Chapter Summaries

Luke revealed his overwhelming magical potential to Strange and Old Wang, then agreed to become Strange’s contractor under the name Superman. When the Sorcerer Supreme summoned them both, Luke prepared to meet her while leaving Thor and Rocket Raccoon with Old Wang.

• Strange and Old Wang judged Luke to be little more than a beginner apprentice because his magical aura seemed weak.
• Luke unleashed a brilliant soul light showing that Cyttorak, Chthon, and the Vishanti had all taken an interest in him.
• Strange eagerly asked Luke to become his contractor, and Luke gave his name as Superman.
• Luke reasoned that he could help Strange become Sorcerer Supreme in exchange for universe coordinates from Ancient One.
• A mage summoned Strange and Luke to meet the Sorcerer Supreme, and Luke told Old Wang to watch Thor and Rocket Raccoon and prepare hot pot.

Strange entered the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament as a candidate after Ancient One steered him toward it, and Luke agreed to help him win. Ancient One promised Luke this universe’s coordinates in return, leaving them allied as the tournament began.

• Strange recalled how Ancient One’s staged injury and encouragement led him to enter the tournament, and how the Cloak of Levitation chose him.
• Strange introduced Luke as his contracted partner, and Luke declared that he would help Strange win.
• Ancient One dismissed Strange and privately recognized Luke as a young Skyfather.
• Luke told Ancient One that he had crossed universes and needed this universe’s coordinates to continue his journey.
• Ancient One agreed to provide the coordinates in exchange for Luke’s help securing Strange’s victory.
• Luke learned Ancient One had other ways to prepare Strange, including the Book of the Vishanti, the Cloak of Levitation, and the Time Stone, then left as the tournament countdown began.

Luke began training Strange for the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament, focusing on keeping him alive rather than teaching him stronger spells. Strange left their first session encased in heavy armor and carrying a massive shield, facing a punishing daily exercise routine.

• Strange woke to find Luke waiting in his room, and Luke criticized him for sleeping instead of preparing for the tournament.
• Strange admitted he wanted to win the tournament’s request from Vishanti so he could heal his hands.
• Luke reminded Strange that spellcasting carried a cost and that mages had no shortcuts, then claimed he had become a high-level mage in five days.
• Luke outfitted Strange in heavy armor with a large shield and told him his only job in the tournament was to survive.
• Luke ordered Strange to do one hundred push-ups, squats, and sit-ups, plus run ten kilometers every day while wearing the armor.

Luke taught Strange that physical conditioning mattered as much as magic by enduring his attacks without injury. Meanwhile, Kaecilius bribed Monark for the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament candidates list, then dismissed the names and burned it.

• Strange struggled through a five-kilometer run in heavy armor before Luke challenged him to attack with every spell he knew.
• Strange’s Sacred Sword shattered against Luke, and his Crimson Bands broke when Luke flexed; Luke urged him to train his body, so Strange set off running again.
• Kaecilius entered the No Doors Bar and offered Monark gold coins in exchange for the tournament candidates list.
• Monark refused until Kaecilius threatened to reveal a page of the Darkhold, then agreed to sell the list for four additional gold coins.
• Kaecilius read a coded list naming Mordo, Doctor Voodoo, Magik, Loki, and Stephen Strange, then burned it and left.

News of the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament spread throughout the magical world, drawing hopefuls and gamblers while Kamar-Taj stayed silent. Luke told Strange his hair loss might be a sign of his future greatness, then took him to New York to prepare for the first qualifying match.

• News of the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament spread across Earth and beyond, prompting mages and outsiders to prepare, speculate, and place bets.
• Strange asked Old Wang for a remedy for his rapid hair loss, and Old Wang suggested he consult Luke.
• Luke told Strange a story about the prophet Elisha and argued that baldness was a symbol of strength shared by the Ancient One and Agamotto.
• Luke told Strange the first qualifying match would begin in two days and said they needed to travel to New York.
• Strange learned that the tournament would bring him back to his original starting point.

