Chapter Summaries

Sean learned that Worthington had turned public opinion and industry partners against the Metis Serum, but he remained confident and considered contacting the Mutants. Meanwhile, Tony Stark returned to New York after nearly three months in Afghanistan, determined to hold a press conference rather than go to the hospital.

• Dr. Connors told Sean that the Metis Serum had stalled, hospitals and manufacturers were refusing to cooperate with Osborn, and many pre-sale orders had been canceled.
• Sean identified Worthington as the force behind the attacks and reassured Connors that business partners would eventually follow profits; he also hinted that Senator Kelly should fear the Mutants.
• After Connors left, Sean decided Umbrella Labs should make contact with Mutants hiding in the shadows.
• Pepper Potts welcomed Tony Stark back to New York as he stepped off the military transport plane with Colonel Rhodey's support.
• Tony refused Pepper's request to take him to the hospital, asked first for a cheeseburger, and announced that he wanted to hold a press conference.

Tony Stark announced that Stark Industries would shut down its weapons factories, while Sean predicted the company’s stock would fall. Sean reassured Harry that the troubles facing Osborn Industries and Worthington would give Harry a chance to prove himself.

• Tony Stark appeared at a press conference and announced that Stark Industries would stop manufacturing weapons.
• Sean told Harry that Stark Industries’ stock price would likely crash after Tony’s announcement.
• Harry complained that Osborn Industries’ board wanted him to share the Metis Serum formula and profits with Worthington.
• Sean told Harry that Worthington would soon be too distracted to keep suppressing Osborn and urged him to strike when the opportunity came.

Senator Kelly traveled to a summit on the Mutant Registration Act but was abducted by Mystique and taken to Magneto. Magneto used a machine to turn Kelly into a Mutant, leaving his fate in the Brotherhood’s hands.

• Senator Kelly rallied support for the Mutant Registration Act as he traveled by helicopter toward Liberty Island.
• Mystique, disguised as Kelly’s bodyguard, revealed herself and knocked him unconscious.
• Kelly awoke shackled in a cave, where Magneto explained that Mystique had replaced his missing bodyguard, Henry.
• Magneto used a metal machine to transform Kelly into a Mutant, then mocked him as one of the “Proud Mutants.”

Peter Parker was fired from his pizza delivery job and nearly fired from the Daily Bugle, but photos of Senator Robert Kelly appearing naked at Rockaway Beach earned him a five-hundred-dollar check. Meanwhile, Sean reviewed evidence of Worthington Company's experiments on Mutants and considered their value to Umbrella.

• James fired Peter Parker for submitting photos he considered unnewsworthy and told him Spider-Man was no longer worth paying for.
• After James complained about the lack of exciting news, Peter showed him a photo of a naked figure that James recognized as Senator Robert Kelly.
• James made Kelly's appearance the Daily Bugle's front-page story and paid Peter five hundred dollars.
• Peter left the office grateful to Sean for directing him to Rockaway Beach, where he had photographed Kelly.
• At Umbrella, Sean examined Skynet's files documenting Worthington Company's experiments on Mutants and praised Stryker's Mutant gene bank.

Marcus Worthington faced a sudden public scandal over Worthington Company’s illegal experiments on Mutants and its dealings with Senator Kelly, while Harry celebrated the company’s crisis at Umbrella. Sean advised him not to act, confident that others would keep the pressure on Worthington.

• Marcus arrived at Worthington Tower and was confronted by reporters asking about Worthington’s experiments and Senator Kelly.
• Hamilton showed Marcus the leaked evidence and widespread news coverage, including Jonah James’s Daily Bugle article linking Worthington to Kelly and hinting at a plot against Osborn and Umbrella.
• Marcus suspected a rival had engineered the scandal, then ordered public-relations measures and contacted political allies as government agencies intervened.
• Harry burst into Sean’s office and told him Worthington was under investigation and its stock was crashing.
• Sean dismissed Harry’s suggestion to press their advantage and said someone else would deliver justice for them.

