Chapter Summaries

Tony fought The Mandarin at the deserted villa and overwhelmed him by exploiting his dependence on the ten Magic Rings. After taking most of the rings and stopping The Mandarin’s attempted escape, Tony crushed his chest and left him coughing blood.

• The Mandarin attacked Tony with his rings, but Tony countered his energy beams and psychic assault and endured the rings’ other abilities.
• Tony used his strength to rip two rings from The Mandarin’s hand, then repeatedly seized more whenever The Mandarin finished unleashing his attacks.
• The Mandarin grew fearful and tried to flee, but Tony caught up with him and punched him to the ground.
• Tony planted his foot on The Mandarin’s chest and crushed his breastbone, leaving The Mandarin unable to speak.

Tony killed The Mandarin, rescued Maya, and unlocked the demon chi draw category. He gained Tso Lan's gravity-controlling power, while Loki continued his secret research into creating life.

• Tony killed The Mandarin and ordered the Shadowkhan to slaughter Norris and the others.
• Tony freed Maya and told her to return to producing the Extremis Virus, then accepted her offer to join him in the villa.
• Tony checked the completed Battle of Archrivals mission and used his draw to obtain Tso Lan's demon chi.
• Tony tested his new ability to control gravity by pulling a glass of water into his hand.
• Tony used gravity to pull Maya toward him after she emerged from the shower, while Loki blocked out the noise and continued researching artificial life.

Jane Foster found a strange field in an abandoned building and absorbed the Aether, the Reality Stone, before returning to Earth unconscious. Heimdall discovered the Aether was missing, and Odin divined that it was on the Blue Planet, so he ordered Thor to find its new host and bring them to Asgard.

• Jane Foster entered a distorted space-time field in an abandoned building and appeared beneath Asgard.
• Jane touched the Aether, which merged into her body, then returned her to Earth unconscious.
• Heimdall discovered that the Aether had vanished and reported its disappearance to Odin.
• Odin divined that the Aether was on the Blue Planet, but Heimdall could not locate it from Asgard.
• Odin told Heimdall to have Thor find whoever had taken the Aether and bring them to Asgard.

Thor received a mission from Odin to find the Aether, which had vanished from Asgard and appeared on Earth. After learning Jane Foster had fainted but was safe, Thor enlisted S.H.I.E.L.D.'s help and went to see her.

• Thor meditated at S.H.I.E.L.D. when Odin projected his consciousness to ask about Loki, and Thor admitted he had failed to capture him.
• Odin told Thor that the object sealed in Asgard had disappeared and ordered him to find it or its host on Earth and bring it back.
• Thor went to Nick's office to request S.H.I.E.L.D.'s help searching for the Aether.
• Nick told Thor that Jane Foster had fainted, been taken to the hospital, and recovered, and explained that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been protecting her.
• Thor agreed to let S.H.I.E.L.D. continue protecting Jane, explained Odin's mission to Nick, and left to visit her.

Thor reunited with Jane in the hospital and discovered that a dark red substance inside her reacted to his touch, matching the description of Asgard’s sealed artifact. Unsure how the artifact might affect her and afraid to involve Odin, Thor went to seek Loki’s help at Tony’s villa.

• Thor visited Jane in the hospital, where they reunited and made up after arguing about their long separation.
• Police questioned Jane about a reported attack, and Jane claimed she had merely tripped and passed out to keep the mysterious place she had explored from being sealed off.
• A dark red light repelled Thor’s hand when he tried to touch Jane, leading him to suspect she had merged with Asgard’s sealed artifact.
• Jane told Thor what had happened, but he learned nothing more about the artifact and asked her to rest while he considered how to protect her.
• Thor decided to consult Loki rather than risk asking Odin about Jane, then flew to New York and went to Tony’s Seaside Villa.
• JARVIS opened the villa door for Thor before he could knock.

Thor visited Loki to ask about the Sealing Artifact, which had merged with Jane, and learned that the Reality Stone would drain her life. Loki offered to return to Asgard with Thor and fight beside him if Odin could not save her.

• Thor arrived at Tony's villa and asked Loki about the Sealing Artifact in the Divine Realm.
• Loki explained that the Aether was the Reality Stone and that it would kill a mortal host by draining their life force, though he knew no way to remove it.
• Tony received a temporary mission to subjugate or destroy the Dark Elves and considered its rewards.
• Tony suggested Thor ask Odin to help, but Thor feared Odin would sacrifice Jane for the greater good.
• Loki offered to accompany Thor to Asgard and fight alongside him if necessary.

Tony agreed to accompany Thor and Loki to Asgard, and Loki said he would consider joining Tony’s Dark Alliance after the crisis. As the group traveled to Asgard with Jane, Malekith prepared the Dark Elves to reclaim their sacred relic and attack the Asgardians.

• Loki insisted that he was helping Thor only to test Odin’s strength, while Thor thanked him.
• Tony claimed he wanted Loki to join the Dark Alliance and offered help in exchange for a favor; Loki agreed to consider the invitation after the crisis.
• Thor left to explain the journey to Jane, while Loki returned to the laboratory and Tony went to tell Potts about his trip.
• Malekith announced that the Dark Elves’ sacred relic had emerged and rallied his followers to march against Asgard.
• The next morning, Thor brought Jane to Tony and Loki, summoned the Bifrost, and led them to Asgard.

