Recaps

Luke and the Ancient One searched for a way to give Mordo a body compatible with his soul, deciding to seek Johnny Blaze’s help, while Mephisto plotted against Blackheart. After Luke upgraded his Conversion Module and rested, a Dark Dimension carrying a remnant of Dormammu crossed into the Marvel Universe, and Luke sensed it approaching under his control.

• The Ancient One explained that Mordo’s soul was intact but his body had been cremated, so Luke brought out Corvus Glaive’s weapon, which could create a body suited to its occupant’s soul.
• The Ancient One said dark magic could separate Corvus Glaive’s soul from the weapon and proposed finding Johnny Blaze, so Luke and the Ancient One booked tickets to see his stunt show in Texas.
• Mephisto confronted Blackheart after returning from his failed operation, then resolved to use a contingency on Earth to reclaim the portion of Hell’s authority Blackheart possessed.
• Tony told Luke that Galactus was studying the AllSpark in his modified lab, then left Kamar-Taj to return to Pepper.
• Luke used Dormammu’s dark source to double the Conversion Module’s efficiency, while a Dark Dimension absorbed Dormammu’s surviving soul fragments and crossed into the Marvel Universe.
• Luke sensed the arriving Dark Dimension and realized he had complete control over it.

Luke updated the Trading Station’s representatives about the Dimensional Demon Gods and their defeat, then returned home to discuss his relationship with Galacta with Galactus. Galactus let Luke and Galacta decide how their relationship would develop and went to Stark Tower to study the AllSpark.

• Luke visited the Security Council and explained that Dormammu and the other Dimensional Demon Gods had attacked, while the representatives reported that Dwarven weapons had helped defeat two intruders at the Trading Station.
• Luke reassured the representatives that an organization had long dealt with the Dimensional Demon Gods, and he agreed to ask whether it would reveal itself publicly.
• The Trading Station’s representatives discussed the new Trade Coin, made from Jotunheim metal and bearing portraits of Luke and Odin.
• Galactus teased Luke about his feelings for Galacta, then told him he would let their relationship develop naturally; Luke admitted he was unsure of his feelings and made no promises.
• Galactus left for Stark Tower, where Tony and Banner were conducting experiments, and resumed studying the AllSpark.

Luke wrestled with his feelings about Galacta while preparing to join the Ancient One at Johnny Blaze’s performance to investigate Corvus Glaive’s soul and possibly revive Mordo. Meanwhile, Tony recruited others into a matchmaking scheme to help Luke understand his feelings, even as Luke focused on Mephisto.

• Luke gave Galacta an advance supply of Dark Crystals before leaving to meet the Ancient One.
• The Ancient One taught Stephen about the limits of controlling time, explaining that beings and objects such as Luke and the Infinity Stones could make timelines unpredictable.
• Luke and the Ancient One discussed waiting until Johnny Blaze’s afternoon performance to investigate Mephisto.
• Pepper brought pastries to Tony, Banner, and Galactus as they examined the AllSpark, and Galactus described his conversation with Luke about Galacta.
• Tony decided to help Luke recognize his feelings for Galacta, and a matchmaking alliance formed without Luke’s knowledge.

Luke and the Ancient One tracked Mephisto while Johnny Blaze completed a dangerous stunt and learned that Mephisto had awakened the Ghost Rider inside him. After Luke destroyed Mephisto’s avatar, he offered Johnny a deal: use the Ghost Rider’s power in exchange for his soul and a normal life, then sent him to meet Roxanne.

• Luke and the Ancient One watched Johnny leap his motorcycle over six helicopters and land safely, setting a world record.
• Luke and the Ancient One followed Mephisto and learned that Blackheart planned to steal the Demonic Scroll and gain power; the Ancient One explained Mephisto’s plan to make Blackheart vulnerable to the Ghost Rider.
• Mephisto went to Johnny and awakened the Ghost Rider’s power, but Luke ambushed and erased Mephisto’s avatar.
• Luke offered Johnny his freedom and a normal life in exchange for help from the Ghost Rider, and Johnny accepted.
• Luke sent Johnny to his date with Roxanne and said they would find him the next day.