Luke led Strange, Thor, and Rocket Raccoon through a post-superhero New York to the No Doors Bar, where they sought information about the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament. The group arrived broke, and the chapter ended with Thor staring at a woman he thought resembled Loki.

• Luke explained that New York had entered an era dominated by second-generation superheroes and warned Thor that this world's Jane Foster was not his girlfriend.
• Luke told Strange that the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament had three rounds and was a test rather than a way to choose a Sorcerer Supreme.
• Luke brought the group to No Doors Bar to gather intelligence about their opponents.
• Luke asked whether anyone had money or valuable items, and Strange admitted he was broke; the Cloak of Levitation struck Rocket when he suggested pawning it.
• Strange considered asking female friends for help, but Luke mocked his worn-down appearance and ruined hands.
• Rocket suggested Thor return to Asgard for valuables, but Thor ignored him and stared at a woman who reminded him of Loki.

Thor spotted a woman who looked like Loki and approached her, only to discover that Loki had become a woman in this universe. Loki mistook Thor for an impostor and held a dagger to his neck, leaving their reunion unresolved.

• Luke and Thor noticed a captivating woman in a green cloak drinking Asgardian Palm Springs Wine, and Thor suspected she was Loki.
• Luke urged Thor to approach the woman while Strange and Rocket watched and commented.
• A drunken man harassed the woman, and Thor punched him away after she told him to leave her alone.
• The woman recognized Thor’s appearance but doubted his identity because of his short hair and fake eye.
• Thor realized the woman was Loki, and Loki drew a dagger and accused him of impersonating Thor.

Thor reunited with Loki at No Doors Bar and learned that she had run away from Asgard to pursue the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament. Their tense reunion ended with Thor asking her for money.

• Thor disarmed Loki at No Doors Bar, but she kicked him in the groin before the bartender told them to stop causing trouble.
• Thor proved his identity by recalling their childhood pranks and confessing that he had secretly worn Valkyrie armor.
• Loki questioned Thor about his injury and weight, while Thor explained that he had fought over who was most suitable to rule with their sister.
• Monark revealed that Loki had run away from home, and Loki said she planned to become the Sorcerer Supreme.
• Luke stepped between the siblings and reminded Thor to handle his important matter, so Thor asked Loki to lend him money.

Luke and Strange left No Doors Bar to prepare for the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament, while Thor warned Loki about the danger and offered to fight as her contractor. Thor chose to stay with Loki, and Luke took Strange to the New York Sanctum to improve his armor.

• Loki paid Monark for drinks and questioned Thor about why he had come to Midgard.
• Thor urged Loki to abandon the dangerous Sorcerer Supreme Tournament, but she refused to discuss it with him.
• Luke told Thor he could follow Loki or return to Kamar-Taj, and Thor chose to stay by his sister.
• Thor offered to become Loki's contractor and fight in the tournament, though Loki doubted his strength.
• Luke and Strange left No Doors Bar for the New York Sanctum so Strange could have his armor modified.

Strange obtained magic-resistant armor and an enchanted AK47-Fire Kirin for the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament after Luke encouraged him to fight without restraint. The tournament’s preliminary round began in the Dream Dimension, where Strange, Mordo, Kaecilius, and the other beacon holders entered.

• Strange asked Master Hamir to arrange sturdy defensive armor, and Luke helped him secure the best materials without paying for them.
• Luke chose an enchanted AK47-Fire Kirin for Strange, who hesitated about using a firearm until Luke urged him to abandon fair-play conventions.
• A few days later, the leaders of the Three Sanctuaries gathered as the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament began, and Master Hamir reported that forty-two contestants had received beacons.
• Master Grande and Master Hamir discussed Mordo’s strengths and Strange’s mysterious contractor while Master Hamir angrily noted that Kaecilius had entered the competition.
• All beacon holders entered the Dream Dimension, and Master Hector watched Strange go in, wondering whether he was prepared for the preliminary trial.

