Recaps

Loren studied Alice’s report on Skrull genetic plasticity and planned to use it to fuse human cells with Kryptonian genes, so he asked Alice to find a healthy Skrull. Alice tracked one to an apartment in Chicago and reached his locked door while he slept.

• Loren read Alice’s report and realized Skrull cells might accept Kryptonian genes during a temporary transformation into Skrull cells.
• Loren asked Alice to find a living, healthy Skrull whose memory and genes remained intact.
• Alice identified a Skrull by tracking a pattern of unusually high daily food consumption across different locations and identities.
• Alice located the Skrull in apartment 4B near Logan Square in Chicago and approached his door undetected.
• Alice sensed that the Skrull was asleep and alone, then reached for the apartment lock.

Alice confronted a Skrull in his apartment and demanded that he come with her, offering to spare him if he cooperated. After he refused and transformed to attack, she swiftly disabled him, leaving him badly injured and screaming in fear.

• Alice silently entered the Skrull's apartment and found him asleep in bed.
• The Skrull woke instantly, recognized Alice as a threat, and tried to escape through the window.
• Alice blocked his escape and caught his energy blade between two fingers, then offered him a choice between cooperating and being taken by force.
• The Skrull transformed into a four-armed monster and attacked Alice with four different weapons.
• Alice broke or severed all four of the Skrull's attacking arms in seconds, leaving him bleeding and screaming.

Alice captured a Skrull shapeshifter and brought him to Loren, who analyzed the Skrull's genome in Morgan Manor's underground laboratory. Loren explained that he needed the Skrull's genes and offered cooperation, but warned he would take what he needed regardless.

• Alice defeated the Skrull, scanned his genes, and fitted him with an Inhibitor that blocked his shapeshifting.
• Alice took the Skrull by anti-gravity fighter to Morgan Manor, where Loren restrained him and collected blood samples for analysis.
• After three hours, Loren identified repeated sequences in the Skrull genome that served as templates for shapeshifting.
• The Skrull asked Loren who he was, and Loren said he needed the Skrull's help and genes.
• Loren offered to let the Skrull cooperate with dignity, but warned that he would obtain the genes even if the Skrull refused.

Loren persuaded a captive Skrull to cooperate so he could study the Skrulls’ genetic plasticity and use it to overcome rejection between human cells and Kryptonian genes. He identified the Morphology Control Gene but learned that its enzyme required an external device called a Gene Machine, leaving his research at a new obstacle.

• Loren explained that he wanted to borrow the Skrulls’ genetic plasticity mechanism, and the Skrull described how the Celestials had altered his species.
• Loren offered the Skrull a choice between cooperating and suffering through the experiments, and the Skrull agreed to cooperate.
• Over the next two days, the Skrull allowed Loren to study his blood, cells, and genes.
• On the third day, Loren found the Morphology Control Gene on the Skrulls’ twenty-third chromosome and identified its enzyme as a way to translate Kryptonian genetic information.
• The Skrull told Loren that the enzyme had to be activated by an external device called a Gene Machine.

Loren learned that the Skrulls needed a Gene Infuser to gain the abilities of creatures they transformed into, and he sent Nymph and Android 18 to retrieve it from the Skrull mothership. He freed the captured Skrull and offered him a choice as the mothership Conqueror waited in the asteroid belt.

• Loren learned that the Gene Infuser stored thousands of transformation templates, including the Silver Surfer's, and that the Skrull mothership was in the asteroid belt.
• Loren used the Mind Stone to read the mothership's coordinates and opened a portal to it with the Space Stone.
• Loren ordered Nymph and Android 18 to bring back the Gene Infuser intact, telling them to make the Skrulls hand it over if necessary.
• Nymph and Android 18 entered the portal, which closed behind them.
• Loren freed the Skrull from his restraints and let him choose whether to wait or return to warn his people not to come to Earth.
• The Skrull mothership Conqueror remained hidden among asteroids at the edge of the Solar System.

Android 18 and Nymph confronted a Skrull mothership to obtain the Gene Infuser, and Android 18 absorbed its energy-weapon volleys with her new ability. The Skrulls’ attacks failed, and Android 18 prepared to strike back.

• The Skrull commander detected a spatial fluctuation near the mothership as Android 18 and Nymph emerged from a blue portal into space.
• Android 18 demanded something from the Skrulls, and Nymph identified the Gene Infuser as the technology they wanted to borrow.
• The commander refused and ordered the mothership’s turrets to execute the two women.
• Android 18 created a golden shield that devoured every energy beam the turrets fired.
• Android 18 dismissed the shield and announced that it was her turn.