Luke and the Ancient One forced Johnny’s Ghost Rider to flee, then tracked him to Carter, the previous Ghost Rider, and obtained the Contract of San Venganza. They planned to use the contract against Blackheart, though the Ancient One said they would need help to make him absorb it.

• The Ancient One explained that she planned to visit Earth’s other sorcerers, and Luke agreed to accompany her someday.
• Luke and the Ancient One had Shadow Ninjas beat Johnny until Ghost Rider emerged, then Luke’s Shadow Soldiers overwhelmed him.
• Ghost Rider escaped on his Hell Cycle, and Luke, the Ancient One, and a Shadow Devourer Soldier followed him to a remote cemetery.
• Carter mistook Luke and the Ancient One for demons, but they cleared up the misunderstanding and he invited them into his home.
• Carter gave Luke the Contract of San Venganza, and Luke silenced the evil spirits inside it with dark energy.
• The Ancient One proposed finding people to help ensure Blackheart absorbed the contract.

The Ancient One and Luke arranged for Blackheart to find the Contract of San Venganza at Saint Michael's Church, while Carter trained Johnny to control his Ghost Rider transformation. Blackheart absorbed the evil spirits in the contract and fought the Riders, until Mephisto arrived and Luke struck him with black lightning.

• The Ancient One arranged with Saint Michael's Church to return the contract, and Carter began teaching Johnny about Ghost Riders.
• Blackheart and his three demons found the contract beneath the church, and Blackheart released and absorbed its evil spirits.
• Johnny transformed into Ghost Rider and attacked Blackheart, while Carter joined the fight and blasted Blackheart apart with his Hellfire shotgun.
• Blackheart and the demons escaped the underground chamber, then faced Carter and Johnny outside the church.
• Mephisto arrived intending to use the contract to control Johnny, but Luke attacked him from behind and a bolt of black lightning blasted Mephisto to pieces.

Luke seized the Hell Dimension’s authority from Johnny and defeated Mephisto’s avatar, then helped Johnny survive Mephisto’s attack on his soul and offered Carter a chance to live again as a Dark Knight. Carter returned with new powers, and Luke planned to clear the city of evil spirits before joining the Ancient One to destroy the Hell Dimension.

• The Ancient One trapped Blackheart in one body, and Johnny killed him with the Spirit of Vengeance, extracting a sliver of Hell’s authority.
• Mephisto controlled Carter and tried to make Johnny surrender the authority, but Luke fought off Mephisto’s attacks and took the authority for himself.
• Mephisto damaged Johnny’s soul and drained Carter’s life, so Luke let Johnny’s soul fuse with the Spirit of Vengeance and offered Carter a contract to become a Dark Knight.
• Carter returned to life with black armor, a scythe, and his horse Nightmare, while Johnny recovered.
• Luke ordered Carter and Johnny to hunt the city’s evil spirits and told the Ancient One they would call Galactus to wipe out the Hell Dimension.

Luke, the Ancient One, and Galactus attacked Mephisto in the Hell Dimension, defeated his summoned allies, and drained the dimension before returning toward Earth. Mephisto escaped, but Dormammu’s remnant captured him after learning he was Luke’s enemy, while Luke sensed something approaching.

• Luke brought the Ancient One and Galactus through his dimension to the Hell Dimension, where Galactus began draining its energy as Luke and the Ancient One attacked Mephisto.
• Luke and the Ancient One battered Mephisto, but he escaped their grasp when reinforcements arrived, and Galactus left to consume their dimensions.
• Luke and the Ancient One defeated the Dimensional Demon Gods while Galactus drained the Hell Dimension; Mephisto fled into Dimensional Space.
• Luke absorbed the drained Hell Dimension into his Dark Dimension, and the group headed back toward Earth.
• Mephisto encountered Dormammu’s remnant and tried to recruit him against Luke, but Dormammu instead engulfed Mephisto in dark energy.
• Luke felt that something was coming as he slowly made his way toward Earth.

After Mephisto’s defeat, Luke returned to Earth and caught up with Johnny, Carter, Tony, and Banner. Tony and Luke discovered that Happy and Thursday had gone missing, leaving them poised to investigate an abandoned ironworks.

