, and the others awkwardly agreed to get along as they prepared to break out of prison.

Apocalypse waited outside Kyln Prison while Star-Lord and the others staged their escape, then claimed the Orb and joined them aboard the Milano. The group escaped, and Kyln's guards reported Apocalypse's impossible survival in space to Xandar.

• Apocalypse passed through Kyln's alloy wall and waited in the vacuum while Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Drax, and Groot carried out their prison-break plan.
• Star-Lord and the others fought their way through the prison and recovered Star-Lord's Walkman and the Orb.
• The Orb flew through the prison's protective glass to Apocalypse, who confirmed it held the Power Stone and considered the other Infinity Stones he still sought.
• Star-Lord and Gamora listened to Come and Get Your Love on Apocalypse's Walkman as they danced past guards and reached the Milano.
• Apocalypse entered the Milano by passing through its outer wall, and Star-Lord and the others escaped Kyln Prison.
• Kyln's guards reported Apocalypse's survival in space and entry into the Milano to Xandar.

Apocalypse and the Guardians traveled aboard the Milano toward Knowhere so he could question the Collector about the Aether and see an Ancient Celestial’s skull. Meanwhile, Xandar investigated Kyln Prison after receiving a report, and Ronan watched its response as he prepared to target the Nova Empire.

• Xandar received intelligence about Apocalypse and dispatched forces to investigate Kyln Prison, while Ronan learned of the report through his agents and watched Xandar’s movements.
• On the Milano, Gamora asked Star-Lord to play his song, and Apocalypse jokingly called it the “Happy Idiot Song,” provoking Drax’s laughter and Star-Lord’s annoyance.
• Rocket Raccoon realized that the Orb would not be sold to the Collector, but Apocalypse told the group to accompany him to Knowhere anyway.
• Apocalypse explained that he wanted to learn whether the Collector knew the complete incantation for controlling the Aether and to inspect an Ancient Celestial’s skull.
• As Rocket piloted through a chaotic meteor zone, Star-Lord warned everyone to hold tight, and Apocalypse told Rocket to fly straight ahead instead of dodging.

Apocalypse helped the Guardians escape Kyln’s pursuit through the Meteor Belt, then traveled with them to Knowhere, a mining settlement built inside an enormous Celestial head. After sensing a powerful but unconscious life force within the head, he wondered whether it was truly dead.

• Apocalypse shielded the ship from the Meteor Belt, allowing it to pass through the meteors unharmed and escape the prison ships.
• Star-Lord questioned Apocalypse about Earth and Asgard, and Apocalypse answered his questions while they traveled.
• Gamora entered Knowhere’s coordinates, and the ship used a wormhole to travel several light-years.
• The Guardians arrived at Knowhere and saw the enormous Celestial head and its busy mining settlement.
• After landing, Apocalypse sensed an instinctive life force inside the Celestial head, but found no sign of consciousness.

Apocalypse and his companions arrived at the Tivan Group’s market to meet the Collector, but a guard attacked them after refusing to summon him. Taneleer Tivan emerged, killed the guard for acting without permission, and asked who had wanted to see him.

• Apocalypse’s group explored the Tivan Group’s market, where Gamora arranged for them to meet the Collector.
• When the guard refused to summon Tivan, Apocalypse demanded to see him, and Rocket Raccoon drew his weapon.
• Apocalypse identified himself as someone from Asgard, but the guard ordered his subordinates to fire anyway.
• Apocalypse shielded the group from the energy bolts, then stomped the ground and knocked down the attackers.
• Taneleer Tivan came out of the museum, burned the guard to ashes, and asked who wanted to see him.

Tang Tianqi entered Tivan’s collection hall as an Asgardian prince and asked about Aether and the Infinity Stones. Tivan explained their origins and offered information about the Soul Stone, but Tang Tianqi declined to pursue it, leaving Gamora wondering why he had looked at her.