Strange reached the Magic Furnace in the Dream Dimension and began the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament’s first trial: keeping its beacon lit for six hours while Thought Maggots attacked. At the No Doors Bar, Luke and Rocket watched the live broadcast as Thor fought off the swarms.

• Strange followed his Circular Beacon through the Dream Dimension to a massive Magic Furnace.
• Strange tossed the beacon into the furnace, reigniting it and attracting nearby dream creatures.
• An unseen voice announced that the candidates had to keep their beacons burning for six hours against Thought Maggots.
• Luke and Rocket watched the tournament broadcast at the No Doors Bar and learned the Grandmaster had arranged the stream.
• The broadcast showed Thor surrounded by Thought Maggots, using lightning to clear large swarms.

Loki coaxed Thor into fighting harder by pretending to show him affection, while Strange used a spell to seal his thoughts against the Thought Maggots. Strange was swallowed by the swarm, but Luke remained confident that he had passed the trial.

• Loki asked Thor to hold out for six hours, and he admitted he might not have the endurance to do so.
• Loki sweet-talked Thor into promising to help her pass, and his renewed determination made his soul manifest a battle axe of lightning.
• Strange blasted the Thought Maggots with spells until his mental energy nearly ran out, then used Cyttorak's Blind Idiocy to seal off his thoughts.
• Luke and Rocket Raccoon discussed the tournament odds, and Rocket bet on Strange after Luke encouraged him.
• Strange poured his power into the Magic Furnace as the Thought Maggots swarmed over him, while Luke declared that the trial was in the bag.

Luke explained how Strange trapped Thought Maggots in his mind and endured their attack during the trial. As Thor helped Loki climb the rankings, Luke assured Rocket Raccoon that Strange would pass and that their gamble would pay off.

• Rocket Raccoon worried as Thought Maggots swarmed Strange, but Luke explained that Strange had shut down his thoughts to trap them in his brain.
• Luke explained that the Thought Maggots would starve without active thoughts, while their attack left horrifying marks on Strange's face and a costly magical debt awaiting him.
• Luke compared mages' contracts with Dimensional Demon Gods to bank loans and described how the Sorcerer Supreme could resist their collections with the Vishanti's protection.
• Luke predicted Strange could endure the remaining three hours of the trial, while Thor cleared the insect swarm and helped Loki rise into the top three.
• Rocket Raccoon worried that Strange's low popularity would ruin his bet, but Luke promised that their gamble would pay off in the second qualifying round.

Strange passed the Dream Dimension trial, while Luke and Rocket Raccoon celebrated Rocket’s winnings at No Doors Bar. Magik approached Luke and invited him to her room, and he left to meet her despite suspecting she might have an ulterior motive.

• Sixteen contestants, including Strange, survived the six-hour Thought Maggot trial and were teleported out of the Dream Dimension.
• Rocket Raccoon celebrated winning enough to buy a new spaceship, while Strange arrived at No Doors Bar still reeking of Thought Maggots and suffering from abdominal pain.
• Luke agreed to take Strange’s place in the next match, scheduled for three days later.
• Loki and Thor arrived at the bar, and Luke noted that Loki seemed to be hiding something from her brother.
• Magik, the queen of Hell Border and a tournament favorite, approached Luke, flirted with him, and slipped a keycard into his pocket.
• Luke left the bar to visit Magik’s room, prepared to face whatever purpose or trap she had in mind.

Luke followed Magik to her hotel suite, where she seduced him before telling him that Mephisto was waiting next door. Luke then met Mephisto, who revealed that he had privately invited the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament participants to discuss a major move by Hell.

• Luke entered Magik’s suite and suspected that her eager advances concealed an ulterior motive.
• Magik told Luke that a fortune-telling Granny had predicted a surprising gift, then seduced him.
• Afterward, Magik said Mephisto was waiting next door and had contacted every Sorcerer Supreme Tournament participant privately.
• Luke left Magik’s room and entered the neighboring suite, where Mephisto said only seven of his fourteen invited guests had come.