• Carter killed Earth Demon, and he and Johnny returned to Johnny’s house to wait for Luke and the others.
• Luke told Johnny that Mephisto’s Hell Dimension had been destroyed and that Mephisto had escaped, though Johnny’s soul contract had vanished.
• Johnny planned to return to stunt riding and win Roxanne back, while Carter planned to travel; Luke gave Carter a check before leaving.
• Luke visited Stark Tower, where Banner explained that he wanted to communicate with Hulk and Galactus described the AllSpark’s potential to grow to the size of Earth.
• Pepper told Tony that Happy had been absent for two days, and JARVIS found Thursday’s last signal at an abandoned ironworks.
• Luke and Tony decided to investigate the ironworks after JARVIS reported no signal from Thursday.

Luke and Tony traced Happy’s abduction to AIM and found him imprisoned on an island where AIM was conducting Extremis experiments. They rescued Happy, but Extremis-enhanced soldiers pursued him into the woods as the Shadow Ninjas prepared to confront them.

• Luke and Tony examined an abandoned ironworks, and JARVIS reconstructed explosions that suggested the attackers had used unusually powerful weapons.
• Luke learned from Pepper that AIM CEO Killian had recently approached Stark Group, and he and Tony investigated AIM’s headquarters, discovering evidence of human experiments and an overseas island facility.
• Luke and Tony flew to the island, where Luke’s Shadow Ninjas found Happy chained inside his armor in a basement.
• The Shadow Ninjas freed Happy and killed the guards as they led him toward the island’s edge.
• AIM’s Extremis-enhanced soldiers sounded the alarm and pursued Happy, while Tony warned him to flee as the hunt began in the woods.

Luke and Tony rescued Happy from Killian’s island and destroyed the Extremis force there, but Killian escaped after learning his base had been discovered. Killian then planned to kidnap the Stark Group’s CEO and inject her with Extremis as he prepared to rebuild his operation.

• The Ninja Soldiers ambushed and wiped out the Extremis Squad on the island, while Luke ordered them to hunt down the remaining Extremis Soldiers.
• Attack helicopters fired missiles at Happy, but Tony protected him with a magic circle and destroyed the helicopters with black fireballs.
• Luke and Tony landed on the island, learned how Happy had been captured, and found that Killian was not among the people they had rounded up.
• Luke questioned the ringleaders, but their unstable Extremis reactions prevented them from giving useful information; hidden cameras let Killian see that Tony and Luke had raided his base.
• Killian recognized Tony in the footage, decided to make money and rebuild elsewhere, and ordered his bald subordinate to obtain Extremis serum and kidnap the Stark Group’s CEO.
• Killian struck his subordinate when he said the serum was on the island, and the subordinate retrieved a case from a house after gunfire rang out.

Pepper’s convoy was attacked in Hell’s Kitchen by Killian’s Extremis Soldiers, but her ninja guards defeated them. Tony and Luke captured Killian and confronted him at the harbor, where Tony killed him and left the story with Killian’s explosion swallowed by darkness.

• Pepper diverted through Hell’s Kitchen, where Killian’s Extremis Soldiers tried to abduct her and her Ninja Soldiers fought them off.
• Pepper called Tony, and Luke identified the attackers as men working for the mastermind behind Happy’s kidnapping.
• Tony and Luke arrived in Hell’s Kitchen and found the Ninja Soldiers had captured the last Extremis Soldier while Pepper left for the harbor shipment.
• Killian waited at the harbor with serums, but Tony confronted him in darkness after his yacht vanished.
• Killian injected himself with the serums and attacked Tony, who countered his fire with magic and absorbed his heat.
• Killian tried to explode beside Tony, but the surrounding darkness swallowed him and stopped the blast.

An elderly Steve Rogers visited Carter and planned to let Hydra's Arctic operation rescue Bucky, hoping to change the future. As Hydra altered the mission roster and Pierce approved the changes, Natasha secretly stole a patch from his wine bottle and escaped S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.