• Rocket Raccoon introduced Tang Tianqi to Tivan as an Asgardian, and Tang Tianqi revealed his Princely Seal to gain Tivan’s respect.
• Tivan escorted Tang Tianqi and the others into his collection hall and refused to explain his relationship with Asgard without the Allfather’s order.
• Tang Tianqi asked Tivan how to control Aether, then revealed that he had exterminated the Dark Elves, who had held the knowledge of its control.
• Tivan described the destructive power of the Infinity Stones and claimed that the universe itself was a seventh Stone.
• Tivan offered to tell Tang Tianqi where the Soul Stone was, but Tang Tianqi declined and told Gamora she was as precious as the Soul Stone.

Apocalypse failed to learn where the Abyss was, but freed two red-skinned maids from Tivan's collection. As the group began choosing items, an attack devastated the mining site, and a flagship arrived with a pale purple-skinned woman calling Gamora her sister.

• Apocalypse asked Tivan about the Celestial's missing body and the Abyss, but Tivan knew nothing about the Abyss.
• Apocalypse asked for the two red-skinned maids and told them they were free to leave with his group.
• A sudden attack shook the mining site, and combat ships bombarded the area.
• Apocalypse crushed two attacking ships, while a missile blast destroyed much of Tivan's collection; Rocket Raccoon shot down several more ships with the Hadron Enforcer.
• A large flagship charged at Apocalypse's group, and a pale purple-skinned woman aboard it shouted that she had finally found her sister.

Apocalypse destroyed Nebula’s flagship while Gamora fought to stop her sister from attacking. Gamora got Nebula to take a Golden Recovery Potion, but Star-Lord revealed that Yondu might encounter Ronan on Xandar.

• Gamora stopped Rocket Raccoon from firing at Nebula, while Apocalypse tore Nebula’s flagship in half and protected the Collector.
• Gamora and Nebula fought, and Gamora explained that she had sold the Orb for one billion credits to obtain a way to repair Nebula’s body.
• Gamora pinned Nebula and offered her a Golden Recovery Potion; after Gamora pretended to drop it, Nebula caught it and left without attacking again.
• Apocalypse asked why Ronan was absent, and Nebula said he had gone to Xandar to destroy the Nova Empire.
• Star-Lord told Gamora that he had contacted Yondu from Xandar and feared Yondu might run into Ronan.

Star-Lord and his companions headed toward Xandar after hearing Yondu might have encountered Ronan. Nebula rescued Gamora from space and used the Golden Potion to revive her, then accepted another bottle from Apocalypse as they arranged a ride to Xandar.

• Star-Lord worried that Yondu might have run into Ronan, and Apocalypse agreed to go to Xandar with the group.
• Gamora tested a combat ship, but Nebula ambushed her and blasted her into space before flying away.
• Apocalypse delayed the rescue and told Nebula that Gamora would die unless someone helped her, prompting Nebula to return and pull her sister into the ship.
• Nebula used the Golden Potion Gamora had given her to revive her, and Gamora realized Nebula had saved her.
• Apocalypse boarded Nebula's ship with the two alien maidservants and gave Gamora another bottle of Golden Potion as fare.
• Nebula refused to drink the potion because she feared her father would notice if her body was repaired.

As Ronan’s forces overwhelmed Xandar’s defenders, Star-Lord arrived with Apocalypse and offered to bring a god into the battle. The chapter ended with Star-Lord telling Commander Saal that the god was a prince among the gods.

• Nebula and Gamora decided to keep Nebula’s repaired body secret from Thanos until they could escape him.
• Apocalypse, Star-Lord, and their companions arrived in Xandar’s outer space and saw Ronan’s forces fighting the Nova Corps and Yondu’s Ravagers.
• Ronan’s mothership’s powerful shield stopped the Nova Corps’ bombs, leaving the defenders outnumbered and unable to damage it.
• Star-Lord contacted Yondu and asked to join the battle for the same reward, then demanded to speak with someone who had more authority than Commander Saal.
• Star-Lord offered to ask a god for help, and Saal recognized him as the figure who had appeared at Kyln Prison.
• Star-Lord told Saal that the god was a prince among the gods.

Star-Lord negotiated for Apocalypse to help the Nova Empire defend Xandar against Ronan, securing a vast payment and a referral fee. Apocalypse struck Ronan’s mothership with the Infinite Divine Fist, but its massive shield held, leaving the battle unresolved.

