Chapter Summaries

Russell and his companions accepted an invitation from the Shi'ar Empire after Korath arrived to thank them for saving Kree Lal. They traveled aboard a Shi'ar warship through a stargate and reached the empire’s capital.

• Russell explained that Spider-Man had gained only this universe’s share of Galactus’s power, and Spider-Man accepted that limit.
• Korath arrived on behalf of Empress Lilandra and invited Russell and his companions to the Shi'ar Empire’s capital.
• Silver Surfer refused the invitation and left to protect his home planet, Zenn-La.
• Russell accepted the invitation, and Spider-Man, Thanos, the Black Order, Galan, and the powerless Heralds followed Korath aboard the warship.
• Korath guided the group through faster-than-light travel and a stargate to the heart of the Shi'ar Empire.

Russell and his companions arrived on Chandilar, where Empress Lilandra thanked them for defeating Galactus and saving Kree Lal. She sought an alliance with Russell, Earth, and Cosmic Spider-Man to face future cosmic threats, and Spider-Man agreed to try to fulfill his new responsibility.

• Korath brought Russell and his companions to Chandilar, the Shi'ar Empire's vast capital, and escorted them to the royal audience hall.
• Lilandra welcomed Russell and thanked him and Spider-Man for stopping Galactus, who had destroyed seventeen Shi'ar colony planets.
• Lilandra confirmed that Galactus's Cosmic Energy and his three Heralds' Cosmic Energy had fallen to zero, leaving Spider-Man as the new host of the Cosmic Energy.
• Russell deduced that Lilandra wanted an ally against other cosmic dangers, and she agreed that the Shi'ar Empire needed someone able to confront them.
• Lilandra offered an alliance with Russell, Earth, and Cosmic Spider-Man, and Spider-Man agreed to give it a try.

Russell secured a major technology transfer and a fleet of starships from Lilandra in exchange for an alliance between Earth and the Shi'ar Empire. He then met the Shi'ar gods, who warned him that Earth's returning Elder Gods could pose a serious threat.

• Russell demanded that the Shi'ar share advanced technologies, including stargates and star-destroying technology, with Earth as a true ally.
• Lilandra agreed to provide the requested technologies and ten faster-than-light starships, and told Russell that her empire's gods wanted to meet him.
• Russell followed Lilandra to a sealed chamber and met K'ythri and Sharra, the guardian deities of the Shi'ar Empire.
• Sharra warned Russell that Earth's gods would descend after the Ancient One died, and that returning Elder Gods could endanger him.
• K'ythri and Sharra explained that Set began the Elder Gods' downfall by devouring Hyppus, after which Set and many others became Demon Gods and preyed on their companions.

Sharra and K'ythri told Russell how the Elder Gods became monsters, how Atum and Agamotto shaped Earth's defenses, and why the fallen Elder Gods might return. Russell agreed to face the coming crises, then left to find Lilandra without confirming whether he meant the Ancient One when he spoke of the Sorcerer Supreme.

• Sharra and K'ythri explained that Set began the Elder Gods' killings, and that Atum later destroyed or banished many of the fallen gods.
• Sharra described how Chthon left the Darkhold and the origins of Earth's vampires, while K'ythri recounted Agamotto's birth and the creation of the Vishanti and Earth's magical defenses.
• Russell learned that the fallen Elder Gods might return to seek Atum's descendants and the Creator, whose awakening could erase all life on Earth.
• Sharra and K'ythri asked Russell to handle the potential crises, and K'ythri warned that the fallen gods would target the Sorcerer Supreme to collapse Earth's magical defenses.
• Russell left the guardian gods and met Lilandra in the corridor, then told her that the Shi'ar gods had come from Earth too.

Russell told Lilandra that K'ythri and Sharra came from Earth and warned that fallen Elder Gods might return after the Ancient One died. After returning to Earth, he was intercepted by Uatu, who told him to record a universe on the brink of chaos as a Quantum Watcher.

• Russell explained to Lilandra that K'ythri and Sharra were Elder Gods from Earth and warned her that fallen Elder Gods might target Earth after the Ancient One died.
• Lilandra ordered Commander Korath to prepare a stargate and starship to Earth, and she pledged the Shi'ar Empire's support for Earth.
• Russell traveled through the stargate, and Korath wondered whether he should visit Earth himself.
• Uatu pulled Russell into a void after he arrived on Earth and told him to record major events in his jurisdiction, including a universe where chaos was imminent.

Uatu sent Russell to Universe Number 019 to witness a devastating battle, hinting that it could teach him something about the quantum level. Russell arrived and discovered that the combatants were a dark, altered Professor X and Legion, Charles Xavier’s son.

• Uatu showed Russell a universe being devastated by a battle and asked him to record what happened.
• Russell agreed to travel to Universe Number 019 after Uatu suggested the conflict might reveal something about the quantum level.
• Russell entered the collapsing region of space and observed galaxies and stars being destroyed by the fighting.
• One combatant sensed Russell and mistook him for a Watcher brought as backup.
• Russell saw through the combatant’s black mist and recognized Professor X, then identified the other fighter as Legion, Charles Xavier’s son.