Luke met with Mephisto, who tried to recruit him to betray Stephen Strange during the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament, but Luke refused and revealed he had brought the Ancient One. The Ancient One confronted the frightened Mephisto as Luke left them to settle things.

• Mephisto recognized Luke as a mage with an unusually pure soul and offered him an accident insurance contract, but Luke questioned its hidden cost and refused to be fooled.
• Mephisto told Luke that Blackheart had allied with Doctor Voodoo, Magik, and an Asgardian princess to eliminate Mordo and Strange in the tournament’s second round.
• Mephisto offered to teach Luke how to dissolve his contract with Strange and promised him any reward in exchange for betraying Strange.
• Luke asked to become Sorcerer Supreme, provoking Mephisto when the Hell Lord could not grant his demand.
• Luke summoned the Ancient One, who entered holding the Head-Busting Wand, and told her to hit Mephisto hard before he left.

After helping Ancient One capture Mephisto’s avatar, Luke wondered what the demon was planning and heard an enigmatic warning about the future. Three days later, Strange joined Luke for the Sorcerer Supreme Tournament’s second trial, a battle royale that would eliminate six of fourteen contestants.

• Ancient One said the group had destroyed one of Mephisto’s avatars and that Mephisto would be unable to interfere in the tournament, while Luke warned that the capture might be a trap.
• Ancient One explained that Vishanti—not Kamar-Taj or the Sorcerer Supreme—selected the next Sorcerer Supreme, then urged Luke to trust his instincts about the future.
• Strange finished digesting the Thought Maggots, and Rocket Raccoon teased Luke about spending three days with the queen of Hell Border.
• Luke and Strange went to the second advancement round, where Strange learned that the strength trial was a battle royale that would eliminate six of fourteen contestants.

Luke and Strange entered the second Contest of Champions match, which took place in Hell’s lower level, where Strange prepared for the dangers ahead. The chapter ended as Luke sensed someone approaching them.

• Strange doubted he could defeat the formidable contestants, while Luke reassured him and told him to wear magic-resistant armor and stay behind him.
• Mordo and Strange entered separate teleportation passages after declaring their determination to fight for Kamar-Taj and the Supreme’s glory.
• Strange arrived in Hell with Luke and summoned Superman to guard him.
• Strange explained the lower level’s dangers, donned his heavy armor, and described how damned souls lost their memories and merged through endless slaughter.
• Luke sensed an approaching presence and warned Strange that someone was coming.

Blackheart hunted Stephen Strange in the hellish tournament arena, expecting an easy kill, but Strange's heavily armored gear blunted his surprise attack. As Blackheart prepared to attack again, spectators watched and Rocket Raccoon wondered when Luke would enter the match.

• Blackheart arrived in the lower levels of hell and sensed a rival contestant nearby.
• Blackheart found Strange in heavy armor and attacked him from above, but his scaled arm broke against Strange's armor.
• Strange recognized Blackheart and feared the mismatch, while spectators at the No Doors Bar expected him to be killed.
• Rocket Raccoon worried about its bets and asked where Luke was.
• Blackheart questioned Strange's armor, and Strange defended his choice and taunted him.
• Blackheart threatened to make Strange's defeat more miserable.

Strange fought Blackheart’s elemental contractors in Hell but was overwhelmed by the Earth Demon Gresil. Luke stepped in and erased Gresil with a single punch, leaving Strange stunned by what a real mage could do.

• Blackheart summoned the Wind Demon Abigor, and Strange dispersed his tornado with Watoomb’s Winds.
• The Earth Demon Gresil ambushed Strange and knocked him down while Blackheart and the Water Demon Valu watched.
• Luke revealed himself and chided Strange for trying to fight the devils without help.
• Luke punched Gresil, pulverizing him and wiping out the surrounding land and mountains.
• Strange stared at the enormous passage left behind, wondering whether high-level mages could really wield such terrifying strength.