• The Nova Prime offered Apocalypse fifty billion star credits, a living planet, and Star-Lord a ten-percent referral fee if they won the war.
• Star-Lord accepted the deal after confirming Apocalypse had no objection, while Ronan’s mothership approached Xandar’s heavy-firepower range.
• Ronan’s mothership fired a probing shell that collided with Xandar’s ground defenses, causing a huge explosion high above the cities.
• At Saal’s urging, Apocalypse left his warship and faced Ronan’s mothership alone as the Nova Prime watched nervously.
• Apocalypse hit the mothership with the Infinite Divine Fist, but its shield absorbed the blow with little visible damage.

Apocalypse opened the Orb and tested the Power Stone, unleashing its destructive energy against Ronan’s mothership. Xandar’s leaders believed the battle was decided and considered improving their reward to persuade Apocalypse to stay in Nova Empire territory.

• The Nova Prime ordered an emergency evacuation of Xandar after Apocalypse’s punch failed to break Ronan’s shield.
• Apocalypse took out the Orb and opened it, then pulled the Power Stone into his hand.
• The Power Stone’s energy engulfed Apocalypse, but his Ninefold Divine Body endured it and channeled the excess into a giant purple tornado.
• Apocalypse sent the tornado through Ronan’s mothership, piercing its shield and destroying the central main cabin.
• The Nova Prime and her minister discussed whether the reward was too small and whether the offered planet could persuade Apocalypse to reside in the Nova Empire.

Apocalypse gained initial control over the Power Stone’s energy, but Ronan’s forces brought Star-Destroying Projectiles to Xandar and threatened to destroy the planet. Ronan landed in the capital and held the planet hostage, warning Apocalypse to stay away.

• The Supreme Commander considered securing Apocalypse’s protection for Xandar while he focused on his insight.
• Ronan’s mothership broke into cubes that descended toward Xandar, and Apocalypse ground one of them into powder with a Power Stone tornado.
• The destroyed cube released a Star-Destroying Projectile, and Apocalypse saw more cubes entering Xandar’s atmosphere; the Supreme Commander ordered the ground forces not to fire.
• Several cubes crashed across Xandar, while the largest landed in the capital and crushed buildings before Ronan emerged with a detonator wired to his pulse.
• Ronan threatened to turn Xandar into Hell and declared his revenge, then warned the approaching Apocalypse that he would detonate the projectiles if Apocalypse came within ten thousand meters.

Apocalypse used Star-Lord’s cringe dancing to distract Ronan and buy time while he secretly dealt with the Star-Destroying Projectiles. Ronan pressed the detonation button, but nothing happened, and Apocalypse arrived as Commander Saal asked whether the projectiles had been destroyed.

• Apocalypse secretly told Star-Lord to dance, and Star-Lord began singing and swaying to distract Ronan.
• Drax and Groot joined Star-Lord’s dance, and some Xandarians started dancing as Ronan watched in confusion.
• Apocalypse told Star-Lord to stop, and Star-Lord revealed that the dancing had bought time.
• Ronan angrily pressed the detonation button, but the Star-Destroying Projectiles did not explode.
• Apocalypse flew over, and Commander Saal asked Mr. Tang whether the projectiles had been destroyed.

Apocalypse used the Space Stone to isolate Xandar from Ronan’s Star-Destroying Projectiles and helped the defenders defeat his attack. After Ronan realized Apocalypse came from Earth, he blamed the Supreme Intelligence for the Kree’s failure to produce powerful leaders and vowed to expose it, but Apocalypse questioned whether Ronan would survive to return.

• Apocalypse cut off the space around the Star-Destroying Projectiles, preventing their detonation signal from reaching them, while Xandar’s forces neutralized the weapons.
• Ronan despaired over his defeat and asked Apocalypse who he was; Apocalypse said he came from Earth.
• Ronan asked whether Apocalypse knew Vers, and Apocalypse explained that her real name was Carol Danvers and that they had never met.
• Apocalypse said the Supreme Intelligence’s control prevented the Kree from producing god-level powerhouses, prompting Ronan to vow to tell the council.
• Apocalypse asked Ronan whether he thought he still had a chance to return.

Apocalypse killed Ronan and lifted the spatial severance, ending the threat to Xandar and allowing the planet to celebrate its survival. At the victory ceremony, the Nova Prime suggested naming Star-Lord and his companions the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Apocalypse wondered what rejecting the name would do to the Sacred Timeline.

