Chapter Summaries

Black Widow helped Fury escape a Hydra ambush and brought him to Captain America's apartment, where they discussed how to purge Hydra from S.H.I.E.L.D. without help from Apocalypse. Fury began sharing the traitors Apocalypse had warned him about, leaving their next move unresolved.

• Fury dug through the sewer beneath his car, and Black Widow escaped with him before Hydra destroyed their vehicles and collapsed the passage.
• Black Widow gave Fury a Recovery Potion that healed his gunshot wounds, and they avoided returning to S.H.I.E.L.D. or her watched apartment.
• Fury led Black Widow through the sewers to Captain America's residence, where they took shelter and discussed her destroyed car, a gift from Tang.
• Black Widow suggested contacting Tang or Heimdall, but Fury said they had to identify and deal with the Hydra traitors themselves.
• Fury told Black Widow that Apocalypse had warned him about Rumlow, Jasper Sitwell, Secretary Pierce, and other hidden Hydra operatives.

Nick Fury and Black Widow realized Hydra planned to use the Helicarriers to kill millions, and they recruited Captain America to stop them. Iron Man refused to join immediately because he was working with Helen on a powerful invention, but he promised to shoot down the Helicarriers if they launched.

• Nick Fury explained how he had secretly eliminated known Hydra agents, but said Minister Pierce was too powerful to kill without evidence.
• Nick Fury told Black Widow that Hydra had attacked him after he tried to delay the Helicarriers’ launch, and that their weapons could kill several million people.
• Black Widow and Nick Fury agreed the Helicarriers must not take off, then Captain America returned and believed Nick Fury’s account of Pierce and Hydra.
• Captain America suggested calling Iron Man, and Nick Fury learned Tony and Helen were developing something that could partly replace Apocalypse in protecting Earth.
• Iron Man declined to help with the immediate fight, suggested calling Banner, and said he would shoot down the Helicarriers if they launched.

Nick Fury, Captain America, and Black Widow used Apocalypse’s hidden note to devise a way to identify Hydra agents inside S.H.I.E.L.D. As they prepared to return, Kate arrived with news that someone had tampered with her markers.

• Captain America opened the pouch Apocalypse had left for him and read its instruction to have Steve declare himself a messenger of justice and eliminate anyone who refused to obey.
• Nick Fury interpreted the note as a plan for Captain America to announce that Hydra controlled S.H.I.E.L.D., treating those who resisted as Hydra agents.
• Captain America reluctantly agreed that they had no choice but to use the plan to expose the traitors.
• Black Widow heard someone at the door and drew her pistol before a woman named Kate called out to Captain America.
• Kate entered, reported that some of her markers had been tampered with, and revealed herself as an agent working for Nick Fury.

Nick Fury gathered allies and divine-power equipment to stop Hydra from launching the Helicarriers. As the carriers prepared for takeoff, Steve hijacked S.H.I.E.L.D.’s broadcast system and called on its agents to stop them, warning that Hydra had infiltrated the agency.

• Nick Fury told Kate not to return to monitoring Steve because Hydra would be on guard, and Steve suggested recruiting Sam Wilson for aerial support.
• Steve called Sam, who agreed to help, and Nick Fury ordered him to collect flight wings when the group gathered outside the Triskelion the next day.
• Hill arrived with a vehicle full of equipment, while the lake outside headquarters opened to reveal an underground armory and three Helicarriers preparing for launch.
• Black Widow and Steve fought their way to the broadcast control room, where Steve knocked out its staff and prepared to address S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Steve told the agency that Nick Fury had been attacked and exposed Secretary Alexander Pierce as Hydra’s leader, then urged everyone to stop the Helicarriers from launching.

Captain America’s broadcast exposed many Hydra agents inside S.H.I.E.L.D., triggering chaotic battles across the base. As Nick Fury’s teams raced to the three Helicarriers, all three carriers began powering up, and the six leaders boarded them before takeoff.

• A Hydra agent hacked the broadcast and accused Nick Fury and Captain America of working together, deepening the confusion inside S.H.I.E.L.D.
• A Hydra agent shot a technician who refused to launch a Helicarrier, prompting a chain of retaliatory attacks that exposed more agents on both sides.
• S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel and Hydra agents formed groups, exchanged fire, and fought across the departments while Hydra’s prepared weapons inflicted heavy casualties.
• Nick Fury ordered the teams to proceed, sending Captain America and Black Widow toward Helicarrier A, Fury and Agent Hill toward B, and Falcon and Agent Kate toward C.
• Fury and Hill, Captain America and Black Widow, and Falcon and Kate fought their way toward their assigned carriers as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents gathered behind them.
• All three Helicarriers started their engines, and Captain America, Black Widow, Nick Fury, Hill, Kate, and Falcon boarded them before they took off.