Android 18 and Nymph defeated the Skrull mothership’s fighters and forced its commander to let them aboard in exchange for the Gene Infuser. They reached the core laboratory, where the machine stood ready.

• Android 18 used a golden disc to slice apart all 120 Skrull combat ships in less than ten seconds.
• Nymph took control of the mothership’s systems and demanded the Gene Infuser, threatening to turn the ship into a coffin if the Skrulls refused.
• The commander rejected fighting, retreat, and deception, then ordered his crew to let the women in and take them to the core laboratory.
• Android 18 and Nymph entered the mothership and passed through its corridors and hangar without being attacked.
• Android 18 and Nymph reached the core laboratory and saw the five-meter-tall Gene Infuser at its center.

Android 18 and Nymph took the Gene Infuser from the Skrulls and brought it to Loren's laboratory. The Skrull commander canceled the invasion permanently, and the captive Skrull left after warning his people to stay away from Earth.

• Android 18 lifted the Gene Infuser while Nymph opened a portal back to Morgan Manor, and the Skrull commander confirmed that the invasion plan was over.
• The commander permanently canceled the Total Invasion Plan and warned that the Skrulls should never go near Earth.
• Android 18 and Nymph brought the Gene Infuser to Loren, who praised them as the captive Skrull watched.
• Loren removed the captive Skrull's suppressor and told him that Earth would never be a target for the Skrulls.
• The Skrull promised to warn his people about Loren and Earth, then left the laboratory as Loren turned to resume his research.

Tony Stark, Steve, and Natasha entered an abandoned Brooklyn factory to capture a Skrull, but the target revealed a powerful alien form that withstood Tony’s attack. The Skrull stood ready to fight as Tony’s team closed in.

• Tony confirmed a Skrull’s location in a Brooklyn shipyard and coordinated a capture with Steve, Natasha, and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
• Tony burned through the factory’s entrance and confronted the Skrull, who said he had been waiting for him.
• The Skrull transformed into a towering, four-armed creature with dark red skin and curved horns.
• Tony fired his Palm Cannons, but the blast only scorched the Skrull’s skin without injuring him.

Tony, Steve Rogers, and Natasha Romanoff fought a Skrull whose body adapted to attacks and resisted their weapons. After the Skrull survived their assault and began growing a fifth arm, the battle remained unresolved.

• Tony attacked the Skrull with missiles and Palm Cannons, but JARVIS reported that it was developing resistance to his weapons.
• Steve Rogers struck the Skrull's forearm with his Vibranium Shield, then was injured when the Skrull knocked him into a steel pillar.
• Natasha Romanoff shocked the Skrull's neck and stabbed its eye, but the Skrull fractured her arm and hurled her into metal barrels.
• Tony rammed the Skrull through the factory wall while Steve followed and joined the attack outside.
• The Skrull rose with one arm disabled and began growing a fifth arm from its shoulder.

Tony Stark, Steve, and Natasha discovered that twelve S.H.I.E.L.D. agents surrounding them were Skrulls who had infiltrated Earth for three years. The Skrulls revealed they had studied Tony and prepared counters to his weapons, then opened fire on the trapped trio.

• Tony learned from JARVIS that the twelve missing agents had Skrull energy signatures.
• Twelve Skrulls emerged from the factory and encircled Tony, Steve, and Natasha.
• The Skrull disguised as Carter revealed that the group had posed as trusted S.H.I.E.L.D. agents for three years.
• Tony fired a full-power blast at Carter, but Carter changed his skin to armored silver and reflected the beams.
• Carter signaled the twelve Skrulls, and they all opened fire.

Tony, Steve, and Natasha fought twelve Skrulls, whose specialized weapons and transformations overwhelmed the trio. Tony was disabled by a targeted EMP, Natasha was wounded, and Steve was driven to one knee by a powerful Skrull warrior.

• The Skrulls fired dark-red plasma at Tony, Steve, and Natasha, burning Steve through his shield and wounding Natasha’s thigh.
• Tony rose above the factory and fired every weapon at the Skrulls, but they emerged unharmed and began hovering with transformed bodies.
• Carter revealed that the Skrulls had ways to defeat Tony’s armor, and one Skrull used a targeted EMP to disable it, sending Tony crashing to the ground.
• Steve charged the Skrull holding the EMP device, but another Skrull blocked his shield and transformed into a towering black-scaled warrior.
• The black-scaled warrior struck Steve repeatedly, forcing him down to one knee as blood ran from his mouth.

Tony, Steve, and Natasha were defeated and surrounded by Skrulls, who prepared to kill them. The attackers suddenly froze in place, leaving their fate unresolved.