Sean chose to keep a low profile while building his strength and halted Skynet’s online campaign against Worthington. At Stark Mansion, Tony faced pressure from the Board of Directors and rejected Obadiah’s request to examine his Arc Reactor.

• Sean decided to pause the public-opinion campaign against Worthington before the paid posters attracted suspicion.
• Sean reflected on his growing Mind Power and the dangers posed by powerful figures such as Bruce Dr. Banner and Professor X.
• Pepper told Tony that Obadiah was waiting upstairs while Tony tested an energy cannon in his underground laboratory.
• Obadiah told Tony that the Board of Directors planned to force him out as Stark Industries’ stock price continued to fall.
• Tony refused to let Obadiah examine the Arc Reactor in his chest and walked away.

Mystique Raven urged Magneto to abandon his plan to attack the world leaders’ summit on Liberty Island and strike Worthington Company instead. Magneto accepted her advice and prepared to use the attack to make the world recognize Mutants.

• Mystique Raven entered Magneto’s headquarters and found Sabretooth Victor thrown at her feet after Magneto’s outburst.
• Magneto showed Raven reports of Mutants being captured and killed in illegal experiments, then declared that Mutants would no longer hide.
• Magneto explained that he planned to use his conversion device at the Liberty Island summit to transform human leaders into Mutants, despite the deaths it would cause.
• Raven warned that attacking the summit would unite human governments against Mutants and suggested targeting Worthington Company instead.
• Magneto agreed that a direct confrontation with human governments was too risky and chose Worthington’s destruction as his warning to the world.

At the Baxter Building, Sean met Reed Richards and agreed to join Reed’s upcoming Cosmic Storm experiment as a biologist. The experiment was six weeks away, and Sean knew it was destined to go wrong as he noticed smoke rising over Manhattan.

• Sean praised Reed’s scientific work and reassured him that Umbrella valued research for its contribution to humanity.
• Reed explained that he had rejected Umbrella’s earlier invitation and had accepted Victor Doom’s funding for the space experiment.
• Reed invited Sean to join the five-person team and help map genetic sequences during their Cosmic Rays data collection.
• Reed described how studying the approaching Cosmic Storm could reveal secrets of life and genetics, and Sean agreed to participate.
• Ben celebrated Sean’s decision as Sean spotted a plume of smoke rising over central Manhattan.

Marcus believed Worthington had survived the scandal over its illegal Mutant experiments, though he feared the unknown force behind the leaks and planned to target Osborn Industries and Umbrella later. As he spoke with Colonel William Stryker, he saw an old man in a purple robe and helmet approaching Worthington Tower through the air, lifting cars into a steel staircase.

• Marcus sacrificed Worthington’s research director and other subordinates to contain the scandal and convinced investigators that the company was not responsible for the experiments.
• Marcus failed to discover who had leaked the laboratory files and dismissed Osborn Industries and Umbrella as possible culprits.
• Marcus vowed to crush Osborn Industries and Umbrella after Worthington recovered, while blaming his recent setbacks on bad luck.
• Marcus answered Colonel William Stryker’s call and promised that Worthington would protect him and provide compensation.
• Marcus saw a helmeted old man in a purple robe approach Worthington Tower in midair as cars floated behind him, and he dropped the phone in terror.

Peter's plans to celebrate Mary Jane's stage debut were interrupted when Magneto seized control of the city's metal and attacked Worthington Tower. Magneto accused Marcus Worthington of experimenting on Mutants, then publicly declared that Mutants would resist humanity.

• Peter waited at a traffic light with roses for Mary Jane, looking forward to their dinner after earning praise and a possible full-time job at the Daily Bugle.
• Magneto drew metal from vehicles and street fixtures into a vast airborne torrent, forcing Peter and the crowd to flee.
• Magneto changed his plan to attack Liberty Island after Mystique Raven suggested targeting Worthington instead, and he entered Marcus Worthington's office.
• Magneto accused Marcus of using Mutants in bloody experiments and bound him with a metal noose.
• Magneto shaped the metal torrent into a massive steel cross, announced that Mutants would resist humanity, and faced police who dared not approach.

