Chapter Summaries

Tony, Megatron, Stephen, and Captain Yang tried to subdue Kaecilius after his Dark Energy shield overwhelmed their defenses. Captain Yang pierced Kaecilius, but Kaecilius activated a final spell and began sacrificing himself to open a Dimensional Gate to the Dark Dimension.

• Captain Yang asked Stephen to pass Kamar-Taj’s request for an exchange to the Sorcerer Supreme, and Stephen agreed.
• Kaecilius erupted with Dark Energy, corroded Blackout’s arm, and trapped himself inside a barrier that Megatron and Tony could not break.
• Tony and Sunday absorbed the barrier’s energy while Megatron weakened it, allowing Captain Yang to pierce Kaecilius with his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade.
• Kaecilius announced that his spell would destroy Earth and channeled the Dark Energy into his arm.
• Captain Yang recognized that Kaecilius was sacrificing himself to summon an Outworld Heavenly Demon, while Megatron explained that he was opening a Dimensional Gate to the Dark Dimension.

Luke and the Ancient One kept Dormammu occupied in the Shadow World while Tony and the others fought dark creatures pouring from an ever-expanding Dimensional Gate outside the Hong Kong Sanctum. With no way to cut off the gate’s energy supply, Tony called on Saturday to contact Galacta.

• Luke sent most of his Shadow Legion through the portal to investigate the Material World, then joined the Ancient One in fighting Dormammu.
• Kaecilius became a mass of black energy, and attacks from Megatron and the others caused a Dimensional Gate to open and release dark creatures.
• Tony and Sunday fought the creatures while Megatron, the Decepticons, and Captain Yang rescued their allies and held back the attack.
• The Dimensional Gate expanded repeatedly, overwhelming the defenders with increasing waves of monsters.
• Stephen said they would need to separate the gate from its energy supply in the Dark Dimension, but neither he nor Tony knew how to do it.
• Tony noticed the Dark Crystals in his armor and ordered Saturday to email Galacta and ask her to come.

Tony, Captain Yang, Megatron, and the Decepticons struggled to hold back the monsters pouring from an expanding dimensional opening near the Hong Kong Sanctum. As the horde overwhelmed their defenses, the Shadow Legion arrived and began driving the creatures back.

• The opening expanded, overwhelming the defenders, and Captain Yang transformed into a golden giant to kill monsters and rescue the damaged Barricade.
• Tony and Megatron fought the airborne monsters while Blackout and Captain Yang held the ground; Stephen brought Tony's other suits through a portal.
• The opening expanded across the street and the airborne horde broke through, surrounding the suits and threatening to engulf Tony and Sunday.
• Nearly a thousand Bat-Wing Soldiers flew from the Sanctum and attacked the airborne monsters, while Ninja Soldiers, Blade Soldiers, Troll Soldiers, and other Shadow Legion troops struck the ground forces.
• The Shadow Legion broke into the monster ranks, and a tiny Shadow Devourer Soldier appeared on the battlefield.

Galacta, Megatron, and the Shadow Legion entered the Dark Dimension to isolate the portal and stop it from consuming Earth, while Luke and the Ancient One fought Dormammu. When Dormammu sensed his dimension was under attack, he broke away and rushed toward the invaders, forcing Luke to pursue him.

• Galacta defeated a Dimensional Demon God's avatar, collected its remains to strengthen Mordo's soul orb, and then hurried to the Hong Kong Sanctum.
• The Shadow Legion pushed back the dark creatures as Tony and Galacta planned to isolate the portal's energy supply and gradually close it.
• Megatron led the Shadow Legion through the portal, and Galacta followed after handing Tony Mordo's soul orb.
• In the Dark Dimension, Galacta deployed energy isolation devices while Megatron and the Shadow Legion fought the dark creatures and the portal began to shrink.
• Dormammu sensed the invasion and ran toward his dimension, so Luke chased after him and shouted for Megatron and the others to retreat.

Dormammu pursued Luke into the Material World and fought the Ancient One, who used the Time Stone to summon versions of herself from the past. As Dormammu remained largely unharmed despite being overwhelmed, Luke gathered nearly a hundred billion units of energy in Kamar-Taj’s Energy Crystal storeroom to prepare for a stronger attack.

• Luke escaped Dormammu’s Dark Dimension with Galacta and Megatron, then disconnected his dimension and brought the Ancient One back to the Material World.
• Dormammu crossed through the portal and attacked Luke, who escaped into the Shadow World as Dormammu’s blast destroyed the Hong Kong Sanctum.
• Dormammu targeted Galacta, but the Ancient One took up the Time Stone and fought him with accelerated spells, magic circles, and Vishanti’s Sacred Sword.
• The Ancient One used Luke’s supplied energy to summon over a hundred versions of herself from her past, and they bombarded Dormammu while failing to seriously injure him.
• Luke had Shadow Ninjas move Kamar-Taj’s stored Energy Crystals into the Dark Dimension, amassing nearly a hundred billion units of energy for his coming fight with Dormammu.