• Luke teased Tony about nearly mishandling a threat at the port, then left through a portal, and Tony asked JARVIS to have Pepper assess the port for purchase.
• Rumlow delivered Captain America's Arctic mission briefing, then reported to Sitwell that Captain America did not suspect the plan to capture him.
• The elderly Steve visited Carter, discussed finishing his fight against Hydra, and sent several messages to put his plan in motion.
• Rumlow questioned a last-minute change to the Arctic team and contacted Sitwell, who brought the revised roster to Pierce.
• Pierce approved the new personnel and ordered additional team members to prepare at the Arctic base; after Captain America and the others departed, Pierce went to monitor the operation.
• Natasha entered Pierce's office unseen, removed a thin patch from a wine bottle, restored the room, and left S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters in disguise.

Natasha and Nick Fury investigated suspicious S.H.I.E.L.D. operations and were confronted by an unexpected visitor at their safe house. In the Arctic, Captain America realized Rumlow and part of the Task Force were acting suspiciously, and the chapter ended with the two sides facing off in the records hall.

• Natasha gave Fury a recording of Pierce and others discussing Captain America, but she said their caution alone did not prove they were moles.
• Fury showed Natasha reports of thirteen Special Operations Team missions conducted while they were in Asgard, and they found the missions lacked proper intelligence and procedure.
• Fury told Natasha that Coulson had inspected the attacked bases and uncovered evidence omitted from the reports, while Fury admitted he did not know whom at S.H.I.E.L.D. he could trust.
• A hooded figure entered the safe house, and Fury and Natasha fired at the newcomer before recognizing the person and reacting with shock.
• Rumlow led Captain America and the Task Force to an Arctic base, where they found an apparently abandoned facility and searched its records hall.
• Captain America noticed that Rumlow and several team members were nervous and armed, while another Task Force member signaled that they were enemies; Rumlow and the others then dropped their pretense and faced him.

Captain America fought Hydra forces and their Winter Soldiers while waiting for reinforcements, but the battle turned chaotic when the enhanced soldiers went out of control. As he prepared to face the strongest Winter Soldier again, an enormous figure appeared behind his opponent and crushed his head.

• Captain America attacked Rumlow, but Hydra reinforcements drove him and his allies into a defensive position as Rumlow escaped.
• Captain America and the squad fought back with grenades, his shield, and gunfire, then ran low on ammunition as Hydra soldiers advanced through smoke.
• The Winter Soldiers overwhelmed Captain America's allies, while the strongest one engaged Captain America in a prolonged fight.
• The Winter Soldiers turned on Hydra's soldiers and commander, and dark figures seized the commander at the entrance.
• Captain America knocked down the strongest Winter Soldier, but the man recovered and grabbed him before an enormous figure crushed the Winter Soldier's head.

Luke rescued Captain America and his teammates from Hydra, then met Old Captain America, who asked him to help reconcile Steve and Tony over Bucky’s role in Tony’s parents’ deaths. Luke agreed only to give Old Captain America a chance to explain, and later began telling Tony that his parents’ car crash had not been an accident.

• Luke and the Shadow Ninjas defeated the Winter Soldiers and rescued Captain America and his unconscious teammates.
• Luke met Old Captain America, who revealed that he had tried to stop Bucky from assassinating Howard but failed to save Tony’s parents.
• Luke refused to seek Tony’s forgiveness for Bucky, but agreed to let Old Captain America speak with Tony and promised to support Tony’s decision.
• Luke rejected Fury’s request to join S.H.I.E.L.D.’s fight against Hydra and decided Hydra could help Tony release his anger.
• Luke took Tony to a rooftop and began telling him that his parents’ fatal car crash might have been deliberate.

Tony learned Hydra had killed Howard and decided to avenge him, while Pierce launched the Helicarrier operation after Luke reassured him. Captain America’s broadcast disrupted Hydra’s takeover, and Tony and Luke arrived to help defeat the forces aboard the Helicarriers; the chapter ended with Luke promising to explain more about Bucky after the battle.