• A Skrull pinned Steve beneath his shield while Natasha fought on despite her injuries and depleted weapons.
• A Skrull broke Natasha’s shoulder and restrained her, leaving her kneeling and unable to fight back.
• Carter taunted the disabled Tony and ordered the twelve Skrulls to kill him, Steve, and Natasha.
• The twelve Skrulls froze just before striking, and Carter abruptly froze as well.

Nymph and Android 18 rescued Tony, Steve, and Natasha from the Skrulls, and Natasha’s injuries were healed. Carter then relayed a remote order canceling the invasion and commanding the Skrulls to leave Earth, though the source of the order remained unclear.

• Nymph restored Tony’s armor and explained that her emotion-manipulation ability had trapped twelve Skrulls in their own consciousness.
• Nymph and Android 18 said Loren had sent them to help, and Android 18 healed Natasha’s injuries through accelerated cellular regeneration.
• Tony thanked Loren through Nymph, while he and Steve set aside their unresolved conflict for the moment.
• Carter involuntarily relayed an order from the Supreme Command canceling the full-scale invasion and directing all Skrulls to evacuate Earth and return to the mothership.

Carter and his twelve Skrull subordinates abandoned their invasion after Central Command changed its mind, and they left Brooklyn disguised as ordinary people. Tony, Steve, and Natasha considered Loren’s intervention and prepared to report to Fury, while Steve insisted on verifying that the Skrulls had really withdrawn.

• Carter reverted to an ordinary Skrull and led his twelve subordinates out of the factory, where they changed into human disguises and disappeared into Brooklyn.
• Nymph warned Tony that the EMP had exposed a weakness in his armor’s static electromagnetic shielding, and Steve asked Android 18 to thank Loren.
• Tony, Steve, and Natasha concluded that Loren had intervened to stop the Skrull invasion, and Tony flew away in his armor.
• Steve and Natasha headed back to report to Director Fury, while Steve said they needed evidence that the Skrulls had truly left.

Thanos learned that Loren Morgan had acquired four Infinity Stones and grew furious over the unexpected rival. He redirected his plans toward retrieving the Power Stone from Peter Quill and ordered his followers to capture Gamora alive.

• Thanos reviewed the Infinity Stones and saw that four were in Loren Morgan's possession.
• Thanos told the Dark Order that Loren Morgan was an unworthy thief and dismissed the danger of Skyfather-level power.
• Ebony Maw reported that Peter Quill and the Guardians of the Galaxy had the Power Stone after Xandar's destruction.
• Thanos ordered his followers to intercept the Guardians, retrieve the Power Stone at any cost, and bring Gamora back alive.

Thanos ordered Proxima Midnight to spare Gamora and vowed to confront Loren Morgan himself. Meanwhile, Quill and the Guardians fled toward Knowhere with the Power Stone as Thanos's warships caught up with the Benatar and opened fire.

• Proxima Midnight accepted Thanos's order to spare Gamora, and Thanos vowed to come for Loren Morgan himself.
• Quill and the Guardians raced toward Knowhere with the Power Stone while Rocket detected three pursuing warships belonging to Thanos.
• Quill urged the crew to push the Benatar to its limits, while Rocket warned that doing so could cause the engines to explode.
• Gamora quietly asked Quill what Thanos would do to her, and Quill promised not to let him touch her.
• The first Dark Order warship appeared, and Quill banked the Benatar as an energy beam struck its starboard shield.

Quill and the Guardians fought three warships, but the Benatar lost its shields and was left helpless. Thanos stopped the flagship’s cannon, boarded the ship, and entered the cabin, where Drax attacked him.

• Quill, Rocket, Drax, and Gamora attacked the pursuing warships, weakening the shields of two vessels.
• The flagship fired its enormous cannon, and Quill dodged the blast, leaving the Benatar’s shields destroyed and its engines overloaded.
• The flagship stopped charging its cannon, opened a hatch, and drew the Benatar inside with a beam of light.
• Thanos appeared on the flagship, tore open the Benatar’s hatch, and entered the cabin.
• Quill fired his element guns at Thanos, but the blasts did no harm, and Drax charged at him with twin blades.
• Thanos caught one of Drax’s energy blades in his bare hand.

Thanos overpowered the Guardians aboard the Benatar and asked Gamora to come with him. Gamora refused and raised her sword, but Thanos disarmed her and offered his hand again.

• Thanos punched Drax through several bulkheads, leaving him unable to fight.
• Thanos swatted Rocket into a console and broke his arm and rifle.
• Thanos crushed Groot's arm and hurled him into the overloaded engine room.
• Mantis tried to touch Thanos's mind, encountered nothingness, and recoiled in terror.
• Gamora refused to go with Thanos and pointed her sword at his throat.
• Thanos gently took Gamora's sword and invited her to come with him again.