Tony and his companions reached Asgard, where he defeated Heimdall with one attack after the guardian tried to bar him from entering. Heimdall then escorted them toward Odin’s palace, and they flew toward the floating continent at a pace Jane could endure.

• Tony, Thor, Loki, and Jane crossed the Bifrost and arrived in Asgard’s Reception Temple.
• Heimdall challenged Tony’s right to enter because mortals were forbidden from Asgard, but Tony revealed his power and attacked him.
• Tony wounded Heimdall with one blow, and Heimdall respectfully agreed to let the group pass.
• Heimdall led the group into Asgard, where Tony saw the vast forest and the floating continent that housed Odin’s palace.
• Tony and the others flew toward the palace, slowing down to protect Jane from the strain of their speed.

Tony and his companions faced Odin in Asgard, where Odin declared that Jane could not be separated from the Reality Stone and ordered her confined there. Thor and Loki resisted Odin’s orders, and Tony stepped in to shield them from Odin’s pressure.

• Heimdall led Tony, Thor, Loki, and Jane through Asgard’s empty palace to meet Odin.
• Odin demanded that Loki acknowledge his wrongdoing, but Loki refused, and Thor redirected the conversation to the Sealing Artifact.
• Odin revealed that Jane’s artifact was the Reality Stone and could not be removed, then ordered her to remain in Asgard under guard.
• Thor rejected Odin’s decision, and Loki joined him in blocking Heimdall from taking Jane.
• Odin pressured Thor and Loki and ordered them seized, but Tony stepped forward and shielded them from his power.

Tony Stark challenged Odin and proved immune to the King of the Gods’ karmic fire, then redirected Odin’s divine thunder back at him. The chapter ended with Odin engulfed in lightning as Loki and the others watched in shock.

• Odin recognized Tony Stark’s strength and threatened to imprison him, but Tony challenged him to fight.
• Odin summoned karmic fire to judge Tony, but Tony swallowed the flames and asked for more.
• Furious, Odin called down destructive divine thunder while Thor, Loki, and the others watched helplessly.
• Tony used a force field to slow and redirect the lightning toward Odin, striking him and cracking Asgard’s space.

Tony fought Odin after Odin's Divine Punishment failed to defeat him, and Odin brought out Gungnir. As Tony evaded the pursuing spear and battled Odin, they left the palace.

• Odin emerged with minor injuries after his Divine Punishment struck him, and Tony challenged him to use his real power.
• Odin summoned Gungnir, and Thor identified the legendary spear for Loki and Tony.
• Odin threw Gungnir at Tony, and the spear relentlessly pursued him as he dodged at high speed.
• Tony redirected his attack toward Odin, hoping Gungnir might strike someone else, then fought him at close range.
• Tony and Odin exchanged blows while Tony kept evading Gungnir, and the two fought their way out of the palace.

Tony and Odin fought at full strength above Asgard, and Tony used Odin to intercept Gungnir’s attack. Both were pierced and fell, but Tony healed instantly while Odin’s wounds remained severe, leaving Tony to challenge him to another round.

• Tony and Odin unleashed their full power in a battle that shook Asgard and split the floating continent.
• Tony trapped Odin with a force field, then used the Rabbit Talisman to rush him into Gungnir’s path.
• Gungnir pierced Odin and continued through Tony, sending both of them falling toward Asgard.
• Loki and Heimdall caught the injured fighters, and Tony stood up after the Horse Talisman instantly healed him.
• Odin’s chest healed on the surface, though Gungnir’s lingering laws left him gravely injured.
• Tony asked Odin, “Want another round?”

Tony secured permission from Odin to take Thor, Jane, and Loki with him, while Loki grew more receptive to joining Tony. As the Celestial Convergence approached, Malekith awakened Algrim and prepared to strike at Asgard.

• Odin ended the confrontation with Tony and allowed him to take Thor, Jane, and Loki, warning him to handle any trouble on the Blue Planet.
• Thor thanked Tony and offered to show the group around Asgard, while Tony credited Loki and made Loki feel recognized.
• Thor brought the group to his own palace to arrange their accommodations.
• Malekith watched Asgard from the Dark Elves' spacecraft and explained that the Celestial Convergence would weaken the realms' boundaries and provide a chance to invade.
• Malekith ordered a Dark Elf to awaken Algrim, who went to meet the king and pledged his loyalty.
• Malekith told Algrim that the time had come for the Dark Elves to take revenge and that he needed Algrim's help.

Malekith sent Algrim to infiltrate Asgard, sabotage its defenses, and find the Dark Elves’ Aether, giving him a Cursed Stone to transform into Kurse. Algrim slaughtered the guards at the Bifrost, and the chapter ended as he confronted Heimdall at the Reception Temple.