• Tony learned Hydra had killed Howard and initially considered bringing his father to the present, but chose to deal with Hydra first so Howard would be safe.
• Pierce ordered the Helicarriers launched after Luke’s email led him to believe Luke would not interfere, while Captain America, Falcon, Hill, Barton, and Natasha moved against Hydra at S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters.
• Captain America’s broadcast alerted S.H.I.E.L.D. as Hydra seized key departments and took the Security Council members prisoner, but Natasha subdued Pierce and the guards.
• Hydra launched all three Helicarriers, and Captain America, Falcon, and Barton boarded them but were overwhelmed by Hydra soldiers.
• Tony arrived with the Armor Squad and used magic to destroy Hydra forces, then told Captain America he planned to avenge Howard.
• Captain America apologized to Tony, who did not know Bucky had survived; Luke appeared and promised to explain more after the battle, while assuring Tony he would support his decisions.

Tony's Armor Squad helped the heroes sabotage the Helicarriers while Barton, Falcon, and Captain America fought their way to the cores. After Fury and Luke stopped Pierce from threatening the Security Council, Fury and Natasha released S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files online, and Luke turned his attention to the Helicarriers firing at one another.

• Tony led his Armor Squad against Hydra aboard the three Helicarriers, clearing paths for Barton, Falcon, and Captain America to reach the cores.
• Barton defeated Rumlow by melting the bridge beneath him and sending him crashing through the glass, while Falcon disabled Doctor Zola's drone swarm with hot water and electricity.
• Captain America knocked Bucky unconscious, installed the chip in the carrier's core, and said it was time for them to atone.
• Luke met Fury at the Triskelion and joined him and Natasha in the command room as they prepared to publish S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database.
• Pierce threatened the Security Council with explosive badges, but Luke cut off his hand and erased the badges; Fury used a duplicate of Pierce to complete identity verification.
• Fury and Natasha connected S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database to the internet, and Luke watched the Helicarriers firing at one another as he raised his hand.

Luke helped Fury bring down Hydra and took the warships, then brought Tony to meet Old Captain America, who revealed that Bucky had killed Tony’s parents. Tony confronted Bucky, severed his metal arm, and decided to make him serve and protect his parents.

• Luke captured the warships and gave Fury the remaining Hydra agents to hand over to the authorities.
• Luke brought Tony to the Captain America Memorial Museum, where Old Captain America told him that Bucky had killed his parents while brainwashed by Hydra.
• Tony watched footage of the murder and struck Bucky, then severed his metal arm with an enchanted sword.
• Tony ordered Bucky to serve and protect his parents, and told Old Captain America to restore Bucky’s memories.
• Luke reminded Captain America that he owed Tony as Tony left to get some air.

Luke met Wanda Maximoff and Pietro Maximoff after they mistakenly attacked Galacta while she pursued a Dimensional Demon God's avatar, then brought them to watch Stephen use the Time Stone to repair the Three Sanctums. The siblings began to believe they had found a place unlike any other as the restored Sanctums formed a vast magic array around Earth.

• Luke spoke with Tony, who planned to deal with Hydra before bringing his parents over and asked Luke for information about Hydra bases.
• Galacta brought Luke Wanda Maximoff and Pietro Maximoff, who had attacked her while trying to protect a Dimensional Demon God's avatar.
• Pietro tried to escape and fought the Blade Soldiers while Wanda attacked Luke, but Luke stopped them and explained the misunderstanding.
• The Ancient One invited Wanda and Pietro to see evidence of the sorcerers' world, and Pietro eagerly accepted her offer of food as the siblings followed her through Kamar-Taj.
• Stephen used the Time Stone to rewind the ruined command hall and restore the Three Sanctums, whose energy then formed an enormous magic array across Earth.

Wanda and Pietro considered staying at Kamar-Taj so Wanda could study Chaos Magic and they could grow stronger. Luke agreed to help the Ancient One switch the Earth Defense Formation to Dark Energy, while the siblings discovered that Tony Stark helped fund Kamar-Taj.

• The Ancient One explained that Wanda was born with Chaos Magic and invited her to study at Kamar-Taj, while Pietro took her aside to discuss the offer.
• Wanda persuaded Pietro that they should stay and become stronger, partly to pursue revenge against Tony Stark, and they explored the streets to learn about Kamar-Taj.
• The Ancient One explained that Wanda needed training to guard against dangerous influences and proposed powering the Earth Defense Formation with Dark Energy so Luke's strength would not be restricted.
• Luke bought and enhanced ordinary Shadow Ninjas to raise his energy supply, then agreed to help the Ancient One modify the formation.
• Galacta went to clear Dimensional Demon God avatars, Stephen went to see his girlfriend, and Luke took General Corvus Glaive's weapon to Johnny.
• Wanda and Pietro learned that Kamar-Taj had little factional conflict, but were shocked to discover that Tony Stark was one of its financial backers.