Luke returned to Kamar-Taj while the Ancient One fought Dormammu, then brought Galacta and Tony to support her. After Galacta used the Space Stone to move them to international waters, Luke fought Dormammu underwater, where Dormammu struggled against the seawater and tried to escape toward the surface.

• Tony and Stephen watched satellite footage of the Ancient One fighting Dormammu, who grew to nearly a hundred meters tall.
• Luke arrived at Kamar-Taj, gave Galacta the Space Stone, and she swallowed it so she could control its power and travel across Earth.
• Tony chose the Reality Stone and attached it to his armor after Luke warned him and Galacta to provide support rather than face Dormammu directly.
• Luke, Galacta, and Tony reached the Ancient One just as Dormammu attacked her, and Galacta used the Space Stone to transport them away from the city.
• Luke transformed, caught Dormammu's punch, and pinned him down before Galacta moved them to international waters; Luke then drove Dormammu underwater and attacked him as he tried to rise toward the surface.

Luke, Tony, Galacta, and the Ancient One fought Dormammu as he opened a rift to bring his Dark Dimension toward Earth. Luke blocked the invasion with his Shadow World, but Dormammu summoned other dimensional demon gods, who appeared around them.

• Tony and Galacta attacked Dormammu while Luke struck him with his scythes, and the Ancient One used the Time Stone to speed up their allies.
• Tony used the Reality Stone to create armor for Saturday, which absorbed Dormammu’s energy ray and fired it back at him.
• Luke rammed Dormammu into the sea, but Dormammu opened a rift and began drawing energy from his minions to restore himself.
• Galacta failed to stop the Dark Dimension with spatial energy, so Luke manifested his Shadow World to block its advance.
• Dormammu formed a magic circle from his minions’ souls to attack Luke’s dimension, but Luke trapped and destroyed the souls with dark energy.
• Dormammu called on other dimensional demon gods for help, and they appeared around Luke and his allies.

Luke, Ancient One, Tony, and Galacta fought Mephisto, Dormammu, and a gathering of Dimension Lords. Luke tricked the weaker enemies into withdrawing, then entered Dormammu’s Dark Dimension and began an escalating battle with him that remained unresolved.

• Ancient One assigned herself to fight Mephisto, Luke to fight Dormammu, and Tony and Galacta to handle the other Dimension Lords.
• Galacta and Tony used their powers and the Infinity Stones to defeat Dimension Lords, while more enemies—including an Intermediate Dimension Lord—joined the battle.
• Luke recorded Dormammu offering to share Earth’s secrets, and Tony played the conversation aloud, prompting most of the weaker Dimension Lords to withdraw.
• Luke entered the Dark Dimension and used Shadow Devourer Soldiers to hold off its creatures as Dormammu grew to enormous size.
• Luke and Dormammu traded powerful blows, and Dormammu snapped Luke’s twin scythes before the two resumed fighting as Dormammu drew more energy from his dimension.

Luke defeated Dormammu, but Dormammu’s collapsing Dark Dimension threatened Earth with a flood of dark energy. Galactus appeared, consumed the dimension’s energy, and descended to Earth, where Galacta called him Father.

• Luke dragged Dormammu out of his Dark Dimension, disabled his access to dark energy, and fought him outside it.
• With the Ancient One’s advice, Luke depleted Dormammu’s source energy until Dormammu became a black crystal, but Dormammu’s Dark Dimension began to break apart and spill dark energy toward Earth.
• Luke tried to contain the dark energy with his Shadow World and called Galacta for help, but she soon ate her fill.
• A giant figure grabbed Dormammu’s Dark Dimension, consumed its leaking energy, and shrank to human size before landing on Earth.
• Luke cautiously watched the stranger until Galacta rushed over and called him Father.

Luke welcomed Galactus to Earth after he rescued Galacta and helped defeat the Dimension Lords. The visit revealed Galacta was carrying a Cosmic Tapeworm child, while Galactus agreed to research stronger Energy Crystals and Tony revealed Mordo’s soul was at Kamar-Taj.

• Galactus arrived, devoured the Dimension Lords, and thanked Luke for helping Galacta find food; the Ancient One said Mephisto had escaped.
• Tony removed the Reality Stone, causing his armor’s altered reality to vanish, and Galactus warned that using the Stone had endangered Saturday’s processor.
• Galacta returned the Space Stone to Luke, the Ancient One returned the Time Stone, and Galactus gave Luke the reinforced Dark Dimension.
• Luke hosted Galactus at the Nine Realms Security Council, where Galactus studied the AllSpark and offered to devise a way to increase the Energy Crystals’ capacity.
• Galactus revealed that the Cosmic Tapeworms were his and Galacta’s children, so Luke agreed to stop extracting devouring source from Galacta; Galacta then worried that extracting it from Galactus might harm her future sibling.
• The Ancient One discussed repairing the Earth Formation, Galacta flew off to deal with the Dimensional Demon Gods’ avatars, and Tony invited Galactus to his laboratory before revealing that Mordo’s soul was at Kamar-Taj.

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.