Black Widow, Captain America, Nick Fury, and the others seized control of two Helicarriers, but Falcon and Kate could not activate the third carrier’s shield before Iron Man’s missiles struck. Helicarrier C exploded and crashed into the lake, while Iron Man diverted his remaining missiles after Nick Fury told him the operation had succeeded.

• Black Widow and Captain America fought through Hydra agents aboard Helicarrier A and took control of the vessel.
• Nick Fury, Hill, Falcon, and the others reported that they had seized the other Helicarriers, but Iron Man’s missiles triggered alarms across all three.
• Nick Fury and Hill activated Helicarrier B’s shield, while Black Widow and Captain America activated Helicarrier A’s shield; Falcon and Kate failed to activate Helicarrier C’s shield in time.
• Falcon grabbed Kate and leaped from Helicarrier C as the missiles hit, and the carrier exploded and crashed into the lake after they escaped.
• Nick Fury told Iron Man that the operation had succeeded, and Iron Man redirected his remaining missiles toward the coast.

Nick Fury realized Hydra’s retreat from the Helicarriers concealed a more urgent plan and ordered S.H.I.E.L.D. to search for Pierce. A call from General Ross revealed Pierce was trying to interrogate Snakehead, leaving Nick Fury and the others alarmed.

• Nick Fury warned the gathered agents that Pierce, the Winter Soldier, and several elite squads were missing, and ordered everyone to remain on standby while S.H.I.E.L.D. searched for them.
• Black Widow asked Captain America whether Tang had left another secret packet, but Captain America said there had only been one.
• Nick Fury exchanged code phrases with General Ross, who reported that someone wanted to bypass Nick Fury and interrogate Dulo Franco.
• General Ross angrily reminded Nick Fury that Dulo Franco was the supercriminal the Apocalypse King had captured, and Nick Fury remembered the prisoner as Snakehead.
• General Ross identified Secretary Pierce as the person seeking to interrogate Dulo Franco, prompting Nick Fury, Black Widow, Captain America, and Hill to exchange alarmed looks.

Pierce believed Snakehead was a powerful psychic who could challenge Apocalypse King, and he tried to seize him from the Super Prison while Nick Fury warned General Ross. Ross refused Pierce entry, so Pierce attacked the prison with depth charges, forcing it to begin an emergency ascent.

• Pierce and Hydra concluded that Snakehead was a formidable psychic whom even Apocalypse King could not kill, and Pierce decided to take him for Hydra.
• Pierce used the Helicarriers as a diversion to keep Nick Fury occupied while he went to the Super Prison to seize Snakehead.
• Nick Fury warned General Ross that Pierce was Hydra and urged him to keep Pierce away; Ross refused to let anyone enter or leave until the situation was resolved.
• After Ross rejected his offer of aged red wine, Pierce ordered his forces to attack the Super Prison with depth charges.
• General Ross ordered the prison to evade the assault, but Pierce tracked it with sonar, and the damaged prison system began an automatic emergency ascent.

General Ross’s Super Prison surfaced under Hydra’s attack, forcing him and the soldiers into its Vibranium Alloy core while Pierce’s forces failed to break through. Pierce then ordered his men to release a dangerous girl who might be able to open the prison, leaving her red-eyed and newly awakened.

• General Ross ordered the prison’s defenses to attack Pierce’s warships, and the exchange sank one ship before the Super Prison surfaced.
• Ross called Nick Fury for support, then ordered the staff to retreat into the prison block and weld its hatches shut.
• The prisoners’ agitation triggered the prison’s automatic punishment systems, while Snakehead remained motionless in his cell.
• Pierce’s bombardment revealed that the prison core was made of Vibranium Alloy, and his attempts to cut through it failed.
• Pierce shot a subordinate who warned him about the danger and ordered his men to release a girl from a glass chamber.
• The girl opened her eyes, revealing a faint red light within them.

Pierce sent Wanda Maximoff to free Snakehead from the Super Prison, threatening her brother when she hesitated. As S.H.I.E.L.D. reinforcements approached, Wanda tore open the Vibranium Alloy cage and rescued Snakehead while General Ross ordered the prisoners executed; Pierce then ordered his forces to abandon ship.