Magneto publicly declared that Mutants were superior and called them to join the Brotherhood, then ordered an explosion at Worthington Tower. Professor Xavier sent Jean Gray to Manhattan to stop him as the building began to collapse.

• Magneto used his powers to disarm the police and delivered a televised speech calling Mutants to fight for their freedom.
• Professor Xavier watched Magneto’s broadcast and sent Jean Gray to Manhattan to intervene.
• Magneto saw Mystique and her group emerge from Worthington Tower and gave the signal for an explosion.
• A blast shattered the tower’s windows and sent debris raining down as the building swayed.

Spider-Man rescued civilians from the collapsing Worthington Tower while Magneto staged a public execution of Marcus Worthington and declared Mutant supremacy. After the police opened fire, Magneto turned their bullets against them, beginning a violent attack on the officers.

• Spider-Man saved civilians from the burning, collapsing Worthington Tower but felt powerless when he could not rescue everyone.
• Magneto and the Brotherhood appeared before the media as Magneto declared Mutants the future and had Marcus Worthington bound to a steel cross.
• Magneto impaled Marcus with metal spikes, accusing him of torturing Mutants through experiments.
• George Stacy seized his weapon and confronted Magneto, prompting the police and special forces to reclaim their guns.
• The police fired at Magneto and the Brotherhood, but Magneto stopped the bullets in midair and sent them back toward the officers.

Magneto escaped after confronting Professor Charles, who chose to save police chief George rather than let Magneto be killed. Sean watched the confrontation remotely and prepared to seize Worthington's Mutant research while planning for future conflicts with the Mutant leaders.

• Sabretooth Victor, controlled by Charles, restrained Magneto and demanded that he release the police and special forces.
• Magneto challenged Charles's hopes for peaceful coexistence and fired a bullet at police chief George, forcing Charles and Jean to stop it.
• Charles relented, freeing Sabretooth Victor and Toad from his control, and Magneto dismantled the guns before carrying the Brotherhood away on the steel cross.
• Jean drove Charles away from the scene as he reflected on the cost of choosing either Magneto's cause or peace with humanity.
• Sean reviewed the confrontation through Skynet and considered the danger of Charles's telepathy.
• Sean revealed that Elektra and The Hand were attacking Worthington's San Francisco laboratory to obtain Mutant genes and research data.

Coulson visited the New York branch to retrieve files on Magneto and learned that the White House planned to classify both Magneto’s Brotherhood and Charles Xavier’s academy as threats. He also heard that New York’s street heroes had disappeared, leaving the city unusually quiet, and wondered about Fury’s plan to counter superpowered people.

• Coulson met John Garrett at the New York branch and discussed Magneto’s attack, the difficulties of tracking Mutants, and Fury’s unapproved plan.
• Garrett showed Coulson Erik Lehnsherr’s files and explained that the White House wanted them passed to Colonel Stryker’s newly formed Mutant Defense Task Force.
• Coulson and Garrett discussed how the disaster had increased suspicion toward Mutants and revived Stryker’s Mutant research.
• Coulson asked about New York’s street heroes, and Garrett said the Punisher and Daredevil had vanished while Hell’s Kitchen enjoyed a rare period of peace.
• Coulson reflected on the agency’s growing workload and suspected Fury wanted to fight dangerous superpowered people by recruiting others who were even more dangerous.

A week after the Mutant attack on Worthington Tower, Sean and Harry discussed the political fallout and Osborn’s chance to expand as Worthington collapsed. Sean planned a quiet vacation and anticipated a space voyage that might unlock the mysterious gate within him.

• Harry visited Sean aboard his enormous yacht, and the two relaxed at sea.
• Sean and Harry discussed the canceled world summit, rising demands for the Mutant Registration Act, and how Colonel William Stryker benefited from the crisis.
• Harry said Osborn had entered the market and could grow as Worthington’s business and leadership crumbled.
• Sean declared that Osborn would establish a new order after rival capital groups divided Worthington’s assets.
• Sean said he had handed his lab work to Dr. Connors and looked forward to a space voyage that might let him open the gate within his body.
• Harry asked about Umbrella’s partnership with Doom Group, and Sean explained that it was a private arrangement.

