Synopsis / Summary / Plot
The previously page is full of bits from New Avengers. #21 The ghost of T'Challa's father asks why he hasn't killed Sub-Mariner yet. #24 Namor asks Dr Doom to help control his world-killing Cabal. #28 All the various Avengers factions are in conflict when Invisible Woman reveals herself as a traitor to Steve Rogers and SHIELD. She imprisons in separate force field cages every combatant except her husband Mr Fantastic. And then Namor and Black Bolt show up to rejoin the Illuminati.
But in this issue we 1st have a flashback to T'Challa's boyhood when his father passes on a ceremonial dagger.
Now Black Bolt and Sub-Mariner join Mr Fantastic, Invisible Woman and Medusa (who turned up late with IW). Black Panther, who also seems to be free of a cage, demands to know why Namor is here. Reed Richards asks T'Challa to trust him on this.
Steve Rogers also has a demand, that Sue Richards set him free. She says she'll do it as long as he'll listen to Reed and the others. He gives them 5 minutes and she drops all the cages.
Ms Marvel wants to know how Sue fooled all the SHIELD psi screening. Reed is happy to launch into an explanation of how he arranged it, but angry Steve doesn't want to hear it. (And it saves the writer having to make something up.)
Beast cuts to the chase - they have a plan to get rid of the Cabal. Sunspot is more concerned about solving the problem of the incursions of other Earths (which the Cabal have been destroying to save this universe). Beast says they can do that too.
Rogers wants it made clear that providing these solutions won't absolve them for what they've already done. (The Illuminati prepared means to destroy Earths, and Namor's Cabal used them.) Sub-Mariner says that it was necessary and he would do it all again, but also that it was wrong and he will face his punishment. Beast and Mr Fantastic sort-of agree. But Panther, king of the Wakandans, won't surrender himself to judgement.
Reed tries to get past this impasse by revealing that an incursion is due in 2 hours. And the plan requires Namor to make sure all the Cabal are there (because they don't all go on every mission).
2 hours later Sub-Mariner is in the Wakandan Necropolis which the Cabal have made their base (because that's where the Illuminati's anti-matter bombs are stored). He broaches the subject of the mission crew, but Thanos has already decided that everyone will go this time. Because Maximus has discovered that the situation is getting worse. (In NAv#26 we heard that the invading alternate universes are taking longer go away after their Earths are destroyed - which is now being interpreted as the end of the multiverse getting nearer?)
The whole team (including Black Swan, Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight and Terrax) teleport with 1 of the bombs to the other Earth. They are expecting the Sidera Maris this time. Black Swan reminds them that they must stop the Sidera Maris from summoning the Mapmakers. (Although mad Maximus suggests they let them do it just for variety.) The armoured (cyborg? robotic?) soldiers appear, and battle commences.
But we avert our eyes for another T'Challa flashback to when his sister Shuri took over as Black Panther and leader of the Wakandans. He gave her the sacred blade.
Meanwhile Beast, Black Panther, Black Widow, Cannonball, Invisible Woman, Mr Fantastic, Steve Rogers, Sub-Mariner and Sunspot have taken their discussion inside (where?).
Henry McCoy and Reed Richards explain that they've learned to predict incursions to within a few hours, and so were able to plan this encounter to coincide with 1. (They deliberately let the SHIELD Avengers find them last issue.) They also know what kind of incursion they'll face - Sidera Maris and Mapmakers this time, which as usual will involve and already-dead Earth. Namor will lead the Cabal there, the villains will be destroyed along with the other Earth, and then the Illuminati will surrender for trial.
Natasha Romanoff wants to know what's to stop the Cabal escaping from the exploding planet. Beast explains that Sunspot gave him the solution to that (after Hank went to him for help in #38). Da Costa's AIM designed a force shield intended to keep 2 Earths from touching, which should then save both planets and both universes. It turned out not to be strong enough for that, but it will keep the Cabal from returning home.
3rd and last of T'Challa's flashbacks - to NAv#24 where Shuri handed the knife back to T'Challa after the destruction of Wakanda. We now understand its significance, and that she wants him to kill Sub-Mariner with it.
Now Doc Green checks that the Cabal are engaged in battle on the other Earth (using a large and powerful hand-telescope!). AIM scientists launch a platform carrying the force-shield device. Namor arms the anti-matter bomb and jets (somehow) away from the planet (noticed by Black Swan). And Sue Richards notices that Panther is missing.
Subby reaches the AIM platform only to find T'Challa there. Who stabs him with the sacred dagger. Namor contemptuously removes the knife and snaps it in 2. But Panther says that's not what's going to kill him.
Black Bolt teleports to the platform and shouts at Sub-Mariner. This of course knocks him off the platform and he crashlands on the other-Earth below. Black Panther activates the restraining shield after Subby has left. He gives Namor time to realise what's going to happen to him, and then renmte-detonates the anti-matter bomb.
The 2 'heroes' flee the exploding planet and return to their comrades on Earth. Panther calmly announces that Namor won't be coming back.