• Pierce threatened Wanda by invoking her brother and persuaded her to rescue a man instead of killing anyone.
• Alarms sounded as S.H.I.E.L.D. and other agencies approached, and Pierce gave Wanda thirty seconds to act.
• Wanda flew to the Super Prison and used her powers to tear open its Vibranium Alloy cage.
• General Ross ordered the soldiers to execute the prisoners, but Wanda lifted Ross and his soldiers and threw them aside.
• Wanda shattered Snakehead's cell and carried him out with his restraints.
• Pierce celebrated Snakehead's rescue and ordered his forces to abandon ship and reach the aircraft.

Nick Fury's team destroyed Hydra's warships but learned Pierce had escaped with Scarlet Witch and Snakehead, whom they feared was a powerful superhuman. At Hydra's northern base, Snakehead realized everyone had mistaken him for a formidable villain and decided to play along, demanding they call him the Evil God.

• Black Widow and the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents sank Hydra's warships, while Pierce escaped with Scarlet Witch and Snakehead.
• General Ross warned Nick Fury about Scarlet Witch's strength and urged him to summon the Apocalypse King, but Fury decided to return to S.H.I.E.L.D. and plan carefully.
• Pierce brought Snakehead to a Scandinavian-style Hydra base, where Hydra removed his restraints and served him steak and cola.
• Snakehead reasoned that Hydra had mistaken him for a superhuman and hid the truth while he thought of a way to survive.
• After Scarlet Witch sensed no energy from Snakehead, he told Pierce to call him the Evil God, as the Apocalypse King did.

Snakehead bluffed that the Apocalypse King had sealed his powers and persuaded Hydra to consider helping him regain them. He demanded every Super-Soldier Serum they could obtain, while Pierce accepted his claim that only he could survive the Apocalypse King.

• Snakehead claimed the Apocalypse King had sealed his power and said he could not help Hydra until it returned.
• Pierce explained Hydra's coup plan and promised Snakehead he would replace Nick Fury as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Snakehead decided to gamble on Hydra and demanded Super-Soldier Serum and similar drugs to break the supposed seal.
• Scarlet Witch said she could not sense a seal, but Snakehead challenged her and insisted he was the only one who could survive the Apocalypse King.
• Pierce set aside his doubts and asked which serum Snakehead needed, and Snakehead answered that he wanted all of them.

Snakehead drank dozens of serums, gained chaotic powers, and began slaughtering Hydra’s enemies under Pierce’s command. As S.H.I.E.L.D. debated how to stop him and Scarlet Witch, Apocalypse returned with Daisy.

• Pierce gathered hundreds of serums, and Snakehead drank them one after another until a multicolored storm of power surrounded him.
• Snakehead’s energy storm killed Hydra soldiers, and he attacked Scarlet Witch before her Chaos Magic blast damaged the base and forced him to regain his senses.
• Pierce sent Snakehead on repeated raids, where he destroyed American bases across Europe and spread panic.
• General Ross demanded that Nick Fury recall the Apocalypse King, while Fury and the others weighed the threat posed by Snakehead and Scarlet Witch.
• Nick Fury decided to summon Apocalypse, but Apocalypse appeared at S.H.I.E.L.D. with Daisy before they could call him.

Apocalypse reunited with S.H.I.E.L.D., welcomed Daisy as a new divine warrior, and learned that Snakehead had become the self-proclaimed Evil God. He explained that he wanted to test his growing understanding of Fortune on Snakehead, whose Misfortune had accumulated through his connection to Apocalypse.

• Black Widow clung to Apocalypse when he returned, while Daisy joined S.H.I.E.L.D. as a warrior with divine power.
• Nick Fury told Apocalypse about Snakehead's power and his claim that he was the only person to survive a fight with Apocalypse.
• Apocalypse revealed that Snakehead had gained superpowers and said he wanted to test Fortune on him rather than kill him immediately.
• Apocalypse explained that Fortune and Misfortune could shape people's lives, and that his own influence had helped Daisy become a divine warrior.
• Apocalypse concluded that Snakehead had accumulated immense Misfortune after his arrest and notoriety tied him to Apocalypse King.

Apocalypse decided to test whether Fortune could influence outcomes by gambling, and he brought a group of heroes and agents to a New York casino to practice before confronting Snakehead. The group exchanged millions of dollars for chips, and Apocalypse chose to begin with the slot machines.