Thanos captured Gamora and took the Power Stone from the Benatar’s crew, leaving Quill and the others badly injured. After embedding the stone in his gauntlet, he turned his attention to the Soul Stone.

• Thanos dragged Gamora from the Benatar as she silently apologized to the wounded crew.
• Quill tried to follow Gamora into space, but Rocket pulled him back inside and saved him from decompression.
• Rocket told Quill that Gamora was gone, and Quill closed his eyes in grief.
• Thanos returned to his flagship, where Proxima Midnight took Gamora away to be settled.
• Ebony Maw presented Thanos with the Power Stone, and Thanos placed it in his gauntlet.
• Thanos claimed the first stone and directed his attention to the Soul Stone.

Thanos brought Gamora to Vormir to claim the Soul Stone, which required him to sacrifice the person he loved most. As Gamora confronted him about his plan and his love for her, Thanos revealed that he truly loved her, leaving them at the edge of the sacrifice.

• Thanos told Ebony Maw that he needed Gamora to obtain the Soul Stone, which demanded the sacrifice of a loved one.
• Thanos took Gamora, restrained by an Inhibitor, to Vormir, where they had encountered Red Skull years earlier.
• Red Skull greeted Thanos and pointed out the Soul Stone beneath the cliff, explaining that it came at a price.
• Gamora accused Thanos of bringing her to Vormir to kill her, and he said her death would save half the universe.
• Gamora challenged Thanos's claim that he was saving the universe and asked whether he had ever loved her.
• Thanos told Gamora that she had taught him what love was and that he loved her enough to kill her.

Thanos sacrificed Gamora on Vormir and obtained the Soul Stone, then set out to take the four remaining Stones from Loren Morgan. As his ship left Vormir, he confronted the memory of Gamora and vowed to come for Loren.

• Thanos released Gamora into the abyss, completing the sacrifice required to obtain the Soul Stone.
• The Soul Stone rose from the abyss and joined the Power Stone in Thanos's gauntlet.
• Thanos told Ebony Maw that the remaining Space, Reality, Time, and Mind Stones were with Loren and vowed to make Loren suffer before taking them.
• Thanos left Vormir and imagined Gamora accusing him of killing her, but he did not answer.
• Thanos clenched his fist aboard the ship and murmured that he was coming for Loren.

The injured Guardians drifted helplessly aboard the powerless Benatar after Thanos took Gamora, with only hours of life support remaining. Mantis sensed someone approaching, and Quill saw a glowing woman in a red-and-blue uniform stop outside the ship.

• Rocket reported that the Benatar had only four hours of power left and that no ships or signals were nearby.
• Quill insisted that a lot could still happen, while Rocket and Drax struggled with their injuries and Groot and Mantis remained exhausted.
• Mantis sensed someone approaching with a powerful sense of purpose.
• Quill spotted a golden, humanoid figure flying through space at incredible speed and stopping outside the Benatar.
• Quill saw that the glowing woman wore a red-and-blue uniform and had long golden hair floating around her.

Captain Marvel rescued the Guardians of the Galaxy from the wrecked Benatar and learned that Thanos had taken Gamora to obtain the Soul Stone. She told Quill that Gamora was already dead and could not be brought back.

• Carol Danvers appeared outside the Benatar and restored its power by pouring golden energy into its hull.
• Carol tore open the damaged hatch, used an energy field to keep the air inside, and entered the ship.
• Carol introduced herself as Captain Marvel and learned that Thanos had attacked the Guardians and taken the Power Stone.
• Quill told Carol that Thanos was seeking the Soul Stone and that Gamora had been taken.
• Carol explained that obtaining the Soul Stone required sacrificing the person Thanos loved most and told Quill that Gamora was dead and could not be revived.

Quill insisted on finding Gamora, and Carol agreed to take him and the Guardians to Earth to stop Thanos from collecting the remaining Infinity Stones. They traveled at light speed inside Carol’s golden energy field, leaving their damaged ship behind.

• Quill told Carol he would find Gamora and bring her home, even if he found only her corpse.
• Carol explained that the Space Stone’s energy had transformed her and said she would go to Earth to stop Thanos from taking the remaining Stones.
• Quill asked Carol to take him and the Guardians with her, insisting that Gamora had wanted him to find her if she disappeared.
• Carol enveloped the Benatar in a golden energy field and accelerated it toward Earth.
• Rocket recognized that Carol’s field was warping space and allowing them to travel at light speed.