• Apocalypse killed Ronan after confirming that the Star-Destroying Projectiles had been moved away from Xandar.
• Apocalypse used the Tesseract to lift the spatial severance, and the Star-Destroying Projectiles detonated harmlessly in space as Xandar's communications returned.
• Xandarians celebrated the victory and honored Apocalypse, Star-Lord, Yondu, and the others as heroes.
• Star-Lord flirted with Gamora while Drax bluntly explained his intentions, and Nebula warned Gamora about the team's lack of normal people.
• The Nova Prime praised the heroes and suggested Star-Lord's team take the name Guardians of the Galaxy.
• Apocalypse considered whether accepting or rejecting the name would affect the Sacred Timeline.

Apocalypse approved Karina’s request for the Matani to join the Nova Empire and chose a resource planet as his reward, planning to move Knowhere into its orbit. The Supreme agreed to the relocation, and then asked Star-Lord where he had learned the dance that saved Xandar.

• Karina asked the Supreme to take in the Matani, and Apocalypse approved the Nova Empire protecting her people.
• Apocalypse chose a remote resource planet for his people, seeking one with conditions close to Earth’s.
• Apocalypse asked the Supreme to move Knowhere into the resource planet’s orbit, and she explained that the journey would take over eight hundred years.
• Apocalypse accepted the long travel time, and the Supreme agreed to relocate Knowhere.
• The Supreme praised Star-Lord’s dance and asked where he had learned it.

Star-Lord learned that his father was a Celestial, while Apocalypse and Yondu chose not to reveal Ego’s sinister plans to him yet. As the Guardians left Xandar after Star-Lord’s dance became a planetary sensation, Thanos prepared for a future confrontation with Apocalypse, and Nick Fury disappeared after an attack on Earth.

• The Supreme Lady made Star-Lord’s dance Xandar’s official Victory Day celebration dance, and Apocalypse revealed that Quill’s father was a Celestial.
• Apocalypse withheld the truth about Ego from Star-Lord and discussed with Yondu how Ego planned to use him.
• Star-Lord’s dance spread across Xandar, embarrassing the other Guardians, who pushed to leave on missions.
• Thanos watched footage of Apocalypse, decided to change his plans, and kept Nebula in place to gather intelligence.
• Fake police officers attacked Nick Fury at S.H.I.E.L.D., and he went missing.

Nick Fury discovered that Project Insight's criminal-identification algorithm could be altered and tried to delay the project, prompting an ambush on his way home. Black Widow rescued him from the attackers, but the Winter Soldier confronted them.

• Nick Fury asked Secretary Pierce to delay Project Insight after discovering that its algorithm could be changed, and Pierce asked him to invite Iron Man to his niece's birthday party.
• Armed men disguised as police officers ambushed Fury's car, but he fought his way free and called Hill and Natasha for help.
• Black Widow raced to Fury's location in Apocalypse's gifted supercar and arrived as Fury was pursued on the highway.
• The Winter Soldier attached a bomb to Fury's Mercedes, overturned it, and tore off its door.
• Black Widow struck the Winter Soldier with a blast of yellow light, then recognized him as the Winter Soldier.

Black Widow fought the Winter Soldier and Hydra gunmen while Nick Fury cut through the floor of the car. She damaged the Winter Soldier’s mechanical arm, but more than a dozen armed vehicles arrived before she could finish him.

• The Winter Soldier attacked Black Widow, and she met his mechanical fist with a strike empowered by yellow divine power.
• Hydra gunmen opened fire on Black Widow and Nick Fury’s car while Nick Fury used a laser cutter to cut through the car floor.
• Black Widow shot several gunmen, forcing the rest to take cover and easing the pressure on her fight with the Winter Soldier.
• A Hydra gunner fired an RPG, and the blast threw Black Widow into a Mercedes, nearly knocking her unconscious.
• Nick Fury handed Black Widow a long gun, and she killed the RPG gunner and suppressed the remaining armed men while fighting the Winter Soldier.
• Black Widow struck the Winter Soldier’s mechanical arm with a hand blade, badly damaging it, but more than a dozen armed vehicles approached.