Luke visited Johnny, revealed his disguise as Mephisto, and caught up with the stunt rider. At Kamar-Taj, Mordo merged with Corvus Glaive to regain a body, but he still had to hold the weapon, and Luke promptly tried to make him work off its value.

• Luke went to Johnny's home, where Johnny recognized him after he pretended to be Mephisto, and the two talked about Johnny quitting stunt performances.
• Wanda and Pietro decided to stay at Kamar-Taj despite learning Tony was one of its financial backers, and the Ancient One planned to let Luke address their concerns.
• Luke brought Corvus Glaive to the attic so Mordo could merge with it, and Mordo's soul was drawn into the weapon without being harmed.
• Mordo emerged with a restored body, but Luke covered him with Dark Energy and sent him to the Mirror Dimension to get clothes.
• Mordo returned holding the Glaive and explained that he could not exist independently of it, so Luke demanded that he work for a thousand years to pay for the weapon.

Luke and Galacta went to Busan after China located Ulysses Klaue, who was being held by American agents at a hidden base. Luke captured the agents and found Ulysses, then planned to deliver him and see the local scenery.

• China informed Luke that Ulysses Klaue had been found in Busan, South Korea, and Luke invited Galacta to go there with him.
• Luke and Galacta entered a concealed gambling den, where American agents were holding Ulysses under house arrest and questioning him about the vibranium he had sold.
• Galacta discovered that the gambling tables were rigged, and Luke exposed the machinery before the Shadow Ninjas subdued the guards and sentries.
• Luke reviewed the agents' interrogation records and had the Ninja Soldiers bring Ulysses before him.
• Ulysses recognized Luke from the agents' photograph and panicked when Luke said T'Chaka had identified him; Luke then told Galacta they would deliver Ulysses and look around.

Luke brought Ulysses to Wakanda, reunited him with the people he had harmed, and met King T'Chaka. He proposed trading vibranium through the Trading Station in exchange for access to its goods and knowledge, leaving T'Chaka and T'Challa to consider Wakanda's future.

• Luke and Galacta arrived at Wakanda with the bound Ulysses, and W'Kabi recognized him and had warriors take him away.
• Okoye welcomed Luke and Galacta, guided them through Wakanda's illusion, and brought them to T'Chaka and his family.
• Luke handed Ulysses over to T'Chaka and proposed peaceful trade relations in exchange for vibranium.
• Luke demonstrated that he could send vibranium through a spatial rift, then offered Wakanda a private portal to the Trading Station and access to goods and knowledge from other realms.
• T'Chaka hesitated over exposing Wakanda to trade, and Luke left him time to decide before asking T'Challa to guide him to Galacta.
• After Luke left, T'Chaka asked T'Challa what he thought of the proposal.

T'Chaka agreed to trade Luke one ton of vibranium each month, and Luke tested the newly produced Samurai Soldier, discovering its ability to summon Shadow Ninjas across dimensions. After Luke's power grew stronger in his Dimensional Demon God Form, an enormous Dark Dimension approached Earth, leaving the Ancient One wondering whether Luke was responsible.

• T'Challa advised T'Chaka that Wakanda needed to trade vibranium and prepare for the outside world, and T'Chaka agreed to Luke's terms.
• Shuri and Galacta bonded over Shuri's vibranium inventions while Luke toured the laboratory and underground vibranium operations.
• T'Chaka signed Luke's agreement to sell him one ton of vibranium each month, and Luke explained the Trading Station before taking delivery and leaving Wakanda.
• Luke tested the Samurai Soldier and learned that it could summon Shadow Ninjas, even across dimensions, and move stealthily as a shadow.
• Luke entered his Dimensional Demon God Form in space and found his armor and abilities had become stronger.
• The Ancient One sensed an enormous Dark Dimension approaching Earth, and she wondered whether Luke was behind it.