• Malekith ordered Algrim to infiltrate Asgard and gave him a Cursed Stone so he could become Kurse when needed.
• Algrim’s spaceship reached the Bifrost and attacked the Asgardian guards, who sent a distress signal to Heimdall.
• Heimdall rushed to the Bifrost and found his warriors dead or gravely wounded.
• Algrim defeated the remaining Asgardian guards and entered the Reception Temple.
• Heimdall confronted Algrim, who identified himself as a Dark Elf and challenged Heimdall to face death.

Heimdall defeated Algrim and brought him before Odin, who learned that Malekith planned to return to Asgard. Odin worried that his lingering wounds and the approaching Celestial Convergence would leave him unable to stop Malekith.

• Heimdall overpowered Algrim in the Reception Hall, sealed his divine power, and captured him.
• Heimdall brought Algrim to the Golden Palace, where Algrim taunted Odin and warned that Malekith would soon return with an army.
• Odin ordered Heimdall to have Algrim imprisoned in the Dungeon.
• Heimdall assured Odin that Asgard could defend itself, but Odin explained that the approaching Celestial Convergence and his injuries from a battle with a mortal made Malekith a serious threat.

Odin invited Tony to a banquet and asked him to help Asgard fight the returning Dark Elves. Tony negotiated for a reward and left Odin agreeing to let him choose three items from the Asgardian treasury.

• Odin ordered Heimdall to invite Tony to a banquet in the Rear Garden.
• Heimdall escorted Tony to Odin and Frigga, where Frigga eased the tension between Tony and Odin.
• After Frigga left, Odin told Tony that the Dark Elves, led by Malekith, planned to return and asked for his help.
• Tony demanded Gungnir in exchange for helping, but Odin refused.
• Tony offered to help if Odin let him choose three items from the treasury, and Odin agreed.

Tony told Thor that the returning Dark Elves might be able to remove the Aether from Jane, and Loki devised a plan to gain their trust. Loki was imprisoned beside Algrim while the Dark Elves approached Asgard aboard their spacecraft.

• Tony told Thor that the Dark Elves might extract the Aether from Jane, but the Dark Elf king would likely need to do it willingly.
• Loki proposed pretending to betray Thor so he could escape with Algrim when the Dark Elves attacked and earn their trust.
• Jane agreed to the dangerous plan, and Heimdall sealed Loki's divine power before he was thrown into Asgard's Dungeon.
• Loki acted hostile toward Algrim and revealed mostly true details about himself and his hatred of Odin to gain the prisoner’s confidence.
• The Dark Elves drew near Asgard aboard their enormous spacecraft.

Algrim transformed into Kurse, freed Loki, and prepared to attack Asgard when the Celestial Convergence began, while Malekith’s fleet approached and Odin ordered the Bifrost closed. Odin also faced Hela’s growing challenge to her seal and rallied Asgard’s people to defend their home.

• Algrim shattered Heimdall’s seal, revealed his transformed strength, and recruited Loki to help target Asgard’s Shield Generator.
• Algrim tested Loki by breaking his cell and seal, then accepted him when Loki’s divine power returned.
• Heimdall ordered the Bifrost shut as Malekith’s fleet neared Asgard, and Malekith prepared his forces to attack when the boundaries fell into chaos.
• Odin saw the approaching Dark Elf fleet and considered the dormant Undead Army beneath Asgard a greater threat.
• Hela taunted Odin that she would soon escape her seal, but Odin suppressed her and called on Asgard’s people to defend their home.

Odin’s summons awakened Asgard’s gods as the Celestial Convergence began, allowing Malekith’s Dark Elves to attack through gaps in Asgard’s defenses. While the raised shield halted the invasion fleet, Loki led Algrim to the Shield Generator, where Algrim killed its guards and reached the device.

• Odin’s call awakened Vidar, Hoder, Balder, and the other gods, who gathered in Asgard as the Celestial Convergence began.
• The Convergence destabilized Asgard’s boundary, and Malekith ordered the Dark Elves to attack while Asgardian Warriors returned fire.
• Tony watched explosions redden Asgard’s sky as Algrim and Loki escaped the Dungeon and headed for the Shield Generator.
• Asgardian Warriors activated the shield, stopping the Dark Elf fleet outside Asgard.
• Loki guided Algrim past Asgard’s defenses to the Shield Generator, where Algrim killed two guards and reached the device.

The Dark Elves destroyed Asgard’s shield generator, forcing the Asgardian Warriors into a desperate battle. Asgard’s gods joined the fight, then faced the Dark Elf Sorcerers, while Loki saw a chance to act after Algrim lowered his guard.

• Algrim destroyed Asgard’s shield generator, and the Dark Elves launched a full assault as the Asgardian defenses faltered.
• Vidar healed the Asgardian Warriors, and Hoder, Balder, Sif, Ullr, and other gods joined the battle, driving the Dark Elves back.
• Malekith ordered his sleeping Sorcerers awakened and sent them to fight the Asgardian gods with forbidden arts.
• The Dark Elf Sorcerers emerged and clashed with the gods, with Hoder and Balder drawing particular attention through their powers of darkness and light.
• Loki and Algrim left the shield generator chamber, and Loki, noticing Algrim’s reduced suspicion, asked what they should do next.