• Apocalypse reasoned that Snakehead's transformation might have resulted from Misfortune and decided to test killing enemies through Fortune.
• Apocalypse asked Nick Fury to find a nearby casino, explaining that the test was related to his cultivation rather than money.
• Hill identified New York's major casinos, and the group disguised themselves before heading to the biggest one.
• The imposing group unsettled the casino patrons and manager when they entered.
• Nick Fury exchanged seventy-two million dollars for high-denomination chips and thirty-four coins.
• Black Widow asked what Apocalypse wanted to play first, and he chose the slot machines.

Apocalypse tested how his immense Fortune affected the world by gambling at a New York casino, winning a jackpot before deliberately withdrawing his Fortune to compare the results. He began exploring other casino machines with Black Widow, while wondering whether Fortune could be mastered or used to kill enemies.

• Apocalypse used his Fortune on a slot machine and won the three-sevens jackpot worth seven hundred thousand dollars.
• He sensed Fortune influencing the machine, considered how it might be used against enemies, then concealed his Fortune and lost on his next spin.
• Apocalypse compared Fortune’s activity and stillness, tipped the casino manager a gold chip, and tested more slot machines, winning with the first coin and almost nothing with the second.
• Black Widow explained how to play other casino machines, and Apocalypse asked how she knew so much about casinos.

Apocalypse tested whether Fortune’s influence was easier to observe when people were involved, moving from casino machines to a dice duel. The dice landed on the impossible zero he had guessed, leaving the dealer and casino manager stunned.

• Apocalypse won the top prize at each coin-operated machine and collected chips worth several million.
• Apocalypse joined a dice table and chose to guess the dealer’s throw rather than shake the dice himself.
• After calling on Fortune, Apocalypse guessed zero and told the dealer to lift the cup.
• The dealer revealed all three dice balanced on their corners in a perfect zero, though he insisted through his expression that he had not rolled it.

Apocalypse challenged the casino’s greasy gambler to roll a seemingly impossible 63 points on a hundred-million-dollar bet, hoping to understand how Fortune worked. The cup hit the table, but the result had not yet been revealed.

• Black Widow wagered nearly a hundred million dollars, and the casino manager objected because the bet exceeded the main-floor limit.
• A casino messenger told the greasy man that the boss would allow one round if Apocalypse stood three meters from the table.
• Apocalypse agreed and called 63 points, meaning all three dice had to split into their eighteen faces with every face showing upward.
• Apocalypse sensed Fortune gathering around the greasy man and the dice cup as he watched for how the power would make the impossible roll happen.
• The greasy man’s hand trembled and delayed setting down the cup, then he struck the table and immediately lifted it.

Apocalypse used Fortune to win two billion dollars at the casino, then gained insight into how the power worked. As he remained absorbed in that insight, the casino’s Sixth Master confronted his companions and challenged Apocalypse to play again.

• Apocalypse used Fortune to cut and arrange three dice into a pattern totaling sixty-three, then studied the power’s movements as it acted.
• Black Widow, Nick Fury, Daisy, and the others shielded Apocalypse from the excited gamblers and stopped the Sixth Master’s two companions from approaching him.
• The Sixth Master ordered the casino floor cleared and accused Apocalypse of using superpowers to win two billion dollars.
• Apocalypse said he had won through luck and revealed that using Fortune had cost him dozens of points.
• The Sixth Master challenged Apocalypse to another round.

Apocalypse and his group faced accusations of using superpowers to rob a casino, but the confrontation ended when S.H.I.E.L.D. captain House recognized them and revealed their identities. The casino owner kowtowed to Apocalypse, who cleared up the misunderstanding and prepared to leave.

• The casino owner tried to stop Apocalypse and his group from leaving after they won two billion dollars, citing S.H.I.E.L.D.'s rules against using superpowers to take money from ordinary people.
• Apocalypse agreed to leave the chips behind but lifted the casino's two punk-styled guards into the air when they blocked his way.
• House arrived with an armed squad, accused the group of robbery, and then recognized Apocalypse and knelt before him.
• House greeted Nick Fury, Hill, Steve, and Natasha, and the casino owner realized that Apocalypse held even higher status than S.H.I.E.L.D.'s leaders.
• The casino owner kowtowed to Apocalypse and claimed a connection to the East through his martial arts master.
• Apocalypse told the owner that the misunderstanding was cleared up and said he was leaving after testing matters related to his cultivation.