Sean prepared to join Reed, Ben, and the others on a space mission to study cosmic energy, while Mindy worried about his safety before he left. After the crew boarded the spacecraft, the launch was set to begin within six hours.

• Sean reassured Mindy before leaving for the space voyage, and she protested that she did not want to lose another family member.
• Elektra returned from San Francisco with Jimmy, a Mutant whose serum could suppress mutant genes, and mutant genetic data for Sean's research.
• At the launch base, Sean met Reed, Ben, and Victor Doom, who had financed the trip.
• Ben objected to flying with Susan Storm's brother, but Reed persuaded him to return and prepare for the mission.
• Susan gave Reed a uniform made from unstable molecules, but he focused on its scientific properties and frustrated her.
• After the boarding announcement, Sean and the crew boarded the spacecraft.

Sean and the others prepared the Space Station to observe the approaching Cosmic Energy Storm, while Victor Doom tried to draw Susan closer and Reed struggled with seeing them together. As Ben readied himself to test plant seedlings outside the spacecraft, Sean waited eagerly for the storm's energy to reach him.

• Sean admired Earth from the Space Station and considered using his power, wealth, and influence to reshape humanity's future.
• Susan focused the group on preparations to observe the Cosmic Energy Storm, expected to pass through the station in nine hours.
• Victor asked to spend time alone with Susan, and Sean led Reed away as Reed watched them together with pain.
• Ben prepared to carry plant seedlings outside the spacecraft to test whether the storm's radiation altered their genes.
• Johnny mocked Reed to Ben while Reed returned to the cabin to calculate the test data.
• Sean went to the observation deck, felt energy stir within him, and awaited the approaching storm.

Doom tried to propose to Susan aboard the Space Station, but Reed's warning that the Cosmic Energy Storm was arriving early turned the mission into a crisis. Doom refused to abort and began closing the protective shields, while Ben raced back toward the airlock and Reed called for Johnny to open it.

• Doom revealed a ring and began proposing to Susan, who interrupted him by reflecting on their two years together.
• Sean warned that the cloud mass was accelerating and that Reed had ordered the mission aborted because the radiation was deadly.
• Doom rejected Reed's warning and refused to stop the experiment, despite Susan and Sean objecting that Ben was still outside.
• Susan and Sean left the control center, and Doom began closing the protective shields from the console.
• Reed shouted for Johnny to open the airlock as Ben paddled desperately toward the hatch ahead of the approaching energy storm.

A Cosmic Ray storm struck the Space Station, leaving Ben, Reed, Johnny, and Susan unconscious while Sean absorbed the energy and underwent a drastic transformation. After the storm passed, Sean contacted the Space Agency and looked ahead to humanity’s future among the stars.

• Ben was blasted into the Space Station by the approaching storm, and Johnny closed the outer hatch.
• The storm flooded the station, changing Reed, Johnny, and Susan before they passed out.
• Sean opened the hatch and endured the storm, absorbing its energy as his body transformed and a Vacuum Gate opened inside him.
• Sean contained his new power after the storm receded and the station fell silent.
• Sean put on clothes, sent a distress signal to the Space Agency, and looked out toward the universe.

Susan woke in Victor's infirmary after the space rescue, while Sean reflected on the fallout from the failed experiment and the battle at Stark Industries. Tony rejected S.H.I.E.L.D.'s cover story and publicly revealed that he was Iron Man.

• Sean told Susan that everyone had returned safely to Earth and that she needed only to rest.
• Sean considered Victor Doom's financial ruin and watched Rhodey explain away the Stark Industries battle as a testing accident.
• Coulson gave Tony a prepared cover story that claimed Tony and Obadiah Stane had been away on vacation.
• Tony stepped before reporters and announced, "I am Iron Man!"